Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Koutsos Season Ends With Bad Break
10/23/2002 | 12:00:00 | Football
Oct. 15, 2002
By Abby Gonzales
SIU Media Services
Tom Koutsos planned to use his senior season at Southern Illinois University as a springboard to the National Football League. He hoped to cap off a brilliant career, in which he had already broken every school rushing record, by breaking the Gateway Conference rushing record.
Those aspirations were dashed, however, when Koutsos took his first hand-off of the game against Murray State three weeks ago.
"I was tackled, and I tried to push myself off the ground," Koutsos says, reliving the fateful moment. "Some big guy fell on me and snapped my arm in two."
He had broken his right wrist and forearm, and found himself on the operating table two days later where a metal plate was inserted in his arm to help it heal properly. It was a devastating blow to a player who has played in every game of his Saluki career. His season was over, and his future uncertain.
 | "I was tackled, and I tried to push myself off the ground. Some big guy fell on me and snapped my arm in two." Tom Koutsos |
He makes no secret of his desire to play in the NFL. Which path he will take to get there remains uncertain, though. The school will petition the NCAA for a medical redshirt year, allowing Koutsos the opportunity to return to SIU in 2003. However, that may not be in the best interest of his career goals, since he will graduate this year and be eligible to play in the NFL.
"I'm leaving my options open right now," Koutsos said. "My goal is to play at the next level. I'm going to pursue that. I don't know if it will be this year, or if I'll take a medical [redshirt] and play another year [at Southern Illinois]. Half of me says my time is done here and it's time for me to move on, and the other half says if I leave, it's unfinished business. I don't want to go out as an injured player."
Whether he returns or not, Koutsos will surely be remembered as the best running back in school history. He is the only player in school history to record multiple 1,000-yard seasons, and has 18 100-yard rushing games in his career, yet another school record. The Payton Award finalist also holds the school scoring record with 38 touchdowns and 228 points. Koutsos has 3,747 career rushing yards and remains 482 yards shy of the Gateway Conference record. And he hates not to finish something he's started.
 Koutsos is SIU's career rushing leader | |
"Coach Kill sold me on the new situation, and told me that he was dedicated to running the football. That was what was important to me, and I didn't want to turn my back on the program. I needed to finish what I started."
And what he started was the rebuilding of Saluki football.
"My junior year I had to adapt to the new style of offense that coach Kill presented," said Koutsos. "Coach Kill is a good coach and things are on the upswing. There will be some good football for SIU in the years to come."
The Oswego, Ill. native has provided more than his share of good football in his career. In his years at Marmion Military Academy, he rushed for 4,699 yards and placed the football in the end-zone 54 times. Beacon News named him Football Player of the Year in 1998. He was a three-time all-conference pick, and a two-time all-state selection.
Koutsos started as a true freshman at SIU, replacing Karlton Carpenter, a senior who had rushed over 1,800 yards the year before.
Although Koutsos was the state's top rusher with 2,274 yards his senior year in high school, he didn't imagine he would be starting at running back immediately. He found out at preseason camp a few weeks before classes began.
"At camp, they told me I might be playing sooner than expected," said Koutsos. "I just thought I would be back-up as a freshman and get some reps in every now and then. When I received such a tremendous opportunity, I did what I could. I'm glad I could make the most of the opportunity given to me."
His most memorable moment at Southern Illinois was his first collegiate game against Southeast Missouri State, September 2, 1999. Koutsos ended the night with 194 yards on 19 carries, including a 62-yard run, and two touchdowns. He finished his freshman year with 1,052 yards, 12 touchdowns and a 5.4 yard average. The Salukis ended the 1999 season with a 5-6 record.
In the 2000 season, Koutsos was an all-Gateway Conference first-team selection. He had five consecutive games with more than 100 yards and finished with six on the year. He was voted the Salukis' offensive player of the year and team MVP as SIU finished with a 3-8 record.
Last year, Koutsos rushed for 1,222 yards, averaging 4.7 yards per carry and became the school's rushing leader in game six against Eastern Illinois with 82 yards. Repeating as a First Team All-Gateway pick, Koutsos rushed for over 100 yards in seven games.
Koutsos picked up where he left off in 2002, averaging 5.8 yards per carry in the first two games before his injury.
"As a coaching staff, we always knew Tom could get us a tough yard and make big plays for us," says offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover. "Tommy has tremendous passion for the game. He comes in every year in great physical shape, and spends a lot of time and energy preparing himself and making himself better, and it shows."
Koutsos claims the hardest part about football the past few years is the tough losses.
"It's the ones where you lose in the fourth quarter or the last few minutes that are the most disappointing," said Koutsos. "Those are the ones that break your heart the most." And even though he won't be playing the rest of this season, he will continue to support his fellow teammates on the sidelines.
Coach Limegrover said that even though the Salukis have submitted a petition for a medical redshirt for Koutsos, he ultimately needs to do what is best for him.
"Obviously, we will support his decision," says Limegrover. "In due time, he'll take a look at the bigger picture and make his decision based on what is best for him in the long run. Anyone who has that amount of desire and love to play has a step up on the future. If there's a way to reach his goals, he'll find it."
Although, football has been a constant in his life, Koutsos has thought about life after football. Like a good running back, he has a Plan B. Once his football career is over, he says he'll go to law school, where he intends to hit the law books just as hard as he hits the line of scrimmage.
