Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Football Starts Spring Practice
03/31/2004 | 12:00:00 | Football
March 31, 2004
CARBONDALE
By Seth Whitehead
www.SIUSalukis.com -
Though the calendar read March 31, Jerry Kill was in midseason form Wednesday as he talked to the media after the Southern Illinois University football team's first spring practice.
His smile was prevalent. His answers brimmed with cautious optimism. And his witty, down-home one-liners were sharp and frequent - even by his own lofty standards.
He was in the kind of mood coaches tend to get in the day they add a 6-foot-4, 260 pound running back who run the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds.
It's the kind of mood coaches often attain when their three biggest questions heading into spring ball - how to replace Tom Koutsos, Muhammad Abdulqaadir, Brandon Robinson and the 2,453 yards and 28 touchdowns they produced - are answered so emphatically.
Enter Minnesota transfer Terry Jackson, Coffeyville Community College transfer Arkee Whitlock and the aforementioned 6-4, 240-pound back - Auburn transfer Brandon Jacobs.
All told, this trio should eliminate any concerns about the Saluki running attack in 2004. (see lead story on main page).
"I think we're going to be OK there," said quarterback Joel Sambursky facetiously. "It's good to be able to have some great running backs back there. Those guys (are) very experienced players. We haven't put the pads on yet - and I know they probably feel like they have a lot to prove - but I think for sure you can't question the experience were going to have back there or the talent."
Jackson rushed for more than 1,300 yards two years ago at Minnesota. Whitlock ran for 1,300-plus yards last year at the same school that Abdulqaadir transferred to SIU from.
Both suited up in the maroon and white for the first time Wednesday.
Jacobs - who split time with Abdulqaadir at Coffeyville before taking his starting job after Abdulqaadir injured his knee - will be able to practice with the team until he is officially registered for the fall semester at SIU.
It will be well worth the wait. Jacobs averaged 6.2 yards-per-carry last year at Auburn, playing behind all-SEC performer Cadillac Williams.
Kill - who noted that Jacobs is bigger than some of his offensive linemen - said that adding Jacobs gives SIU a dimension it hasn't had, well...maybe ever.
"We haven't had that big a back," Kill said. "We've got a lot of guys that are 200 pounds that are quick. I felt like we needed another pounder and we're excited about the addition of Brandon."
The only question: How to get all of them enough carries? Much like last year, the answer is simple - tailback by committee.
"You bet," Kill said. "It's a team game. I was here when we were 4-8 and 1-10 and we ran out of running backs. And I said, 'I'll never do that again.' I wanted to make sure that we're loaded with talent and I'll live with trying to keep them happy. I certainly don't want to be short bodies and short on running backs -- not in this league."
With running back concerns out of the way, Kill and his staff have only a handful of positions to worry about filling heading into the highly-anticipated 2004 season. And they have twice as many players to draw from than they had in their first year at SIU.
The Salukis have more than 80 players practicing this spring, and only three positions appear to be up for grabs.
"We've never had this many youngsters in spring ball before," Kill said. "We've got a little more depth -- certainly in the skill positions -- than we've had since I've been here. So it's kind of a fun to come out here and have a full field of people. We just haven't had that in the past."
The sheer number of players and experience returning has allowed the Salukis to get ahead of last year's schedule.
"I think we're a little bit farther along in the fact that we're practicing basically the same type of practice schedule that we had during two-a-days last year," Kill said. "We got a lot accomplished in our first practice and we wouldn't have done that a year ago."
All but one starter, linebacker Eric Egan, returns from a very solid defensive unit.
"I feel that defensively we'll be very strong and have everybody back," Kill said.
So for the moment, getting the new running backs acclimated to SIU's offense is a priority of spring camp.
"I think there's a lot of talent there, there's no question about that," Kill said of his backfield. "It's how quick that talent learns. And that's not easy to do. We've got a lot of work ahead of us on the offensive side of the ball."
Both Whitlock and Jackson admitted its going to take a while to settle in.
"It's a big learning experience," said Whitlock. "It's the first time I've played with a football with my new teammates. (There's) a lot of new faces. I mean, I've got a lot of learning to do, but the help of my teammates it should be all right this season."
"What I really want to get done," Jackson said. "I want my teammates to get a good feel for me and I want to get a good feel with our quarterback and O-line. I want to learn the plays. I just want to get adjusted well to this football team and the winning atmosphere they have here."
"It's a whole lot different. The offense is totally different. The steps are different. You know, I like it. And I'm eager to learn it and I'm ready to play. I've still got some things I'm a little gray on, but other than that, it's pretty cool."
Sambursky described the new backs' running styles as "smooth."
"The way they run," Sambursky said. "They make it look easy.
But he also admitted it will take some time.
"I mean, it takes a while to kind of get each others' rythym down and stuff like that," Sambursky said. "It's going to take a while. It took a while for me and Mo and me and Tommy."
And, apparently, none of their egos are going to be bruised by having to share the ball.
"My whole thing is -- I just want to help us win a championship here," Jackson said. "And I think we've got the team to do it."
With a majority of their starters coming back from last year's 10-2 team and a group of stellar newcomers on board, expectations seem to be the only thing that can match the Salukis' potential.
But Kill knows his team must improve, and the foundation starts in the spring.
"I told our coaches to teach our players like they're elementary teachers," Kill said. "You know, let's go back to the basics and do the fundamentals. We studied the Delaware game and the Northern Iowa game and we got out-fundamentaled.
"All we've got to do is throw that Delaware score up on that scoreboard and that's living proof that we've got a lot of room to improve. All we've talked about is getting better.
"We know there's pressure. I know expectations have changed."
"I don't know if we can do it back-to-back. But I know one thing: We're going to sure in the heck try."
