Karim Carries SIU to 400th All-Time Victory

Saturday, October 3

Macomb, Ill.

6:05 PM

Southern Illinois University

3-1 , 2-0

Western Illinois

1-3 , 0-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Southern Illinois

Western Illinois

10/03/2009 | 12:00:00 | Football

Box Score

Oct. 3, 2009

By Jason Clay
www.SIUSalukis.com

Final Stats | Notes | Photo Gallery

CARBONDALE, Ill. - Deji Karim's two touchdowns and 282 all-purpose yards led No. 8 Southern Illinois to a 30-10 victory over Western Illinois Saturday at Hanson Field to give the Salukis their 400th victory in program history.

Karim had 18 carries for 157 yards and the two scores. His 92-yard touchdown run on SIU's first offensive play of the game set a new school record. He also added a career-long 42-yard reception and a 69-yard kickoff return in the game.

SIU's 20-point win gave the Salukis their eighth-straight victory over the Leathernecks (1-3, 0-1 MVFC). SIU goes to 3-1 on the year and start 2-0 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference for the eighth time in the last nine seasons.

"It was a good win for us tonight," head coach Dale Lennon said. "In the first half the offense came out and did what they had to do and in the second half the defense closed out the game for us.

"It wasn't the prettiest win for us, but what I told the team in the locker room is that we'll take a win on the road any day."

Western Illinois quarterback Matt Barr came into the game ranked No. 9 nationally in passing with 274.7 yards per game, but only had 90 yards before leaving in the first half with a thumb injury. SIU's defense held backup quarterback Wil Lunt to just 7-of-14 passing and 50 yards while sacking him four times.

The Salukis outgained WIU 368-243 in the game and forced three interceptions, two by Mike McElroy and one by Lance Caldwell.

Quarterback Chris Dieker was 14-of-24 in the game for 154 yards and one touchdown.

Karim, the nation's No. 2 rusher, had 217 all-purpose yards by halftime as the Salukis had four scoring drives in the first 30 minutes that all lasted less than three and a half minutes.

Junior kicker Kyle Dougherty connected on all three of his field goal attempts and two of them were from 43-yards.

Southern's defense, which only allowed the Leathernecks to complete 42 percent of their passes, was led by safeties Marty Rodgers and McElroy. Rodgers tied for the game-high with eight tackles and McElroy had six stops to go with his two picks. Caldwell registered his first career sack in the game to go with his first interception.

Things looked good right from the start. On SIU's first offensive play of the game, Karim took the handoff from Dieker 92 yards in for the score.

Following a Dieker fumble on a sack, Western Illinois got a 30-yard field goal from Brian Egan at 4:30 of the first quarter to get the Leathernecks on the board.

Despite the hiccup on the fumble, Karim kept the Salukis going. He returned the kickoff following WIU's field goal 69 yards to the Leatherneck 26 and then four plays later he scored on a three-yard run to put SIU up 14-3 after the first quarter.

Western Illinois got its first touchdown of the game early in the second quarter following a 13-play, 74-yard drive. Dre Gibbs scored for the Leathernecks on a two-yard run at 11:39.

Dougherty put the Salukis up 17-10 with a 43-yard field goal a little over three minutes later. It came on a seven-play, 46-yard scoring drive that was kept alive early thanks to a 42-yard Dieker to Karim pass on a third-and-10 on SIU's 28-yard line.

The Dawgs added 10 more points before halftime to take a 27-10 lead into the locker rooms. Fullback John Goode caught his second touchdown pass of the season from Dieker on a 7-yard reception at 3:58 and Dougherty hit a 37-yard field goal with :07 left in the half.

Southern Illinois got another Dougherty field goal on its first drive of the second half. This one was once again from 43 yards and it came after a 10-play drive four-plus minute drive. That would be the end of the scoring Saturday.

After giving up 188 yards in the first half, the Saluki defense tightened up in the second half. In the third quarter, Western Illinois had negative four yards of offense and only 55 yards in the fourth quarter.

Three of SIU's four sacks came in the second half and the Leathernecks did not score in the final 41:39 of the game as Southern Illinois coasted to the road victory.