Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Football begins spring practices
03/23/2009 | 12:00:00 | Football
March 23, 2009
The Southern Illinois University football team began spring practices on a warm, breezy afternoon at McAndrew Stadium Monday.
The Salukis are coming off a 9-3 season in which they won the Gateway Conference regular-season title and advanced to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs for the sixth-straight year.
Under second-year head coach Dale Lennon, the Salukis will return 10 starters on defense and seven starters on offense, plus their starting kicker and punter.
Quarterback Chris Dieker, who will be a junior next season, returns to guide an offense that averaged nearly 30 points per game last fall. The Salukis must replace All-American running back Larry Warner, however.
On defense, SIU returns its entire starting defensive line and secondary. The only starter lost to graduation on defense is linebacker James Cloud.
The team will have 15 practices this spring, culminating with the Spring Game on Saturday, April 18, at 1 p.m.
