Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Football wraps up training camp with Thursday night scrimmage
08/27/2009 | 12:00:00 | Football
Aug. 27, 2009
By Tom Weber
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Saluki football team held its final preseason scrimmage of training camp in front of a crowd 750 fans at McAndrew Stadium on a warm, muggy Thursday evening.
Southern Illinois -- the defending Missouri Valley Football Conference champions -- will open the regular season at Football Bowl Subdivision opponent Marshall next Saturday.
The Saluki offense ran 69 plays against the defense and tallied 248 yards and 13 points. The lone touchdown came on a one-yard run by fullback John Goode. Kickers Kyle Dougherty and Scott Ravanesi each added field goals.
"Our first objective was to come out healthy," head coach Dale Lennon said afterward. "It's always a little scary, because you don't want anyone going down with a major injury so close to the first game."
The play selection heavily favored the passing game, as SIU's three quarterbacks completed 24-of-43 pass attempts. Starting quarterback Chris Dieker and backup Paul McIntosh each completed 10 passes apiece. Both quarterbacks threw one interception, with linebacker Kyle Walker picking off a McIntosh pass and cornerback Korey Lindsey intercepting an errant Dieker throw.
Lennon said the scrimmage was a good give and take between the two sides.
"I wanted to see the offense show some consistency in moving the football," he said. "We put them in situations to see if they would be successful, and for the most part they did well. We exposed some things that we still need to work on. We're not a finished product by any means."
Nine different players carried the ball for Southern, led by running back Deji Karim, who rushed four times for 34 yards. His best run was a 26-yard scamper on the first series of the scrimmage.
Every healthy player on the roster played, according to Lennon.
"We wanted to reward those guys who went through the entire pre-fall camp," he said. "Some of them will go down to the scout squads and won't get a whole lot of action."
Lennon said his staff will now focus its attention on the Thundering Herd.
"The game prep will start tomorrow," he said. "We have some decisions to make regarding personnel."
