Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Maroon dominates White in Football spring game, 34-10
04/22/2011 | 12:00:00 | Football
April 22, 2011
By Tom Weber
SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Maroon team overcame a slow start to overpower the White squad, 34-10, in the annual Saluki Football spring game Friday night at Saluki Stadium.
Starting quarterback Paul McIntosh put the first points on the board for the Maroon with an 11-yard touchdown scamper with four minutes remaining in the first half. The junior began spring ball as the starter and appears to have held on to the top spot at the conclusion of camp. His passing stats on the night were just 5-of-18 for 79 yards, but his receivers dropped a number of balls that should have been caught.
"Early on, it was a bit sloppy," admitted head coach Dale Lennon. "We had some dropped balls and some illegal procedures, and we'll get beat if we do that in the fall."
Things perked up just before halftime when McIntosh hit John Lantz on a 17-yard touchdown strike to give the Maroon a 14-0 advantage. The third quarter was all Maroon as A.J. Hill hit Cam Fuller on a 58-yard bomb for a TD, Steve Strother scored on the ground from 31 yards out, and Hill connected with Rik Hicks for a 6-yard touchdown pass.
Trailing 34-0, the White finally got on the board with a field goal by Jackson MacLachlan in the fourth quarter and a touchdown on a four-yard run by Kory Faulkner.
"It shows something about your team to come out in the second half and regroup," Lennon said. "The mistakes made early were by young players, and they came out a bit to excited, but they came around."
The Salukis finished the spring confident that they had established a solid running game behind a veteran offensive line that returns four starters. Strother carried 10 times in the scrimmage for 77 yards and had a long touchdown run called back. Transfer Mulku Kalokoh was also impressive with 47 yards on nine attempts.
The passing game is still a work in progress as the team searches for a replacement for Chris Dieker. The three-way battle for the starting job will continue into the fall between McIntosh, Kory Faulkner and Hill, a transfer from Northern Illinois. Hill threw a pair of touchdown passes in the scrimmage, but also threw a couple of interceptions.
"We have three quarterbacks, but we would prefer one to step up and be a lot better than the others," said offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer. "It's a process, and there isn't one guy that is head and shoulders better than the other one right now. They need to all compete and work this summer to separate themselves in fall camp."
Thirteen different players caught passes in the game, including three by John Lantz, who has emerged from the pack as a probable starter. Fuller and Luke Standiford have also had solid springs.
"I think we showed that we are pretty young at the skills positions with all of the drops," DeBoer said. "I was proud how the guys responded, and we made some big plays as the scrimmage went on. I know what we are capable of doing, now its just going out and doing it."
Defensively, the Maroon turned in numerous big plays. Cory Lee, Scott Cole and Luke Thuston all snagged interceptions. Kendall Lane also had a sack.
"There was a lot of give and take," Lennon said. "When your offense did well, you worry about your defense, and vice versa. We did have enough give and take tonight that we did make progress, but it's that consistency on both sides that we want to take out of this."
Prior to the game, Saluki Athletics unveiled the new bronze Saluki dog sculpture in the courtyard adjacent to SIU Arena and Saluki Stadium. (See Photo Gallery)
