SIU at ILS: Game Notes and Links

11/18/2014 | 12:00:00 | Football

Nov. 18, 2014

No. RV/RV Southern Illinois (6-5, 3-4 MVFC) at No. 7/8 Illinois State (9-1, 6-1 MVFC)
Date	Nov. 22, 2014
Time	1 p.m. CDT
Location	Normal, Ill. \| Hancock Stadium (13,391)
TV	Comcast SportsNet Chicago Plus with Kurt Pegler (play-by-play), Boomer Grigsby (analysis) and RC McBride (reporter) Channel lineup: COMCAST CABLE - CHANNEL 74/102 ATT UVERSE - CHANNEL 741 COMCAST XFINITY - 201 DIRECTV - CHANNEL 665-1 DISH NETWORK - CHANNEL 453 DISH NETWORK HOPPER CHANNEL - 412-41 MEDIACOM - CHANNEL 127
Radio	Saluki Sports Network with Mike Reis (play-by-play), Gene Green (analysis) and Joel Sambursky (analysis)
Audio Stream	Via SIUSalukis.com (Free)
Live Stats	Via Illinois State \| Valley Scoreboard
Game Notes	Southern Illinois \| Illinois State \| MVC
Season Stats	Southern Illinois \| Illinois State \| MVC
All-Time Series	SIU leads 40-33-3; ILS leads 18-17-2 in Normal, Ill.
Series Streak	SIU W2
Social Media	@SIU_Football \| @SIUSalukis \| Saluki Football

QUICK HITS

The Salukis travel to Illinois State for the season finale at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 22.
SIU has won 10-straight regular season finales. Southern's last loss in a regular season finale was 2003 at No. 11 Northern Iowa. The last time SIU and Illinois State met up in a regular season finale was the same date (Nov. 22) in 2008, with Southern pulling out a 17-10 win in overtime.
MyCole Pruitt set SIU's career receptions record last week. With 211 career receptions, Pruitt ranks fourth in MVFC history. This week, Pruitt is seven catches shy of breaking SIU's single-season record for receptions. Pruitt has 71 catches in 2014, chasing Cornell Craig's 77 catches from when he was FCS Player of the Year in 1999.
SIU has won three-straight games in the series in Normal, Ill., including a 17-0 shutout win over No. 9 Illinois State in 2012.
The combined win percentage of SIU's 10 FCS opponents against other FCS opponents (.612) is the eighth-best in the nation. Illinois State marks the fifth SIU opponent in the last six that has been ranked.

SALUKIS HEAD TO ILLINOIS STATE FOR SEASON FINALE

The Salukis travel to Illinois State for the season finale at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 22.
SIU has won 10-straight regular season finales. Southern's last loss in a regular season finale was 2003 at No. 11 Northern Iowa.
The last time SIU and Illinois State met up in a regular season finale was the same date (Nov. 22) in 2008, with Southern pulling out a 17-10 win in overtime.
SIU leads the all-time series with Illinois State 40-33-3. SIU will try to tie up the series in games played in Normal, Ill.; the Redbirds lead those games 18-17-2.
SIU has won three-straight games in the series in Normal, Ill., including a 17-0 shutout win over No. 9 Illinois State in 2012.
Southern Illinois has won six of the last seven games in the series with Illinois State, with the lone loss coming in 2011.

TEAM NOTES

SIU ranks third in the FCS in fewest penalties per game (4.18) and fewest penalty yards per game (35.64), both of which lead the conference.
Head coach Dale Lennon earned his 150th win as a head coach at Missouri State. Lennon has 48 wins in his seven seasons as head coach of the Salukis.
The combined win percentage of SIU's 10 FCS opponents against other FCS opponents (.612) is the eighth-best in the nation.
Eight of the 10 FCS opponents for SIU this year have been ranked in the top-25 at some point this season.
Illinois State marks the fifth SIU opponent in the last six games that has been ranked in the top-25. Illinois State checks in at No. 7/8.
SIU has won at least one game against a ranked team in all seven of head coach Dale Lennon's seasons in Carbondale.
SIU has 12 wins over top-25 teams under Lennon, including one this year at Eastern Illinois.
SIU is 17-6 in November in head coach Dale Lennon's seven seasons.
SIU has won 10-straight regular season finales.
All 11 of SIU's games have been decided by a double-digit margin and eight of its 11 games have been decided by at least three scores one way or the other.

TEAM ROAD SUCCESS

Since 2005, SIU has won 12 road games against ranked teams, which is three more than any other MVFC team.
Southern Illinois has excelled in road games under head coach Dale Lennon. SIU is 20-18 overall on the road in Lennon's six-plus seasons. If you take out SIU's seven FBS opponents in that time-all of which were road losses-Lennon's squads have gone 20-11 in road games.
SIU is 9-6 on the road against ranked teams in head coach Dale Lennon's tenure at SIU.
SIU went 4-0 in road games against FCS opponents last year, including back-to-back road wins over top-10 opponents with a 27-24 win over No. 7 South Dakota State and a 24-17 overtime win over No. 4 Northern Iowa.
The Salukis have won nine of their last 12 MVFC road games, and two of those losses have been to North Dakota State at the Fargodome.
The Salukis shut out No. 9 Illinois State in Normal, Ill., 17-0 in 2012 and beat No. 15 Youngstown State by 17 on the road in 2012.
Under Lennon, SIU is 17-10 in MVFC road games, and six of his 10 road losses were in the 2010 and 2011 seasons. In his other five seasons (2008, 09, 12, 13, 14), SIU is 15-4 in MVFC road games, with three of those four losses coming at the Fargodome against North Dakota State.
SIU has won five games against top-10 teams on the road under Lennon and seven games against ranked opponents away from Carbondale.

TEAM DEFENSIVE NOTES

SIU ranks 16th nationally in sacks per game (2.82). SIU had at least three sacks in each of the first six games of the season.
The Salukis have recorded at least one sack in 61 of the last 63 games.
Southern's diverse defense has already had 16 players record at least a half-TFL. Fourteen players have been in on a sack.
No SIU player is among the top 75 tacklers nationally or top 50 in sacks.
Nine players have at least 3.0 tackles for loss.
Twenty-three players are averaging at least a tackle per game.
While only three of SIU's last 49 opponents have rushed for more than 200 yards, the Saluki offense has eclipsed 200 yards rushing 18 times in that span, including four times this year.
Twice this year (vs. Taylor and WIU), Southern has held its opponent under 100 yards rushing.

TEAM OFFENSIVE NOTES

Southern ranks 11th in the FCS and second in the MVFC in third-down conversion percentage (47.5 percent).
SIU scored 38 or more points in the first three games in 2014. The last time SIU scored 38+ points in three-straight games was 2009.
SIU's 50 points vs. SEMO were the most Southern has scored since hanging 70 on Quincy in 2010. The last time SIU put up 50 against a Division I opponent was 2008 vs. Indiana State.
SIU has posted both 200 yards rushing and 200 yards passing against Taylor, Southeast Missouri and South Dakota.
SIU also returns five offensive linemen who started at least six games last year, Corey Boemer (all 12 games), Tanner Crum (all 12 games), Jake Notario (6 games), Jamarcus Robinson (6 games), and Ethan Wirth (11 games).

INDIVIDUAL DEFENSIVE NOTES

Linebacker Tyler Williamson broke SIU's 35-year-old record for career forced fumbles with one in Southern's 50-23 win over SEMO. Williamson now has eight forced fumbles in his career, two more than any other player in SIU history.
Williamson is third among active FCS players in career forced fumbles.
Williamson has also blocked four kicks in his career, including a blocked punt at Youngstown State.
Williamson also has 14.0 career sacks, just a half-sack away from tying Bart Scott for 11th on SIU's all-time list.
D.J. Cameron intercepted his fifth career pass against SEMO and returned it to the one-yard line. He also had a pick-six get called back at EIU due to a penalty.
Courtney Richmond is sixth in SIU history with 19 career pass breakups. He intercepted a pass last week against UNI.
Anthony Thompson is sixth in SIU history with 133 career interception return yards. Thompson had a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown in 2012 at Youngstown State.
Boo Rodgers leads SIU with two interceptions this year. He had one at Eastern Illinois and another at North Dakota State.
Adam Brandt caught a tipped pass for an interception at EIU. Brandt is the first SIU defensive lineman with an interception since Kendrick Young against New Hampshire in 2008.
Lamonte Edwards started his career as a running back at Minnesota. He had 11 yards and one touchdown on eight carries as an RB before changing positions and changing schools.

INDIVIDUAL OFFENSIVE NOTES

Mark Iannotti and Ryan West have both started at quarterback for SIU this year. Head coach Dale Lennon said at his weekly Monday press conference that a starter for the season finale had not yet been determined.
QB Mark Iannotti transferred from Eastern Michigan after last season and has been with SIU since the spring. He had not completed a collegiate pass before this season. He started the first nine games of the season.
Iannotti's 19 TD passes this year are tied for fifth on SIU's single-season list, tied with Joel Sambursky's 2004 season.
His 19 passing touchdowns this season rank second in the MVFC and are the most in a single season by an SIU passer since Nick Hill set a school record with 28 passing touchdowns in 2007.
Iannotti tied SIU's single-game touchdown passes record with six against Southeast Missouri.
Iannotti was named the MVFC Newcomer of the Week after tying SIU's single-game passing TD record with six vs. SEMO.
Sophomore Ryan West has started the last two games at quarterback for SIU. West went 16-for-25 for 136 yards and three touchdown passes in his first start of the season at Missouri State.
West started the final four games of last season while Kory Faulkner was out with an injury.West has passed for 951 yards and nine touchdowns in his two seasons at SIU.
In his career, West has 1,274 yards and 13 touchdowns.
SIU redshirt freshman running back Cameron Walter got his first career start at Missouri State and rushed for 210 yards on 37 carries.
Walter's 210 yards were the most by an MVFC back this season before Illinois State's Marshaun Coprich had 221 last week, and Walter became the first SIU back with more than 200 yards rushing since Deji Karim in 2009.
Walter is the first SIU freshman with more than 200 yards rushing since Tom Koutsos in 1999.
Walter earned Newcomer of the Week honors from the MVFC for his performance and National Freshman of the Week from The Sports Network.
Walter joined the team as a priority walk-on in 2013.
Walter's 37 carries at Missouri State tied for 10th in school history for most carries in a game.
The Greenville, Ill., native came into the game against Missouri State with just 26 carries and 66 yards rushing in the first nine games of the season combined.
In his second career start, Walter tied a school record for receptions in a game with 13 against Northern Iowa. He led the team with 13 catches and 90 receiving yards.
MyCole Pruitt is the first tight end in MVFC history with 2,000 career receiving yards. For a complete list of Pruitt's notes, see the next section.
LaSteven McKinney is third in SIU history in career receptions with 146, behind only Cornell Craig and MyCole Pruitt.
McKinney also needs just 49 yards receiving to break into the top-10 in school history in career receiving yards.
Starting running back Malcolm Agnew has missed the past three games after suffering an ankle injury early in the Youngstown State game.
Agnew scored on the first play of the season. After the opening kickoff vs. Taylor went out of bounds, Agnew took a handoff 65 yards for a touchdown. Agnew ended with 207 all-purpose yards and three TDs on just eight touches.
Agnew has nine 100-yard rushing games in his Saluki career (four in 2013 and five in 2014), which ties him with Andre Herrera (1974-76) for eighth in SIU history.
Agnew's next 100-yard rushing game will put him in a tie with Deji Karim (2007, 09) and Muhammad Abdulqaadir (2002-03) for sixth all-time.
Agnew became a career 1,000-yard rusher at SIU in the season opener at Taylor.
Agnew ranks fourth in SIU history in career rushing yards among two-year players. He is 83 yards away from passing his running backs coach, Larry Warner (2007-08), for third on that list. (See pages 11 and 12 in PDF game notes linked at the top of the page for Salukis in the record books).
Including his 692 yards he had in two seasons at Oregon State, Agnew eclipsed the career 2,000-yard mark against Southeast Missouri. Counting both his Oregon State and SIU stats, Agnew has exactly 2,400 career rushing yards.
Agnew was named to the MVFC's All-Newcomer team in 2013 after leading SIU in rushing last year with 888 yards.

MyCole Pruitt NOTES

Southern Illinois All-American MyCole Pruitt is the first tight end in MVFC history with more than 2,000 career receiving yards.
Pruitt broke Cornell Craig's school record for career receptions last week against UNI. Craig, the 1999 FCS Player of the Year, had 207 career receptions; Pruitt has 211.
Pruitt is seven catches away from breaking Craig's single-season receptions record. Craig had 77 catches in his 1999 FCS Player of the Year season; Pruitt has 71 this year.
Pruitt was voted as the best tight end in MVFC history as part of the Valley's 30th anniversary.
Pruitt broke the MVFC record held by Missouri State's Clay Harbor (2006-09), who had 1,906 career yards.
Pruitt ranks fourth in MVFC history in career receptions (211) and eighth in MVFC history in career receiving yards (2,530).
Pruitt is 28 yards away from seventh in MVFC history in career receiving yards (Ricky Garrett, ILS, 1996-99, 2,558 yards).
Against North Dakota State, Pruitt passed Brent Little (2,303 yards; 2002-05) for second place on SIU's career receiving yardage list.
Pruitt was a consensus first-team All-American last year and was an honorable mention All-American in 2012. If he earns All-America honors again in 2014, he will be the third three-time All-American in school history, joining Alexis Moreland (2002-04) and Korey Lindsey (2008-10).
Among tight ends, Pruitt leads the FCS in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.
Among all receivers, Pruitt ranks seventh in the FCS in receiving touchdowns (12).
Pruitt had 10 receptions and 136 yards at Purdue, becoming just the sixth player in program history with 10 or more catches in a game.
Pruitt posted more than 100 receiving yards in three-straight games (PUR, WIU, USD), becoming the second player in program history with three-straight 100-yard games.
1999 FCS Player of the Year Cornell Craig had three-straight 100-yard games in both 1999 and 1997. No player in program history has had 100 yards receiving in four-straight games.
Pruitt has 24 career receiving TDs, second-most in SIU history and seventh in MVFC history.
Pruitt has at least one reception in 42 of his 43 career games.
Pruitt has a touchdown catch in seven-straight games and in nine of 11 games this season.
Pruitt's 12 receiving touchdowns this season rank second in SIU single-season history only to Cornell Craig's 15 in 1999.

INDIVIDUAL SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES

Tay Willis was named to the CFPA Kick Returner Watch List for 2014.
Willis broke SIU's single-season kickoff return yardage record last week against Missouri State. Willis' 870 kick return yards this year surpassed Craig Turner's 2007 total of 756.
Willis has kick returns of 43, 60, 75 and 86 yards this year.
Willis leads the MVFC in kick return average (26.4 yards per return) by nearly eight yeards per return.
Willis' career kick return average (25.2 yards per return) ranks third in SIU history behind only Larry Warner (26.93, 2007-08) and JerMar Robinson (25.35, 1998-00)
LaSteven McKinney busted a 62-yard punt return at Eastern Illinois and had a 25-yarder against Western Illinois.
McKinney is averaging 13.1 yards per punt return in 2014, which leads the MVFC and ranks ninth nationally.
McKinney has been an honorable mention All-MVFC return specialist in each of the past two seasons.
McKinney is fourth in SIU history in career punt return yards with 644. He needs 36 yards to move into third.
McKinney has averaged 8.7 yards per return on his 74 career punt returns.
Placekicker Thomas Kinney was named MVFC Special Teams Player of the Week after hitting a 50-yard field goal against the wind at EIU, going a perfect 5-for-5 on extra points and booting three touchbacks on kickoffs.
Kinney hit a 52-yard field goal against WIU last year. Combined with his 50-yarder at EIU, Kinney is only the second player in SIU history with two career 50+ yard field goals, joining Ken Seaman (1975).
Kinney hit a 47-yard field goal against Missouri State, his fifth career field goal of at least 47 yards.
Kinney earned preseason first-team All-America and All-MVFC laurels after making 18 field goals in 2013, the second-highest single-season total in SIU history.
Kinney is on the Fred Mitchell Award Watch List, which goes to the top placekicker in the nation after the season.
This season, Kinney is 7-for-9 on field goals inside 40 yards but just 3-for-10 on FGs longer than 40 yards.
Despite playing in only his second season at SIU, Kinney ranks seventh in SIU history in career field goals with 28.
Kinney was a second-team All-MVFC selection in 2013 and was also named to the MVFC All-Newcomer team.
Kinney is the most accurate PAT kicker in SIU history (78-for-79; 98.7%).
Nick Neidig is in his first year as SIU's starting punter.
Neidig boomed a 75-yard punt that was downed on the one-yard line against Western Illinois.
Neidig's 75-yard punt was the fifth-longest punt in SIU history and the fourth-longest punt in the FCS this season.
Neidig earned National Punter of the Week honors from the CFPA after averaging 51.8 yards on four punts vs. WIU, including three that were downed inside the 20.

SEASON QUICK RECAP

SIU started 2-0 in MVFC play for the ninth time since the league started in 1985. Eight of those nine 2-0 league starts have been since 2002.
Southern Illinois started the season 3-0 overall for the first time under head coach Dale Lennon. It was Southern's first 3-0 start since 2007.
SIU opened the season by blanking NAIA foe Taylor 45-0, pitching a shutout in the first game that head coach Dale Lennon also served as defensive coordinator at SIU.
The Salukis upset then-No. 14 Eastern Illinois on the road thanks to a dominant second half. SIU trailed the Panthers 21-14 at halftime but outscored EIU 24-0 in the second half to win going away.
Southern's defense forced five turnovers vs. Southeast Missouri and the offense turned those takeaways into 29 points in a 50-23 win that improved SIU to 3-0.
SIU suffered its first loss of the season at Big Ten foe Purdue. SIU fell behind 25-0 and trailed 28-3 at halftime. The Salukis outscored and outgained Purdue in the second half but lost 35-13.
SIU beat WIU 34-17 in front of 13,170 fans, the fourth-largest crowd in Saluki Stadium history (since 2010).
SIU allowed South Dakota only three total first downs and 78 total yards after halftime. SIU changed a 10-10 halftime score into a 41-10 blowout win.
SIU outgained North Dakota State in the first half but trailed 17-7 at the break. NDSU scored the game's final 21 points to win 38-10.
The SIU at NDSU game drew 19,034, the fourth-largest crowd in Fargodome history.
Southern fell into a 17-0 halftime hold at Youngstown State on the `Guins Homecoming and couldn't climb back. SIU got within 20-14 with the ball but fell 26-14.
Indiana State jumped out to a 14-0 lead after the first six minutes and SIU never took the lead in a 41-26 loss before Southern's bye week last Saturday.
SIU jumped out to a 15-0 lead against Missouri State in part thanks to a fake field goal touchdown and ensuing fake extra point for a two-point conversion. The Bears tied the game at 22 in the third quarter, but SIU scored the final 10 points of the game to get the win.
Four SIU turnovers turned into four UNI touchdowns (two non-offensive TDs; two TDs on the first play after the TO) in a 40-21 loss at Saluki Stadium on Senior Day.

SALUKIS EARN WEEKLY HONORS

Five SIU players have earned weekly honors from the MVFC this year.
Freshman Cameron Walter was named the MVFC Newcomer of the Week after putting up 210 yards rushing against Missouri State, the most rushing yards by an MVFC back in 2014.
Senior linebacker Tyler Williamson and senior placekicker Thomas Kinney earned weekly honors from the MVFC after SIU's 38-21 win at No. 14 EIU. Mark Iannotti (Newcomer) and Tanner Crum (Offensive Line) earned honors after the 50-23 win vs. Southeast Missouri.
Williamson was named MVFC Defensive Player of the Week after recording 11 tackles--including seven solo stops and a sack--and leading the defense to a second-half shutout of the Panthers.
Thomas Kinney hit a 50-yard field goal against the wind to give SIU a two-score lead in the third quarter, becoming just the second player in school history with two career 50-yard field goals. He also went 5-for-5 on extra points and had three touchbacks on kickoffs.
Mark Iannotti tied a 15-year-old school record with six touchdown passes against SEMO. He was 15-for-21 with 225 yards, six touchdowns and one interception.
Tanner Crum was named MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week after the SEMO win. Crum's o-line didn't allow a sack and paved the way for SIU's 240 yards rushing and 265 yards of total offense.
Mark Iannotti was named FCS National Performer of the Week by the College Football Performance Awards after throwing a school-record-tying six touchdown passes in a 50-23 win over Southeast Missouri.
MyCole Pruitt was named National FCS Tight End of the Week by the CFPA in three-straight weeks from the Purdue game through the South Dakota game.

SECOND-HALF STRONG

Southern has outscored its opponents by 96 points in the second half this year (181-85), including second-half shutouts three times (vs. Taylor, at Eastern Illinois and vs. South Dakota).
In SIU's six wins, it has outscored opponents 114-12 after halftime. Southern hasn't allowed a second-half touchdown in any of its six wins.
SIU didn't allow a second-half touchdown to an FCS opponent until the seventh game of the year (at NDSU).
SIU went into halftime facing deficits at Eastern Illinois (21-14) and vs. Western Illinois (14-10). Southern outscored EIU 24-0 and Western Illinois 24-3 in the second half to win both games by 17 points.
SIU was tied with South Dakota at 10 heading into halftime but outscored the `Yotes 31-0 after the break.

SIX NEW COACHES

Southern Illinois has six new coaches on staff for the 2014 season, the most coach turnover for SIU since head coach Dale Lennon was hired before the 2008 season.
Southern lost last year's offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer to the same job at Eastern Michigan, and last year's defensive coordinator, Bubba Schweigert, left to become the head coach at North Dakota.
Lennon added defensive coordinator to his head coaching duties and promoted offensive line coach Bill O'Boyle to offensive coordinator.
Lennon served as the defensive coordinator at North Dakota for seven years from 1990-96.
O'Boyle was the offensive coordinator at Division II Chadron State from 1999-04 before becoming Chadron State's head coach from 2005-11. O'Boyle was the Division II National Coach of the Year in 2007.
In addition to O'Boyle, Austin Flyger (defensive line) and Travis Stepps (outside linebackers) are the only other coaches returning from last year's staff. The new coaches are Ashton Aikens (wide receivers), Todd Auer (inside linebackers), David Elson (secondary), Nick Hill (quarterbacks), Keith Murphy (tight ends/fullbacks) and Larry Warner (running backs).
Hill and Warner were both players at SIU. Hill remains SIU's single-season passing leader with 3,175 yards in 2007, and Warner was an All-American running back in 2008.
Hill and Warner coached together at Carbondale High School before becoming assistants at SIU.