SIU at WIU: Game Notes & Links

09/29/2015 | 12:00:00 | Football

Sept. 29, 2015

RV/RV Southern Illinois (1-2, 0-0 MVFC) at RV/RV Western Illinois (1-2, 0-0 MVFC)
Date & Time	Oct. 3, 2015 \| 3 p.m. CT
Location	Macomb, Ill. \| Hanson Field (16,368, Matrix Turf) \| Weather
Tickets	Via Western Illinois
Video Stream	ESPN3 with Redrick Terry and Danny Frey
Live Stats	Via WIU
Radio	Saluki Sports Network with Mike Reis (play-by-play), Gene Green (analysis) and Connor James (analysis)
Audio Stream	Saluki All-Access
Southern Illinois	Game Notes \| Stats \| Media Guide (PDF) \| Fall Camp Central
Western Illinois	Game Notes \| Stats \| Media Guide (PDF)
MVFC	Weekly Notes \| Stats
All-Time Series	WIU leads, 34-22-4 \| In Macomb: WIU leads 17-10-3 \| Streak: SIU W3 \| Last Meeting: SIU 34, WIU 17 (9/27/14)
Social Media	@SIU_Football \| @SIUSalukis \| Saluki Football

QUICK HITS

The Salukis open MVFC play with a trip to Western Illinois for a 3 p.m. game on Oct. 3. The game will be streamed nationally on ESPN3.
Southern Illinois has won 12 of its last 13 in the series between the two schools, including five of the last six road games. SIU's lone loss to Western Illinois since 2002 came in Macomb in 2011.
Southern Illinois' offense continues to be one of the most dynamic attacks in the nation. SIU has recorded at least 230 yards of total offense in five of the six halves of play this year. SIU leads the MVFC in total offense, rushing offense, first down offense and third-down conversion percentage. SIU's total offense per game mark (536.7) ranks fifth nationally.
Southern Illinois has won 11 of its last 13 conference openers, including last year's 34-17 win over Western Illinois in Carbondale. The first year in that span (2002) was the season SIU opened conference play by snapping an 18-game losing streak in the series with Western Illinois.

SALUKIS OPEN MVFC PLAY AT WIU

Southern Illinois and Western Illinois open MVFC play with a game at Hanson Field in Macomb, Ill. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. CT, and it will be streamed nationally on ESPN3.
SIU has won 12 of the last 13 in the series with Western Illinois after losing 18-straight games in the series from 1984 and 2001.
WIU leads the all-time series 34-22-4 and also leads the series in games played in Macomb 17-10-3.
Southern Illinois is 11-2 in its last 13 conference openers. The first year in that span--2002--was the last time that SIU opened conference play against Western Illinois.
In that 2002 conference opener against No. 8 WIU, the Salukis broke an 18-game losing streak to the Leathernecks in a 54-52 win.
SIU has opened MVFC play on the road only twice in head coach Dale Lennon's seven-year tenure. SIU won at Missouri State in 2012 and lost at Youngstown State in 2010.
SIU and WIU have the two toughest schedules in the nation, based on opponent winning percentage vs. FCS competition. Eight MVFC teams are among the top-10 toughest schedules in the nation.

SALUKIS BEAT NO. 10 LIBERTY

Southern Illinois' first win of the season came against No. 10 Liberty on Saturday. SIU won 34-13.
Liberty entered last weekend's game ranked 10th in both polls. SIU is now 4-4 against top-10 teams in the last four years.
The Salukis have won seven games over top-10 teams under head coach Dale Lennon. SIU is 7-9 against top-10 teams in Lennon's tenure.
Seven of Southern Illinois' 17 wins against top-10 teams have come under head coach Dale Lennon, equaling the mark of former head coach Jerry Kill.
SIU has now won 13 of its last 14 home openers after the win over No. 10 Liberty.

THREE SALUKIS EARN MVFC POW

Three Salukis earned MVFC Player of the Week honors after Southern's win. Outside linebacker Brandon Williams earned Defensive Player of the Week, running back Daquan Isom earned Newcomer of the Week and kicker Austin Johnson earned Special Teams Player of the Week.
Williams stuffed the stat sheet with seven tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble and three quarterback hurries. His forced fumble set up a Saluki touchdown.
Isom rushed for 123 yards, including a 49-yard touchdown run, and had 152 all-purpose yards without even returning a kick.
Johnson went 2-for-2 on field goals and 4-for-4 on extra points in the win. He has made five-straight field goals going back to the Indiana game.
In total, five Salukis have earned MVFC Player of the Week honors in 2015. Mark Iannotti and Ethan Wirth also earned honors after the Indiana game.
Iannotti set a school record with 517 yards of total offense at Indiana, which ranks second in MVFC history. He earned MVFC and National Offensive Player of the Week honors after that game.
Ethan Wirth earned MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week in helping SIU pile up 659 yards of total offense at Indiana, which ranks third in school history.

SALUKI DEFENSE: TOUGHER THAN YOU THINK

SIU's defense ranks ninth in the 10-team MVFC in total defense, scoring defense and passing defense.
Indiana, who is now undefeated and 4-0, put up 48 points, 595 yards and 349 passing yards against a Saluki Defense with four first-time starters. SIU's scoring defense was also hurt by two defensive touchdowns vs. SEMO, which SIU's defense couldn't prevent.
In the two games since Indiana, both against FCS competition, Southern's defense has allowed just 26 points (13.0 ppg) and two offensive touchdowns in 23 drives for the opposing offenses.
SIU's FCS opponents have averaged just 3.4 yards per rush, 5.8 yards per pass and 4.6 yards per play. Meanwhile, SIU has averaged 5.2 yards per rush, 8.1 yards per pass and 6.5 yards per play.
SIU's defense held SEMO and Liberty to a combined 33 percent success rate in the red zone (2-6). Meanwhile, SIU went 8-for-9 in red zone opportunities over those two games.
Liberty rushed for just 81 yards on 37 carries last week (2.2 yards per rush).
Against Southeast Missouri, Chase Allen had 19 tackles and Kenny James and 15 tackles. Allen's 19 tackles were the most by a Saluki since All-American Alexis Moreland in 2002.
James followed that game up with 16 tackles against No. 10 Liberty. James' back-to-back 15+ tackle games were also a first since Moreland in 2002.

YOUNG DAWGS CONTRIBUTING

True freshman Daquan Isom became the first Saluki freshman since 2004 (Arkee Whitlock and Craig Turner) to rush for more than 100 yards in a game. Isom had 123 yards on only 10 carries against No. 10 Liberty.
Isom earned MVFC Newcomer of the Week after his 123-yard day against No. 10 Liberty.
Isom leads all freshmen nationally in all-purpose yards per game (148.0). Isom ranks third in the MVFC and 15th in the nation overall in all-purpose yards.
Isom has at least one explosive play in all three games. He took a screen pass 80 yards for a TD at Indiana. He had a 28-yard rush at SEMO. He had a 49-yard TD run vs. No. 10 Liberty.
Quarterback Mark Iannotti leads the Salukis in rushing at 203 yards in 2015. The next four leading rushers are all first-year players: Isom (193 yards), Aaron Stanton (83 yards), Matt DeSomer (71 yards) and Matt McIntosh (65 yards).
Through three games, Isom is averaging 10.7 yards per rush.
Isom is also SIU's third-leading receiver. He is averaging 16.4 yards on nine receptions and nearly 50 yards per game through the air.
Redshirt Freshman Darrell James is SIU's second-leading receiver with 10 catches in 2015. James has 102 yards and caught his first career touchdown pass at SEMO.
SIU's top-three receivers (Billy Reed, James and Isom) will all return next year. Isom and James are both freshmen.
Six of the top eight receivers will return next season. Four of those six are either freshmen or sophomores.
SIU's leading tackler is Kenny James, a sophomore. SIU's second-leading tackler, Chase Allen, is a junior. Five of SIU's top seven tacklers will return next season.
Sophomore Khari Waithe-Alexander showed why coaches felt there was enough depth on the defensive line to move Brandon Williams to outside linebacker: He got a strip-sack and fumble recovery to end a fourth-quarter drive of No. 10 Liberty.
Nineteen true freshmen, redshirt freshmen or new transfers have played this season: RB Aaron Stanton, CB Jefferson Vea, RB Daquan Isom, WR Matt DeSomer, QB Matt McIntosh, CB Torian Lewis, S Chris Adkins, CB Andrew McCrea, WR Jimmy Jones, CB Tareq Abulebbeh, RB Chris Perkins, LB Cody Crider, RB Jonathan Mixon, LB Deondre Barnett, LB Tori Millender, LB Withney Simon, OL Reid Sealby, DE Nate Sylvesterand WR Darrell James.
Six true freshmen have played already: RB Daquan Isom, RB Chris Perkins, LB Cody Crider, LB Withney Simon, DE Nate Sylvester and CB Torian Lewis.
Isom, a true freshman, has led the team in all-purpose yards in each of the first three weeks.

SALUKI OFFENSE AMONG NATION'S BEST

Southern Illinois offense ranks fifth nationally in total offense per game (536.7).
SIU's offense ranks in the top-10 nationally in passing efficiency (9th, 166.76), completion percentage (1st, 72.9 percent), and third-down conversion percentage (2nd, 55 percent).
SIU's passing offense ranks 13th nationally (310.7 ypg).
SIU's rushing offense leads the conference (226.0 ypg).
Southern Illinois piled up 659 yards of total offense at Indiana, ninth most in the nation this year.
Southern's 659 yards at Indiana is third-most in school history and most against a Division I opponent since 1970.
SIU has recorded at least 230 yards of total offense in five of six halves this year, including 394 yards of total offense in the first half at Indiana.
The Salukis have only punted nine times in 2015; but punter Derek Mathewson is averaging 44.6 yards on those seven punts, and the converage unit's net punting (40.6 yards) ranks fifth nationally.
Mathewson hasn't punted enough to qualify for national rankings (min. is 3.6 punts per game), but his 44.6 average would be tied for fourth nationally.

TOUGH SCHEDULE AWAITS

Southern Illinois has the second-toughest schedule in the nation. SIU's FCS opponents are 15-3 against FCS competition this year (.833). Western Illinois (18-3, .857) is the only school nationally with a tougher slate.
SIU's eight remaining opponents are 13-2 (.867), also the second-toughest road behind WIU (15-2, .882).
Five Missouri Valley Football Conference teams are ranked in the top-10 nationally. SIU faces four of those teams in the next eight games (NDSU, YSU, UNI and ILS).
Five of SIU's MVFC games come against teams currently ranked in the top-25.
Four of SIU's five home games are against top-10 opponents. Liberty was ranked 10th in both polls when SIU beat them 34-13. North Dakota State, Illinois State and Youngstown State are all currently ranked in the top-10.
SIU has won at least one game against a ranked team in all eight of head coach Dale Lennon's seasons in Carbondale.
SIU has 15 wins over top-25 teams under Lennon.

For a complete set of PDF Game Notes, click here.