Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Nick Hill announces `Friday Night Lights' scrimmage coming to Du Quoin on April 1
03/17/2016 | 12:00:00 | Football
CARBONDALE, Ill. - With the start of the spring football season just days away, Saluki football head coach Nick Hill announced that the program will play its first-ever "Friday Night Lights" scrimmage at an off-campus location. The team will scrimmage at Du Quoin High School on Friday, April 1, at 6 p.m, and the event is free to the public.
"Saluki Football doesn't just belong to Carbondale," Hill said. "We're going to scrimmage in my hometown this spring, and I hope to make it an annual event where we take our program on the road to a community in southern Illinois, so fans can see us up close and get to know us."
The 30-year-old Du Quoin native was promoted to head coach at his alma mater last December and has been sharing his vision for the program in speeches and community visits throughout the region ever since. His players have logged more than 210 hours of community service, participating at schools through the Read Across America program, helping clean up the community with the Keep Carbondale Beautiful campaign, as well as collecting food for the Souper Bowl For Hunger food drive.
"My goal for our program is to have our players and coaches reach out and become part of the fabric of southern Illinois," he explained. "As Coach (Jerry) Kill used to say, this is a hard-hat, lunch pail region. Every day, our coaching staff preaches to our team what it means to be a southern Illinoisan. You are seeing our players out in the community doing community service, serving and getting to the know the people, and asking for their support."
WATCH COACH HILL PRESS CONFERENCE - THURSDAY 2 PM
A star quarterback at Du Quoin High School and later at Southern Illinois, Hill said he knows firsthand how much football means to the region, and he plans to spend the spring and summer months visiting communities throughout the area to rally support for the program. Part of the outreach effort will include a new season-ticket campaign that Hill said will be announced on April 1.
Since joining SIU's coaching staff in 2014, Hill has installed an exciting, up-tempo, spread offense that has ranked among the nation's best in total offense, scoring offense and passing offense. Last year, quarterback Mark Iannotti led the nation in total offense per game and was ninth in national Offensive Player of the Year voting.
"Under Coach Hill's leadership, we're going to play an exciting, fast-paced brand of football that people are going to love coming to see," said SIU Director of Athletics Tommy Bell. "On top of that, we're going to create a festive and family atmosphere in and around Saluki Stadium, making it the destination place to be on Saturdays in the fall."
Season-ticket prices start at just $85. CALL THE TICKET OFFICE TODAY AT 877-SALUKIS
All spring practices and scrimmages are open to the public at no charge.
Spring Practice Schedule
Monday, March 21: 6-8 a.m.
Wednesday, March 23: 6-8 a.m.
Friday, March 25: 6-8 a.m.
Monday, March 28: 6-8 a.m.
Wednesday, March 30: 6-8 a.m.
Monday, April 4: 6-8 a.m.
Wednesday, April 6: 6-8 a.m.
Monday, April 11: 6-8 a.m.
Wednesday, April 13: 6-8 a.m.
Friday, April 15: 6-8 p.m.
Monday, April 18: 6-8 a.m.
Wednesday, April 20: 6-8 a.m.
"Friday Night Lights" Spring Scrimmage Schedule
Friday, April 1: 6 p.m. at Du Quoin High School
Friday, April 8: 6 p.m. at Saluki Stadium
Spring Game
Saturday, April 23: 2 p.m. at Saluki Stadium
