Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Salukis wrap up first week of Fall camp with live scrimmage
08/07/2019 | 4:06:00 | Football
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Southern Illinois football team wrapped up its first week of Fall training camp practices with a live scrimmage at Saluki Stadium on Wednesday.
Three quarterbacks (Nic Baker, Karé Lyles and Stone Labanowitz) are locked in a tight battle for the starting job and they combined to complete 67 percent of their passes during the scrimmage, alternating series and taking a similar number of reps.
The Salukis will open the season in 22 days when they travel to SEMO for an Aug. 29 game. The home opener is on Sept. 14 versus UT Martin at 6 p.m. Single-game and season tickets are available at SIUSalukis.com/tickets, including options for mini-plans and group tickets.
Head Coach Nick Hill Press Conference Excerpts
His thoughts on the scrimmage.
I'm just excited to get in there and watch the film. A lot of people playing, everybody got reps, I think we ran 109 plays. There's still a lot of things we know we have to clean up and keep developing, but it was the first time we tackled live to the ground, the first time we had referees, so a lot of good things for everybody involved, coaches included, to learn from from today.
On the status of the quarterback competition.
They've all had different times where they've all had their days, their moments. You'd like to see Nic (Baker) not turn it over there in the red zone at the end. That's a good play by Qua (Brown), but you still can't, 3rd-and-long, can't make that decision. We put the (quarterbacks) in some tougher spots there at the end, with some two-and-three offensive linemen. You can't turn the ball over in the red zone, we had two of them today. We'll evaluate this film. It's an ongoing process with the quarterbacks.
On the depth at running back.
I feel really good with the depth at running back. Javon (Williams Jr.) has to keep coming. He got a lot of work early and a ton of reps all Fall camp with D.J. (Davis) not going yet. If we had to play today, I think D.J. would go. He went through individual and some pretty good workouts the last two days and will be back in practice tomorrow. It will be nice to get him back and in the groove. It's been a nice opportunity for these other guys to get reps. Romeir (Elliott) has shown flashes to be really good and Tremayne (Lee) — those guys have all gotten a lot of reps. At some time of the year you'll have to use four running backs. I don't know when the last time was you went through a season with your top two backs not getting dinged up and your number four guy becomes your number two guy. Those guys have to be athletes on your team who can play special teams, too. You're usually going to travel four running backs and they have to have a role on special teams.
On the kicking game.
Still a lot of inconsistency in the kicking game. It's just like the quarterback (position) — you have to come out when the lights are on and you gotta do it. We'll keep putting them in that position. I've been encouraged by the depth at punter. I feel like all three have raised their game. They've been doing a great job. Bringing in Jack (Colquhoun) the Australian punter, with him you have to give him a little bit to settle in. He's never played football before, but he's naturally got an unbelievable leg. Nico (Gualdoni) has done a great job. This has been by far his best camp. He's really put himself in the punter situation because some days he's the best guy. With kickoff and place-kicking, he's a valuable piece.
On how much improvement the defense has made since this time last year.
Everybody was feeling good about our defense last year. We went to Murray (State) and got five turnovers and scored two times and they were the best thing going. It's a consistency thing. We play in a great league and there's going to be times when we have to score some points. I like where we're at defensively. It's the same group but they're a year older, we've added a couple of pieces, we've added some new scheme. There's a sense of urgency to continue to get better, to get locked in.
On defensive consistency.
We have to be consistent in everything we do, from when we wake up to when we go to bed. If you're a consistent and disciplined person and you put 22 of those guys who are going to play on Saturday, you're probably going to be a disciplined, consistent defensive football team. It starts off the field with your approach, your mindset. That training has been in process for a long time through our off-season program, all of our leadership training.
On Je'Quan Burton.
He's definitely a fun piece to have, you want to get him the ball, he's got speed and play-making ability. He gets some touches in the return game and is a good wide receiver, too. Still have to continue to keep pushing the small details because he's a guy you'd like to have on the field all the time. As he grows in this offense and matures, that's when you're able to put more on his plate as far as moving him around. I think he's doing a great job and his approach is as good as it's been since he's been here.
On the timing of the quarterback decision.
They're making it a hard call — all three. I think Stone (Labanowitz) has done a great job this Fall camp, which makes it even tougher. It's not going to be an easy call, that's for sure, because they haven't gone out there and it's just been, 'there's the guy.' It was good today — some people might question why we go live on the quarterback in a scrimmage — I guess because if I had been in a quarterback competition, I would have been in Coach (Jerry) Kill's office telling him, don't put that yellow jersey on me. There's a lot of things you can't learn by just blowing the whistle dead. Even Stone, he's coming off back surgery, can he take a couple hits? We had 109 plays today, we have another week ahead of us before school starts, but at some point you'd like to see someone trending in (the starting QB) direction. There's going to be a time to make a decision and roll with it — we're not going to be scared to do that. We have to make a decision at some point, move forward, because the team needs to know who your starting quarterback is, and the (quarterbacks) do, too. There's a lot of times you see them play better once they know that, with the sense of the reps and the timing and just being consistent and in a rhythm.
On the team's numerous offensive weapons.
You have to execute when the game is on the line and you gotta be able to make tough throws and tough catches and have great timing. It's not about tricking people, it's more about execution. We have pieces on paper, and we have to keep pushing them, but I love our team and the guys we have.
Three quarterbacks (Nic Baker, Karé Lyles and Stone Labanowitz) are locked in a tight battle for the starting job and they combined to complete 67 percent of their passes during the scrimmage, alternating series and taking a similar number of reps.
The Salukis will open the season in 22 days when they travel to SEMO for an Aug. 29 game. The home opener is on Sept. 14 versus UT Martin at 6 p.m. Single-game and season tickets are available at SIUSalukis.com/tickets, including options for mini-plans and group tickets.
Head Coach Nick Hill Press Conference Excerpts
His thoughts on the scrimmage.
I'm just excited to get in there and watch the film. A lot of people playing, everybody got reps, I think we ran 109 plays. There's still a lot of things we know we have to clean up and keep developing, but it was the first time we tackled live to the ground, the first time we had referees, so a lot of good things for everybody involved, coaches included, to learn from from today.
On the status of the quarterback competition.
They've all had different times where they've all had their days, their moments. You'd like to see Nic (Baker) not turn it over there in the red zone at the end. That's a good play by Qua (Brown), but you still can't, 3rd-and-long, can't make that decision. We put the (quarterbacks) in some tougher spots there at the end, with some two-and-three offensive linemen. You can't turn the ball over in the red zone, we had two of them today. We'll evaluate this film. It's an ongoing process with the quarterbacks.
On the depth at running back.
I feel really good with the depth at running back. Javon (Williams Jr.) has to keep coming. He got a lot of work early and a ton of reps all Fall camp with D.J. (Davis) not going yet. If we had to play today, I think D.J. would go. He went through individual and some pretty good workouts the last two days and will be back in practice tomorrow. It will be nice to get him back and in the groove. It's been a nice opportunity for these other guys to get reps. Romeir (Elliott) has shown flashes to be really good and Tremayne (Lee) — those guys have all gotten a lot of reps. At some time of the year you'll have to use four running backs. I don't know when the last time was you went through a season with your top two backs not getting dinged up and your number four guy becomes your number two guy. Those guys have to be athletes on your team who can play special teams, too. You're usually going to travel four running backs and they have to have a role on special teams.
On the kicking game.
Still a lot of inconsistency in the kicking game. It's just like the quarterback (position) — you have to come out when the lights are on and you gotta do it. We'll keep putting them in that position. I've been encouraged by the depth at punter. I feel like all three have raised their game. They've been doing a great job. Bringing in Jack (Colquhoun) the Australian punter, with him you have to give him a little bit to settle in. He's never played football before, but he's naturally got an unbelievable leg. Nico (Gualdoni) has done a great job. This has been by far his best camp. He's really put himself in the punter situation because some days he's the best guy. With kickoff and place-kicking, he's a valuable piece.
On how much improvement the defense has made since this time last year.
Everybody was feeling good about our defense last year. We went to Murray (State) and got five turnovers and scored two times and they were the best thing going. It's a consistency thing. We play in a great league and there's going to be times when we have to score some points. I like where we're at defensively. It's the same group but they're a year older, we've added a couple of pieces, we've added some new scheme. There's a sense of urgency to continue to get better, to get locked in.
On defensive consistency.
We have to be consistent in everything we do, from when we wake up to when we go to bed. If you're a consistent and disciplined person and you put 22 of those guys who are going to play on Saturday, you're probably going to be a disciplined, consistent defensive football team. It starts off the field with your approach, your mindset. That training has been in process for a long time through our off-season program, all of our leadership training.
On Je'Quan Burton.
He's definitely a fun piece to have, you want to get him the ball, he's got speed and play-making ability. He gets some touches in the return game and is a good wide receiver, too. Still have to continue to keep pushing the small details because he's a guy you'd like to have on the field all the time. As he grows in this offense and matures, that's when you're able to put more on his plate as far as moving him around. I think he's doing a great job and his approach is as good as it's been since he's been here.
On the timing of the quarterback decision.
They're making it a hard call — all three. I think Stone (Labanowitz) has done a great job this Fall camp, which makes it even tougher. It's not going to be an easy call, that's for sure, because they haven't gone out there and it's just been, 'there's the guy.' It was good today — some people might question why we go live on the quarterback in a scrimmage — I guess because if I had been in a quarterback competition, I would have been in Coach (Jerry) Kill's office telling him, don't put that yellow jersey on me. There's a lot of things you can't learn by just blowing the whistle dead. Even Stone, he's coming off back surgery, can he take a couple hits? We had 109 plays today, we have another week ahead of us before school starts, but at some point you'd like to see someone trending in (the starting QB) direction. There's going to be a time to make a decision and roll with it — we're not going to be scared to do that. We have to make a decision at some point, move forward, because the team needs to know who your starting quarterback is, and the (quarterbacks) do, too. There's a lot of times you see them play better once they know that, with the sense of the reps and the timing and just being consistent and in a rhythm.
On the team's numerous offensive weapons.
You have to execute when the game is on the line and you gotta be able to make tough throws and tough catches and have great timing. It's not about tricking people, it's more about execution. We have pieces on paper, and we have to keep pushing them, but I love our team and the guys we have.
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