Football kicks off Spring Ball

03/23/2023 | 1:56:00 | Football

2023 Ticket Info.Schedule Roster

By: By Tom Weber, SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Southern Illinois football team kicked off Spring Ball on Thursday morning at 6 a.m. at Saluki Stadium. The team will conduct 14 practices between today and the annual Spring Game on April 15 at 11 a.m.

Southern opens the 2023 season at home versus Austin Peay on Sept. 2, and also hosts Missouri State (Sept. 30, Family Weekend), South Dakota State (Oct. 21, Homecoming), South Dakota (Nov. 4) and Indiana State (Nov. 18). SIU's FBS game this year is at Northern Illinois of the Mid-American Conference on Sept. 9.

"We get 40 (practice) opportunities from now until the first game when we play Austin Peay," said SIU head coach Nick Hill. "We have to take advantage of all of them."

At the helm of the offense this season is senior quarterback Nic Baker, who led the Missouri Valley Football Conference in completions (238) last season, and was second in passing yards (2,751) and TD passes (20). Baker was a three-time MVFC Player of the Week (at Northwestern, Western Illinois, Northern Iowa). He passed for a school-record 485 yards vs. UNI and set a school completion percentage record vs. Western Illinois (25-of-28). Baker was the only FCS quarterback to lead his team to a Power 5 win during the 2022 season, guiding Southern to a 31-24 upset at Northwestern.

SIU returns seven starters on offense — Baker, RB Ro Elliott, WR D'Ante' Cox, G Chase Evans, C Jacob Caughell, G Jake Green and RT Abdou Toure. The offense will be bolstered by the healthy return of RB Justin Strong and WR Izaiah Hartrup, who missed most of last season due to injuries.

The Salukis also have seven starters back on defense, headlined by All-Conference LB Branson Combs and S PJ Jules. Other returning starters on defense include S Clayton Bush, CB David Miller, CB DJ Johnson, LB Zach Burrola and DT Kam Bowdry.

"We have a slew of guys who have the opportunity and ability to lead," Hill said. "Everybody's going to be called upon, at some point, to lead and to follow, and they have to be ready to do both."

Season tickets are on-sale, including a limited number of premium chair-back seats, by calling the athletic ticket office (877-SALUKIS).