SIU at NDSU: Game Notes and Links

Oct. 7, 2014

No. 13/12 Southern Illinois (5-1, 2-0 MVFC) at No. 1/1 North Dakota State (5-0, 1-0 MVFC)
Date	Oct. 11, 2014
Time	1 p.m. CDT
Location	Fargo, N.D. // Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome (18,700)
Video Stream	ESPN3 with Brian Shaw (play-by-play), Lee Timmerman and Kevin Feeney (analysis), and Jamal Spencer and Beth Hoole (reporters).
Live Stats	Stat Broadcast \| Valley Scoreboard
Radio	Saluki Sports Network with Mike Reis (play-by-play), Gene Green (analysis) and Connor James (analysis)
Audio Stream	Via SIUSalukis.com (Free)
Game Notes	Southern Illinois \| North Dakota State \| MVC
Season Stats	Southern Illinois \| North Dakota State \| MVC
All-Time Series	NDSU leads, 5-3
Series Streak	NDSU W4
Social Media	@SIU_Football \| @SIUSalukis \| Saluki Football

QUICK HITS

No. 13/12 Southern Illinois travels to Fargo to take on the top-ranked North Dakota State Bison at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11.
SIU is 1-2 all-time against top-ranked teams. Southern lost to Northern Iowa in 1992 and North Dakota State last year, and the Salukis beat Western Kentucky in 2005.
MyCole Pruitt has more than 100 receiving yards in each of the last three games, becoming the second player in SIU history to accomplish the feat. He will attempt to become the first player in school history with four-straight 100-yard games on Saturday in Fargo.
Malcolm Agnew leads the nation in rushing touchdowns with 10.
SIU is outscoring opponents 114-13 in the second half this year; North Dakota State its outscoring its opponents 81-7 in the second half.
The Salukis have won eight of their last nine MVFC road games, and five of those eight wins came against ranked opponents. The lone road defeat SIU has suffered in that time: a 23-17 loss at No. 3 North Dakota State in 2012.
The Salukis have a player ranked in the top-10 nationally in passing (Mark Iannotti, 9th), rushing (Malcolm Agnew, 8th), receiving (MyCole Pruitt, 8th), kick returning (Tay Willis, 2nd) and punt returning (LaSteven McKinney, 3rd).

SALUKIS TRAVEL TO NO. 1 NDSU

No. 13/12 Southern Illinois travels to Fargo to take on the top-ranked North Dakota State Bison at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11.
SIU is 3-5 all-time against North Dakota State and has never won in Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome.
SIU is 1-2 all-time against top-ranked teams. Southern lost to Northern Iowa in 1992 and North Dakota State last year, and the Salukis beat top-ranked Western Kentucky in 2005.
The game will mark the fourth time the teams have met when both were ranked.
#11 SIU def. #20 NDSU 9-0 (2005)
#6 NDSU def. #13 SIU 35-27 (2008)
#3 NDSU def. #20 SIU 9-3 (2011)
FCS Coaches Poll rankings listed
SIU has lost four-straight games to North Dakota State. In the last three, SIU has held a second-half lead before allowing an NDSU comeback.

SEASON QUICK RECAP/TEAM NOTES

SIU is 5-1 in 2014, marking the first time since 2009 that the Salukis have won five of their first six games.
Southern has started 5-1 or 6-0 through six games eight times since transitioning to the FCS in 1982 and six times since 2003.
SIU is 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.
With a win, Southern would be 3-0 in MVFC play for just the fourth time since the league was founded in 1985 (2003, 04, 09).
The Salukis rank in the top-20 nationally (of 121 FCS teams) in 16 statistical categories. For a complete breakdown of where SIU ranks in the MVFC and national statistics, see pages 9 and 10 in the PDF game notes at the top of the page.
Southern Illinois started the season 3-0 for the first time under head coach Dale Lennon. It was Southern's first 3-0 start since 2007.
SIU ranks ninth nationally in fewest penalty yards per game (38.5).
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.
SIU outgained EIU 155 yards-to-11 in the third quarter and won the time of possession battle in the second half 18:54-to-11:06.
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 has 12 wins over top-25 teams under head coach Dale Lennon, including one this year at Eastern Illinois.
The Salukis have won five games against top-10 opponents in the last six seasons, and all five have been on the road.
Southern has won at least one game against a ranked team in all seven of Lennon's seasons in Carbondale.
Lennon's next win will be the 150th of his career.

SECOND-HALF STRONG

Southern has outscored its opponents 114-13 in the second half this year, pitching second-half shutouts three times (vs. Taylor, at Eastern Illinois and vs. South Dakota).
The only touchdown SIU has given up in the second half all year was with under a minute remaining in an already-decided game at Big Ten foe Purdue.
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 last week heading into halftime but outscored the `Yotes 31-0 after the break.
In SIU's two road games (EIU and Purdue), it has outgained the home team 302-37 in the third quarter.
North Dakota State has also been a strong second-half team, outscoring its opponents 81-7 after halftime this year.

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 19-16 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 19-9 in road games.
SIU is 9-4 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.
With Southern's 38-21 win at No. 14 Eastern Illinois earlier this year, the Salukis are on a five-game road winning streak against FCS opponents.
The Salukis are 7-1 in MVFC road games since 2012 and are 4-1 against ranked MVFC teams on the road.
Southern's only conference road loss in the last two seasons was at North Dakota State in 2012, and SIU led the eventual national champions in that game entering the fourth quarter.
The Salukis shut out No. 9 Illinois State in Normal, Ill., 17-0 in 2012 and beat No. 25 Youngstown State by 17 on the road in 2012.
Under Lennon, SIU is 16-8 in MVFC road games, and six of his eight road losses were in the 2010 and 2011 seasons. In his other four seasons (2008, 09, 12, 13), SIU is 14-2 in MVFC road games, with both losses coming at the Fargodome against North Dakota State.
Since 1997, the home team in the UNI-SIU rivalry is 15-2. Lennon has coached both teams that have won on the road. His 2009 squad beat No. 2 UNI at the UNI-Dome and last year's team topped No. 4 UNI on the road.
SIU has won five games against top-10 teams on the road under Lennon and seven games against ranked opponents away from Carbondale.

SALUKIS RANKED NO. 13/12

The Salukis are ranked No. 13 in the FCS Coaches Poll and No. 12 in The Sports Network Media Poll heading into the week.
SIU began the season unranked in both polls. After the season-opening 45-0 win over Taylor, Southern was ranked No. 25 in the Coaches' poll but remained unranked in the Media poll. SIU was ranked in both polls after its 38-21 win at No. 14 Eastern Illinois.
Before this season, the last time SIU was ranked was Oct. 3, 2011.
Southern was picked fifth in the preseason MVFC poll. The Salukis have finished tied for third or better in the league nine times in the last 11 seasons.

SALUKIS BREAKING BIG PLAYS

SIU has 34 big plays through this season (20-yard plays from scrimmage or 35-yard kick returns), while opponents have 29.
SIU has 10 big-play touchdowns on offense, while the Saluki defense has only allowed two big-play TDs.
SIU has 21 plays of 30 or more yards, while opponents have just nine.
Southern has seven plays longer than any opponents' longest play.
The Salukis have 15 big plays in the run game and return game combined while limiting opponents to just six in those two phases, including no touchdowns.

TEAM DEFENSIVE NOTES

SIU ranks second nationally in sacks per game (3.67) and has at least three sacks in all six games this year. NDSU has allowed only three sacks total in their five games this year.
The Salukis already have three goalline stands in 2014. Southern Illinois posted goalline stands against Southeast Missouri, Purdue and South Dakota. SIU also held Western Illinois to a field goal on their goal-to-go situation in the second half.
Against SEMO, the offense ran out the final 9:40 of the clock after the defense made the stand.
The Salukis have recorded at least one sack in 56 of the last 58 games.
SIU has also recorded at least five tackles for loss in 23 of the last 28 games, including all six games this year.
Southern's diverse defense has already had 13 players record at least a half-TFL. Twelve players have been in on a sack.
Seven players have at least 3.0 tackles for loss.
Twenty players are averaging at least a tackle per game.
Only one opponent in the last 45 games has rushed for more than 200 yards against the Saluki defense; the Saluki offense has eclipsed 200 yards rushing 17 times in that span, including twice this year.
That one opponent that eclipsed 200 yards rushing was North Dakota State last year, who hung 331 rushing yards on the Salukis.
Twice this year (vs. Taylor and WIU), Southern has held its opponent under 100 yards rushing.
None of SIU's FCS opponents has averaged better than 3.7 yards per rush. SIU's offense has averaged better than four yards per rush in every FCS game.
SIU did not force a turnover against South Dakota, snapping a streak of 10-straight games SIU had forced a turnover.

TEAM OFFENSIVE NOTES

Southern ranks fifth in the FCS and first in the MVFC in third-down conversion percentage (54.4 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 offensive line picked up where they left off last season. After leading the MVFC in fewest sacks allowed in 2013, Southern has only allowed five sacks total this year and ranks 12th nationally in fewest sacks per game (0.83).
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's scoring average (36.8 ppg) would rank fourth in school history.
SIU has posted both 200 yards rushing and 200 yards passing against Taylor, Southeast Missouri and South Dakota.
On offense, the Salukis return 87 percent of their rushing attack from 2013 (1,599 of 1,837 yards). Through six games in 2014, the Salukis are averaging 5.1 yards per rush.
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.
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 tied for seventh in SIU history with 17 career pass breakups.
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 picked off a pass at EIU, his first interception since 2011--against EIU.
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

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.
Running back Malcolm Agnew leads the nation in rushing touchdowns with 10 and ranks eighth in the nation in rushing yards with 672.
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 is averaging 6.8 yards per touch through six games. He has 834 all-purpose yards on 122 touches (112 rushes, 10 receptions).
Agnew has eight 100-yard rushing games in his Saluki career (four in 2013 and four in 2014), which places him ninth in SIU history.
Agnew became a career 1,000-yard rusher at SIU in the season opener at Taylor. He is sixth at SIU in career rushing yards among two-year players.
Agnew is four yards away from moving into fifth on SIU's all-time rushing list among two-year players and 111 yards away from moving into fourth. (See pages 11 and 12 in the PDF 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 2,252 career rushing yards.
Agnew was named to the MVFC's All-Newcomer team after leading SIU in rushing last year with 888 yards.
LaSteven McKinney is fourth in SIU history with 130 career receptions. McKinney needs nine receptions to move into third on the all-time list behind Cornell Craig and MyCole Pruitt.
McKinney also needs 160 yards receiving to break into the top 10 in school history in career receiving yards.
Starting 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.
Iannotti ranks sixth nationally in touchdown passes (13).
He 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.
Iannotti is completing 67 percent of his passes on third down, helping SIU rank fifth nationally in third-down conversion percentage (54.4%).
Iannotti has actually been more accurate on third down (67 percent completion percentage, seven touchdowns) than he has on first down (60 percent, 5 TDs) or second down (65 percent, 1 TD).
Mika'il McCall is 4-for-4 in converting his third-down rushes into first downs.

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 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 now has 2,289 career receiving yards, joining 19 other players in MVFC history and two other players in SIU history who have hit the 2,000-yard mark for career receiving yards.
Pruitt needs just 14 receiving yards to pass Brent Little (2,303 yards, 2002-05) for second place on SIU's all-time receiving list.
SIU is the NCAA active career leader (all divisions: FBS, FCS, DII, DIII) in receptions and receiving yards for a tight end.
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 fourth in the FCS in receiving touchdowns (6), and eighth in receiving yards (549).
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 has posted more than 100 receiving yards in each of the last three games, 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.
Including wide receivers, Pruitt ranks second in SIU history with 182 career receptions. Pruitt needs 25 more receptions to catch Craig for SIU's all-time receptions record.
With two touchdowns against WIU, Pruitt moved into fourth place on SIU's career receiving touchdown list with 17.
Pruitt has at least one reception in 37 of his 38 career games, and he has at least two catches in 23-straight games played.

INDIVIDUAL SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES

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 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-8 on field goals inside 40 yards but just 1-for-5 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 26.
Kinney was a second-team All-MVFC selection in 2013 and was also named to the MVFC All-Newcomer team.
Tay Willis was named to the CFPA Kick Returner Watch List for 2014. In 2013, he returned the opening kickoff against Missouri State 92 yards for a touchdown.
Willis' last five kick returns have gone for 75, 86, 17, 18, and 60 yards, respectively, for an average of 51 yards per return since the start of the Purdue game.
Willis ranks second nationally with an average of 36.0 yards per kick return.
LaSteven McKinney busted a 62-yard punt return at Eastern Illinois and had a 25-yarder against Western Illinois.
McKinney is averaging 18.0 yards per punt return in 2014, which leads the MVFC and ranks third 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 620. He needs 60 yards to move into third.
McKinney has averaged 8.97 yards per return on his 39 career punt returns. His 9. 10 yards per return would place him third in SIU history.
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.
Only two of Neidig's 17 punts this year have been returned and neither return gained any yardage.

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.

SALUKIS EARN WEEKLY HONORS

Four SIU players have earned weekly honors from the MVFC already this year.
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 each of the past three weeks.

PRESEASON INDIVIDUAL HONORS

Tight end MyCole Pruitt and kicker Thomas Kinney were both named preseason first-team All-Americans by The Sports Network.
Pruitt was a consensus All-American last year and a third-teamer as a sophomore in 2012.
Kinney was named to the MVFC All-Newcomer team last year after making 18 field goals, the second-highest single-season total in school history. He also hit a 52-yarder against Western Illinois, the second-longest field goal in the FCS in 2013.
Pruitt is on the 20-man Walter Payton Award Watch List. The Payton Award goes to the most outstanding player in the FCS after the season.
Kinney was named to the Fred Mitchell Award Watch List, which is given to the most outstanding placekicker after the season.
Six SIU players have been named to College Football Performance Awards Watch Lists at their respective positions: Malcolm Agnew (running back), Thomas Kinney (placekicker), LaSteven McKinney (punt returner and return specialist), MyCole Pruitt (tight end), Tyler Williamson (linebacker) and Tay Willis (kick returner).
Pruitt earned the CFPA's FCS Tight End of the Year award last year, becoming Southern's second CFPA Award winner (Korey Lindsey, Defensive Back Award, 2010).

NIGHT GAMES

SIU is playing a school-record five home night games (6 p.m. or later start times) in 2014. Southern also played five home night games in 2004, going 5-0.
The Salukis have started the season 4-0 in their first four home games, all of which have been night games.
Five of Southern's first six games were night games. SIU's lone day game was at Purdue.
Dating back to 2002, when lights were reinstalled at McAndrew Stadium, Southern Illinois has gone 27-6 in home night games. (For all SIU home night game results since 2002, visit page 10 in the PDF at the top of the page).

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SIU at NDSU: Game Notes and Links