SIU vs. USD: Game Notes and Links

Sept. 30, 2014

No. 16/15 Southern Illinois (4-1, 1-0 MVFC) vs. South Dakota (2-2, 0-0 MVFC)
Date	Oct. 4, 2014
Time	6 p.m. CDT
Location	Carbondale, Ill. -- Saluki Stadium (15,000)
Promotions	Full Promotional List
Video Stream	Saluki All-Access
Tickets	Ticket Home \| Seating Map \| Parking Map
Live Stats	GameTracker \| 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 \| South Dakota \| MVC
Season Stats	Southern Illinois \| South Dakota \| MVC
All-Time Series	First Meeting
Series Streak	First Meeting
Social Media	@SIU_Football \| @SIUSalukis \| Saluki Football

QUICK HITS

No. 16/15 Southern Illinois hosts South Dakota on Saturday at 6 p.m. in Saluki Stadium.
The Salukis are trying to start 2-0 in Missouri Valley Football Conference play for the second time in head coach Dale Lennon’s tenure. SIU’s only 2-0 start in MVFC play under Lennon was 2009, when the Salukis went 8-0 in the Valley and won the conference title.
The last time SIU started MVFC play with two home games was 2006, and the Salukis won both games.
SIU is outscoring opponents 83-13 in the second half this year after outscoring Western Illinois 24-3 after intermission last week.
MyCole Pruitt had 136 yards receiving at Purdue and 106 last week vs. Western Illinois, the first SIU receiver with back-to-back 100-yard games since Brent Little in 2005.
SIU ranks in the top-10 nationally in sacks per game (third, 3.8) and fewest sacks allowed per game (10th, 1.0).

NO. 16/15 SALUKIS HOST SOUTH DAKOTA

SIU hosts South Dakota on Saturday in Saluki Stadium at 6 p.m. CT.
The Salukis and Coyotes are meeting for the first time in program history.
South Dakota joined the MVFC in 2012 but was the one MVFC opponent that SIU didn’t play the last two seasons.
SIU is playing host for its first two conference games for the first time since 2006, when the Salukis won both games.
Southern is going for its second 2-0 MVFC start under head coach Dale Lennon. SIU’s only 2-0 start under Lennon was the 2009 season in which the Salukis won the MVFC title with a perfect 8-0 record.

PROMOTIONS

Residents of Carterville, West Frankfort and Benton can get $6.18 tickets in advance of game day with proof of residents.
Carterville residents can pick up their tickets at City Hall or Borowiak’s IGA.
West Frankfort residents can pick up tickets at Week’s Chevrolet, People’s National Bank and Southern Illinoisian Bank.
Benton residents can pick up tickets at Week’s Chevrolet or People’s National Bank.
SIU is hosting the second-straight ‘Stache Out for the game. Grow out your mustache and bring the power of the ‘stache to Saluki Stadium for the game. If you don’t or can’t grow a mustache, don’t worry; we’ll be giving out free mustaches at the gate.
Special ticket discounts are available for athletes and family members of Special Olympics Illinois.
Special ticket discounts are also available for firefighters, police officers and EMT/Ambulance drivers. For more information, contact Sean Tobin at (618) 453-8714.
SIU faculty and staff can get one free end zone ticket to a University employee with proof of ID, and they can purchase additional tickets for just $10 for adults and $6 for children. To order tickets, please visit the SIU Ticket Office at SIU Arena or McLeod Theater. All tickets must be picked up before the day of the game.
As with all five home night games at Saluki Stadium in 2014, there will be a postgame fireworks show immediately following the game.
For a complete list of promotions for home Saluki football games, visit http://www.siusalukis.com/fanzone/football-promotions.html.

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 3-0 in their first three home games, all of which have been night games.
Five of Southern’s first six games will be 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 26-6 in home night games. (For all SIU home night game results since 2002, visit the PDF game notes link in the table at the top of the page).

SECOND-HALF STRONG

Southern has outscored its opponents 83-13 in the second half this year, twice pitching second-half shutouts (vs. Taylor and at Eastern Illinois).
The only touchdown SIU has given up in the second half all year was with under a minute remaining 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.
In SIU’s two road games (EIU and Purdue), it has outgained the home team 302-37 in the third quarter.

SEASON QUICK RECAP/TEAM NOTES

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 11th in the FCS in fewest penalty yards per game (40.2)
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.
The Salukis started conference play 1-0 for the third time in the last four seasons with a 34-17 win over Western Illinois.
The attendance for SIU vs. WIU was 13,170, the fourth-largest crowd in Saluki Stadium history (since 2010).
SIU has 12 wins over top-25 teams under head coach Dale Lennon.
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.

SALUKIS RANKED NO. 16/15

The Salukis are ranked No. 16 in the FCS Coaches Poll and No. 15 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 have 28 big plays through four games this season (20-yard plays from scrimmage or 35-yard kick returns). Opponents have just 23.
SIU has nine big-play touchdowns on offense, while the Saluki defense has only allowed two big-play TDs.
SIU has 17 plays of 30 or more yards, while opponents have just seven.

TEAM DEFENSIVE NOTES

SIU ranks third nationally in sacks per game (3.8) and has at least three sacks in all five games this year.
SIU ranks ninth nationally with six fumble recoveries. The Salukis rank 17th nationally with 10 turnovers gained.
Southern Illinois posted goalline stands against both SEMO and Purdue. 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 55 of the last 57 games.
SIU has also recorded at least five tackles for loss in 22 of the last 27 games, including all five games this year.
In just five games, Southern’s diverse defense has already had 13 players record at least a half-TFL. Twelve players have been in on a sack.
Twenty players are averaging at least one tackle per game.
Only one opponent in the last 44 games has rushed for more than 200 yards against the Saluki defense; the Saluki offense has eclipsed 200 yards rushing 16 times in that span, including twice this year.
Twice this year (vs. Taylor and WIU), Southern has held its opponent under 100 yards rushing.
None of SIU’s FCS opponents have averaged better than 3.7 yards per rush. SIU’s offense has averaged better than four yards per rush in every FCS game.
SIU has forced at least one turnover in 10-straight games and 22 of the last 23 games.

TEAM OFFENSIVE NOTES

Southern ranks fifth in the FCS in third-down conversion percentage (55.4 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 allowed only two sacks in the first three games in 2014. Three times in five games (Taylor, SEMO, WIU) the SIU offensive line has not yielded a sack.
The Salukis rank 10th nationally in fewest sacks allowed per game (1.0)
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 has posted both 200 yards rushing and 200 yards passing against both Taylor and Southeast Missouri.
On offense, the Salukis return 87 percent of their rushing attack from 2013 (1,599 of 1,837 yards). Through four games in 2014, the Salukis are averaging 5.4 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 record 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.
Chase Allen has posted 10 tackles in each of the last three games.
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

Southern Illinois All-American MyCole Pruitt is the first tight end in MVFC history with more than 2,000 career receiving yards.
Pruitt broke the MVFC record held by Missouri State’s Clay Harbor (2006-09), who had 1,906 career yards.
Pruitt now has 2,152 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.
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 sixth in the FCS in receiving touchdowns (7), 11th in receptions per game (7.0) and 14th in receiving yards (412).
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.
The next week vs. Western Illinois, Pruitt had 106 yards receiving, posting the first back-to-back 100-yard receiving games at SIU since 2005.
Including wide receivers, Pruitt ranks second in SIU history with 175 career receptions. He ranks third in school history in career receiving yards and needs 151 yards to move into second place.
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 36 of his 37 career games, and he has at least two catches in 22-straight games played.
Malcolm 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.
Running back Malcolm Agnew ranks sixth in the FCS in rushing touchdowns (7) and 11th in rushing yards (544).
Agnew is averaging 7.5 yards per touch through five games. He has 908 all-purpose yards on 95 touches (86 rushes, 9 receptions).
Agnew has seven 100-yard rushing games in his Saluki career (four in 2013, three in 2014), which ties him with Bob Hasberry (1969) and Walter Poole (1978-71) for ninth-most 100-yard rushing games 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.
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 2,124 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 126 career receptions. McKinney needs 12 receptions to move into third on the all-time list behind Craig and Pruitt.
McKinney also needs 231 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 second nationally in touchdown passes (12).
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 70 percent of his passes on third down, helping SIU rank fifth nationally in third-down conversion percentage (55.4%).
Mika’il McCall is 4-for-4 in converting his third-down rushes into first downs.

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.
Despite playing in only his second season at SIU, Kinney ranks seventh in SIU history in career field goals with 24.
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 has nearly broken three kick returns for touchdowns this year but has settled for a 43-yard return at EIU, a 60-yarder at Purdue and an 86-yarder against Western Illinois.
LaSteven McKinney busted a 62-yard punt return at Eastern Illinois and had a 25-yarder against Western Illinois.
McKinney is averaging 18.9 yards on nine punt returns in 2014, which ranks seventh nationally and leads the MVFC.
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 592. He needs 87 yards to move into third.
McKinney has averaged 8.97 yards per return on his 39 career punt returns. His 8.97 yards per return would place him fourth 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 14 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.

TEAM ROAD SUCCESS

Since 2005, SIU has won 12 road games against ranked teams, which is three more than any other MVFC team and the same number as North Dakota State and South Dakota State combined.
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, Lennon’s squads have gone 19-9 in road games.
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 South Dakota State and a 24-17 overtime win over Northern Iowa.
With Southern’s 38-21 win at No. 14 Eastern Illinois, the Salukis are on a five-game road winning streak against FCS opponents.
SIU is 9-4 on the road against ranked teams in head coach Dale Lennon’s tenure at SIU.
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, 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 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.

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).

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