Nick Hill, shown here addressing his team last spring, begins his eighth season as Southern Illinois head coach. The Salukis were picked fifth in the preseason Missouri Valley Football Conference poll. (Photo by SIUSalukis.com)
By Dan Verdun
Southern Illinois head coach Nick Hill has long enjoyed wave runners and boating. However, the results of last year’s Saluki football schedule is one breaker he wishes to avoid in the future.
Following consecutive opening losses to eventual FCS playoff teams Incarnate Word and Southeast Missouri, SIU shocked the Big Ten’s Northwestern in Evanston.
Hill’s Salukis then reeled off four straight Missouri Valley Football Conference wins to raise expectations for the program’s third straight trip to the postseason.
It all came crashing down, however, with a season-ending, four-game losing streak by a combined 14 points. SIU (5-6) suffered its first losing season since 2018.
“There’s no way to predict the way the season is going to go. We know that from last year. We led the last 10 games in the fourth quarter, and we went 5-5,” Hill said Tuesday during the MVFC’s virtual media day.
Learning and yearning
Hill, the father of three young girls and an avid outdoorsman, is rarely idle. The 38-year-old devotes a great deal of time to motivational reading and podcasts. So while he can be reflective, Hill believes in moving forward by learning from what went wrong and making adjustments.
“It will be the same this year,” said the eighth-year head coach. “We’ll find ourselves in five-to-seven Valley games that come down to the last possession, and that’s what makes this league exciting.”
A year ago that excitement turned to frustration as the Salukis were outscored 51-22 in final quarter of those four season-ending losses.
While much has been written and said about the modern-day attention span, Hill realizes such lapses can be as costly as the physical toll of the game.
“It’s just as much mental as it is physical obviously. You’ve got to be able to train to strain physically for a four-quarter game. But, as we talk to our guys, it’s the mental capacity (we also focus on),” Hill said.
And that process goes far beyond what fans and the media often see.
“When you think about it, you get to the stadium two hours before the game,” Hill said, “and then our games are going three and a half, three hours and 45 minutes. Last year we had a couple of games that lasted almost four hours.
“You’re talking about six hours where you really have to be locked in and so much of football is starting and stopping. And (then), being able to get yourself back focused.”
Top returnees
Hill, a former record-setting SIU quarterback, is also an optimist.
Some of the positive outlook comes with five Salukis having been named to the preseason All-MVFC teams.
Linebacker Branson Combs and safety P.J. Jules were first-team selections. Receiver D’Ante’ Cox was listed on the second team.
Offensive lineman Chase Evans and quarterback Nic Baker were honorable mentions.
In addition, SIU welcomes the healthy returns of running back Justin Strong — who missed the final five games last fall — and receiver Izaiah Hartrup — who played in just one game in 2022 — from injuries.
“I’m excited about this group with guys that are coming back, some veterans and just like every team in the country, we’ve added some transfers. And you’ve got your young guys too,” Hill said.
Defensive change
Antonio James, who spent last season as SIU defensive line coach, was elevated to defensive coordinator when D.J. Vokolek resigned just days before the Salukis began fall camp.
Prior to arriving in Carbondale last year, James coached four seasons at Morgan State, becoming that program’s defensive coordinator in 2018.
James also held the title of co-special teams coordinator for the Baltimore-based public university.
FootballScoop.com reported Vokolek departed for a defensive coaching role at Northwestern.
Miller lost for season
Junior David Miller, who started all 11 games at cornerback last year, will miss this season with a hip injury, Hill said.
Miller, who transferred to SIU from Navy in 2021, ranked fifth on the team in tackles (44) last season. He had 5.5 tackles-for-loss, including 2.5 sacks, and three pass breakups.
“David had a unique injury that was pretty nagging. He got some MRIs early in the summer and decided to have the surgery that will put him out for the season,” Hill said.
Hill added that Miller should be ready for spring 2024 practices.
Not so special teams
Hill shared that he was not happy with Saluki special teams play a year ago.
“We didn’t impact the game like we should have last year,” he said. “Whether it’s blocking a kick, whether it’s a big return, we were just kind of average last year on special teams. That’s a point of emphasis.”
Dan Verdun is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin. He has written four books: NIU Huskies Football, EIU Panthers Football, ISU Redbirds Football and SIU Salukis Football.
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