Junior linebacker Amir Abdullah, a transfer from D-II Nebraska-Kearney, leads the team with 5.5 sacks. (Photo by GoRedbirds.com)
By Dan Verdun
Football coaches watch hours of game film, but it’s not often the case that two non-conference opponents have played a common foe just two weeks apart.
Yet that’s exactly where Illinois State (2-1) and Lindenwood (2-1) find themselves.
Both schools — which will meet at noon Saturday at Hancock Stadium in Normal — played Western Illinois in consecutive weeks.
“It helps a little bit,” ISU head coach Brock Spack said. “You kind of know the players you’re playing against anyway, but every game takes on its own life.
“(You) don’t compare scores; that’s a big mistake, but it does help to know a team you just recently played. You kind of have an idea of what you’re up against.”
Lindenwood head coach Jed Stugart had a similar view.
“Yes, I think it helps. I don’t really look at score differentials and say ‘OK, this should happen,’” he said. “But I saw Western Illinois played them (ISU) very tough in the first half and didn’t so much in the second half. That always helps us to gauge where we’re at.”
For the record, Illinois State broke open a two-point game midway through the fourth quarter to topple Western Illinois, 34-18. Lindenwood, meanwhile, roared back from a 17-point halftime deficit to claim a 43-40 win at WIU last Saturday.
This week’s opponent
Lindenwood, located in the St. Louis suburb of St. Charles, is in the second year of transitioning from Division II to the FCS level. The Lions are a member of the Big South-OVC Football Association, along with Eastern Illinois. Western Illinois will join that league next season.
“We saw where we’re at against Western Illinois, which I think we’re probably evenly matched in a lot of ways, which means we’re still just not at the caliber of an Illinois State when you put us on paper right now,” Stugart said.
Lindenwood receiver Jeff Caldwell was the Big South-OVC Offensive Player of the Week after hauling in five passes for a career-high 185 and four touchdowns in the comeback win at WIU.
The redshirt sophomore was on the receiving end of the game-winning score with just over a minute left in the game.
Spack said the 6-foot-4 Caldwell’s speed was more impressive than his height.
“He caught the ball and just got vertical and outran Western,” Spack said. “He’s strong. He did a good job breaking tackles. He’s a really good after-the-catch guy.”
Redshirt junior linebacker Devon Edwards led the Lions in tackles with 14 against WIU. The Colorado State transfer also had two tackles for loss and forced a fumble.
(Kickoff: noon; TV: ESPN-Plus; Radio: WJBC.com)
Key matchup to watch
ISU vs. Slow Starts
After scoring 31 points in the first half of their season-opening 41-0 win against Dayton of the non-scholarship Pioneer League, the Redbirds have struggled in the first two quarters of its last two games.
ISU scored 13 points at Western and none at Eastern Illinois in the first half.
Spack shared his frustration.
“We start practice fast; we’ve always done that. They should be ready to go,” Spack said. “They’ve got to be sharper. We’ve (coaches) been hammering that home pretty hard.
“It’s not about the plays. It’s about the players. Good execution wins games. (It’s) not the play calls . . . it’s about players executing.”
What’s at stake?
The Redbirds certainly want to return to opening-week form on both sides of the ball as well as on special teams, which missed two field goals and an extra point in the 14-13 loss at EIU.
ISU, 1-0 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference thanks to its win at Western, will enter its bye week after Saturday’s game.
The Redbirds host South Dakota State, the No. 1 ranked FCS team in both polls, Oct. 7.
Quick hits
This will be the first meeting between Illinois State and Lindenwood. … ISU leads all NCAA divisions in sacks with 18, has the most tackles for loss (33) in FCS, ranks third in total defense (229.3 yards per game) in FCS, along with third in points allowed per game (10.7). … Junior linebacker Amir Abdullah leads the team with 5.5 sacks. … Linebacker Tye Kiekamp, the son of defensive coordinator Travis Niekamp, is the top tackler with 25 stops and has four pass breakups. … The Redbirds have shut out opponents in the first and third quarters this season. … Mason Blakemore (34 attempts), Cole Mueller (20) and Wenkers Wright (17) have been ISU’s three main ball carriers to date. … Fourteen different receivers have caught passes for the Redbirds with sophomore Daniel Sobkowicz leading the way with 17 catches for 256 yards and a touchdown.
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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