The Salukis travel to Murray State to face the Racers. Murray State joined Missouri Valley Football Conference this season after belonging to the Ohio Valley Conference since 1948. (Photo by SIUSalukis.com)
By Dan Verdun
Coming off the first loss of the season Southern Illinois is not only regrouping, the Salukis are renewing their commitment to running the ball.
“We’ve got to be able to line up and run the ball. We’ve got to stay balanced (in our play calls),” SIU head coach Nick Hill said. “It’s a collective thing from the coaches to the players executing. If it’s a run-pass option, we need to hand it when we need to hand it and throw it when we need to throw it.”
The Salukis (4-1, 1-1) gained just 58 yards rushing in their 31-3 loss at Youngstown State last Saturday. Once sacks and lost rushing yards were subtracted, SIU was left with six net rushing yards.
“The no-yard runs and negative runs (but us behind the chains),” Hill said. “We were in second-and-10 five or six times. There were a couple of second-and-14 or second-and-15. Then our get-back-on-track plays just weren’t there.”
It also allowed for Youngstown State to tee off with its pass rush. The Penguins sacked SIU quarterback Nic Baker seven times and hurried him four more.
“I don’t have any concerns with the offensive line. It’s the same guys that won a lot of football games,” Hill said. “A lot of those sacks weren’t on the offensive line.”
SIU certainly was hurt by the fact that running backs Ro Elliott and Jaelin Benefield, along with receiver D’Ante’ Cox, were out with injuries.
Senior Justin Strong, who has battled injuries himself, started at running back and carried five times for eight yards. Sophomore Leshaun Lester had five carries for six yards.
“We’ll get better,” Hill said. “We’re committed to doing that.”
This week’s opponent
Murray State (2-3, 1-1) is playing its first season in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Racers previously played in the Ohio Valley Conference.
Murray State lost, 38-7, at South Dakota last weekend. Two weeks ago, the Racers won their conference opener against Indiana State, 30-28.
Murray State is led by redshirt junior Cortezz Jones, who tops the team with 296 yards on 51 attempts (5.8 average).
Quarterback D.J. Williams, a Harvey, Ill. native, was the 2021 OVC Freshman of the Year prior to missing last season with an injury. The redshirt sophomore has completed 60 percent of his passes and only been intercepted once this season.
Murray State, which is located 114 miles from SIU, hosts its Homecoming against the Salukis.
“Being so close, if you went up to any person in southern Illinois, they’re going to know the Salukis and they’re going to know Murray State,” Hill said. “The basketball rivalry has been going on for awhile. Anytime two Division I schools are that close, there’s no reason why we don’t play every single year and now we’ll have that opportunity now that they’re in the conference.”
Despite being separated by just a two-hour drive, the programs have only met three times in the last 20 years, with Southern winning all three contests.
(Kickoff: 2 p.m.; TV: ESPN-Plus; Radio: CILFM.com)
Key matchup to watch
SIU vs. first down
In last week’s loss, the Salukis struggled on first down. That inefficiency bogged down the offense, which produced only one sustained drive in the game.
“We’ve got to be more efficient on first down. I’ve said that every single week. First down really dictates where we really go,” Hill said.
What’s at stake?
A win puts SIU back on track after losing handily at Youngstown State. It would also give the Salukis a second MVFC victory.
Quick hits
SIU is ranked 13th in both national FCS polls. … QB Nic Baker enters the game needing 28 yards to pass Joel Sambursky (2002-05) as SIU’s career leader in passing yards. Baker has 7,773 career passing yards. With 7,894 yards, Sambursky ranks 14th all-time in conference history. … Defensively, Southern allowed only 323 yards of total offense to Youngstown State. That’s the second-fewest it has given up this season. … SIU’s defense continues to rank among the best in the FCS: No. 4 against the run (77.2), No. 5 in sacks (3.60 per game) and No. 23 in scoring (22.0 points per game). … The last time the Salukis and Racers met, SIU prevailed, 49-10, in 2018. Southern’s defense scored three touchdowns in that win.
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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