Quarterback Zack Annexstad (5) and running back Cole Mueller (4) play key roles for the Illinois State offense. (Photo by GoRedbirds.com)
By Dan Verdun
Illinois State head coach Brock Spack loves the direction his offense is finally taking – into the end zone.
“We’re starting to be the offense I was hoping we would be,” Spack said.
The Redbirds (4-3, 2-2) exploded for 441 total yards and 26 first downs in last Saturday’s 41-38 loss at 25th-ranked Youngstown State.
“We had some moments early in the season (where we weren’t very good),” Spack said. “I don’t think we played particularly well against Eastern Illinois, for whatever reason.”
ISU dropped a 14-13 decision that mid-September day in Charleston. Since then, the Redbirds have averaged nearly 38 points per game.
Spack has been quick to praise senior quarterback Zack Annexstad, now in his second season in Normal since transferring from the University of Minnesota.
“Our quarterback is very good,” Spack said. “Our front (offensive line) is getting better.”
Annexstad, who passed for 238 yards and five touchdowns against Youngstown State, has developed an explosive-play connection with receiver Daniel Sobokowicz. The duo combined for 137 yards and three touchdowns against Youngstown State in the first half alone.
“Our quarterback has been making really good decisions for the most part,” Spack said. “He’s on time and on target. He’s a very accurate thrower and he throws the ball quickly, which makes him hard to sack.”
Annexstad has a conference second-ranked 14 passing touchdowns and third-ranked 1,531 yards and 218.7 yards per game.
“Being an offensive coordinator all those years I was (prior to becoming ISU head coach), you want to force a team into multiple downs,” Spack said. “The more downs it takes to score, the more chances of a mistake.
“But when you have a team that can strike from anywhere on the field, that’s when you get nervous. We’re starting to do that with our offense.”
Annexstad isn’t just relying on Sobokowicz, the sophomore from Rolling Meadows High School.
There’s also tight end Cam Grandy, who transferred from Division II Missouri Western. There’s speedster Jalen Carr, who appears to finally be healthy after dealing with nagging injuries. Promising younsters Camo Nelson and Rylan Crawford caught touchdown passes at Youngstown.
“Game experience has really helped our team,” Spack said.
Running back Mason Blakemore, a transfer from FBS Northern Illinois, rushed for 128 yards on 17 attempts last Saturday. Reserves Cole Mueller and Wenkers Wright also figure to get carries against Northern Iowa.
This week’s opponent
Northern Iowa (4-3, 3-1) has been a team of mystery this season. The Panthers, under the guidance of longtime head coach Mark Farley, have bounced in and out of the Top 25 for much of the season.
UNI is coming off a 27-0 shutout of then-No. 6 North Dakota. The Panthers forced two turnovers and recorded four sacks in the win.
The Panthers feature a potent offense, led by senior quarterback Theo Day. UNI has broken the 400-yard mark for total offense three times this fall.
Right tackle Jared Penning – the younger brother of New Orleans Saint Trevor Penning – was named Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Lineman of the Week for his performance against North Dakota.
Linebacker Jahsiah Galvan leads the team with 53 tackles. He also has 3.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups, an interception and a forced fumble.
Defensive lineman Cordarrius Bailey leads the team with six sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss.
(Kickoff: noon.; TV: ESPN-Plus; Radio: WJBC.com)
Key matchup to watch
ISU run defense vs. UNI run game
Illinois State has allowed a pair of opposing backs to each run for over 100 yards in two of the last three weeks.
Along comes a Northern Iowa offense featuring three different backs who have broken the century mark this season: senior Tye Edwards, redshirt sophomore Harrison Bey-Buie and junior Amauri Pesek-Hickson.
A transfer from FBS Kansas, Pesek-Hickson rushed for 180 yards against North Dakota in his season debut. He earned MVFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.
What’s at stake
Each team desperately wants and needs a win to remain relevant in the FCS playoff picture.
Spack minced no words when asked about postseason bids.
“I’ve said this before on the national level, and I’m sure every other coach in the Missouri Valley would say the same thing if asked. I’m a little more brash about it. If you’ve got a winning record, you win more than you lose and you’re from the Missouri Valley, you should be in,” he said. “There’s nobody that plays in a league like us. It’s been going on for 11 or 12 years. It’s the same thing this year. It is a meatgrinder.”
Spack, who is seeking his 100th career coaching victory, had more to say on the matter.
“Every conference has a superior team or two, (but) in the really good leagues that next level team, there are about four or five of them. In ours, maybe seven,” he said. “It depends on the day, who you get and when you play them. It depends on who’s healthy or not or whatever. Weather. It has to all line up for you. This league is tough and there’s a lot of good football teams here.
“When the bell rings, you’d better be up on your toes because you could get knocked out.”
Quick hits
Spack said that receiver Eddie Kasper, out of last week’s game with an injury, is cleared to play Saturday. … Illinois State linebacker Amir Abdullah has recorded a conference-best 1.21 sacks per game as well as 1.6 tackles for loss per game. … ISU has allowed the third-fewest passing yards per game in the conference and the 18th-fewest in the nation with 177.6 passing yards per game. … Northern Iowa has one of the most potent passing offenses both in the conference as well as in FCS. UNI gains an average of 13.67 yards per completion, which sits at second in the conference and the 17th-best mark nationally. … Illinois State and Northern Iowa will meet for the 39th time, with UNI leading the all-time series 23-15, dating back to 1972. The Redbirds have won the previous two meetings against the Panthers, including a 23-21 win at the UNI Dome last season. … Overall, the Redbirds are 7-6 against the Panthers under Spack but have won four of the last five meetings against UNI at Hancock Stadium.
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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