Former Southern Illinois quarterback and assistant coach Nick Hill took over heading coaching duties at his alma mater in 2016. (Photo by SIUSalukis.com)
By Dan Verdun
The quarterback position will look quite differently at Southern Illinois this fall.
Nic Baker, SIU’s all-time leading passer, saw his career come to an end with an overtime loss in the FCS playoffs in December.
On the surface, the 5-foot-8 Baker may have defied odds and raised eyebrows with his record-breaking collegiate career that began with two late-season appearances in 2018.
But, in reality, Baker proved to be an on-field extension of SIU head coach Nick Hill, who held many of the records that Baker ultimately surpassed.
“I think that anybody we start is going to look different than Nic. I don’t know if we’ll ever have a guy that’s 5-8 out there playing quarterback again,” Hill said Wednesday during the Missouri Valley Football Conference’s virtual media day.
That will certainly be the case with returnee Hunter Simmons, listed at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, and transfer D.J. Williams, listed at 6-foot-3 and 218 pounds, in competition for the starting job.
Baker, meanwhile, earned his MBA and after graduating last winter has moved into the business world.
“It was different not having him around in the spring, but you go through that as coaches,” Hill said. “It’s going to be a new look. It’s different, sometimes which is exciting as a coach too.”
Who will be QB1?
That different, new look pits Simmons against Williams for the starting spot Aug. 31 at FBS Brigham Young University.
“That will be a big topic of conversation. Who’s going to play quarterback?” Hill said. “Talking about them both, I’m excited about our quarterback room. I really am. Hunter has been here for awhile, learning (and) developing.”
Simmons served as Baker’s backup last fall. The redshirt junior from nearby Marion, Ill., completed 18-of-35 passes for 169 yards and a touchdown in 2023.
Williams, a Thornton Township High School graduate, transferred to SIU from Murray State with two years of remaining eligibility.
Williams was the Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year in 2021, but missed the remainder of the 2022 season after suffering a knee injury in the opening game at Texas Tech.
Last season, Murray State’s first in the MVFC, Williams passed for 1,529 yards and 11 touchdowns.
“Being here in the spring, he did an outstanding job,” Hill said of Williams.
With Simmons sidelined for part of spring practice with a nagging hamstring ailment, Williams “got a big bulk of the reps,” according to Hill.
The 39-year-old SIU head coach shared that the two competing quarterbacks drove and roomed together during a recent team leadership retreat.
“We’re in a great spot as far as the chemistry of those two. Sometimes you can have a quarterback competition that may divide your team, but that hasn’t happened,” Hill said.
Strength up front
Whichever competitor emerges to start against BYU, Hill and his staff are confident in their experienced offensive line.
In addition, Hill sees a maturity in his team as a whole as it blends returnees with incoming transfers and freshmen recruits.
“I’ve appreciated and liked what I’ve seen as far as the maturity of this team,” Hill said. “I use that word a lot. I think if you were to interview our players throughout the spring and summer team settings, there’s just something about a mature football team and the integrity about how they go to work.”
News & notes: Southern Illinois was predicted to finish fourth in the 10-team MVFC when the league released its preseason poll earlier this week. … The Salukis had four players selected for the preseason All-MVFC second team: linebacker Colin Bohanek, offensive lineman Chase Evans, defensive back Ubayd Steed while Vinson Davis III was tabbed at both wide receiver and all-purpose performer. … Offensive lineman Jake Green and tight end Aidan Quinn were among those listed as honorable mention. … SIU returns six starters on offense and four on defense from last year’s team that finished 8-5 with a playoff victory. The Salukis have made three playoff appearances in the last four seasons. … The SIU-BYU matchup will be the first meeting between the two schools. … SIU has won three of its last four games against FBS opponents. … The Salukis’ Sept. 7 home-opening opponent is Incarnate Word from the Southland Conference. … SIU kicks off MVFC play Sept. 28 at South Dakota, the nation’s preseason No. 5 team according to Lindy’s Sports magazine. … The Salukis’ first home conference contest is Oct. 5 against longtime rival Illinois State. In a scheduling quirk, SIU and ISU did not meet last fall.
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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