While Southern Illinois celebrated one of its two touchdowns, Brigham Young captured the victory Saturday in the season opener for both teams. (Photo by SIUSalukis.com)
By Dan Verdun
The post-Nic Baker Southern Illinois era began with a loss to FBS Brigham Young University Saturday night in Provo, Utah.
The Cougars, second-year members of the Big 12 Conference, posted a 41-13 victory over the visiting Salukis.
BYU (1-0) racked up 527 yards of total offense compared to SIU (0-1), which produced 231 yards.
D.J. Williams, a transfer from Missouri Valley Football Conference member Murray State, started at quarterback for the Salukis. He follows Baker, who completed his six-year, record-setting SIU career last fall.
Williams won the starting job in fall camp over returnee Hunter Simmons, who backed up Baker last season. However, SIU did not reveal which player would start until the game began.
The elusive Williams proved to be the Salukis’ main source of offense. The junior, who missed the 2022 season after suffering a knee injury in the Murray State opener, accounted for 219 total yards against BYU.
Williams rushed for 121 net yards and two touchdowns while passing for 98 yards.
“I thought that (D.J.) played solid,” head coach Nick Hill said on SIUSalukis.com. “He has a great demeanor out there. You can see his toughness, the athleticism that he brings and throwing the football.”
Simmons, a redshirt junior, did see action late in the game. He completed 3-of-6 passes for 10 yards.
BYU broke the game open in the second half, outscoring SIU, 24-7.
“It was a great atmosphere,” Williams said of the sold-out LaVell Edwards Stadium crowd of 61,712 fans. “That’s the kind of game I live for and the kind of game I want to be in.”
Game changers
0:46, 2nd quarter: Williams scored the first touchdown of his SIU career as well as the first Saluki score of the season on a 4-yard run.
0:00, 2nd quarter: After SIU had sliced into BYU’s lead with Williams’ TD run, the Cougars grabbed momentum back on a 50-yard field goal by Will Ferrin.
11:19, 3rd quarter: BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff’s 7-yard touchdown pass to L.J. Martin capped BYU’s opening drive of the second half and upped the Cougars’ lead to 24-6.
What it means
Saturday’s loss to BYU snapped a two-game Southern Illinois winning streak against FBS opponents, having previously defeated Northwestern and Northern Illinois in consecutive years.
“(I’m) disappointed that we didn’t make that a four-quarter game like we’ve done in the past,” Hill said. “BYU played really well. They played a clean game. I tip my hat to them. They are an experienced, physical group up front on both sides of the ball, and they created some challenges for us tonight.”
Top ‘Dawgs
Prairie State Pigskin chooses the top three Saluki players in the game:
D.J. Williams, QB: The Thornton Township High School graduate rushed for 121 yards and two touchdowns, including a 38-yarder for SIU’s only score of the second half. He completed 10-of-20 passes for 98 yards.
Colin Bohanek, LB: The senior led all tacklers with 12 stops. The Chicago Marist graduate produced a half sack and registered a quarterback hurry.
Paul Geelen, P/K: The transfer averaged 45.7 yards per punt, including a long of 65 yards. A native of the Netherlands who played at William Jewell College last season placed three punts inside the BYU 20-yard line.
What’s next?
SIU visits FCS Austin Peay, a member of the United Athletic Conference in a Sept. 7 non-conference game. The Salukis beat the Governors, 49-23, in Carbondale to open last season.
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.
Find us on social media!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PSPigskin
Facebook: Prairie State Pigskin
Prairie State Pigskin 
Leave a comment