SIU focus on ‘urgency and hunger’ with non-conference road trip to Austin Peay

SIU safety Iverson Brown (1) and defensive lineman Elijah Gunn (95) pursue BYU running back L.J. Martin (27) in last Saturday’s season opener in Provo, Utah. (Photo by Saluki Communications)

By Dan Verdun

In a game that may have playoff implications down the line, both Nick Hill and Jeff Faris know the importance of Saturday’s non-conference game between their two teams.

“Our total focus right now is the urgency and the hunger that you’ve got to have each and every week. To achieve the goals that this team has, the total focus right now is being at our best on Saturday,” Hill said.

Both teams lost their season openers to FBS teams: BYU defeated Southern Illinois, 41-13; Louisville topped Austin Peay, 62-0.

Faris, a Knoxville, Tenn. native who holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Duke University, took over at Austin Peay when Scotty Walden left to become head coach at FBS UTEP.

The Salukis and Governors met in Carbondale to open last season with SIU posting a 49-23 victory that was essentially decided by halftime.

Both teams went on to qualify for the FCS playoffs.

Austin Peay, 9-3 last fall, won the inaugural United Athletic Conference title with a 6-0 league record.

The Governors, however, return just three starters from last fall.

The opponent

Faris spent the past two seasons as the tight ends coach for Chip Kelly at UCLA.

Austin Peay – located in Clarksville, Tenn. – returns preseason All-UAC selections Chandler Kirton in the offensive line and Hosea Knifely Jr. in the defensive line.

Kirton, a Stats Perform preseason third team All-America pick, has started all 22 games for the Governors the past two years.

Knifely led the team with four sacks a year ago.

Mason Garcia, who began last season as FBS East Carolina quarterback, started against Louisville before leaving the game after taking a hit to the hip, according to the Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle.

Garcia was 3-for-8 for 19 yards before the injury. Austin Smith, who started 12 games for Eastern Michigan last fall, entered and went 11-for-16 for 53 yards and an interception.

“Both quarterbacks are capable of running and throwing the football,” Hill said.

Kickoff: 6 p.m. CDT; TV: ESPN-Plus; Radio: Varsity Network App.

Key matchup to watch

SIU run game vs. APSU defense:

A year ago, the Saluki defense set the tone early in the blowout win.

This time around, it just might be the SIU offense that does the job.

“Defensively, they’re going to create some different looks for you as far as the structure of their defense goes,” Hill said of Austin Peay. “(They do it) by identifying guys and trying to create some confusion. We’ve got to be sound with our fundamentals and our roles.”

Part of that role will be establishing the run game, which needs to consist of more than just quarterback D.J. Williams’ gained yardage.  

Williams rushed for 121 net yards and two touchdowns while passing for 98 yards in the loss at BYU.

The four other SIU ballcarriers managed just two yards on 10 carries.

Should the Salukis get production out of their running backs, the passing game will certainly benefit.

“You got to see some flashes of what they can be and what we’ve seen all spring and training camp,” Hill said of his receiving corps, which leans heavily on transfers this season.

What’s at stake

Facing one of the nation’s most challenging FCS schedules according to the Massey ratings, SIU aims to boost its postseason aspirations and playoff resume.

“Our record shows that we’re 0-1 right now. There’s got to be a sense of urgency to go do things right. There’s got to be a hunger, and that’s what we (coaches) challenged them (with),” Hill said.

Senior safety Ubayd Steed said the team’s expectation for itself is high following the BYU game.

“We’re not overlooking anybody in any type of way, but that loss left a bad taste in our mouth. We want to get a victory and dominate,” he said.

Quick hits: The Salukis are ranked No. 10 in the Stats Perform FCS poll and No. 12 in the Coaches FCS poll. Though unranked, Austin Peay is receiving votes in the Stats Perform poll. … SIU has won the last six meetings versus Austin Peay in a series that dates back to 1938. The schools are separated by 162 miles. … The last trip to Clarksville was in 1991. SIU trailed, 17-0, in the second quarter before rallying to win, 21-17.  … Saluki linebacker Colin Bohanek registered 12 tackles against BYU, his highest total in an SIU uniform. … Prior to his transfer to SIU, Bohanek racked up 200 tackles in 28 games for Eastern Illinois. … SIU currently has three players on NFL rosters: safety Jeremy Chinn (Washington), tight end MyCole Pruitt (Pittsburgh) and safety P.J. Jules (Cincinnati  practice squad). … Forty-two former Salukis have gone on to play in the NFL over the years.

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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