Keontez Lewis ranks seventh nationally this season with 422 receiving yards for Southern Illinois. The Wisconsin transfer had a 44-yard touchdown catch last week against South Dakota. (Photo by SIUSalukis.com)
By Barry Bottino
Being around Keontez Lewis every day, Southern Illinois wide receivers coach Zach Grant has noticed one key personality trait.
“He’s a good guy to be around in the office and on the field. He keeps things pretty light,” Grant said.
While Lewis, a junior from East St. Louis, can lighten the mood for his teammates, he’s also shown off a fierceness this season, his first with the Salukis as a transfer from FBS Wisconsin.
“What separates him is his competitiveness and he has a go-getter mentality,” Grant said. “He wants the ball and he’s confident in himself. He knows he can make plays. He’s fast and he can separate.”
Lewis, whose career began at UCLA, leads the No. 19 Salukis (2-3 overall, 0-1 Missouri Valley Football Conference) with 23 catches, 422 yards and two touchdowns. He’s also averaging 16.4 yards a rush and has one score on the ground.
Lewis likely will be a key piece of the SIU offense when the Salukis host No. 18 Illinois State (3-2, 0-1) for Homecoming Oct. 5 in Carbondale. (6 p.m., ESPN-Plus)
“Their skill level is very good,” ISU head coach Brock Spack said of the Southern receivers. “(Lewis) is a really good player.”
Lewis has impacted the offense with big plays, such as a 44-yard TD catch last week in a 42-13 loss to South Dakota. He is averaging 18.3 yards per catch, which ranks fifth in the MVFC.
“I’ve been able to give that explosive impact to the offense by making plays,” Lewis said.
His competitiveness came from early in his athletic career and blossomed playing at East St. Louis High School, one of the nation’s top prep football programs.
“That’s just something that’s been instilled in me since I’ve been playing sports at an early age,” he said. “Even in high school, going to East St. Louis, you had to be a competitor. It’s always been in me, that competitive nature.”
Grant said his position group is taking ownership of what impact it can have to turn around SIU’s 2-3 start.
“Losing’s tough, but we’ve got six weeks left and six more opportunities to make plays and help the team win. That’s what we’re focused on doing.”
Lewis said remaining even-keeled emotionally is an important part of overcoming the frustrations of losing.
“Some people get emotional. Some people kind of check out,” he said. “But you can’t do that in a team sport like football. You’ve got to stay positive and level-headed and control what you can control as an individual. And then the team will come along.”
This week’s opponent
The Redbirds held steady this week at No. 18 in the STATS Perform Top 25 media poll despite their 42-10 loss to No. 2 North Dakota State. It was the first major test on the Redbirds’ schedule. The team’s three wins have come against opponents who are a combined 3-12. … Known for their physical run game and stingy defense, the Redbirds struggled to display either last weekend against NDSU. The Bison outrushed ISU, 307-8. “They manhandled us up front,” Redbird head coach Brock Spack said. But don’t expect the Redbirds to abandon their ground game. “We are who we are. There’s no magic wand,” Spack said. “We just have to get better at what we do. It came down to execution. We have to block our run plays better.” … Senior safety Keondre Jackson ranks third in the MVFC with 9.2 tackles per game. … The Redbirds are using a two-quarterback system this season with juniors Tommy Rittenhouse and Jake Rubley, a Kansas State transfer, Rittenhouse has stood out by completing 67% of his passes for six touchdowns and two interceptions. He’s also an accomplished runner, averaging 5.3 yards a carry and scoring three touchdowns, including a 71-yard scamper against North Alabama. Rittenhouse’s 153 yards on the ground have made him the team’s second-leading rusher. Rubley has completed 57% of his passes with one interception and no touchdowns.
Kickoff: 6 p.m.; TV: ESPN-Plus; Radio: CILfm.com
Key matchup to watch
SIU front seven vs. Illinois State RB Wenkers Wright: After the loss of Walter Payton Award candidate Mason King to a season-ending knee injury, Wright has filled in quite well. He leads the MVFC in rushing yards (469) and yards per game (93.8). The Salukis’ run defense has struggled thus far, ranking seventh in the league with 150.6 yards allowed per game. Wright posted three 100-yard games in a row this season with 153 against North Alabama (89th nationally vs. run), 106 against Western Illinois (119th) and 150 against Eastern Illinois (90th). SIU ranks 53rd vs. the run in the nation.
What’s at stake?
A loss would give SIU an 0-2 start in conference play. According to the team’s website, the Salukis have never had a season in which they started 0-2 in league play and made the postseason.
Quick hits
The Salukis trailed 35-7 at halftime last weekend against South Dakota. Two weeks ago, they fell behind 13-2 after one quarter in a loss to Southeast Missouri. It’s a trend that Hill says needs to get corrected. “We’ve got to get off to better starts,” he said. “There’s a lot of things that goes into that.” … SIU linebacker Ben Bogle leads the nation with 12.5 tackles for loss this season and ranks second in TFLs per game (2.5). He also leads the MVFC in sacks (5.5) and is tied for seventh nationally. … Simmons is only the second player in SIU history to pass for 300 yards in both of his first two career starts. The first player to do it was Scott Gabbert in 1989. … Senior tight end Colton Hoag has received more playing time with two key injuries at the position. Against South Dakota, he posted career highs with six catches for 52 yards and a touchdown. “I can’t say enough about him,” Hill said of the former walk-on who is now on scholarship. “When you think who you want to continue to fight and show up and continue to work, Colton Hoag is a great example on our team.” … The first 1,000 fans to enter Saluki Stadium for this week’s game will receive a bobblehead of SIU legend and former NFL running back Brandon Jacobs. … For the Salukis’ Homecoming parade, retired broadcaster Mike Reis will serve as the Grand Marshal. Reis, a 1978 SIU grad, served for 44 years as the radio play-by-play voice of Saluki football, basketball and baseball.
Barry Bottino is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin and a 19-year veteran of three Illinois newspapers. He has covered college athletics since 1995.
Find us on social media!
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/PSPigskin
Facebook: Prairie State Pigskin
Instagram: Prairiestatepigskin
Prairie State Pigskin 
Leave a comment