Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin graduate Reese Edwards has recorded sacks in the last two Illinois State games. (Photo by GoRedbirds.com)
By Dan Verdun
While Reese Edwards waited his turn for more playing time at Illinois State, the redshirt junior soaked up all he could from the players ahead of him on the depth chart.
“I felt like that was really the only way to go,” Edwards told Prairie State Pigskin. “I never thought about transferring. I’ve always had the mindset of keeping my head down and doing everything to the best of my ability and learning from the guys in front of me.”
One of those guys was Zeke Vandenburgh, who won the 2022 Buck Buchanan Award as the top defensive player in FCS.
“Zeke was just a film freak. He would talk about stuff that I never even thought about,” Edwards said. “Like presnap (situations) and all kinds of things you run through mentally to set yourself up for success.”
Edwards and ISU (5-3 overall, 2-2 in Missouri Valley) host Youngstown State (3-5, 2-2) Saturday at Hancock Stadium in Normal.
Edwards spent his underclassman time in the weight room, playing on special teams and improving his craft with outside linebackers coach Kye Stewart.
Originally listed as the backup at strongside linebacker on the preseason depth chart, Edwards saw increased playing time when All-American Amir Abduallah was felled by a knee injury in the season opener.
“(He’s) playing our Jack (outside) linebacker,” ISU head coach Brock Spack said. “He’s played quite a bit. He’s really helped us because (starter) Jalan (Gaines) has been a little nicked up and when Jalan needs a breather.”
Spack praised Edwards for his work ethic.
“He’s got a muscular build,” Spack said of the 6-foot-3, 225-pounder. “He’s a hard worker in the weight room. He can withstand the punishment of college football because of the way he’s built.”
Spack noted Edwards’ improvement as a pass rusher.
“Anything that I’ve learned and put in my (pass rush) toolbox I picked up from him (Stewart),” Edwards said. “The difference between pass rush in high school and college is like night and day.”
Edwards registered his first career sacks in ISU’s last two games.
Bye week balance
Following a 40-32 win at Murray State, the Redbirds are fresh off their bye week. Spack said that the team really needed a Saturday without any game.
“Oh man, did we. It helped us tremendously,” he said. “We looked like a different football team Sunday (at practice). I was pretty happy with their attitude. They seemed to be well rested. Sometimes you worry about college kids.
“The two things they don’t do are they don’t eat right and they don’t sleep. And they seemed to have rested, eaten right, hydrated and all those things. They looked to be in really good spirits and were flying around. I was very happy about that. We needed that really bad.”
The opponent
Youngstown State has proven to be a nemesis for ISU in recent years.
Last season, the Penguins knocked off the Redbirds, 41-38, on a last-second field goal.
Two years ago, Youngstown State drove 80 yards in 61 seconds and scored on a 12-yard touchdown pass to shock Illinois State, 19-17, at Hancock Stadium.
“In my mind, we owe them one,” Edwards said. “It’s kind of like playing tic-tac-toe. We can’t let them get three on us.”
Youngstown State redshirt sophomore Beu Brungard leads the FCS in both quarterback rushing yards (777) and rushing touchdowns (11) this season.
Ethan Wright and Tyshon King have combined for 957 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. King prepped at Kankakee Bishop McNamara.
Lincoln-Way East graduate Max Tomczak leads YSU with 45 receptions for 576 yards and two touchdowns. Cyrus Traugh chips in 28 catches for 341 yards and four TDs.
The Penguin defense has eight players with at least 22 tackles, led by senior linebacker Devin Johnson’s 40.
Kickoff: 2 p.m.; TV: Marquee Network Radio: WJBC.com
Key matchup
Illinois State defense vs. Youngstown State QB Beu Brungard
Brungard rushed for 176 yards and accounted for four touchdowns as the Penguins shocked No. 7 North Dakota, 41-40, in overtime Oct. 26.
Youngstown State ranks behind only South Dakota State and South Dakota in rushing offense among MVFC leaders.
Illinois State ranks ninth among the league’s 11 teams in rush defense.
“The thing that makes them go offensively is their quarterback,” Spack said. “He can create with his legs outside the system, which is always an issue for a defense. He is easily the thing that makes them a little different.
“We’ve seen a lot of good quarterbacks. This guy can run well. He’s built like a linebacker. He doesn’t look like a quarterback. He looks like a running back or a linebacker. He throws the ball well enough to hurt you.”
What’s at stake
An Illinois State win is needed to continue building the Redbirds’ postseason resume.
Quick hits
Illinois State held at No. 21 in this week’s Stats Perform FCS Top 25 poll. The Redbirds are No. 19 in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) poll. … Saturday is Military Appreciation Day at Hancock Stadium. … Kansas State transfer Xavier Loyd accumulated a career-high 148 receiving yards for ISU against Murray State. Loyd earned MVFC Newcomer of the Week honors. … Loyd ranks third in the MVFC in receiving yards (622) and is tied for eighth in receptions (36) and receiving touchdowns (3). He and teammate Daniel Sobkowicz are the only same-school duo in the league to both rank in the top 9 in yards, receptions and touchdowns. … Illinois State is 2-2 at home this season and 3-1 on the road. … Youngstown State is 0-4 on the road this 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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