Donnie Wingate (6) had a career-high five sacks last season at FCS Lindenwood before transferring to Southern Illinois. (Photo courtesy Lindenwood Athletics)
By Barry Bottino
Donnie Wingate didn’t have to wait long after entering the transfer portal to learn who was interested.
That confirmation came right away from Southern Illinois head coach Nick Hill.
“Coach Hill was on me from day one,” said Wingate, a defensive end who spent the past three seasons at Lindenwood University in suburban St. Louis. “SIU was on me the whole time I was in the portal.”
That early interest helped Wingate picture himself wearing maroon. The 6-foot-3, 250-pound defensive end played in 24 games at Lindenwood, including 12 games last fall, when he posted a career-best five sacks.
“Last season was one of the best seasons I’ve had,” said Wingate, who has two years of eligibility remaining. “Being able to (play every game in 2024) and stay healthy the past two years and be able to contribute was a really big deal.”
Wingate is one of 10 mid-year transfers who began classes and workouts in January on campus.
“We felt like his film stuck out,” Hill said. “Then you get to know his character, his makeup, toughness.” Hill also noted that Wingate’s former coaches praised his work ethic and character.
On Feb. 5, the Salukis announced the addition of 14 high school players to the 2025 recruiting class.
In December, the Salukis signed 10 players, including nine from the prep ranks and one from a junior college.
Though he doesn’t consider himself a run stopper at 250 pounds, Wingate said developing his body is a constant process.
“I love the weight room,” he said. “Having that strength pays off coming in to play when it is a run down.”
Wingate will be part of new coordinator Lee Pronschinske’s defense for the Salukis, which Hill said will be a 4-3 alignment with “some wrinkles out of that.”
Though Wingate doesn’t know his role yet, he expects to make an impact in spring practice.
“Spring ball with help decide (my role),” he said. “I’m coming in to be a factor and to help be a leader on the field.”
News and notes
Back for more: The SIU offensive line will have two veterans back this fall, according to Hill, in Noah Fenske and Marcelo Mendiola.
Both sat out the 2023 season as two-time transfers under an old NCAA rule. When that rule was scratched, the two players earned an extra year. This will be the seventh year of college football for Fenske and the sixth for Mendiola.
Fenske started 11 games last season at left tackle, while Mendiola started eight times at left guard.
Youth at WR: A group of four mid-year transfers are wide receivers. The group includes a senior, two sophomores and redshirt freshman Blayne Sisson from downstate Mount Carmel, who began his career at the University of Illinois and has four years of eligibility remaining.
“Blayne was committed to us out of high school,” Hill said. “We recruited him for a long time. He’s a guy who can do a lot of different things. He was pretty elite with the ball in his hands in high school, making plays.”
Three wide receiver recruits who signed with the program this week combined for 42 career TD receptions in high school.
Edgy Tim’s take
Illinois high school football guru “Edgy” Tim O’Halloran shares his thoughts on the top prep football recruit from the state heading to Carbondale in the 2025 recruiting class:
Donte Green, OL, Plainfield South (6-foot-4, 310 pounds): “Donte Green was somewhat under the recruiting radar screen this fall after a season-ending injury in Week 2. He made big strides in his junior season for the Cougars, and this past summer was ready for a huge senior season until the injury shut him down. Green is a strong and mobile big man who continues to make strides in the weight room and has the ability to play anywhere on the Salukis’ offensive line. His feet, balance and punch are greatly improved, and his work ethic is also a strength.”
SIU February 2025 Signing Day List
(Name, Position(s), Height, Weight, School, Hometown)
High school recruits
Lincoln Acres, WR, 5-11, 160, Graves County HS, Graves County, Ky.
Brendan Bisgrove, OL, 6-4, 280, Oswego HS, Oswego, Ill.
Alex Broshears, LB/LS, 5-11, 200, Reitz Memorial HS, Evansville, Ind.
Liam Carney, OL, 6-5, 290, Wauconda HS, Wauconda, Ill.
Cam Cason, CB, 6-0, 177, Francis Howell HS, Weldon Springs, Mo.
Kaden Clay, LB, 6-0, 205, Frederick Douglas HS, Lexington, Ky.
Ryan Coby, OLB, 6-3, 195, Cardinal Newman HS, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
Tristan Cooke-Dennis, OL, 6-6, 308, Westfield HS, Westfield, Ind.
Tristen “Tip” Payne, WR, 501, 170, Milton HS, Little Rock, Ark.
Chris Potter, WR, 5-10, 170, Kirkwood HS, Kirkwood, Mo.
Arshawn “AJ” Powell, ATH, 5-9, 151, Evergreen Park HS, Chicago, Ill.
Owen Rann, QB, 6-4, 205, Harrisburg HS, Harrisburg, Ill.
Chase Reynolds, S, 6-0, 190, Collinsville HS, Collinsville, Ill.
Gavin Tinch, DL, 6-4, 300, Prairie Ridge HS, Crystal Lake, Ill.
Mid-year transfers
Bernadin Fleurima Jr., DT, 6-0, 286, Senior, Robert Morris Univ., Valley Stream, N.Y.
Dashuan Gibson, DB, 6-2, 180 Redshirt Freshman, Northern Illinois, Univ., Manassas, Va.
Naz Hill, CB, 6-3, 180, Sophomore, University of Wyoming, Kankakee, Ill.
Jacob Katauskas, OL, 6-4, 315, Redshirt Freshman, Coastal Carolina Univ., Lemont, Ill.
Matthew McClelland, S, 6-2, 200, Junior, Morehead State, Mesa, Ariz.
Jackson Parker, WR, 6-2, 200, Senior, U. of Albany, Kingston, N.Y.
Blayne Sisson, WR, 6-2, 185, Redshirt Freshman, U. of Illinois, Mount Carmel, Ill.
Kyle Thomas, WR, 6-3, 180, Sophomore, Northern Illinois Univ., Richton Park, Ill.
Ty Walls, WR, 6-0, 193, Sophomore, Oklahoma State Univ., Jenks, Okla.
Donnie Wingate, DE, 6-3, 250, Junior, Lindenwood Univ., Choctaw, Okla.
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.
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