Senior Jake Pope (67) is one of the veteran players on the offensive line of the ball for Illinois State. The Redbirds open the season Aug. 30 at FBS Oklahoma. (Photo by GoRedbirds.com)
By Dan Verdun
NORMAL – Could this be the best Illinois State offense since back-to-back playoff runs of the Tre Roberson-led Redbirds a decade ago?
There are certainly plenty of reasons for optimism.
Head coach Brock Spack’s team features an offense that returns much of its personnel from last year’s 10-win team that advanced to the second round of the FCS playoffs.
“We have the same players for the most part,” Spack said during Wednesday’s media day at Hancock Stadium. “From a depth standpoint, we’re probably as good as we’ve been.”
Offensive coordinator Tony Petersen added, “Experience is always everything.”
The projected depth chart, which was released Wednesday, features a combined 205 games played for the Redbirds listed as offensive starters.
Moreover, four of the projected offensive line first-teamers began their careers at FBS schools: right tackle Jake Pope (Kentucky), right guard Logan Brasfield (Coastal Carolina), center Jack McGarry (Missouri) and left tackle Brandon Smith (Western Michigan).
“Every year is about what pieces you are losing and what pieces you are adding back to the puzzle trying to make the best, cool-looking puzzle that there is,” Pope said. “Our coaching staff always does a great job of getting players here that will fit into the program and to the scheme that we run.”
ISU is ranked No. 6 in the preseason Stats Perform FCS poll. Six Redbirds landed on the Phil Steele Preseason All-America list. Three of those players are on offense — wide receiver Daniel Sobkowicz, second team; running back Wenkers Wright, third team; and Pope, fourth team.
“We’re replacing a couple of guys up front, so that’s always something you’ve got to get done, but we had a good spring with those (new) players,” Petersen said. “Then you look at the rest of the group, we’ve got guys that have played at least a year, in some cases more.”
Sobkowicz is one such player. The Rolling Meadows High School standout needs 69 receptions, 1,161 yards and 10 touchdowns to become ISU’s career leader in all three categories.
Quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse is another. Last season as a junior, the Wheaton St. Francis High School graduate produced a combined 3,320 yards and accounted for 25 touchdowns. Those numbers marked the biggest output since Tre Roberson’s 4,250 yards and 41 TDs in 2014, a year in which ISU played in the national championship game.
“This is the best time of our college career,” Sobkowicz said. “Having that connection with Tommy and being able to play one more season together is going to be fun and I’m really excited for it.”
Deeper thoughts on depth
Spack – who played and coached on the defensive side of the ball – expanded on ISU’s offensive depth.
“We have an experienced front. They’ve made some improvements. They’re pretty athletic,” the 17th-year head coach said. “We have a deep running back room. Our tight ends are an interesting group. Some are hybrid, H-back/fullback types (Scotty Presson Jr.) and some are down on the line of scrimmage guys (Javon Charles). They all can break the formation and get out and catch the football. I like our receiver group.”
Beckham at backup
Rittenhouse sat out much of the spring following sports hernia surgery. Injuries, along with others leaving the program, left ISU with only one healthy quarterback for spring practices. That QB – redshirt freshman Beckham Pellant – took every spring snap. The Chandler, Ariz., product will serve as Rittenhouse’s backup.
“He got a lot of experience,” Petersen said of Pellant. “I feel really good about him. He’s a backup quarterback that I feel could come in and play at a high level.”
News & notes: Last season, Kansas State transfer Xavier Loyd was second only to Sobkowicz with 66 receptions for 912 yards and six touchdowns. Loyd transferred to FBS Missouri during the offseason. Sophomore Luke Mailander (Elmhurst York HS) is listed as first-team receiver opposite Sobkowicz, with Peoria native Kaevion Mack, a senior transfer from Western Michigan, as his backup . . . Junior Eddie Kasper (Wheaton Academy) is listed at the top spot at slot receiver with redshirt freshman Dylan Lord at No. 2. Lord got off to a promising start last season with 10 catches for 86 yards in three games before an injury ended his season. Lord was a high school teammate of Pellant.
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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