Running back Mason King (3) suffered a season-ending injury in the season opener at Iowa last August. He was the Missouri Valley Football Conference Newcomer of the Year in 2023. (Photo by Barry Bottino, PrairieStatePigskin.com)
By Dan Verdun
Running back Mason King will be eased back into the Illinois State running back rotation this fall after a serious right knee injury in 2024, head coach Brock Spack told Prairie State Pigskin Monday.
“He’s a guy we’ve got to be careful with as he re-enters college football,” Spack said of the senior, who sustained a season-ending knee injury in last year’s opener at FBS Iowa and used his redshirt season.
King transferred to ISU in 2023 from FBS Northern Illinois and wound up as the Missouri Valley Football Conference Newcomer of the Year following a 983-yard, 14-touchdown season.
King, a downstate Centralia High School graduate, was injured on a two-yard carry in the first quarter against the Hawkeyes.
“We want to put him in the right situation and take it slow. He wants to go fast, but because his injury was so bad we want to make sure we do the right thing,” Spack said. “He’s doing remarkably well for the situation he was in.”
Spack said King will continue to be monitored this week during practice before a plan is put in place. The Redbirds open the season Aug. 30 at FBS Oklahoma.
“We might try to protect him a little bit early (in the season) and ease into it. I want to talk to the player too and see where his mind is at. He has some say in it too,” Spack said.
After King’s injury, Wenkers Wright took over as ISU’s feature back. After getting just 32 carries in 2023, Wright responded by becoming the first Redbird to rush for over 1,000 yards since James Robinson in 2019.
Wright, a senior, led ISU and ranked fifth in the MVFC with 1,123 yards on 218 carries (5.2 yards per carry). He ran for a team-high 11 touchdowns. Wright also caught 17 passes for 148 yards and a touchdown.
Spack said Cincinnati transfer Victor Dawson, sophomore Matt Lawson and true freshman Tyler Lofton have all shown good things in fall camp.
“I like Wenkers with the other backs in the rotation. They make him better. They take reps off him so he doesn’t necessarily have to have (a heavy workload). That will be something really good moving forward,” Spack said.
Kicking competition
Transfers Michael Cosentino (Elon) and Matt Maldonado (Murray State) are locked in a competition to earn kicking duties for ISU’s season opener.
Each player kicked a field goal in Saturday’s scrimmage at Hancock Stadium.
“Both guys are playing very well. That will be resolved here soon,” Spack said.
Depth up front
Spack, who took over the ISU program in 2009, said the Redbirds’ defensive line is the “deepest since I’ve been here.”
The veteran head coach likes the options that such depth allows.
“For us, it’s a three- or five-(man front), depending on how you look at it,” Spack said. “It can be three down guys and two outside ‘backers. I like our makeup right now.
“Most of our battles are rotational. Are they going to help us win now? If they are, then they’re going to play.”
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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