Veteran Noah Fenske (53) will center a Southern Illinois offensive line that is long on experience. (Photo by SIUSalukis.com)
By Dan Verdun
A scan down the Southern Illinois roster posted on its website doesn’t reveal many smiling faces. Sure, there are a few here and there, but those are mostly from the new guys.
You don’t see many from the players who have been in Carbondale for awhile.
Perhaps it all stems from the bitter disappointment of last year’s injury-plagued 4-8 season that provided just two conference wins.
After all, last fall was supposed to be a continuance of recent Saluki success. SIU recorded FCS playoff appearances and wins in 2020, ‘21 and ‘23.
The Salukis are out to erase last year’s disappointment and begin their return to winning ways when SIU hosts Thomas More University, a Division II program from Crestview Hills, Ken., at 6 p.m. Saturday.
SIU is ranked No. 20 in both the Stats Perform and Coaches preseason FCS polls.
“It’s a team that’s all business this year,” said veteran offensive lineman Noah Fenske, who begins his seventh and final collegiate season. “Last year, we had high expectations. Whether it was injuries or not, we did not play to the high expectations that we had.”
While Fenske is the self-proclaimed “uncle” of the offensive line, redshirt sophomore Blaine Halley is an emerging talent.
“We’re a lot more humble group than we were last year,” the Olympia High School graduate said.
Both players like the composition of this year’s edition of the Salukis.
“This year, it’s not really a team that looks to one guy. We’re a collective group and want everybody to be on the same page,” Fenske said.
Halley added, “We have a lot of good team chemistry. Everybody acts as one (whether it’s) the offensive or defensive side.”
Fenske – who spent time at FBS Iowa and Colorado in the early part of his career – said the offseason was taking a “day-by-day, being present in the moment” approach.
“We want to be not only one of the best in our conference, but also one of the best in the country as well. We take a lot of pride in that,” he said.
The opponent
Thomas More was picked to finish eighth in the 10-team Great Midwest Athletic Conference in the league’s preseason poll.
Chris Norwell is beginning his fourth season coaching the Saints. Thomas More finished 5-6 overall and 4-5 in its conference last fall.
Norwell has spent 17 years at Thomas More, including time as defensive coordinator before becoming head coach in 2022. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois where he holds the school record for career starts by a defensive lineman.
Kickoff: 6 p.m. TV: ESPN-Plus; Radio: Cilfm.com.
Key matchup to watch
SIU OL vs. Thomas More DL
The Salukis feature a projected starting offensive line that has played in a combined 74 FCS games. In addition, it also boasts 13 FBS games of experience.
“My role on the team is that I’ve been around a long time. I’ve played on some really good teams and some really bad teams. I’ve seen it all and want to make sure that this team moves in the right direction and is doing things that good teams do,” Fenske said.
What’s at stake
A season-opening victory would help to put away the foul taste of last year’s injury-riddled disappointment.
Saluting Sharon
The Salukis will wear a helmet sticker honoring longtime football secretary Sharon Lipe, who passed away this summer.
“We could talk for a long time about what Sharon Lipe means to Saluki football, specifically the impact she made on every single person that came through this program,” SIU head coach Nick Hill said. “When you think about it, when you’re laid to rest, the legacy that you leave is what’s left behind.”
Hill played at SIU (2004-07) and returned to the coaching staff in 2014 before being named head coach two years later.
“She left a legacy here, and for me personally,” he said. “Being a part of this program, you just remember (her impact). It didn’t matter if you were having a rough day, a good day, or her celebrating your wins. She was just that person who knew when to give you a hug and knew when Coach (Jerry) Kill was being hard on you. She cared about you. She was like a second mom to a lot of people. Like a first mom to a lot of players.”
Quick hits
SIU named its captains for the season. They are linebackers Andrew Behm and Colin Bohanek along with offensive lineman Derek Harden Jr. and quarterback D.J. Williams. … Saturday’s game marks only the second time Thomas More has played a Division I opponent. The Saints played DuQuesne in 2022 and will play Dayton next weekend. …Linebacker Colin Bohanek landed on the Stats Perform Preseason All-America Team. The Marist High School graduate was one of two linebackers named to the third team.
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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