Illinois State linebacker Mason Kaplan has made a successful transition from quarterback to inside linebacker. (Photo by GoRedbirds.com)
By Dan Verdun
Three years ago, Mason Kaplan stared down the Illinois State defense as the opposing quarterback for non-scholarship Valparaiso.
While the visiting Pioneer League Beacons fell a touchdown short of upsetting the Redbirds, Kaplan impressed the ISU staff with a 191-yard, two-touchdown passing performance. While he ran the ball effectively, he was also sacked six times.
“I remember it being a really good atmosphere and running for my life from Zeke Vandenburgh,” Kaplan said of the Illinois State defensive star who went on to win that season’s Buck Buchanan Award as the top defender in FCS.
When Kaplan entered the transfer portal after the season, ISU was quick to make him an offer.
“(After the game at ISU), my parents kept saying that this is a really cool place,” said Kaplan, a suburban Atlanta native. “We were excited to be getting a scholarship, something Valpo couldn’t provide.”
Kaplan’s dreams of playing quarterback at Illinois State took a hit when he found himself as the third-string signal caller in 2023.
After seeing his speed and athleticism in off-season drills, ISU head coach Brock Spack and his staff brainstormed ways to get him on the field. Their solution was putting the 6-foot-2, 230-pound Kaplan on special teams and switching him to defense.
Kaplan said he hadn’t played defense since “early middle school” and at first was against the idea.
“Probably 30 minutes or an hour later, I went into Coach Spack’s office and told him that I wanted to be here and help the team however I could,” he said. “That’s how I ended up making the transition to linebacker.”
Bouncing back from injury
Years of playing football had taken their toll on his body. Kaplan wound up having surgery to repair bilateral hip impingements and missing the 2024 season.
“I went to jump and only got like an inch off the ground and knew it wasn’t good,” he said.
Yet, there was a silver lining. The time off the field allowed Kaplan to learn his inside linebacker position through film study with Spack and defensive coordinator Travis Niekamp. Kaplan also learned from other ISU defenders.
“I watched and observed everything they did,” he said. “It was picking people’s brains and taking a step back to learn. Taking mental reps was definitely huge.”
“That really helped him a lot,” ISU head coach Brock Spack said. “He got stronger and it was a good learning experience for him.”
This season, Kaplan has earned a starting role for the Top 10-ranked Redbirds (4-2 overall, 1-1 Missouri Valley Football Conference). ISU hosts Youngstown State (3-3, 0-2) at 2 p.m. Saturday at Hancock Stadium in the annual homecoming game.
Kaplan is ISU’s sixth-leading tackler with 26 stops. He has 2.5 tackles for loss along with a sack and a quarterback hurry.
“I absolutely love it here, even when I wasn’t playing,” he said.
This week’s opponent
Youngstown State has been a thorn in ISU’s side in recent seasons. While the Redbirds posted a 23-16 victory in Normal last season, the Penguins shocked Illinois State with last-second wins in 2022 and 2023.
“We expect it to be a hard-fought, close game. That’s how it always is with these teams,” Spack said.
Youngstown State slipped five spots in the American Football Coaches Association rankings to No. 25 after a 35-17 loss to 12th-rated North Dakota last weekend.
Dual-threat quarterback Beau Brungard leads the Penguins with 727 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. The 6-foot, 215-pounder has completed 65% of his passes. Brungard has thrown for nine TDs and only been intercepted once.
Senior receiver Max Tomczak tops the team with 33 receptions for 477 yards. The Lincoln-Way East graduate has four touchdown catches.
Junior receiver Ky “Flash” Wilson has also caught Spack’s eye. A transfer from Division II Slippery Rock, Wilson is coming off a 102-yard receiving game against Top 10-ranked North Dakota.
YSU features eight defenders with at least 20 tackles. Defensive back Justin Wimpye leads the team with six passes defended (2 interceptions, 4 breakups).
Kickoff: noon; TV: ESPN-Plus & Marquee Sports Network; Radio: WJBC.com.
Key matchup to watch
ISU defense vs. Brungard
The Youngstown State quarterback ranks eighth in rushing yards and 34th in passing yards among all FCS players.
“He can run. He’s strong and can accelerate with really good speed,” Spack said. “He throws the ball well on the move and in the pocket.”
Illinois State ranks 91st out of 126 FCS teams in total defense, allowing 410.3 yards per game. The Redbirds are 78th in scoring defense, surrendering just under 30 points a game.
What’s at stake
A win would give Illinois State a second victory in three MVFC games this season.
Quick hits
Illinois State first hosted a homecoming game in 1916. … The Redbirds are 11-4 in homecoming contests under Spack. Two of those losses were to national power North Dakota State. … Youngstown State is unranked in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 poll but is receiving votes. … Redbird receiver Daniel Sobkowicz has 2,984 receiving yards in his ISU career, placing him third on the all-time list. The senior needs 24 yards to pass Laurent Robinson (3,007) for second place. Sobkowicz ranks second in career receptions (217) behind Tyrone Walker (250) and is tied with Robinson (29) for third place in career receiving touchdowns. … ISU has been outscored, 77-34, in the fourth quarter this season. Taking away a 14-0 deficit from the opener at FBS Oklahoma, it’s still a 63-34 margin. “I can’t really explain it,” Spack said. “We’ve played really well for most of the game, but we’ve just had some lapses. But we had two really good stops Saturday (against Murray State).” … Tackle Jake Pope was named MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week following ISU’s 46-32 victory at Murray State. The Redbirds racked up 510 yards of total offense in that game.
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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