Senior running back Wenkers Wright has been sidelined with a shoulder injury since late November. He has returned to practice in preparation for Monday’s FCS national championship game against Montana State. (Photo by Barry Bottino, PrairieStatePigksin.com)
By Dan Verdun
Unseeded Illinois State’s unprecedented run to the FCS national championship game is even more remarkable in that the Redbirds have done much of it without two key offensive standouts.
Hampered by a shoulder injury, running back Wenkers Wright hasn’t played since the postseason-opening win Nov. 29 at Southeastern Louisiana. He rushed 16 times for 62 yards in that Redbirds’ 21-3 victory.
Left tackle Brandon Smith, meanwhile, has watched from the sideline with a fractured leg as ISU reeled off four straight road playoff victories en route to a Jan. 5 title matchup with No. 2 seed Montana State.
Yet, you won’t find either player hanging his head or crying, “Whoa is me!”
Wright, a senior who rushed for a team-leading 1,120 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, has run for 591 yards and five touchdowns this fall.
“I wish I could have played,” Wright told Prairie State Pigskin, “but at the same time if I can’t get the yards, I know those guys will.”
Those guys are led by Victor Dawson, a transfer from FBS Cincinnati who began his career at FCS Merrimack. Dawson has assumed Wright’s starting role and rushed 97 times for 512 yards (5.27 per carry) in the four playoff wins.
Dawson’s carries have piled up each postseason game: 11 against Southeastern Louisiana, 23 against North Dakota State, 29 against UC Davis and a career-high 34 against Villanova.
“Victor Dawson picked up where I left off and then some. He did what I did, but with his own little style and swagger,” Wright said. “He’s stepped up to the plate and had some great games.”
Moving in the Wright direction
There may also be a silver lining. Wright has resumed practicing “full go” with the team, according to an ISU official.
“He’s coming back. He’s excited,” said Smith, who sustained a season-ending broken leg Oct. 18 against Youngstown State.
Seth Glatz, who has assumed the No. 2 running back role behind Dawson during the playoff run, praised Wright.
“Wenkers is a great role model for me on and off the field. You can rely on him no matter what,” Glatz said.
Revamped O-line
Whichever Redbird back gets carries against Montana State, he will run behind a revamped offensive line that has shuffled its lineup based on injuries and performance.
Smith’s injury shifted senior Jake Pope from right tackle to Smith’s left tackle spot. Brayden Jellison and Logan Brasfield have seen more playing time, joining Landon Woodard, Micah Barnhart and Ben Wallace for snaps.
“Everybody has done what they’ve been asked to do,” Smith said. “Throughout the spring and summer, everybody flip-flopped positions for moments like this. It happened, and guys have stepped up to the plate.”
Smith, like Wright, has kept things in perspective.
“Honestly, it sucks not being able to be out there, but it’s been fun to watch what’s happened,” the Indianapolis native said. “It’s been something to see how everybody has progressed throughout the season. It can’t not be fun to watch.”
Both Wright and Smith assumed new roles away from the huddle.
“I’ve gone from being a key piece on the field to being a great teammate supporting others,” Smith said. “I do what I can off the field to help anybody I can.”
Wright said his job has been “to keep the spirits up.”
“I talk with guys one-on-one on the sidelines. If they make a mistake, I make sure that they don’t make that mistake again,” he said. “They listen. But they also talk to me, and I listen. I have faith in them.”
Smith, who transferred to Illinois State from FBS Western Michigan in 2024, feels as much a part of the team as ever.
“I’ve never been to a national championship. I’m just excited to be a part of something like this,” he said.
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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