Illinois State outside linebacker Dexter Niekamp had six tackles while helping hold Indiana State’s offense to only 10 points in ISU’s victory. (Photo by GoRedbirds.com)
By Barry Bottino
NORMAL – Brock Spack wasn’t in the mood for saying sorry Saturday.
“We’re not in the business of apologizing when we win,” the Illinois State head coach said after the No. 10 Redbirds outlasted Indiana State, 17-10, at Hancock Stadium in front of a Homecoming crowd of 11,280. “We will enjoy the victory, and we will worry about the details tomorrow. I’m just very happy that we were able to pull this out.”
Tenth-ranked Illinois State leaned heavily on its defense, which held the Sycamores to three points on its final 11 drives combined, forced three turnovers and collected a season-high nine quarterback hurries.
“We talk every single day about defend every inch, embrace adversity and we did that today,” said senior linebacker Tye Niekamp, who had a team-high 12 tackles. “I can’t be more proud of these guys on the whole entire defense with the way we played in the red zone.”
Indiana State was 2-for-5 on red zone scoring opportunities. The Sycamores’ offense ran 21 plays in the red zone and managed only 10 points.
“It all stems from practice and coaching,” Illinois State defensive lineman Ben Harman said. “We had great energy. We love playing football.”
Those “details” Spack will worry about Sunday will focus on the offense, which managed only 285 total yards as newly anointed starting quarterback Beckham Pellant threw two interceptions and was 16-for-32 passing for 174 yards.
“He threw it into coverage a couple times, and got lucky a couple times,” Spack said. “Beckham’s got a big arm, but the problem with guys with big arms, they can throw it into spots sometimes when they shouldn’t. He’ll learn from that.”
Spack, who has played three different QBs this season, said he did not think of replacing Pellant at any point Saturday.
“I wanted to see Beckham pull himself out of it,” Spack said, adding that he didn’t want the team fall back into “the same old stuff where we’re just yanking guys in and out.”
The Redbirds were without wide receiver Dylan Lord, who was held out of the game because of a hamstring injury.
In his place, Butler transfer Ethan Loss, who had five catches in Illinois State’s first seven games, posted a team-high five catches for 58 yards. Four of those receptions came in the first quarter.
“I just want to do my role to help the team win,” Loss said. “With Dylan being out, I knew that I had to step up.”
Nearly every time the offense faltered, the defense took the reins.
“At the end of the day, we’re a team, so it’s our job to pick them up,” Niekamp said.
Indiana State QB Brady Allen opened the scoring with an 8-yard scoring pass to Jayden Reed less than 6 minutes in the game.
Illinois State’s defense tightened up in the second quarter. The Redbirds allowed Indiana State only 54 yards (just three on the ground) and 2.7 yards per play in the period.
After Michael Cosentino’s 22-yard field goal trimmed the Sycamores’ lead to 7-3, the quarter featured a 48-yard interception return for a touchdown by cornerback Key Crowell, who stepped in front of Indiana State wide receiver Thomas Amankwaa and raced in for the score.
“We practiced that play all week,” Crowell said. “I jumped it at practice as well, twice. When it came to game time, I saw the play, I recognized it and jumped it.”
With just under a minute left in the half, Illinois State outside linebacker Dexter Niekamp sacked Sycamores QB Brady Allen and simultaneously ripped the ball away to force a turnover.
Indiana State took the lead first with an 8-yard Allen to Jayden Reed for a touchdown less than 6 minutes into the game.
Game changers
10:04, 2nd quarter: Victor Dawson’s 3-yard TD run gave the Redbirds their first lead of the day, 10-7.
8:13, 2nd quarter: Crowell grabbed an interception and raced 48 yards untouched to give ISU a 10-point halftime lead.
11:59, 3rd quarter: During a 27-yard run by Indiana State RB Max McCool, Harman stripped the ball, which rolled down the field and hit a pylon at the goal line, leading to ISU getting the ball back on a touchback.
What it means
ISU improved to 6-2 overall with four games left and evened their conference record at 2-2.
Best ‘Birds
Prairie State Pigskin chooses the top three Illinois State players in the game:
Tye Niekamp, LB: The senior led all players with 12 tackles, two QB hurries, a pass breakup and a tackle for loss.
Dexter Neikamp, LB: The ISU Jack linebacker posted six tackles and on the same second-quarter play, he sacked Allen and ripped the ball away for a turnover.
Loss, WR: A fill-in for Lord, the Butler transfer had a team-high five catches for 58 yards.
What’s next?
The Redbirds host Murray State at 1 p.m. on Oct. 31 in an MVFC game.
Barry Bottino is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin and a 19-year veteran of three Illinois newspapers. He has covered college athletics since 1995.
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