Fifth-year receiver Ethan Loss caught two big-play passes, including a 50-yard touchdown, in Illinois State’s 35-14 win Saturday against Murray State at Hancock Stadium. (Photo by GoRedbirds. com)
By Dan Verdun
NORMAL – Patience and perseverance often go hand-in-hand. Both were on display for nationally ranked Illinois State Saturday at Hancock Stadium.
The No. 9/10-ranked Redbirds got key contributions from players who have battled injuries as well as some new faces to pull away from pesky Murray State for a 35-14 win.
Running backs Victor Dawson (99 yards, two TDs) and Seth Glatz (season-high 67 yards, TD) shook off nagging ailments to power ISU to 228 rushing yards.
Receiver Ethan Loss caught two passes for 117 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown.
The victory improved ISU to 7-2 overall and 3-2 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Murray State (1-8, 0-5) lost its sixth straight game.
“It was a hard-fought win,” ISU head coach Brock Spack said. “Nothing comes easy in the Missouri Valley. We kind of grinded one out.”
ISU needed two fourth-quarter touchdowns to distance itself from the visiting Racers. One came on a 5-yard pass from quarterback Beckham Pellant to receiver Dylan Lord. The other was delivered via a 14-yard run by Dawson, who has been slowed by an ankle injury this season.
“It’s a lingering injury. I play running back, so that’s a position where you’re always getting hit and twisted up. It just takes time,” Dawson said.
Glatz missed three games this fall with a neck injury.
“Today was probably his (Dawson) best day in maybe a month,” Spack said. “Glatz had some nice runs in there. They both seem to be better.”
Loss, a transfer from Butler, missed spring practice after shoulder surgery and has been slow to recover from a knee injury sustained in fall camp.
“He’s starting to come into his own,” Spack said. “He’s had a lot of setbacks that would really discourage a lot of players. He’s able to bounce back and now you’re seeing why we were so excited about him.”
Spack added that Loss “runs really well and tracks the ball very well.”
Loss has caught seven passes for 175 yards in the last two games.
“We knew there were going to be opportunities (for big plays). Beckham did a great job of trusting me and we connected on them,” Loss said.
The second of those connections came off some Halloween trickery. Dawson took a handoff and raced to the line before stopping to pitch the ball back to Pellant, who then delivered the touchdown pass into Loss’s arms.
“I was excited for that one once I saw the call come in,” Loss said.
Pellant fought off a sluggish first half in which he completed 6 of 11 throws for 94 yards and was intercepted once. The junior wound up passing for a career-best 248 yards and recorded his third multiple-touchdown game of the season.
Defense delivers
While the Redbird offense has sputtered at times in recent weeks, the defense has shined.
That was despite losing hard-hitting safety La’Shavion Brown to an apparent shoulder injury Saturday. Reserves Wyatt Mueller (team-high eight tackles) and Rico Clay (two tackles, interception) filled in well.
“Those two guys are both from Quincy,” Spack said. “I told you we had good depth. I hate when it’s tested, but it happens.”
Clay said: “It’s really exciting that I can have my coaches trust me, and I can go out there and when they call a play I can go out there and execute it.”
Linebacking brothers Dexter and Tye Niekamp each collected six tackles and both were credited with 2.5 tackles for loss. While Dexter broke up two passes, Tye grabbed a fourth-quarter interception to thwart a Murray State drive in the red zone.
“I think we’ve done a really good job preparing the last couple weeks off the (Oct. 10) bye week,” Tye Niekamp said. “We’re just making plays. Rico had a great play.
“We’re rushing the passer really well. We’re getting in their face and getting them (QBs) off the platform. We’re playing really good against the run right now.”
ISU held Murray State to 96 rushing yards and just 2-for-12 on third downs. The Redbirds bagged three sacks.
Game changers
12:26, 3rd quarter: Loss reeled in his first touchdown in a Redbird uniform on the 50-yard flea flicker pass from Pellant. The score upped the ISU lead to 21-7.
10:42, 4th quarter: Pellant rifled a 5-yard touchdown pass to Lord, giving the Redbirds a 14-point lead.
9:46, 4th quarter: Clay snagged an interception, foiling a Murray State drive.
Best ‘Birds
Prairie State Pigskin chooses the top three Illinois State players in the game:
Dawson, RB: The Akron native carried the ball a season-high 22 times for 99 yards and two touchdowns.
Loss, WR: The fifth-year receiver caught big-play passes – one for 67 yards and the other for a 50-yard touchdown.
Tye Niekamp, LB: The senior recorded six tackles, 2.5 for loss. He registered an interception, a pass breakup, a quarterback hurry and a half sack.
What it means
Illinois State heads into the final month of the regular season on a three-game winning streak and is 3-2 in the MVFC standings.
What’s next
The Redbirds face a rugged November schedule with games against three Top 10 opponents. First up is a trip to North Dakota for a 1 p.m. Nov. 7 kickoff.
The No. 9 Fighting Hawks lost at No. 4 Youngstown State, 31-28, Saturday. ISU plays at Youngstown State Nov. 14 and ends the regular season at home against No. 6 South Dakota.
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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