SIU plays it's first home game of the season against a ranked Incarnate Word team on Saturday in Carbondale.
Meet the Cardinals:
SIU faced Incarnate Word 2 years ago in San Antonio and got torched 64-29. At the time, the Cardinals were coached by G.J Kinne and that UIW team made it all the way to the FCS semifinal where they lost to eventual runner-up North Dakota State by 3 points on the road. After that game, Kinne both left for Washington State and he's currently at North Texas as head coach.
In for Kinne as head coach was associate head coach Clint Killough. In Killough's first season as head coach, the Cardinals went 8-2, including 6-1 in the Southland, but a loss to a Nicholls team that eventually lost to SIU in the first round of the playoffs ultimately kept them out of the FCS playoffs.
Coming into this season, Incarnate Word was picked 2nd in the Southland Conference behind Nicholls. Nicholls received 9 first place votes while UIW received 8 first place votes. The Cardinals opened the season with a 28-7 home win against Northern Colorado but lost a hard-fought game 45-24 at South Dakota State in their 2nd game.
At quarterback for the Cardinals is 6-4 Graduate Senior Zach Calzada. Calzada was a 3 star recruit out of Buford, Georgia and started his collegiate career at Texas A&M. Calzada started 10 games in 2021 with the Aggies and passed for 2,185 yards and had 17 touchdowns/9 interceptions. In a win against Alabama, Calzada threw for 285 yards and 3 touchdowns and was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week. After that 2021 season, Calzada transferred to Auburn where he sat the year coming off shoulder surgery. Heading into 2023, Calzada transferred to UIW. He threw for 2,598 yards and had 19 touchdowns and 9 interceptions last season and added 5 rushing touchdowns. In their loss last week at South Dakota State, Calzada went 31-39 for 3 touchdowns and 351 passing yards. Calzada was named to the All-Southland first team in the preseason.
The leading rusher for the Cardinals so far this season is 5-9 Junior Dekalon Taylor. Taylor has mainly been a returner through 2 years but this season has contributed to the rushing attack. He has 22 rushing attempts this year for 93 yards and 2 rushing touchdowns. Taylor was named to the All-Southland preseason first team as a kick returner.
6-2 Junior Jalen Walthall has led the Cardinals in receiving so far this season. Walthall was a 3 star recruit out of Manvel, Texas and started his collegiate career at Hawaii. In 2 seasons at Hawaii, Walthall combined for 458 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns. In the loss at South Dakota State, Walthall caught 7 passes for 137 yards and had 2 touchdowns. Another WR to watch for on Incarnate Word is 5-10 Senior Roy Alexander. Alexander spent 3 seasons at the University of Albany before transferring to UIW this year. Alexander had 9 catches for 128 yards and a touchdown in the loss at South Dakota State. 5-6 Senior Mason Pierce was named to the All-Southland preseason 2nd team in the offseason but only has 5 catches for 23 yards so far this season. Pierce spent 4 seasons at McNeese State and 1 season at Marshall before transferring to Incarnate Word.
Returning to face the Salukis after transferring in the offseason is 5-10 Graduate Student linebacker Dune Smith. Smith was 4th on SIU in tackles last year, 2nd on the team in sacks, and 2nd in tackles for loss. Smith has 4 tackles and 1 sack so far this season. 5-11 Senior linebacker Tylan Foster led the Cardinals in tackles last year with 84 and was named to the first team All-Southland this preseason. He's currently 3rd on the team in tackles with 13. 5-10 Senior cornerback Ronald Wilson led the team with 4 interceptions last season and had 2 of them returned for touchdowns. He's a transfer from New Mexico where he spent 2 seasons.
Weather:
Hmmm...will the real defense please step up. If the secondary doesn't get its problems with coverage straightened out, it will be a long game for SIU. I'm looking for big time improvement there and am hoping we can put pressure on the QB. My hope is that there is a nice crowd on hand. Go Dawgs.
I haven’t seen much of the interviews after Austin Peay, but it seems like the injuries are already hitting the defense fairly hard for it being early in the season. Not sure what the outlook is for some of those guys to return, but with the schedule ramping back up in difficulty, it’s hard to see this team making a playoff push unless they’re closer to full strength because it looks like defense again is likely the stronger side of the ball unless Williams shows more efficiency throwing the ball.
Incarnate Word’s QB kind of reminds me of Theo Day at Northern Iowa who torched SIU 2 years ago for 5 TD’s. Both high profile high-major transfers. I think the one thing going for SIU is if it’s an ugly game with rain although the tropical system might be gone by game time.
Our only chance is our pathetic O-line can at least get to average. This group was supposed to be the strength of the team. Most experienced and talented my fat hairy azz. Several of those little ladies need to not start, or even play, in this game. A big message needs to be sent.
I'm not sayin' -- I'm just sayin'!
Weather forecast is much improved. Weather Underground is now saying 35% chance of showers in the morning but little chance of rain at 6PM, cloudy and 77F with very light winds.
Weather forecast is much improved. Weather Underground is now saying 35% chance of showers in the morning but little chance of rain at 6PM, cloudy and 77F with very light winds.
Good weather for a night game!
Hopefully we get a good crowd. First ever top 15 nonconference matchup at Saluki Stadium.
I have zero confidence here and just a slight hope. I have been wrong before
if I had to bet my life on it I would not bet on the dawgs in this game. I just hope we're really fired up and can get some pressure on their very good passer. Also hope we have good pass protection and can actually get a passing game going. I think we have some good receivers.. kid from Wisconsin can really be a weapon.
We need to be prolific point-wise because I'm pretty sure they're going to score some points on us.
Weather underground says about a 5 to 15% chance of showers during the game .. it's going to be warm and cloudy and humid almost no wind. National weather Service says a slight chance of a thunderstorm sure hope that doesn't happen.
It's wet around here ..rained yesterday and last night maybe 3/4 of an inch. Dry and hot and humid and cloudy today so far.
SIU is at home and favored. I just don’t think our secondary is good enough to stop their QB and I don’t think our offense is good enough to win a shootout. I’d love to be wrong though! Go Dawgs!
I got Incarnate Word +4.5. Hopefully that jinxed them.
Here’s to the Dawgs paying them back for that beatdown 2 years ago, and to Dune Smith having a terrible game.
Let’s roll!
