Bumps go to our OL. Currently one of the best groups in the country for 3rd down conversions. From: https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2019-09-29/best-offensive-lines-fcs-football-season-numbers
Third Down Conversion Percentage
Davidson is the best in the country on third downs, converting 55.4 percent of their attempts.
I'm not sayin' -- I'm just sayin'!
Herosports.com predicts that SIU has a 35% chance to make the FCS playoffs:
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
Record: 2-3 overall, 1-3 vs. FCS + 1 FBS win
(Currently) Ranked Wins: 0
Remaining Games: vs. Ill. State, vs. YSU, @ USD, @ Ind. State, vs. Mo State, @ WIU, vs. NDSU
35 percent - The Salukis have an FBS win to pad its resume, a 45-20 thumping at UMass. But they still only have 2 D1 wins at this point in the season. A 7-5 SIU team with the FBS win should be in the field, but there's no guarantee of that (Example: UND went 7-4 in 2015 with a win against Craig Bohl's Wyoming but didn't make the playoffs). But that means the Salukis have to win five of their next seven MVFC games. SIU looked decent this last week in the first half versus SDSU. So that is promising. If the Salukis can get two big home wins against Illinois State and YSU, then they have a good chance with the following four games being favorable before taking on the Bison.
The entire article gives predictions for every MVFC: https://herosports.com/fcs/football-2019-mvfc-teams-playoffs-1-bzbz
I'm not sayin' -- I'm just sayin'!
https://valley-football.org/news/2019/10/20/valley-football-players-of-the-week-oct-20.aspx
Congrats to our guys! Well deserved!
MVFC Newcomer of Week: Javon Williams
MVFC Special Teams Player of the Week: Jack Colquhoun
We received some love today from herosports.com
https://herosports.com/fcs/football-2019-week-nine-recap-ndsu-jmu-sdsu-sacstate-ajaj
I'm not sayin' -- I'm just sayin'!
A little more love today from herosports.com. They say we are back in the playoff picture.
https://herosports.com/fcs/football-2019-siu-und-playoff-discussion-bzbz
I'm not sayin' -- I'm just sayin'!
Bumps to our D coaches. Petrino (mancrush) and his staff have the Dawgs 5th in the nation in sacks:
SIU's defense ranks 5th in the nation, averaging 3.5 sacks per game. Twelve different players have recorded sacks. Southern tied a school record with nine sacks versus Youngstown State. This from: https://siusalukis.com/news/2019/10/29/saluki-football-notebook-at-indiana-state.aspx?path=football
This group of coaches identified those from last year's D that simply were not capable of contributing at this level and moved them out. And then identified what the current group was capable of doing. And let's be honest. There is not a huge amount of talent on this D unit. I simply love watching Petrino's (mancrush) calls/adjustments throughout the game. To get this DL to be 5th in the nation at anything is amazing.
I'm not sayin' -- I'm just sayin'!
The defense look horrible against SEMO in the opening game, but have since really turned it on. Kudos to the players and coaches for getting things pointed in the right direction.
Oh my. Look what Nick said about our QB at his most recent press conference. In coach speak, Nick said our QB sucks sideways. But he's stuck with him. Nothing we haven't figured out on our own. We won't be an upper echelon team until Nick gets a QB with some talent.
On how QB Karé Lyles has graded out the last two games.
I met with Karé yesterday and told him to go pull up my stats or Joel's (Sambursky) stats. Nobody's going to remember how many yards you passed for at Indiana State in 2019. They're going to remember you won or could lead your team on a winning streak or to the playoffs or win a conference championship. They remember you making big plays and taking care of the football. I think that's what our team needs. There's going to be a game where he needs to pass for 300 yards and we feel like we're capable of doing that. He's graded out a high level the past two weeks as far as playing winning football, the decisions he's making. He was on target 70 percent out of his 16 throws (at Indiana State). Your number-one stat as a quarterback is winning.
I'm not sayin' -- I'm just sayin'!
Oh my. Look what Nick said about our QB at his most recent press conference. In coach speak, Nick said our QB sucks sideways. But he's stuck with him. Nothing we haven't figured out on our own. We won't be an upper echelon team until Nick gets a QB with some talent.
On how QB Karé Lyles has graded out the last two games.
I met with Karé yesterday and told him to go pull up my stats or Joel's (Sambursky) stats. Nobody's going to remember how many yards you passed for at Indiana State in 2019. They're going to remember you won or could lead your team on a winning streak or to the playoffs or win a conference championship. They remember you making big plays and taking care of the football. I think that's what our team needs. There's going to be a game where he needs to pass for 300 yards and we feel like we're capable of doing that. He's graded out a high level the past two weeks as far as playing winning football, the decisions he's making. He was on target 70 percent out of his 16 throws (at Indiana State). Your number-one stat as a quarterback is winning.
Read that. Nick should be a politician! If KL was on target on 70% of his throws, I'm as blind as mole and eat worms for breakfast! I thought even on the completions, he was a bit off. Maybe Nick meant within 6 ft on 70% of attempts! Trying to build up confidence I guess. True KL didn't throw it away, but he tried a few times.
I would certainly be giving Labanowitz (who's more accurate) and Williams a lot of reps in practice. Wonder about the Nic Baker kid too.
Will you wait until next season to utilize Javon Williams Jr. more as a passer?
You always have things in the game plan you don't get to, whatever the circumstances are. Javon's a capable thrower. It's not like a Wildcat guy that you're just going to throw a pop pass to. He might have the strongest arm on our team. He can accurately throw the football down the field.
Javon Williams Jr. is on the list for the Jerry Rice Award. It goes to the best freshman player in the FCS division. Good luck!!! It is well deserved.
I'm not sayin' -- I'm just sayin'!
Javon Williams Jr. is on the list for the Jerry Rice Award. It goes to the best freshman player in the FCS division. Good luck!!! It is well deserved.
👍
Last year we had the worst defense in the MVC. You don't win many games with a poor defense. Hill sacked his DC and some others. I felt without improvement in the defense this year it would be more of the same, After the opening game with SEMO i thought this defense is as bad as last years. SEMO running backs were gaining 5 yards before we even touched them. But the next week they played better and have improved every game. I give Petrino a lot of the credit for this years turn around and Hill for recognizing he needed a change and found the right man. I believe we are 5th in FCS in sacks this year. What n improvement.
Jacob Marnin was once again, for the 3rd year, recognized as an Academic All-American. Congrats!
https://siusalukis.com/news/2019/11/14/football-jacob-marnin-named-academic-all-district.aspx
I'm not sayin' -- I'm just sayin'!
I should probably hold of on this post until tomorrow, but I feel pretty strongly about this, so F it!
I'm assuming--I hope wrongly--that we won't be selected for the playoffs tomorrow. If we're not, that means the season ended today. Bummer if that's the case, but I'm having a really hard time mustering up disappointment. I'm just wondering if anyone else is with me on that.
So, a question (actually three):
In all honesty, if someone had told you back in July that we would finish 7-5, with only a relatively narrow loss to the #1 team standing between us and a playoff bid, would you have been disappointed at that news or, like me, pretty much over the freaking moon? 😀
How about the same question after the season opener against SEMO?
Or again the same question after the 10/12 loss to ISU put us at 2-4?
It would be great to make the playoffs, but if we don't, I'm still going to be fine with a 7-5 season.
(Inflammatory political snark)
Yeah the ending of this season should give everyone optimism going forward. Javon Williams Jr. looks like a star. Really want Hill to hit the transfer market hard this offseason and keep building on the momentum. When Kill started to turn the program, he went out and got Brandon Jacobs.
