Southern Illinois Salukis
Overall Rank: #41
#7 Missouri Valley
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The Salukis look to bounce back from a 6-5 season and hope to make a strong playoff push out of the MVC.
2012 record: 6-5, 5-3
2012 postseason: None
Coach: Dale Lennon (35-23 at Southern Illinois, 137-56 overall
Offensive Coordinator: Kalen DeBoer
Defensive Coordinator: Bubba Schweigert
Returning Leaders:
Rushing: Mika’il McCall, RB, 489 yards
Passing: Kory Faulkner, QB, 1,865 yards
Receiving: MyCole Pruit, TE, 577 yards
Tackles: Bryan Presume, LB, 78
Sacks: Tyler Williamson, LB, 4.5
Interceptions: D.J. Cameron, S, 2
Other Key Returnees: WR LaSteven McKinney, WR John Lantz, OL Tanner Crum, OL Nate Haremza, OL Ethan Wirth, S Anthony Thompson, LB Cory Lee, CB Terrell Wilson, P Austin Pucylowski
Key Losses: RB Steve Strother, WR David Lewis, OL Richard Wilson, OL Clayton Melville, DE Ken Boatright, DE Eze Obiora, DT Kayon Swanson, LB Jayson DiManche, LB Joe Okon, S Carlton Lewis, CB Emmanuel Souarin
Strengths:
Many teams across all of football always feel better knowing they head into the season with a seasoned starter and that’s exactly what the Salukis have with Kory Faulkner who passed for nearly 2,000 yards a year ago. Faulkner will be aided with the return of at least two of his top targets and may see the passing lanes opened up even more after SIU saw two RB transfers come in from Georgia and Oregon State. Former Beaver back Malcolm Agnew chose to join his brother on the Salukis’ team once he decided to transfer. Agnew is a former sprinter and rushed for 233 yards and three touchdowns in his colligate debut game in 2011.
Weaknesses:
The defense isn’t terrible but compared to the offense that looks to be more put together, the defense enters 2013 with more question marks and thus a possible weakness for the team. Bryan Presume has the inside of the defense locked down but it will depend on the performance of his teammates behind and in front of him if the Salukis can keep opponents under 30 points.
The Bottom Line:
The Saluki’s have a tough, yet winnable, schedule in 2013 starting with a few non-conference games against the Big Ten’s Illinois and last season’s OVC champion Eastern Illinois. Two weeks later SIU gets to take on another OVC school, Southeast Missouri State, in the impressive setting at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. However, the Salukis better stay focused on the Redhawks rather than the host Redbirds because the game may be a turning point in the season with a tough stretch following with games against Youngstown State, Northern Iowa, North and South Dakota State.
Projected Postseason: None
2012 Team Stats:
Rushing Offense: 123.18 (89th in nation, 8th in conference)
Passing Offense: 172.73 (88, 6)
Total Offense: 295.91 (107, 8)
Scoring Offense: 22.45 (85, 7)
Rushing Defense: 111.27 (10, 3)
Pass Defense: 211.18 (56, 9)
Total Defense: 322.45 (21, 5)
Scoring Defense: 19.45 (15, 4)
Turnover Margin: 0.18 (45, 5)
Sacks: 3.18 (5, 2)
Sacks Allowed: 2.09 (62, 7)
Madness 2013 FCS Football Recruit Rankings:
#7 Brandon Minor
#20 Ki-Jana Evans
See All College Sports Madness Top 44 FCS Football Previews
