April 2007 is Illinois State University Month at AGS! Read the "fact a day"!

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Thanks Redbirds Fans!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4/1

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GENERAL INFORMATION
Location: Normal, Illinois 61761
Founded: 1857
President: Dr. Al Bowman
Staff: 3,211
Undergraduates: 17,878
Post Graduates: 2,879
Stadium: Hancock Stadium
Capacity: 15,000+
Surface: FieldTurf (2007) (Lights)
Gateway Conference Titles: 1 (1999)
Colors: Red and White
Nickname: Redbirds
Mascot: Reggie Redbird
Website: www.goredbirds.com
Illinois State Coaching Staff
Denver Johnson, Head Coach, 41-39 (2000-present)
Jim Williams, Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator
Rod Carey, Assistant Coach
Brad Cornelsen, Assistant Coach
Mike Menefee, Assistant Coach
Chris Patton, Assistant Coach/Special Teams Coordinator
David Ross, Assistant Coach
Galen Scott, Assistant Coach/Defensive Coordinator
Bill Teerlinck, Assistant Coach
Holmon Wiggins, Assistant Coach
Jafar Williams, Assistant Coach

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4/2

Illinois State University is a public university in Normal, Illinois and is the oldest public institution of higher education in the state. Most commonly referred to as ISU, the school was originally named Illinois State Normal University, and was founded in 1857 by Jesse W. Fell (1808-1887); Abraham Lincoln drew up the legal documents to establish the university. Normal schools were schools specifically designated for the education of teachers.

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4/3

Illinois State is home to the world's tallest residence hall, Watterson Towers, which houses 2,200 students. The building, which consists of a pair of towers, was completed in 1967.

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4/4

Illinois State's Alma Mater song is "Glory Hast Thou," written to the tune of Haydn's "Austrian Hymn," better known as the tune used for "Das Lied der Deutschen," the German national anthem.

The words to the alma mater were written in 1926 by faculty member Wanda Neiswanger and Jennie Whitten as a homecoming loyalty song.

The original sheet music had been lost, but was discovered in an antique shop in San Francisco in 1981. It was returned to then-president Lloyd Watkins by Marcia Reid, an ISU alumna.

Reid's sister, Dr. Jane Chapmen-Gallon of Denver, Colo., found the piece while on vacation.

Alma Mater Lyrics:

"Glory hast thou, might and power; proud the halls of ISU.
Deeds that live in song and story, loyal sons and daughters true.
So shalt thou in years increasing send thy grads of honest worth,
forth to bear with zeal unceasing wisdom's torch throughout the earth."

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4/5

The Town of Normal, Illinois, originally named North Bloomington, took its name from the school. It is located in McLean County, in the central part of the state.

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4/6

Each Redbird athlete is given 1/2 a medal when they join ISU. They receive the other 1/2 at the senior banquet.

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4/7

The original nickname for Illinois State was "Teachers." It was changed in 1923 to "Redbirds."

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4/8

Retired football numbers at Illinois State:

#8 Estus Hood
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Three-year football letterman ... averaged more than 19 yards per punt return as a sophomore which ranked him third nationally ... all-time Redbird leader in return yardage ... co-captain senior season ... third round draft pick of the Green Bay Packers ... was the Packer's Nickel Back in long yardage situations. Played for Green Bay 1978-1984.

#72 Dennis Nelson
Former National Football League offensive tackle (Baltimore Colts 1970-74, Philadelphia Eagles 1976-77) and part of Baltimore Colts team that won Super Bowl V. Third round draft pick for the Colts.

#15 Mike Prior
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One of the best football players to ever play for Illinois State ... owns numerous Illinois State football records and Missouri Valley Conference records ... Prior's 23 career interceptions are a Missouri Valley Conference career record ... was a three-time Division I-AA All-American Defensive back, three-time first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference defensive back, and shattered punt return records held by former Green Bay Packer and Illinois State alum Estus Hood ... was Most Valuable Players in 1982 and 1984 ... only the third player in Illinois State history to be drafted by two professional sport leagues (baseball and football) ... held records in baseball as well ... the all-time leading hitter at .387 and No. 2 in home runs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Prior

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4/9

With 2350 yds passing in 2007 current Illinois State QB Luke Drone will become the all time ISU passing yards leader. Also needs 20 TD's to take 1st in that catagory as well.

Luke Drone is the all time leader for ISU passers in completion %, Passer efficiency rating, avg yds per pass, and avg yds per completion.

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4/10

Illinois State Head Coach Denver Johnson

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COACHING EXPERIENCE
Illinois State, head coach, 2000-present
Murray State, head coach, 1997-99
Oklahoma, assistant coach, 1996
Mississippi State, assistant coach,1993-95
Oklahoma State, assistant coach, 1989-93
Tennessee-Martin, asst. head coach, 1986-89
Oklahoma State, graduate assistant, 1985-86

YEAR BY YEAR COACHING LEDGER
2006 (Illinois State) ......................9-4 (5-2 in the GFC)
2005 (Illinois State) ......................7-4 (4-3 in the GFC)
2004 (Illinois State) ......................4-7 (2-5 in the GFC)
2003 (Illinois State) ......................6-6 (3-4 in the GFC)
2002 (Illinois State) ......................6-5 (4-3 in the GFC)
2001 (Illinois State) ......................2-9 (2-5 in the GFC)
2000 (Illinois State) ......................7-4 (4-2 in the GFC)
Illinois State Total .............41-39 (24-24 in the GFC)

1999 (Murray State) .....................7-4 (5-2 in the OVC)
1998 (Murray State) .....................7-4 (5-2 in the OVC)
1997 (Murray State) .....................7-4 (5-2 in the OVC)
Murray State Total ..............21-12 (15-6 in the OVC)

Eight-year Total .................................................6 2-51

VERSUS ALL FOES
Austin Peay State .................................................. 1-0
Brigham Young .................................................. .... 0-1
Central Arkansas .................................................. . 1-0
Drake .................................................. ................... 2-0
Eastern Illinois .................................................. ..... 9-1
Eastern Kentucky .................................................. 2-1
Florida Atlantic .................................................. ..... 0-2
Illinois .................................................. ................... 0-1
Indiana State .................................................. ....... 7-2
Iowa State .................................................. ............ 0-1
Kansas State .................................................. ....... 0-1
Kentucky Wesleyan ............................................... 1-0
Middle Tennessee State ........................................ 1-1
Minnesota .................................................. ............ 0-1
Missouri State .................................................. ...... 6-1
Murray State .................................................. ........ 3-1
Northern Illinois .................................................. .... 0-1
Northern Iowa .................................................. ...... 3-4
Prairie View A&M .................................................. . 1-0
Purdue .................................................. ................. 0-1
Quincy .................................................. ................. 1-0
Saint Xavier .................................................. ......... 1-0
Samford .................................................. ............... 1-0
Southeast Missouri State ....................................... 3-2
Southern Illinois .................................................. ... 5-5
Southwest Texas State .......................................... 0-1
Tennessee-Martin .................................................. 3-0
Tennessee State .................................................. .. 1-2
Tennessee Tech .................................................. ... 2-1
Truman State .................................................. ....... 1-0
West Virginia Tech ................................................. 1-0
Western Illinois .................................................. .... 2-5
Western Kentucky ................................................. 2-7
Western Michigan .................................................. 0-1
Wisconsin .................................................. ............ 0-1
Youngstown State .................................................. 2-6

PLAYING EXPERIENCE
Professional
Houston Gamblers, 1984
Los Angeles Express, 1983
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1981-82
College
Tulsa (offensive lineman), 1976-80

PERSONAL
Education ........................Tulsa, B.A. (business), 1981
Date of birth ........................................... Oct. 17, 1958
Hometown ..........................................Seminole , Okla.
Wife .................................................. .................Danita
Children ........................... Taylor (17) and Kelsey (15)

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4/11

Illinois State has appeared in the NCAA Division I Football Championships in 1998, 1999, & 2006. In 1999, the Redbirds won two playoff games in route to appearing in the Semifinals and finishing 3rd in the final poll.

(Tournament seeding in parenthesis, *= home team)

1998
1st Round: (2) *Northwestern State 48, (15) Illinois State 28

1999
1st Round: (6) *Illinois State 56, (11) Colgate 13
Quarterfinals: (6) Illinois State 37, (3) *Hofstra 20
Semifinals: (2) *Georgia Southern 28, (6) Illinois State 17

2006
1st Round: Illinois State 24, *Eastern Illinois 13
Quarterfinals: (4) *Youngstown St. 28, Illinois State 21

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4/12

Hancock Stadium

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For nearly four decades, Hancock Stadium has managed to maintain its 'old fashioned football' tradition of keeping the fans on top of the game while moving forward with continuing enhancements for those who play, coach or watch Redbird football.

The fans are still close to the action, but improvements like artificial turf, the finest in scoreboards and a state-of-the-art sound system provide the kind of atmosphere that makes playing--or watching--in Hancock Stadium a memorable experience.

Illinois' first college football facility with artificial turf (1969), Hancock Stadium is named for former Illinois State athletics director Dr. Howard Hancock, Redbird football coach from 1931-44, athletics director from 1931-63, and a revered pioneer in college athletics.

From their inception in the 1970s until the late 1990s, Hancock Stadium also played host to the Illinois High School Association's championship football games. The first football game at Hancock was played Sept. 28, 1963, as Illinois State played host to Indiana State.

Since 2000, the 15,000-seat facility has featured the Kaufman Football Building at its northeast corner--the spacious, versatile, well-equipped home for Redbird football players, coaches and staff.

Redbird football facilities are as convenient as they are comfortable. Adjacent to Hancock are the 45,000-square-foot indoor practice facility inside Horton Field House and a lush grass practice facility, which is available exclusively to Redbird football.

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4/13

The Kaufman Football Building

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Yes, that is a silhouette of Reggie Redbird adorning the grand, two-story entrance to the Kaufman Football Building at Illinois State University. It is an architectural symbol of the enormous pride inside as Kaufman serves as the stylish home of Redbird football players, coaches and staff.

Inside the 16,000-square-foot structure, which opened in 2000 thanks to a generous gift of $1.5 million by Fred and Donna Kaufman of Indianapolis, Ind., are a spacious u-shaped locker room for players, private coaches offices, a full-service training room, equipment facilities plus versatile meeting rooms for group work.

From Kaufman, indoor facilities at Horton Field House and grass practice fields nearby are little more than a 40-yard-dash away.

The seven meeting rooms on the first floor and two on the ground floor feature the latest in computerized video equipment for teaching and studying purposes. Six of the coaches' offices feature a panoramic view of Hancock Stadium, including the head coach's office which opens to an outdoor balcony overlooking the stadium.

The interior entrance on the ground floor opens within a few yards of the end zone and provides the traditional entrance of Redbird football teams onto the Hancock Stadium turf.

From the inviting Reggie Redbird entrance in front to the grand entrance to Hancock in the back, and every square foot in between, the Kaufman Football Building is where Redbird football champions are made.

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4/14

Owen Strength & Conditioning Center

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Quality strength and conditioning programs are vital components necessary for consistent success in college athletics, and the Redbird Strength and Conditioning Program is dedicated to developing every individual to achieve maximum results.

Through generous support to the athletic department's fundraising campaign, the Richard and Fran Owen Strength and Conditioning Center opened on April 23, 2005. The facility is over five times larger than the previous weight room with 9,200 square feet, and is the largest in the Missouri Valley Conference. In addition to the quality space that is provided, the new strength and conditioning center is equipped with top of the line equipment.