Illinois State Sweep

[ISUMatt]

http://www.gatewayfootball.org/webapps/release?id=2959


For the first time since Nov. 23, 2002, a Gateway school swept offensive, defensive, and special teams honors as Illinois State's RB Pierre Rembert, DE Brent Hawkins, and punter Ryan Hoffman are this week's Gateway players of the week.

Offensive
RB Pierre Rembert, Illinois State
Jr., 6-0, 211, Milwaukee (Wis.) Cuday, WI

Illinois State’s Pierre Rembert was the catalyst for the Redbirds’ largest rushing output of the season. ISU pounded out 319 yards on the ground, including a career-best 139 from Rembert on 14 attempts. The Michigan transfer posted his second straight 100-yard game filling in for the injured Brian Thompson. He also racked up a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter on runs of 11 and 56 yards. Rembert lit up the Murray State defense with 9.9 per carry and was only dropped for a loss once.

Defensive
DE Brent Hawkins, Illinois State
Sr., 6-3, 244, Godfrey (Ill.) Jersey

With Illinois State posting its first shutout since 2000 and having it come against Murray State, which hadn’t been shut out since in the last 159 games, it was definitely an entire team effort, but senior Brent Hawkins’ performance was worthy of recognition. Almost single-handily Hawkins frustrated the entire Murray State offensive unit. Hawkins finished the game with three forced fumbles, including one in the end zone that was recovered by Niall Campbell for the Redbirds’ fourth touchdown. He also recovered one of the loose balls he forced. ISU converted two of those forced fumbles into touchdowns. Hawkins finished with eight tackles, including five solos and four tackles for loss, and game-best two sacks.

Special Teams
P Ryan Hoffman, Illinois State
Sr., 6-2, 195, Stevens Point (Wis.) Area

Being only the second I-AA punter ever named to the Ray Guy Award Watch List must have given Illinois State punter Ryan Hoffman a little extra motivation. For the second-straight week Hoffman double-teamed with the Redbird defense to keep ISU’s opponent at bay. Hoffman belted four punts for 51.0 yards per kick, including a 65-yard bomb that was downed at the six-yard line which led to Brent Hawkins’ sack and strip of the Murray State quarterback that was recovered by Niall Campbell in the end zone.

[crunifan]

I hate to say this, because I love to see my Gateway teams do well and I have nothing against ISU. But it seems as if Illinois State is the most over rated team in the Gateway this year, and they aren't even expected to come close to winning it...

[Killtoppers90]

Way to go Birds!

[ISUMatt]

I hate to say this, because I love to see my Gateway teams do well and I have nothing against ISU. But it seems as if Illinois State is the most over rated team in the Gateway this year, and they aren't even expected to come close to winning it...

Awww crap we might as well not play anymore game this season since we arent expected to win anything. Wait a minute was James Madison expected to with the NC last yr but yet they kept playing. crunifan, you have just nominated yourself for the biggest DOPE on the board!!! I hope your first 7 posts were good because the 8th was simply STUPID :D :D But hey thanks for adding your 2 cents to the topic!!!

[igo4uni]

Nice performance by Illinois State.

peace

igo4ni

[Reed Rothchild]

They deserve it. Now they just need to keep it up in the Gateway. Except when they play UNI in normal, of course. ;)

[galojay]

I don't see anything that makes me think they are overrated. I am glad to see another Gateway school stepping it up, except when they play my `Toppers!

[89Hen]

I'm still bitter toward the Redbirds when I picked them a couple years ago to be a top 25 team and they fell flat on their face. :p

[crunifan]

Awww crap we might as well not play anymore game this season since we arent expected to win anything. Wait a minute was James Madison expected to with the NC last yr but yet they kept playing. crunifan, you have just nominated yourself for the biggest DOPE on the board!!! I hope your first 7 posts were good because the 8th was simply STUPID :D :D But hey thanks for adding your 2 cents to the topic!!!

Well, let's see here...

You have three wins and one loss at the moment. Your three wins were all against weak teams (non-scholarship Drake, and then weak Murray St. and Eastern Illinois who all struggled to be Indiana State of all people, who must we remind is 0-4 and lost to St. Francis ). Then your loss is a semi-close game to highly overrated Iowa State who was handed their win at sucky overrated Iowa, and then played a poor Army squad and barely escaped with a win. And now you are handed all the awards for the week? I think that qualifies you as overrated at this point. I am by no means saying you suck or have no chance to win any games, but I am saying you haven't had any decent games to prove your talent.

People expected because you beat those three teams, you suddenly have this enormous chance of winning the Gateway? I don't buy into it. Until you play well or beat Western Kentucky, SIU and UNI, you won't gain that level of respect in my eyes. So, if you handle WKU, then you are for real...so lets wait and see.

Ohh, and to start calling names is a little childish don't you think? Grow up.

[ISUMatt]

So WKU is the only team we need to beat for your respect... oh wait I dont care for your respect. We have had 2 playoff appearances and everyone is a tad excited in Normal. What am I supposed to say, we were picked 7th by AGS so we wont win any games. Last I checked Drake was 10-2 last yr and Murray St was 7-4 and Iowa St shared a Big XII North title and EIU is a rivalry game which is never 'easy'. So that easy schedule you made us out to play isnt very easy in the scheme of things.

[crunifan]

So WKU is the only team we need to beat for your respect... oh wait I dont care for your respect. We have had 2 playoff appearances and everyone is a tad excited in Normal. What am I supposed to say, we were picked 7th by AGS so we wont win any games. Last I checked Drake was 10-2 last yr and Murray St was 7-4 and Iowa St shared a Big XII North title and EIU is a rivalry game which is never 'easy'. So that easy schedule you made us out to play isnt very easy in the scheme of things.

You need to realize that last year doesn't matter. Things change in one year. All I am saying, is with the four teams you have played so far, I don't think you have proved yourself. You need to stop getting so defensive. You have every right to be excited in Normal, your team is doing well thus far. All I am saying is don't hype up your team until they have faced a real challenge (WKU, SIU, UNI).

[ISUMatt]

All I am saying is don't hype up your team until they have faced a real challenge (WKU, SIU, UNI).

My team is on the cusp of the Top 25 in both SN and AGS polls and have a 9 ranking in the Hanson Poll...Id say the hype is already there!!! Believe it or not, the nation is taking notice. Now the next 4 we have is ..
@YSU
WKU
@SIU
UNI...

If we come out of this stretch 2-2, Ill be thrilled as all hell!!! 1-3 or worse and of course the season is shot to hell!!! At home we are TOUGH...on the road is typically where the problems are

[ISUMatt]

That is what I meant Ralph 7th in conference and finally getting Top 25 votes. My point was we are getting some recognition, which we usually never get!!

[ISUMatt]

http://www.i-aa.org/
http://goredbirds.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/092605aac.html

ALL-STARS 9/25/05...


* Brent Hawkins, 6-3, 244, Senior, Defensive End, Illinois State vs Murray State, Godfrey, Illinois
With Illinois State posting its first shutout since 2000 and having it come against Murray State, which hadn't been shut out since in the last 159 games, it was definitely an entire team effort, but senior Brent Hawkins performance was worthy of recognition. Almost single-handily Hawkins frustrated the entire Murray State offensive unit. Hawkins finished the game with three forced fumbles, including one in the end zone that was recovered by Niall Campbell for the Redbirds fourth touchdown. He also recovered one of the loose balls he forced. ISU converted two of those forced fumbles into touchdowns. Hawkins finished with eight tackles, including five solos and four tackles for loss, and game-best two sacks.

[skinny_uncle]

Enjoy your week in the sun, Matt. Looks to me like you have a killer schedule coming up. Best of luck to you (except of course in Carbondale).

[Pantherpower]

Personally, I think that the Panthers game in Normal reaks of an upset. Granted, we won there a couple of years ago, but if we don't get out of the gates early on the road against a much improved Redbird team, we'll be taking one to the L column. Dead serious.

[ISUMatt]

Enjoy your week in the sun, Matt. Looks to me like you have a killer schedule coming up. Best of luck to you (except of course in Carbondale).

EXACTLY!!! and Thank You!!! SIU fans should know when to enjoy good football, it was only a few years ago you were in the same boat as us!!!