Southern Illinois

[PantherRob82]

In 2010 SIU slid to a 5-6 records, not what is expected in Carbondale.

To start off 2011 they beat SEMO pretty handily. SEMO is currently 1-3, already losing more games than all of last year.

2nd week they lost to Ole Miss by 18. Not a bad loss, but hard to take a lot from. Ole Miss is 2-3 with their wins being SIU and Fresno State. They are 95th in scoring offense and 60th in scoring defense.

The Salukis opened MVFC play at home with Missouri State. The Salukis struggled to get a 20-18 win. MSU is currently 0-5.

This weekend the Salukis lost on the road at Western Iliinois. I think that is a small rivalry. WIU is currently 2-3, their other win being over non-scholarship Jacksonville. I've seen WIU play and was not impressed. None of their losses were all that close either.

Where does SIU stand in your eyes?

[unigriff]

2nd or 3rd in the conference. :)

[BlueHenSinfonian]

Outside the top 25, maybe 4th in the MVC after the Bison, Sycamores, and Panthers.

[PantherRob82]

Right now I'm thinking it will be a small step up from last year at best. 5-6 at worse, 7-4 at best

[DJKyR0]

Speaking objectively, we'll know a lot more after this coming weekend when they face a pretty strong Bison team.

[PantherRob82]

Speaking objectively, we'll know a lot more after this coming weekend when they face a pretty strong Bison team.

I would be surprised if SIU keeps it within 14.

[frozennorth]

Somewhere between 4th and 7th

[No_Skill]

Before the season started I had this game pegged as one that we could very well lose. Did SIU lose that much to graduation? I know their #1 QB went down with an injury last week, but I hear the backup had a strong showing.

[PantherRob82]

I think I heard more QB injuries yesterday.

[No_Skill]

I think I heard more QB injuries yesterday.

Sorry, by "last week" I meant yesterday.

[LakesBison]

im hoping that ndsu buries them after this week, i think the buzzards are circling their coach if you look at their message board

[No_Skill]

Seriously? What's the complaint? Is it the "can't win with his recruits" argument?

[LakesBison]

i just clicked on their message board, something about timeouts and not having toughness?

[Redhawk2010]

SIU fans want all their coaches fired. That's normal for them...

[THE HERD]

I would be surprised if SIU keeps it within 14.

Carbondale has been a tough place to play for us, but we have done well against them in Fargo. If this game was in Fargo I would say we definitely win, but down in Carbondale they have had our number and they are built to stop the run, which you need to do against us. On a side note I was very impressed with the Redbirds run D, it was extremely stoudt against us.

[steelbison]

In 2010 SIU slid to a 5-6 records, not what is expected in Carbondale.

To start off 2011 they beat SEMO pretty handily. SEMO is currently 1-3, already losing more games than all of last year.

2nd week they lost to Ole Miss by 18. Not a bad loss, but hard to take a lot from. Ole Miss is 2-3 with their wins being SIU and Fresno State. They are 95th in scoring offense and 60th in scoring defense.

The Salukis opened MVFC play at home with Missouri State. The Salukis struggled to get a 20-18 win. MSU is currently 0-5.

This weekend the Salukis lost on the road at Western Iliinois. I think that is a small rivalry. WIU is currently 2-3, their other win being over non-scholarship Jacksonville. I've seen WIU play and was not impressed. None of their losses were all that close either.

Where does SIU stand in your eyes?


Rob, totally agree. I would take it a step further. What has Lennon done after Kills recruits? In my eyes getting worse every year. With the narrow win AT HOME to a very bad MSU team and getting beat by a in my opinion bad WIU team puts them in a very tough spot.

In my opinion they finish 6-8 in the conference. I see a win against SDSU and that's it. They could possible beat the redbirds or Youngstown but that would be a upset in my book.

If the Bison don't win by 14 plus I would be shocked.

[steelbison]

Carbondale has been a tough place to play for us, but we have done well against them in Fargo. If this game was in Fargo I would say we definitely win, but down in Carbondale they have had our number and they are built to stop the run, which you need to do against us. On a side note I was very impressed with the Redbirds run D, it was extremely stoudt against us.


Yes Carbondale has been tough, but that's because SIU has been very good when we have went there..not so much anymore.

[Phatty]

SIU is a talented team that has underachieved both this year and last year. The play of the team is sloppy and undisciplined. Frequent missed tackles and missed assignments on defense. Stupid penalties at bad times. And the play calling has been bad. These are all problems that point back to the coaching staff, which is probably why some fans are calling for the coach's head.

If I had to guess, I would say that SIU will finish at .500 this year. But, SIU will be a huge trap game for the conference powers, because if SIU plays a solid game they will be a very tough team to beat.

[PantherRob82]

I agree. I don't think SIU is a gimme win for anyone. I would assume they lose at least two along the line, guessing UNI and NDSU, but would not be surprised if they won either or both.

[Houndawg]

SIU is a talented team that has underachieved both this year and last year. The play of the team is sloppy and undisciplined. Frequent missed tackles and missed assignments on defense. Stupid penalties at bad times. And the play calling has been bad. These are all problems that point back to the coaching staff, which is probably why some fans are calling for the coach's head.

If I had to guess, I would say that SIU will finish at .500 this year. But, SIU will be a huge trap game for the conference powers, because if SIU plays a solid game they will be a very tough team to beat.

Last year they beat the top two teams in the MVC and lost to the worst one. This year they've been a different team since the bye week, focus-wise.

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

SIU has always played the Bison tough and they will again this saturday.

The Bison better bring their A-game or they could get beat.

[Squealofthepig]

im hoping that ndsu buries them after this week, i think the buzzards are circling their coach if you look at their message board

Specific fan-base message boards are rarely a good source of information, unless you want to study group paranoia, delusion and mob mentality. (And no, I don't even have an e-griz account - I figure the Montana stalwarts are on there enough).


On SIU, I was big on the Salukis early - the SEMO win on the road was huge (and a fairly rare road FCS win in weeks one or two), and I didn't ding them for the FBS loss. But I think I dropped them from like 12 to 20 after they barely squeaked by the Bears, and they're barely in my "life support" grouping in the 40-50 range of my poll. They can still prove me wrong, of course - I never mind being wrong about football, it keeps it interesting - but I think a 5-6 season is in the works (I still look for them to beat YSU, ISUr and EIU at home - but Bison at home and then road games at the Dome, SDSU (though who knows there) and Indiana State I expect them to lose.

[BisonBacker]

I agree on the trap game comment. I'm surprised but I know I shouldn't be about the comments from their board about the coach. I think NDSU fans should be experts on this (myself included) regarding our coach. Its the Nature of the beast. What have you done for me lately? Every coach at every level is at it's mercy. Lennon is no different. I in no way shape or form think this is going to be an easy game for NDSU but it is a game we should win but I'm taking nothing for granted.

[Mountain Panther]

I could have come back for any game this year but I chose SIU because they always bring their A-game against us. Hope I'm right.

[jdawg]

Re SIU QBs: Mcintosh out with shoulder injury. Soph. Kory Faulkner starting - the biggest, fastest, most talented QB on the roster. Have doubts whether Mcintosh will get his job back - he shouldn't - Faulkner has more talent. SIU's OC is dull, dull, dull. They have some serious talent at receiver, running back (Jewel Hampton), and O line and D line and maybe the worst OC in the Valley. The pass defense is suspect. Punter is great, kicker is awful. They'll go for it on 4th down where a team with a good kicker would just kick a field goal. Have serious doubts about this coaching staff - not even close to Jerry Kill's crew. Inexcusable to have a place kicker that wouldn't play on some good high school teams - that's such an important position. Dale Lennon's been sleeping at the wheel in my opinion.

[Houndawg]

Re SIU QBs: Mcintosh out with shoulder injury. Soph. Kory Faulkner starting - the biggest, fastest, most talented QB on the roster. Have doubts whether Mcintosh will get his job back - he shouldn't - Faulkner has more talent. SIU's OC is dull, dull, dull. They have some serious talent at receiver, running back (Jewel Hampton), and O line and D line and maybe the worst OC in the Valley. The pass defense is suspect. Punter is great, kicker is awful. They'll go for it on 4th down where a team with a good kicker would just kick a field goal. Have serious doubts about this coaching staff - not even close to Jerry Kill's crew. Inexcusable to have a place kicker that wouldn't play on some good high school teams - that's such an important position. Dale Lennon's been sleeping at the wheel in my opinion.

xeyebrowx

All McIntosh was doing was leading the MVC in total offense per game.

xrolleyesx

[MplsBison]

Re SIU QBs: Mcintosh out with shoulder injury. Soph. Kory Faulkner starting - the biggest, fastest, most talented QB on the roster. Have doubts whether Mcintosh will get his job back - he shouldn't - Faulkner has more talent. SIU's OC is dull, dull, dull. They have some serious talent at receiver, running back (Jewel Hampton), and O line and D line and maybe the worst OC in the Valley. The pass defense is suspect. Punter is great, kicker is awful. They'll go for it on 4th down where a team with a good kicker would just kick a field goal. Have serious doubts about this coaching staff - not even close to Jerry Kill's crew. Inexcusable to have a place kicker that wouldn't play on some good high school teams - that's such an important position. Dale Lennon's been sleeping at the wheel in my opinion.

Funny you say this - you should read what the Minnesota fan base says about Jerry Kill and staff.

Maybe this will help: www.firejerrykill.com

[Houndawg]

Yeah, same jive Salukitalk spewed during a seven year playoff run - Limegrover is the worst OC, tecmo offense, Kill not a good field coach...yada yada yada....

[SO ILLmatic]

[QUOTE=jdawg;1690580]Re SIU QBs: Mcintosh out with shoulder injury. Soph. Kory Faulkner starting - the biggest, fastest, most talented QB on the roster. Have doubts whether Mcintosh will get his job back - he shouldn't - Faulkner has more talent. /QUOTE]

I respect your opinion, but Faulkner is not the most talented QB on the roster.

[skinny_uncle]

Rob, totally agree. I would take it a step further. What has Lennon done after Kills recruits? In my eyes getting worse every year. With the narrow win AT HOME to a very bad MSU team and getting beat by a in my opinion bad WIU team puts them in a very tough spot.

In my opinion they finish 6-8 in the conference. I see a win against SDSU and that's it. They could possible beat the redbirds or Youngstown but that would be a upset in my book.

If the Bison don't win by 14 plus I would be shocked.

6-8????????
Gonna be a longer season than I thought.
xeyebrowx

[No_Skill]

6-8????????
Gonna be a longer season than I thought.
xeyebrowx

I believe he means the final conference ranking, not record.

[steelbison]

6-8????????
Gonna be a longer season than I thought.
xeyebrowx

Position in conference !

[LakesBison]

why isnt there a NDSU/SIU game thread/preview on here? huge game, must win for both teams in my opinion.

[MplsBison]

It was no longer a huge game when SIU showed that it is one of the 4 or 5 teams that annually go 4-4 in the conference. No consistency, no threat to win the conference.

Of course, that does mean they'll pull off a big win somewhere along the line. I just hope it's IN St or UNI instead of NDSU.