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SEMO (1-1, 0-0 OVC) at Southern Illinois (1-1, 0-0 MVFC)
Date, Time & Tickets	Sept. 15, 2018 | 6 p.m. CT | Buy Tickets
Location	Carbondale, Ill. | Saluki Stadium (15,000) | Gameday & Parking Info.
TV/Video Stream	ESPN+: Mike Trude, Darren Kinnard, Connor Onion
Live Stats	Provided by SIU
Radio	Saluki Radio Network with Mike Reis (play-by-play), Gene Green (analysis) and Connor James (analysis)
Radio Stream	TuneIn (free)
SIU	Game Notes (PDF) | Stats | Media Guide (PDF)
SEMO	Game Notes | Stats | Media Guide (PDF)
MVFC	Weekly Notes | Stats
All-Time Series	SIU trails series, 37-40-8 (H: 18-21-4, A: 18-19-4, N:1-0)
Social Media	@SIU_Football   |  @SIUSalukis   |  Saluki Football

Series versus SEMO
The Salukis and SEMO have the oldest rivalry in school history, dating back to 1909. The schools are separated by just 45 miles and the Mississippi River. Beginning this year, the matchup has been dubbed the “War For The Wheel.” The winner will take home an authentic ship’s wheel. During the last 15 years, SIU has a 10-2 series advantage. SEMO head coach Tom Matukewicz has SIU ties, having served as linebackers coach under Jerry Killfrom 2001-07. Defensive coordinator Bryce Saia also coached at Southern from 2004-07.

Offense rolls at Ole Miss 

• QB Sam Straub passed for 382 yards and set the school record for career 300-yard passing games. He now has six.
• SIU scored on all six first-half possessions and led at halftime, 38-35.
• SIU had 629 yards of total offense — the sixth-most in school history.
• WR Raphael Leonard had a career-high 117 yards on six catches with two TDs.
• SIU had a 37:44 to 20:36 edge in time of possession.
• The 117 combined points between the teams was one shy of SIU’s school record set in 1914.

Salukis in the FCS rankings
The Salukis are in the top 10 in numerous statistical categories among 116 FCS programs — Defensive TDs (1st, 3), First Downs (3rd, 56), Fumble Recoveries (4th, 4), Rushing Offense (9th, 268.0), Scoring Offense (6th, 45.0), Time of Possession (2nd, 37:54) and Total Offense (4th, 537.5).

RB D.J. Davis with consecutive 100-yard games
RB D.J. Davis (5-8, 168, Jr.) has become SIU’s feature back, gaining 127 yards at Murray State and 121 at Ole Miss. He averages 7.1 yards per carry.
Davis led all MVFC running backs with 35 receptions in 2017. As a rusher, receiver and kick returner, he led the team with 1,373 all-purpose yards, averaging 124.8 yards per game, which ranked 18th in the FCS.

Did you know? SIU …

• Is 101-81-11 all-time against OVC opponents.
• Has won its last four home openers.
• Has scored 40+ points in two straight games. The last time it scored 40+ in three-straight games was Nov. 14-28 in 2009.
• Is averaging 36.6 points per game in its last 12 games versus SEMO.
• TE Nigel Kilby has caught three passes this year and two have been for TDs.
• K Nico Gualdoni (6-0, 227, So.) remains perfect in his kicking career. He is 4-for-4 on field goals and 20-for-20 on PATs. His career long is 29 yards.
• SIU was 12-for-22 (55.0%) on 4th Down Conversions last year and are 4-of-6 (66.7%) so far this year.
• Started the same 22 players on offense and defense in both games.

QB Sam Straub on CFPA Watch List for Player of Year
QB Sam Straub (6-4, 247, Sr.) is one of 36 FCS players on the College Football Performance Awards preseason watch list for its National Performer of the Year Trophy. Straub has a 7-6 career record as a starter. He started the final three games in 2016 and the first eight games in 2017, before a season-ending wrist injury. For his career, Straub has completed 56.5 percent of his passes with 33 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He also has three rushing TDs. Straub is the only quarterback in school history to complete 30+ passes in a game three times. His career best in passing was a school-record 450 yards against Western Illinois on Nov. 19, 2016.

Pass-catching streaks
Three players enter the SEMO game with double-digit streaks of consecutive games with at least one reception.
Darrell James, 6-0, 209, Sr. (19 games)
Raphael Leonard, 6-2, 193, Sr. (13 games)
D.J. Davis, 5-8, 168, Jr. (11 games)

Landon Lenoir leads in catches
WR Landon Lenoir (5-11, 190, So.) leads SIU with 14 catches after two games. He has two relatives currently in the NFL. Brother Lance Lenoir (age 23), who holds the Western Illinois school record for career touchdown catches (28), is currently a member the Dallas Cowboys. Cousin Laquon Treadwell (age 23) is a wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings.

S Jeremy Chinn has created 10 turnovers in last 14 games
In the last 14 games, S Jeremy Chinn (6-2, 211, Jr.) has four interceptions and six forced fumbles. A preseason All-MVC pick, he is tied for second all-time at Southern in forced fumbles (6), trailing only Tyler Williamson (8, 2012-14). Chinn has started 19-straight games at safety for SIU — the longest active starting streak on the team.

No seniors in starting lineup on defense
SIU’s starting defense features six juniors, four sophomores, one redshirt freshman and no seniors. Of the 22 players on the two-deep, only two are seniors (LB Withney Simon and CB C.J. Jennings).

Active Salukis in the NFL
Miami Dolphins LB Chase Allen 
Age 24 … Signed as free agent in 2017 … Has played in 17 career games with 4 starts … 40 career tackles … Ranks 12th in career tackles at SIU (324).
Tennessee Titans TE MyCole Pruitt
Age 26 … Drafted by Minnesota Vikings in 5th round in 2015 … Has played 22 career games with 3 starts … 12 career receptions … Is SIU’s all-time receptions leader (221).
Safety Ryan Neal is a rookie on the Atlanta Falcons practice squad.

Anthony Knighton leads SIU’s defensive line
DE Anthony Knighton (6-4, 253, So.) leads SIU’s defensive linemen with five tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss. He also has a half sack. Knighton was a Freshman All-American by HERO Sports and Phil Steele Magazine and the runner-up for MVFC Freshman of the Year in 2017. He started all 11 games and set SIU freshman records with 11.0 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. 

Darrell James moves into fifth in career receiving yards
With 1,680 career receiving yards, WR Darrell James (6-0, 197, Sr.) passed Billy Swain (1,629) for fifth all-time in receiving yards at SIU. James is 12th in career receptions with 105. 

True freshmen helping Salukis rushing attack
Two true freshmen have boosted SIU’s rushing attack. QB Javon Williams Jr. (6-2, 234, Fr.) has 8 carries for 49 yards (6.1 ave.) and WR Je’Quan Burton (5-9, 168, Fr.) has 7 carries for 27 yards (3.9 ave.).

Matt DeSomer’s versatility
Backup QB Matt DeSomer (6-0, 215, Sr.) has played quarterback, wide receiver, safety and special teams during his 32-game career at SIU. His career stats include 548 rushing yards, 311 passing yards, 11 receptions, six rushing touchdowns, three passing touchdowns and six tackles.

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• WATCH NICK HILL PRESS CONFERENCE
• BUY TICKETS

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Here are excerpts from Saluki football head coach Nick Hill‘s weekly press conference held Monday afternoon at Saluki Stadium. Southern Illinois hosts SEMO on Saturday at 6 p.m. Tickets are available on-line or by calling 877-SALUKIS.

Thoughts on the home opener versus SEMO.
We’re excited to get in front of our home fans. We need it to be a full house and to be loud, and I think our fans have a lot of things to be excited about. It’s a big game for both programs. I think there’s a lot to build off from Ole Miss. Yesterday, we had a great day of corrections, of getting better from watching the film, getting out on the field for a short time and letting our guys get their bodies back, some good teaching moments on both sides of the ball. Our approach the entire season is daily improvement. 

The schools are 45 minutes apart, so any time you have that, it’s a natural rivalry. It’s a great game that we should play every single year. It’s good for both fan bases and the school pride of playing each other. We don’t treat them any different — same as last week — you asked if we treat an SEC game different. If you get caught up thinking of different things as a player or a coach throughout the week, then you’re not thinking of the right things. Nothing really changes in our preparation.

Thoughts on second half of Ole Miss game.
I thought on offense we could have kept scoring, there were some opportunities there. I thought our guys went on some consistent drives there in the third quarter and penalties got in the way a couple times and then lack of execution. I could have done a better job calling some better plays. The score wasn’t really what it could’ve been. They’re a good team. They had six catches that were contested balls that we guarded them and challenged them, and that’s what I asked our guys to do — make them earn it. 

On how the defense utilizes the safeties.
Our safeties are down in the run fits all game long, a lot of times they are at linebacker depth, especially the strong safety. We primarily start out of a two-high shell and they’re in the run fits a lot of times. Depending on what the offense is doing, they end up becoming linebackers and they’re usually the free hitter on players. 

On 5-foot-8, 168-pound RB D.J. Davis, who has had back-to-back 100-yard games.
He’s proven that he’s an elite-level back. Sometimes, just because of his size, he gets put into a scat back (category). You saw him breaking tackles in between the tackles where SEC linebackers had him squared up and he gets yards after contact. He’s a heckuva football player. Coach (Pat) Poore came into my office yesterday and said, ‘that kid is one of the best football players I’ve been around.’ Some of the pass-pro pickups that he had Saturday, he’s just an unselfish and outstanding football player. He models the way effort-wise and is just a competitor.

On SEMO quarterback and Northern Illinois transfer Daniel Santacaterian.
He’s a good player. There’s no secret I have a ton of respect for Coach “Tuke” (Tom Matukewicz), he’s a good friend of mine, and I know they were excited to get him in the offseason. He’s talked about what a good leader he is and he’s kind of taken over the team. You can tell he’s a tough kid. He took a pretty good shot in the first game and had to be taken off on a stretcher, and then he comes back and has the game he had last week against Dayton, just says a lot about his character and his toughness. 

On the difference between playing an SEC team versus an FCS opponent.
I think it’s overblown. SEMO will create problems that Ole Miss didn’t. Up front, they have three big guys and do a good job of making you earn it when you’re running the football. What I continue to say every year is that the depth shows sometimes in those (FBS) games, when they’re rolling out more players, but the speed of the game from this level to the next level doesn’t really change much. Each team is going to create different problems. Things that Ole Miss was giving us, SEMO won’t give us. 

On the play of the offensive line at Ole Miss.
Our offensive line did a really good job against some really good players. Our tight ends are a part of that. (Jacob) Varble and Jaylon Graham have done an outstanding job bringing some physicality. Varble has taken the next step in his game each and every year. There were some plays on Saturday that he looks like an SEC tight end, physically getting after some people, moving them, taking them down the line of scrimmage, running power. He’s just continued to get better and better, and that helps us in our run game, too. Bryce Wagner had to play 30 plays in an SEC environment, and you didn’t really hear, ‘hey, we have a tackle (out), we have to adjust the gameplan’ when Ben Bailey had to come out with a stinger. I think they’re finding their groove and getting some confidence.  Big Z (ZeVeyon Furcron), there were some times he wore some people out on Saturday, and that was exciting to see. It was only his second game playing offensive line and he’ll continue to grow and get better with the consistency. 

On the five local players from the Black Diamond Conference.
I’m proud of that, that they’re here and on the team. They all bring something different and are a big part of our team. We love recruiting guys locally. All of those guys were here in our camps and got to know them. We’ll keep recruiting locally and we’re proud to have all five of those guys.

On Chester native and starting defensive end Jordan Berner.
He’s had a tremendous progression. Off the field, he’s done an exceptional job. He got a 4.0 (GPA) in the spring, his second semester since he’s been here with a 4.0. Knowing that he’s just a sophomore on the field can get you excited. He’s such a big, physical kid and his best days are still ahead of him. Everybody in southern Illinois should be proud of Jordan Berner.