Jon Lester never panicked during his second-half rut. He knew an assessment of his struggles that included a meeting with manager Joe Maddon would help him revert to his first-half dominance.
Here’s a link to the story at the Chicago Tribune.
Jon Lester breaks out of rut in Cubs’ 1-0 win over Pirates after meeting with manager Joe Maddon
August 17, 2018 By Leave a Comment
For Kill, interim AD job as much fundraising as oversight
August 17, 2018 By Leave a Comment
CARBONDALE — Jerry Kill was in New Jersey, headed to the airport to catch a flight to Georgia on Wednesday.
Here’s a link to the story in the Southern Illinoisan.
Gomber goes six strong in Cardinals victory; Carpenter leaves for precautionary reasons
August 16, 2018 By Leave a Comment
As Austin Gomber walked off the mound following his sixth inning of work, Yadier Molina draped his arm around the lefty’s shoulder and patted his head. The rookie had done his job, hurling six scoreless innings and propelling the Cardinals to a 4-2 win.
Here’s a link to the story at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Talented group of cornerbacks hopes to stay healthy; Practice No. 13 notebook
August 16, 2018 By Leave a Comment
CARBONDALE, Ill. — There’s no question the Saluki football team is much improved at the cornerback position, and may end up having one of the best units in FCS football this year, provided the group remains healthy. That’s the big question mark.
Torian Lewis, Madre Harper and C.J. Jennings are all gifted in man coverage and solid in run support. All three are coming off injuries, however. That’s why safety James Ceasar was moved back to corner, as added insurance at the position. Freshman Chance Bush is also in the mix for playing time.
“Once we’re healthy, we feel like we have four guys who can play at a really high level,” SIU head coach Nick Hill said. “We might have a true freshman, who is doing a really good job on special teams, that will get an opportunity to suit up.”
Here’s the scouting report on the cornerbacks from position coach Carl Franks.
Torian Lewis (5-11, 181, Jr.) “I think going into his third year, he’s comfortable with the scheme now, so we’ve been focusing a lot on his technique and he’s improved so much. We’re just trying to work on the little things with him to make him a complete player. He’s looked really polished.”
Oklahoma State transfer Madre Harper (6-2, 189, Jr.) “He came in toward the end of spring ball because he had an injury, but he got some 7-on-7 reps and he looked really good. He’s a really smooth, long athlete who can run, he’s got the long arms, great ball skills. When he first came in, the offense went at him and they didn’t catch a ball on him that day. He’s a competitor and has a high football IQ and has picked up the scheme pretty quick.”
Wyoming transfer C.J. Jennings (5-10, 179, Sr.) “C.J. is coming off a knee injury, but number one — he can run. He’s fast and he’s physical. He will hit you. That’s what we missed when he got that injury last year. He’s a good player.”
James Ceasar (5-10, 186, Jr.) “He can play safety, he can play corner, he’s a tremendous athlete. He’s got some acceleration out of his breaks. We just have to get him caught up with the technique but he played corner as a true freshman, so I think that’s a position he can really help us with.”
Chance Bush (5-8, 175, Fr.) “He’s a very competitive kid who loves football. When I say loves football, this guy loves the game and is very passionate about it. He picked up the scheme pretty quick.”
Torian Lewis, Madre Harper and C.J. Jennings are all gifted in man coverage and solid in run support. All three are coming off injuries, however. That’s why safety James Ceasar was moved back to corner, as added insurance at the position. Freshman Chance Bush is also in the mix for playing time.
“Once we’re healthy, we feel like we have four guys who can play at a really high level,” SIU head coach Nick Hill said. “We might have a true freshman, who is doing a really good job on special teams, that will get an opportunity to suit up.”
Here’s the scouting report on the cornerbacks from position coach Carl Franks.
Torian Lewis (5-11, 181, Jr.) “I think going into his third year, he’s comfortable with the scheme now, so we’ve been focusing a lot on his technique and he’s improved so much. We’re just trying to work on the little things with him to make him a complete player. He’s looked really polished.”
Oklahoma State transfer Madre Harper (6-2, 189, Jr.) “He came in toward the end of spring ball because he had an injury, but he got some 7-on-7 reps and he looked really good. He’s a really smooth, long athlete who can run, he’s got the long arms, great ball skills. When he first came in, the offense went at him and they didn’t catch a ball on him that day. He’s a competitor and has a high football IQ and has picked up the scheme pretty quick.”
Wyoming transfer C.J. Jennings (5-10, 179, Sr.) “C.J. is coming off a knee injury, but number one — he can run. He’s fast and he’s physical. He will hit you. That’s what we missed when he got that injury last year. He’s a good player.”
James Ceasar (5-10, 186, Jr.) “He can play safety, he can play corner, he’s a tremendous athlete. He’s got some acceleration out of his breaks. We just have to get him caught up with the technique but he played corner as a true freshman, so I think that’s a position he can really help us with.”
Chance Bush (5-8, 175, Fr.) “He’s a very competitive kid who loves football. When I say loves football, this guy loves the game and is very passionate about it. He picked up the scheme pretty quick.”
Today’s Saluki Football practice was moved to the afternoon due to morning thunderstorms. The team practiced in helmets, shoulder pads and shorts ahead of tomorrow’s 6 p.m. scrimmage. Head coach Nick Hill said some veteran players will be held out of the scrimmage to protect them from injury two weeks before the opener.
“We’re at a good spot with a lot of the veteran players,” he said. “We’ll get a look at a lot of young guys that still need some more reps. It will be good for us to create a game-like atmosphere.”
Two FBS transfers on the interior of the defensive line are working their way up the depth chart. Michigan State transfer DT Kyonta Stallworth (6-3, 280, Jr.) was slowed early in camp by an injury but is now taking reps with the second team defense. He played in eight games in two seasons with the Spartans, including six games in 2017.
“Kyonta has a really high ceiling with his talent level,” Hill said. “There’s a reason why he was a four-star kid and getting snaps at Michigan State last year. He has starter ability.”
Bowling Green DT Tyree Jackson (6-4, 280, Fr.) redshirted last year for the Falcons. He is a Jones High School (Fla.) alum, along with Saluki teammates Je’Quan Burton, Calvin Francis Jr., C.J. Jennings and Withney Simon.
“Tyree just keeps on coming,” Hill said. “The best thing about Tyree is he’s here for four years. He has a bright future here. He’ll play for us this year, but it’s a deep room.”
Added defensive line coach Austin Flyger, “Kyonta and Tyree are good kids and good people. They’ve done a really nice job of mixing in with the guys. They’re hard-working guys. There’s a reason why they were where they were. They will continue to push everyone and the competition has added a lot to the room. Their presence is one of the reasons we could move Zeyveon Furcron to offensive line.”
Saluki Men’s Basketball legend Kent Williams to be inducted into MVC Hall of Fame
August 16, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Men’s Basketball 08/15/2018 | 10:00:00
Story Links
ST. LOUIS, Mo. — One of only two players to score more than 2,000 points in school history, Southern Illinois men’s basketball player Kent Williams will be enshrined in the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame during an induction ceremony in St. Louis on Friday, March, 8 2019.
The 22nd MVC Hall of Fame class features three basketball student-athletes in Williams, Kristi Cirone (Illinois State); Dolph Pulliam (Drake); a wrestling Olympian in Bill Smith (UNI); a legendary track & field coach in John McNichols (Indiana State); and a long-time contributor to Bradley University athletics in Joe Stowell.
The league will conduct its annual Hall of Fame ceremony as part the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Men’s Basketball Championship next March 7-10. The March 8 festivities will begin with an 8:00 a.m. breakfast, followed by the induction ceremony at 8:30 a.m.
Tickets to the 2019 Hall of Fame event – scheduled to be held at Stifel Theatre (formerly known as the Peabody Opera House), which is adjacent to Enterprise Center (formerly known as Scottrade Center) – can be obtained by calling the league office at (314) 444-4300. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
“The Missouri Valley Conference has always been recognized for the great success of its athletics programs, with a rich history that dates back more than a century,” said Commissioner Doug Elgin. “Our MVC Hall of Fame has provided us with an opportunity to honor the student-athletes, coaches, administrators and contributors who have played important roles in the Conference and in intercollegiate athletics.
“The individuals we will be honoring in the Class of 2019 have brought significant honor to themselves, their institutions and to the Conference. We are truly humbled to have this opportunity to salute them for their achievements.”
A 2003 SIU grad, Williams scored 2,012 points at Southern from 1999 to 2003, making him the Salukis’ second-leading scorer all-time behind Charlie Vaughn. Williams is the only player in SIU history to lead the team in scoring four straight years, helping his team to the NCAA Tournament 2002 and 2003, including a run to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 2002.
The Mt. Vernon, Ill., native, who is also the career scoring leader at his high school, was inducted into the SIU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009. Williams was a first-team All-MVC (2002, 2003), and second-team Team All-MVC (2001) selection while earning MVC Newcomer of the Year and Freshman of the Year (2000). A four year starter, the Salukis went 88-42 during his career which included an NIT appearance (2000) in addition to the two NCAA berths.
As a senior in 2003, he was runner-up to Creighton’s Kyle Korver for the Larry Bird Trophy, awarded to the top men’s basketball player. Other honors for Williams include back-to-back selection to the MVC Scholar-Athlete Team (2002, 2003), an MVC All-Tournament selection (2002) and a four-time MVC Player-of-the-Week recipient. He was the first-ever repeat winner of the league’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year honor (2002, 2003).
In addition to ranking second on the all-time SIU scoring chart, he is second in career 3-pointers made with 249, sixth in career 3-point percentage at .392, second in career free throws made with 479, eighth in career assists with 352, tops in career games started with 130 and the school’s record holder for most career minutes played.
Williams is currently the varsity men’s basketball coach at De Smet Jesuit High in St. Louis. Prior to that, he had served as an assistant at SIUE, Tennessee, Missouri State and as a supervisor of basketball operations at Purdue.
Cubs solid all around while bouncing back for an 8-4 win against the Brewers
August 16, 2018 By Leave a Comment
A lengthy winning streak sparked by consistent starting pitching and run production might not arrive this season for the Cubs.
Here’s a link to the story at the Chicago Tribune.
David Bote’s walk-off grand slam stuns Nationals, sends Cubs to wild 4-3 victory
August 13, 2018 By Leave a Comment
This had the feel of a playoff game, starting with the pitching matchup — three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer versus the ace of the Cubs staff.
Here’s a link to the story at the Chicago Tribune.
Long wait ends for slugger Wisdom as call finally comes from Cardinals
August 13, 2018 By Leave a Comment
When Class AAA Memphis manager Stubby Clapp invited Patrick Wisdom into his office late Friday night and asked the infielder if he needed a day off, he didn’t, in hindsight, make clear where exactly Wisdom would be if he declined the break.
Here’s a link to the story at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Defensive ends bringing the heat for Saluki Football; Practice No. 10 notebook
August 13, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Story Links
CARBONDALE, Ill. — A great pass rush is a defensive coordinator’s best friend. Just ask Southern Illinois assistant head coach Kraig Paulson.
“(Pass rush) has everything to do with how you can call a game,” SIU’s defensive coordinator explained. “It’s all about how much pressure you can put on the offense with how many guys does it take to do that? Our concept has always been a four-man rush, but saying that and doing that are often different things.”
Through 10 practices of training camp, Paulson has to be pleased with the amount of heat SIU’s front four has applied to the quarterback, especially the defensive ends. Sophomore DE Anthony Knighton is a budding superstar, who led the team in sacks (6.5) and tackles for loss (11.0) last year and finished runner-up for Missouri Valley Football Conference Freshman of the Year. Paulson wants even more from the 6-foot-2, 253 pound edge rusher.
“If you ask me about Anthony Knighton, I’d say, ‘play every down like you play some of the downs you see on film,” Paulson said. “That’s the challenge to everyone, not just him.”
What has been most impressive in camp has been the depth at defensive end. Sophomore Jordan Berner (6-6, 264, So.) started all 11 games last year for Southern and is described by defensive line coach Austin Flyger as “a big, country-strong kid, who is just a hard-nosed, hard-working dude.”
Knighton and Berner may end up as the starters, but there seems to be little drop-off when the backups are in. An impressive group of underclassmen, including Jaylin Wilson, Sam Skinner and Raquan Lindsey will also figure heavily in the rotation. Here’s a rundown on those three players from Coach Flyger.
Jaylin Wilson (6-3, 265, So.) — “Similar to Sam, he played in five or six games as a true freshman and was dinged up. He’s just scratching the surface of how good he can be. If he stays locked in and focused, he could easily be one of our best players. He brings a level of intensity and fire, and a mentality that it’s going to be a long day lining up across from me.”
Sam Skinner (6-2, 244, So.) — “He had some injuries and didn’t play as much as he wanted to as a true freshman. He actually ended up coming down with mono that kept him out for a couple games. He’s one of those guys that’s always in the right spot, does things the right way and is really a coachable kid. We’re excited about his future.”
Raquan Lindsey (6-2, 244, Fr.) — “He’s a freakish kid in the weight room and probably one of the fastest kids on the team. He probably runs faster than some of our safeties and linebackers. He’s explosive.”
As if that weren’t enough depth, Chucky Sullivan (6-3, 226, So.) and Rondarian Bell (6-1, 209, Jr.) both picked up multiple sacks during Wednesday’s scrimmage and during 11-on-11 work this week. They could easily figure into the mix.
It’s enough to make Paulson smile.
“No spot on defense exerts more energy than the d-line,” Paulson said. “That’s what they do for a living. You cannot just have four guys. You need backups at every spot, that’s the job description. If you can go back and forth without losing your level of play and production, you got something. I think we’re on the right track there. I give a lot of credit to the kids, I give a lot of credit to what Meade (Smith) is doing down there in the weight room, and Coach Flyger has done a great job with those guys.”
Practice No. 10 took place in the late afternoon heat at Saluki Stadium, and it was another crisp day for senior QB Sam Straub and his talented group of receivers, who head coach Nick Hill said could go as many as eight deep. Today, it was sophomore WR Sam Thompson’s turn to shine, as he caught three long passes from Straub. On two-consecutive plays, he beat CB Torian Lewis, first on a deep post, then on a back-shoulder throw along the left boundary. Later, Straub was flushed from the pocket, rolled left and threw a perfect strike between two defenders to Thompson for a 25-yard pickup.
The most impressive catches of the day were made by WR Raphael Leonard. Straub was a tad high on a deep post route, but the 6-foot-2 Leonard fully extended to pluck the ball amid two on-coming defenders. He did the same thing later in practice on an even more difficult catch in traffic, drawing oohs and ahhhs from onlookers.
In the Winning Time segment at the start of practice, Straub hit TE Jacob Varble, who had a two-step lead on LB Cody Crider, for a 40-yard touchdown. On the last play of practice, as part of a challenge series set up by the coaching staff, freshman QB Javon Williams Jr. threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Thompson to give the offense the win.
The Salukis will have their second day off of camp on Sunday, as required by the new NCAA practice guidelines.
“I think the NCAA did it right when they made this day a complete day off, no meetings, no anything,” Hill said. “It’s good for the coaches. They’re able to go home and see their kids and eat dinner with their family and everybody comes back rejuvenated.”
Hill is pleased with what he’s seen from the Salukis so far.
“I felt like coming into camp we knew our team pretty well,” Hill said. “It’s always interesting to see how the new guys fit in. We have some true freshmen who found out can help us. We have to keep piecing this thing together. We’ve put in a lot of situations. Today, we went over four-minute, two minute. We’re at a pretty good spot through 10 days.”
Road Thrills: Cardinals complete sweep of Royals, head home on five-game win streak
August 13, 2018 By Leave a Comment
It took a little longer than usual but the rally arrived all the same Sunday as the Cardinals used two cloudbursts of runs to complete a sweep of the Royals and return home on a five-game winning streak.
Here’s a link to the story at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
