SIU- south central

Total Red

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The Redbirds are strong and deep at linebacker. The SAM linebacker is Zeke Vandenburg and his backup, Jeremiah Jordan, could start on a lot of FCS teams and maybe even some FBS. The Redbirds have also had a lot of success finding and developing linebackers that were lightly recruited and below the radar. Players like Josh Howe, Alejandro Rivera and Zack Mathews. Our HC is a former linebacker, so I think he's knows what a good linebacker looks like and he knows how to help young players at the position improve their game.

Meanwhile this week's opponent, SIU, is very strong on the other side of the ball. SIU is averaging 41.6 pts per game through the first 3 games. That's the same ppg average W. Mich had in 2020. SIU collects QBs by the bushel. They're strong and deep at the position and it has paid off. SIU started the spring season with a Juco transfer, Kare Lyles at QB. He became injured in game 2 and an inexperienced Nic Baker got his first college start in game 3 against North Dakota St. The lightly recruited Baker led SIU to victory over the Bison 38-14. But then Baker got injured, and in game 5 Stone Labanowitz became the 3rd SIU QB to start. Labanowitz played well enough for the Salukis to earn a playoff berth. In the opening round, SIU and Labanowitz knocked off a 5-0 Weber St. team 34-31.

Labanowitz QB'd the team to their first playoff win since 2009, and he completed an incredible 72% of his passes, so I thought he might return as the starter and even if he didn't SIU was in great shape with Baker also returning. But SIU Coach Nick Hill, a former SIU QB himself, was not content with two good options at QB. He brought in not one, but two FBS transfers to compete for the job. I guess if you go through 3 QB's in a 10 game season it makes sense to stock up. Hill brought in Stone Norton from Fla Int'l and Michael Lindauer from Cincinnati. When the QB competition dust had cleared Nic Baker had won the job and Stone Norton came in 2nd. It had to be a blow to Stone Labanowitz to not be the starter and to not even be the first person named Stone on the QB depth chart. Labanowitz left the team. Bottom line, Nick Hill knows the value of the QB position and he can spot an undervalued talent like Baker. It sets up an exciting clash of strengths on Saturday. Our Coach with a talent for defense and SIU's coach with an eye for offense. It's a lot like the strength on strength of the W. Mich game. I certainly hope it goes better this time.
 

RedbirdSoxFan

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The Redbirds are strong and deep at linebacker. The SAM linebacker is Zeke Vandenburg and his backup, Jeremiah Jordan, could start on a lot of FCS teams and maybe even some FBS. The Redbirds have also had a lot of success finding and developing linebackers that were lightly recruited and below the radar. Players like Josh Howe, Alejandro Rivera and Zack Mathews. Our HC is a former linebacker, so I think he's knows what a good linebacker looks like and he knows how to help young players at the position improve their game.

Meanwhile this week's opponent, SIU, is very strong on the other side of the ball. SIU is averaging 41.6 pts per game through the first 3 games. That's the same ppg average W. Mich had in 2020. SIU collects QBs by the bushel. They're strong and deep at the position and it has paid off. SIU started the spring season with a Juco transfer, Kare Lyles at QB. He became injured in game 2 and an inexperienced Nic Baker got his first college start in game 3 against North Dakota St. The lightly recruited Baker led SIU to victory over the Bison 38-14. But then Baker got injured, and in game 5 Stone Labanowitz became the 3rd SIU QB to start. Labanowitz played well enough for the Salukis to earn a playoff berth. In the opening round, SIU and Labanowitz knocked off a 5-0 Weber St. team 34-31.

Labanowitz QB'd the team to their first playoff win since 2009, and he completed an incredible 72% of his passes, so I thought he might return as the starter and even if he didn't SIU was in great shape with Baker also returning. But SIU Coach Nick Hill, a former SIU QB himself, was not content with two good options at QB. He brought in not one, but two FBS transfers to compete for the job. I guess if you go through 3 QB's in a 10 game season it makes sense to stock up. Hill brought in Stone Norton from Fla Int'l and Michael Lindauer from Cincinnati. When the QB competition dust had cleared Nic Baker had won the job and Stone Norton came in 2nd. It had to be a blow to Stone Labanowitz to not be the starter and to not even be the first person named Stone on the QB depth chart. Labanowitz left the team. Bottom line, Nick Hill knows the value of the QB position and he can spot an undervalued talent like Baker. It sets up an exciting clash of strengths on Saturday. Our Coach with a talent for defense and SIU's coach with an eye for offense. It's a lot like the strength on strength of the W. Mich game. I certainly hope it goes better this time.
Nic Baker’s talent was never undervalued. The only thing separating Nic from SIU and a top power 5 team was his 5-9 height (maybe closer to 5-8).
Nic Baker’s Rochester HS teammate Avante’ Cox in 2017, as a Freshman, caught 5 passes from Josh Allen @ Wyoming before transferring to SIU. They are an exciting combo to watch. I’ll be there hoping to see the Rochester Alumni light it up, but rooting for the Birds to win the game. Same way I was when Rochester QB Wes Lunt played at Illinois, wanted Wes to do good, but Illini to lose.
 

fourthandshort

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SIU 38
ISU 13

SIU is tough on both sides of ball, plus they're at home. Just feeling like this one will slip away from us. EIU did very little to prepare us for SIU.
 

RedbirdSoxFan

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SIU 38
ISU 13

SIU is tough on both sides of ball, plus they're at home. Just feeling like this one will slip away from us. EIU did very little to prepare us for SIU.
Southern will miss their All-American DB, but their Defense is still pretty good. And the offense can put up a lot of points.

SIU 31
ISU 10
 

Total Red

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I admit that I didn't notice that Braydon Deming had so many tackles at Eastern. He was the conference Defensive Player of the Week. We'll need another great game from him on Saturday. We'll rotate a lot of players at the three down D-line positions but we'll want Deming and Powell on the field at critical moments. Gomez gives Powell a break at nose tackle and we now have at least 4 candidates for the DE opposite Deming - Dinga, Okolo, Hickcox and Lewan. That group will have to keep pressure on the SIU QB with help from blitzers. Kansas St. held SIU to 23 by getting 5 sacks but that won't be easy. Baker is adept at quick reads and accurate passes. We can try to harass the 5'9 Baker with our lengthy D-Line but he'll find lanes where he can pass or run.

Meanwhile, we don't really know what to expect from Waring. He's athletic, but is he ready to be a MVFC QB? Like Timmy, I'm eager to see what the kid can do. I'm hopeful, extremely interested, but I would be a liar if I said I was optimistic about our chances.
 

gobirds85

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This one might hurt. Hoping to get out of it injury free and with some dignity intact.
 

MadBird

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I've been trying to come up with a prediction, and I'm not holding out for a win at SIU, just trying to figger a score, BUT, tell me, regarding a score prediction, do we think SIU is gonna put up more points on us than WMU did (28)? Granted, EIU put up 24. Was WMU "holding back" on O, not wanting to show stuff to Pitt? Could they have put up 40+ on us if they tried harder? WMU put up 44 at Pitt. Are the dogs that much more adept on offense? Are the Birds more solid on D than Pitt? Toss out all of that, stop overthinking it?? ;)
 

RedbirdSoxFan

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Heading down for the game Saturday. Any recommendations for a good place to get a burger and beer before the game?
 

redbirdfan04

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I've been trying to come up with a prediction, and I'm not holding out for a win at SIU, just trying to figger a score, BUT, tell me, regarding a score prediction, do we think SIU is gonna put up more points on us than WMU did (28)? Granted, EIU put up 24. Was WMU "holding back" on O, not wanting to show stuff to Pitt? Could they have put up 40+ on us if they tried harder? WMU put up 44 at Pitt. Are the dogs that much more adept on offense? Are the Birds more solid on D than Pitt? Toss out all of that, stop overthinking it?? ;)
WMU game plan seemed to be run the ball and minimize mistakes. SIU is going to open up the entire playbook and try to win by as much as possible. They want the selection committee to understand they are the real deal.
 

fourthandshort

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I've been trying to come up with a prediction, and I'm not holding out for a win at SIU, just trying to figger a score, BUT, tell me, regarding a score prediction, do we think SIU is gonna put up more points on us than WMU did (28)? Granted, EIU put up 24. Was WMU "holding back" on O, not wanting to show stuff to Pitt? Could they have put up 40+ on us if they tried harder? WMU put up 44 at Pitt. Are the dogs that much more adept on offense? Are the Birds more solid on D than Pitt? Toss out all of that, stop overthinking it?? ;)


were-waiting-angry.gif


;)
 

Virginia Redbird

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I've been trying to come up with a prediction, and I'm not holding out for a win at SIU, just trying to figger a score, BUT, tell me, regarding a score prediction, do we think SIU is gonna put up more points on us than WMU did (28)? Granted, EIU put up 24. Was WMU "holding back" on O, not wanting to show stuff to Pitt? Could they have put up 40+ on us if they tried harder? WMU put up 44 at Pitt. Are the dogs that much more adept on offense? Are the Birds more solid on D than Pitt? Toss out all of that, stop overthinking it?? ;)
WMU had the game firmly in hand from their very first drive for a touchdown. The Redbirds never, ever, really posed any type of threat to the Broncos at all Offense, Defense or Special Teams. 28 points were way more than enough to send the Birds back to Normal having been thoroughly spanked. There was no need for WMU to put everything out there on the field. Playing Pittsburgh they likely wanted the attention for hanging up some big points on a big name team. Pittsburgh has been up and down lately but they are still the alma mater of Tony Dorsett, Dan Marino, and quite a few other players that became big NFL stars, Mike Ditka for local interest. Beating them would get the Broncos much more attention than beating ISU. Frankly, I would be more concerned about EIU putting 24 points on the board against the Redbirds. I watched both games and don't think EIU is anywhere near the team WMU is. My own opinion is EIU was playing their butts off trying to win a rivalry game while WMU had the Birds in the palm of their hand all day and had no need to put the pedal down. SIU has been pretty good on offense and if the Birds can't move the ball and keep the SIU offense off the field it will be a long day I fear.
 

redbirdfan04

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Heading down for the game Saturday. Any recommendations for a good place to get a burger and beer before the game?
Enjoy the game, wish I could make it down. I am not sure of the go to place down at SIU as it has been a few years since i've visited. I always liked traxx for a greasy burger but not sure that is still around!
 
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