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.
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.