Illinois State's James Stevenson III and YSU's Marcus Mason both transferred to their current schools from Illinois.
Haven't Seen this Since the 2¢ Stamp
An Illinois State victory today would be the seventh consecutive win by the Redbirds this season. The ISU football program has not won seven straight games since 1932 - when a first-class postage stamp cost two cents. The 'Birds opened the 1932 season with a school record seven-straight wins, before falling in the final two games of the season. In addition to ISU rattling off seven straight wins, Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, while the New York Yankees swept the Chicago Cubs (yes ... the Cubs) in the World Series and Manhattan's Radio City Music Hall opened its doors for the first time.
Rembert's Grand
With his 230 yards rushing at Western Illinois, running back Pierre Rembert eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing milestone this season. ISU's offensive workhorse now has 1,042 yards on the season on 203 attempts with nine touchdowns. It is only the 12th time the Redbirds have had a 1,000-yard rusher in a season, but the fifth in the last seven years.
Counterpunch Crew
In Saturday's victory at Western Illinois, it was the Leathernecks who scored on their opening drive. In fact, that game was the fourth time this season where ISU's opponents have punched the scoring column first. However, in all four games, the Redbirds have countered by not only regaining the lead before halftime, but by also notching a victory.
Click to Pick
For the second straight week, a Gateway quarterback entered the game against Illinois State with a lengthy string of complete passes without an interception. For the second straight week, the streak is no more. Two weeks ago, Southern Illinois' Nick Hill had gone 103 passes without a pick before Cameron Siskowic intercepted a Hill pass. This last week, Western Illinois' Steve Lafalce had thrown 134 pass attempts without a pick, until Niall Campbell's interception in the fourth quarter.
Getting Your Picks On Route 66
With Hancock Stadium located just off nostalgic Route 66, the Redbird defense has been getting their kicks in 2006. Through seven games, the `Birds have intercepted 12 passes, which is tied for the second-highest team total in Division I-AA. The kicker is that the Redbirds have already surpassed last season's total of 10. In addition, the 'Birds are averaging 1.7 picks per game, which would put them on pace for 19 interceptions, the most since 1989.
Cleaning the State
With the Redbirds' 27-14 win over Western Illinois, it gave Illinois State its first sweep of Illinois' I-AA schools since the 2000 season. Earlier this season, the 'Birds downed Southern Illinois 37-10 and defeated Eastern Illinois 44-30.
Dealing with Deficits
At Western Illinois, the Redbirds fell behind early 14-3, their largest deficit of the season. However, it marked the second time this season where ISU rallied from at least a 10-point deficit to claim victory. The Redbirds trailed Eastern Illinois 10-0 in the first quarter, but came-from-behind with a 44-30 victory.
Second-Half Shutouts
All season head coach Denver Johnson has praised the conditioning of his football team and now others are taking notice. For the second straight week, the Redbird defense came out in the second half and completely shutdown a high-powered Gateway Football Conference offense. Both Western Illinois and Southern Illinois could not crack the scoring column in the second frame, while ISU's last four opponents have not been able to score in the fourth quarter. As a result, the Redbirds are outscoring their opponents 118-45 in the second half this season.
All of This - Without Robinson
For all practical purposes, Illinois State has had to take the field the last six games without the services of the reigning Gateway Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year Laurént Robinson. The consensus all-America wideout has battled a nagging ankle injury since late in the fourth quarter of the season opener at Kansas State. In the last six games, Robinson has played limited time in three of them by contributing nine catches for 192 yards and two touchdowns. Subtracting his production, the Redbird offense is still averaging 378.8 yards of total offense per game.
Drone: A Worker QB
Junior Luke Drone is an efficient quarterback and because of that, the Redbird offense works. Drone's career passing efficiency rating (154.2) is 26 points higher than any other quarterback in ISU history. His rating is also No. 5 in I-AA football among career active leaders. Drone also carries the best career completion percentage in school history by completing 63.0 percent of his attempts. This season, Drone leads the conference and ranks No. 11 nationally in passing efficiency with a rating of 156.80 through seven games.
Kye's the Guy
Looking for the top tackler in all of I-AA football? Look no further than Illinois State's Kye Stewart. The junior linebacker leads the entire division in tackles per game with 12.83 stops per contest. Despite missing the game against Eastern Illinois, due to injury, Stewart is second on the team in total tackles with 77, including a team-best 37 solo stops. Stewart also leads the Redbirds with seven tackles for loss.
Gaining Yards When It Counts
Success on third down is key to any football team's success, and that's a big reason for Illinois State's 6-1 record. In all, the 'Birds have converted on third down 52 percent of the time (50-for-97), which ranks No. 7 in I-AA football for success rate on third down. The 'Birds have been so successful on third down that in the game at Western Illinois, the Redbirds even converted an unlikely third-and-37 situation - now that's production!
Applying the Full Nelson
That's exactly what sophomore free safety Tom Nelson has been doing to opposing quarterbacks this season, as he has picked off four passes this season. The 2005 Gateway Freshman of the Year leads the Redbirds in picks and ranks second in the league with 0.57 interceptions per game.
Run Rembert Run
That has been the offensive philosophy to date in 2006. With 203 carries in seven games, senior running back Pierre Rembert has accounted for 67 percent of ISU's rushing attempts this season. An integral part of the ball-control offense, Rembert is averaging 29 carries per game and is on pace to finish with 319 during the regular season - the second highest total in ISU history.
Action Jackson
Despite having all-American wide receiver Laurént Robinson hobbled with an ankle injury, senior Pierre Jackson has emerged as an alternative deep threat for the Redbirds. "Jelly" has notched three 100-yard receiving games this season and leads the team with 31 catches for 568 yards. He has also added four touchdowns.
Movin' on Up
In just his second season as a starter, Luke Drone is starting to creep up the charts in the ISU record book. With 4,531 career passing yards, Drone surpassed Dusty Burk (1999-01) in the game at Western Illinois and moved into sole possession of the No. 3 spot on the all-time ISU passing list. He is now chasing John Coppens (1981-84) and needs 1,708 yards to move into second.
Rembert Running with Regularity
Seven games into the 2006 season. Seven 100-yard rushing games for Illinois State running back Pierre Rembert. By rushing for 100+ yards in every game this season, Rembert has compiled the longest such streak in ISU history, bettering four straight 100-yard rushing games by Quincy Washington, Willie Watts and Toby Davis.
In the Zone
The efficiency the Redbirds have shown in the Red-Zone this season rings like a Hawk Harrelson home run call - "you can put it on the board." Through seven games, the 'Birds are 25-for-30 in the Red-Zone with 17 TDs and eight field goals for an 83 percent success rate and 57 percent on Red-Zone touchdowns. ISU opponents haven't been in the zone as often, nor have had the success. ISU foes are 11-for-16 inside the Red-Zone (69 percent) with five TDs and six field goals.
Fourth and Futile
It hasn't been easy converting on fourth down against the Redbirds in 2006. Through seven games, ISU opponents are 3-for-10 when "going for it" on fourth down for a 30 percent success rate. ISU's defensive effort on fourth down is tied for the 13th best season performance in I-AA.
Stuffing the Run
Opposing teams are finding it hard to gain yards on the ground against the Redbird defense in 2006, as the 'Birds rank No. 1 in the conference and No. 20 in all of I-AA football with a rushing defense average of 108.86 yards-per-game. The Redbird defense has held four opponents under 100 yards rushing, including last week's foe, Western Illinois.
Which 'Bird will Get the Fifth
When Brent Hawkins claimed the 2005 Gateway Defensive Player of the Year award, it marked the fourth straight by a Redbird player and tied the league record for consecutive league MVPs with Northern Iowa (1991-94). Both Cameron Siskowic and Kye Stewart hope to extend that ISU streak. Siskowic, a 2006 Buck Buchanan Award candidate, leads the team in tackles with 71, while Stewart leads the team in tackles per game with 13.
All-America U
ISU has produced at least one all-American player in 20 of its last 23 seasons. Over the last seven seasons, 27 players from 11 different positions have been honored. Laurént Robinson, Brent Hawkins, Stafford Davis and Cameron Siskowic were all consensus selections in 2005.
30 and Counting
With a catch in the next game he plays, Illinois State wide receiver Laurént Robinson will extend his school record of having at least one catch to 31 straight games. Robinson has been hobbled all season with a nagging ankle injury, but was able to set the school standard with one catch for 23 yards against Southern Illinois two weeks ago.
Transferable
Since 1993, when the NCAA rules changed to allow players immediate eligibility at the I-AA level, Illinois State has had 44 players transfer from I-A schools. ISU's I-A transfers on this year's roster include: Alan Abrams (RB, Ole Miss); Adam Blankenship (DL, Nebraska); Pierre Jackson (WR, Minnesota); Brandon Joyce (OL, Indiana); Dan Passarelli (WR, Northern Illinois); Pierre Rembert (RB, Michigan); Cameron Siskowic (LB, Washington St.); Jonathan St-Pierre (OL, Miami (Fla.)) and James Stevenson III (DL, Illinois).
Turnover Turnaround
It is hard to believe that in 2004, the Redbirds ranked dead last (117) in turnover margin (-1.91) nationally among I-AA teams. ISU turned the tide in 2005 and finished with 23rd best turnover margin in the country (+.55). The actual result was a difference of +27 turnovers between the two seasons. The Redbirds are continuing their recent trend during the 2006 season, and rank No. 6 nationally with a +1.14 turnover margin.
Rembert's Rave Reviews
Through seven games, his first as ISU's featured running back, Pierre Rembert has gotten two thumbs up. With 148.86 rushing yards per game, Rembert ranks No. 3 nationally among running backs. He is on pace to finish the regular season with 1,637 yards on the season, which would rank as the highest total in Redbird history.
Men of Honor
The Redbird football team concluded the spring semester with 35 players on the AFNI Athletics Honor Roll, a new team record. The Redbirds also compiled a 2.68 grade point average for the semester, which was the highest team GPA by the football team in over a decade.
40 Days and 40 Nights
Actually it is a little less than 67 days - that's how many straight 24-hour days a person would have to work to equal the 1,595 community service hours that the Illinois State football team put in last academic year. Typically, the goal for the entire athletic department is 1,000, but the Redbird gridders put in 1,595 hours themselves.
