Both teams have at least one set of brothers playing together on the roster. ISU has three sets, Cameron and Kyle Siskowic, Rafael and Cortes Rice and Dan and Nick Passarelli. MSU counters with the Harbor brothers (Clay and Cory).
Thank You Seniors
Today is Senior Day at Hancock Stadium and 14 Redbird seniors will be honored before the game for their playing careers at ISU. Those seniors include: offensive lineman Janiah Downing, long snapper Jake Weber, defensive linemen Justin Martindale, Ronnie Tate, Alex Filin and James Stevenson III, wide receivers Laurént Robinson and Pierre Jackson, running back Pierre Rembert, linebackers Niall Campbell, Cameron Siskowic and Marques Hawkins, and defensive backs Leon Kittrell, Lamont Lagrone and James Temple. Their accolades include: two consensus All-Americans; a two-time Walter Payton Award Watch List member; a two-time Buck Buchanan Award Watch List member; three Sports Network National Player of the Week Awards; three All-Gateway Team Selections; one Gateway Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year; one Gateway Football Conference All-Newcomer Team member and nine Gateway Football Conference Player of the Week Awards.
J.T . Snagged an INT ... Again
When junior defensive tackle Jarek Thomas picked off a shovel pass in the second quarter against Central Arkansas, it marked the first time since 2001 that a Redbird defensive lineman recorded an interception. However, Thomas topped that feat last week when he picked off a Tom Zetts offering and rumbled 28 yards for a touchdown, the first of his career. Thomas' two INTs are the most by a Redbird defensive lineman since 1974, when Rick Spain also snagged two passes.
If Hancock is a Rockin', Don't Bother Knockin'
Wins bring fans to the stadium, and the Redbirds have experienced that first hand this season as two of the top 10 crowds in Hancock Stadium history have been set in 2006. For the first time since 1970, the Redbirds drew two sellout crowds at Hancock Stadium.
Deja Vu for Rembert?
In 2005, Pierre Rembert rushed for just 20 yards on five carries against Northern Iowa before injuring his ankle and missing a game before playing Missouri State. In his return against MSU, Rembert busted out for a school record 272 yards and six touchdowns against the Bears in Springfield, Mo. Like 2005, Rembert is heading into the Missouri State game coming off a poor performance. He was held to a season low 11 yards last week against Youngstown State.
Who Were Those Redbirds?
When ISU faced off against Youngstown State last weekend just three days before Halloween, the 'Birds appeared to be disguised as a different team, particularly offensively. Heading into the game, ISU averaged 401.6 total yards of offense per game and 174.3 yards on the ground. However, against the Penguins the Redbirds amassed an uncharacteristic 161 yards of total offense, including only 18 yards rushing. ISU's offense also gained a season-low nine first downs, while posting its lowest point total in two seasons with 13.
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 1,053 yards on the season on 217 attempts with 10 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.
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 eight games, the `Birds have intercepted 13 passes, which is tied for the fourth best 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 1.6 picks per game, which would put them on pace for 17 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.
Second-Half Shutouts
All season head coach Denver Johnson has praised the conditioning of his football team and now others are taking notice. Against Western Illinois, 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 five opponents have only been able to score seven points in the fourth quarter. As a result, the Redbirds are outscoring their opponents 124-60 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 347.8 yards of total offense per game.
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 12.86 stops per contest. Despite missing the game against Eastern Illinois, due to injury, Stewart is second on the team in total tackles with 90, including 41 solo stops. Stewart also leads the Redbirds with eight tackles for loss.
The Sisko Kid Isn't Bad Either
Senior linebacker Cameron Siskowic, a 2006 Buck Buchanan Award candidate, ranks No. 2 nationally in total tackles with
12.25 tackles per game - giving the Redbirds the top two tacklers in I-AA football. Siskowic has 98 total tackles on the season, including 41 solo stops.
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 tied for No. 12 in the nation with 0.50 interceptions per game.
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 33 catches for 602 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 4,674 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 1,565 yards to move into second. In addition, his 10 completions against Youngstown State moved him ahead of Danny Barnett for fifth place on the all-time completions list with 332.
Rembert Running with Regularity
Prior to his 11 yards rushing against Youngstown State last week, Illinois State running back Pierre Rembert started the season with seven consecutive 100-yard rushing games. By rushing for 100+ yards in those seven straight games, Rembert compiled the longest such streak in ISU history, bettering four straight 100-yard rushing games by Quincy Washington, Willie Watts and Toby Davis.
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 (Boomer Grigsby won the award in 2002, 2003 and 2004) and tied the league record for consecutive league MVPs with Northern Iowa (1991-94). Both Kye Stewart and Cameron Siskowic hope to extend that ISU streak as the nation's and conference's top two tacklers.
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 tied for No. 1 nationally with a +1.25 turnover margin.
Rembert's Rave Reviews
Through eight games, his first as ISU's featured running back, Pierre Rembert has gotten two thumbs up. With 131.6 rushing yards per game, Rembert ranks No. 5 nationally among running backs. He is on pace to finish the regular season with 1,448 yards on the season, which would rank as the second 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.
Somebody's Watching
On Aug. 23, Cameron Siskowic was put on watch. Siskowic was added to the 2006 Buck Buchanan Award watch list after finishing as a finalist last season as one of the nation's top I-AA defensive players. Senior wide receiver Laurént Robinson began the 2006 campaign on the Walter Payton Award list, but due to limited action with his high-ankle sprain, Robinson was removed from the watch list on Oct. 11.
Love 'Birds
Prior to the start of fall camp, senior offensive lineman Janiah Downing proposed to his girlfriend, Illinois State volleyball player Lindley McDavid. The proposal was accepted and continued a string of Redbird football-volleyball romances. In July a pair of recent graduates, former Redbird fullback Kevin Kreger and former setter Kelly Rikli, were married, while ISU offensive coordinator Justin Fuente and his wife, Jenny, the Redbirds' assistant head volleyball coach, celebrated their first wedding anniversary.
