The Bears have six Division I-A transfers currently on their roster, as compared to the Redbirds' seven I-A transfers on their roster.
Setting a New Standard
For senior wide receiver Laurént Robinson, breaking school records is becoming routine. With his touchdown catch in the third quarter at Kansas State, Robinson became the Redbirds' all-time leader in career touchdown receptions with 23. However, he later increased his total with another TD reception in the fourth quarter, giving him 24 for his career.
Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood
Laurént Robinson has laid claim to his neighborhood - the ISU record books. Robinson already owns the school record for catches in a game (14), catches in a season (86), receiving yards in a game (292) and receiving yards in a season (1,465) and touchdown receptions in a career (24). The records that are in his sights for 2006 are: catches in a career (needs 16), receiving yards in a career (needs 354), and 100-yard games in a career (needs four).
The Sisko Kid Looks for 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). Cameron Siskowic hopes to extend that ISU streak. The senior linebacker was a finalist for the 2005 Buck Buchanan Award and led the conference in tackles with 132 and averaged 12 tackles per game. Siskowic is off to a great start in 2006, as he posted a game-high 15 tackles and added a sack against Kansas State last week in the season opener.
Consistency is Key
There are many adjectives that have been used to describe Laurént Robinson and consistent is one that often comes up. Robinson has shown he is consistent by catching a pass in at least 27 straight games, but maybe even more impressive are his eight consecutive games with six catches or more. His seven catches against Kansas State give him 73 in those eight games.
Ranking the Redbirds...
Has been a scary proposition for ISU of late, as the 'Birds have lost the last five games in which they were ranked in the national polls. Last week's loss to Kansas State extended that streak as the Redbirds were ranked No. 9 in the country heading into the game. However, ISU will look to buck the trend this week as it brings its No. 7 ranking into the home opener against Central Arkansas.
Defense Already Making Noise Nationally
Just one game into the 2006 season, the experienced Redbird defense is making a name for itself nationally. The 'Birds rank No. 9 nationally in I-AA in rushing defense thanks to allowing just 44 yards on the ground to Kansas State in the opener. In addition, Cameron Siskowic leads all of I-AA football in tackles with 15.
A Possible Change in Position?
In his first career start at defensive end, senior Ronnie Tate looked more line a defensive back than a lineman as he recorded two pass break ups against Kansas State. No, he didn't drop back in coverage, but instead batted down two Dylan Meier offerings at the line of scrimmage to record the first two PBU's of his career.
Running Rembert
Tailback Pierre Rembert had himself a running start heading into the 2006 season. Rembert totaled 357 yards rushing in the final two games last season, including a school-record 272 yards and six touchdowns at Missouri State. In his first game of 2006, Rembert kept the ball rolling with 105 yards on the ground against Kansas State on 29 carries.
The Sky's the Limit for Kye
In his previous two seasons for the Redbirds, junior linebacker Kye Stewart has emerged as a play maker on the field. However, in games against Big 12 Conference opponents, Stewart takes his game to another level. In 2005 against Iowa State, Stewart posted a career-high 13 tackles and recorded a tackle for loss in the season opener. Last week against Kansas State, Stewart tied that mark with 13 tackles, a sack and 2.5 TFL's.
27 and Counting
With his catch in the first quarter against Kansas State, Illinois State's Laurént Robinson extended his streak of having at least one catch to 27 straight games. The senior wide receiver needs three more games with a catch to claim the school mark of 29 by Vito Golson.
No Need to Get Defensive
Actually, there was a big need to get defensive against Kansas State and that's exactly what the Redbirds did. ISU's defense was stifling in Manhattan, allowing just 207 yards of total offense to their I-A counterparts. The Wildcats' 44 rushing yards on the ground gave them an average of just 1.6 yards per carry, which marked the second time ISU had held a Big 12 conference opponent to under three yards per carry rushing (Iowa State 2.2 in 2005).
Jumping out to an early lead
ISU's 3-0 lead in the first quarter against Kansas State gave the Redbirds a lead in each their last three games against Division I-A teams (Iowa State, 2005; Minnesota, 2004). Unfortunately, the Redbirds could not hold onto the leads in those games and have gone 0-3 in those contests.
Applying the Full Nelson
Kansas State quarterback Dylan Meier must have felt like he was in the infamous wrestling hold last week at the hands of sophomore free safety Tom Nelson, as he picked off two of Meier's attempts down field for the first two interceptions of his career. The first came on the very first play from scrimmage and the second was added in the second quarter.
High-Powered Offense
The Illinois State offense is high octane - just look under the hood. Since 2003, the Redbirds have averaged 424 yards of total offense per game. During that span the 'Birds have totaled 14,831 yards of total offense, or 8.42 miles. Last season, ISU's offense ranked No. 5 in the nation with 477.5 yards per game.
Making Mazur
Kevin Mazur's first quarter field goal at Kansas State was No. 10 in his career for makes. It also elevated his career field goal percentage to 71.4 percent on a 10-for-14 effort. Mazur's percentage is just two-tenths of a percentage point behind school record holder Stephen Carroll's at 71.6 percent.
Stuffing the Run
Kansas State's 44 rushing yards was the lowest by a I-A team against the Redbirds since 1987, when ISU limited Western Michigan to 33 yards in a 20-6 Redbird win on Sept. 12. It also marked the third time the 'Birds held a I-A opponent to under 100 yards rushing, the other occurred last year at Iowa State, which finished with 92 yards on the ground.
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.
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).
Notable Newcomers
Since the Gateway began recognizing an all-newcomer team in 1994, over 42 Redbirds have been cited for achievement in their first season. In 2005, running back Pierre Rembert and defensive back Tom Nelson added their names to the list.
Another One Bites the Dust
With a 61-35 dismantling of then No. 1 Southern Illinois in Carbondale and a 38-3 rout of then No. 13 Northern Iowa in Hancock Stadium, the Redbirds have beaten at least one ranked foe in eight of the last nine seasons.
Drone: A worker QB
In his first full year on the job, quarterback Luke Drone proved to be hard-working and efficient. Drone ended the season with 2,930 yards passing, the second highest total in school history, while completing a school record 64.5 percent of his passes.
Band of Brothers
The 2006 Illinois State roster sports three sets of brothers. The Redbird family includes Cameron and Kyle Siskowic, Rafael and Cortes Rice and Dan and Nick Passarelli.
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, both Laurént Robinson and Cameron Siskowic were put on watch. Robinson, a finalist for the 2005 Walter Payton Award, presented to the nation's top I-AA offensive player, was named to the initial watch list for the 2006 award. Likewise, 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.
Take me out to the Crowd
With a rowdy crowd of 47,250 fans at the newly dedicated in the Bill Snyder Family Stadium last week, it marked the third largest road crowd to ever watch the Redbirds play. All 10 games occurred at Division I venues, with the top four attendance figures being set in the last five years. Here is a list of the Redbird top road attendance figures:
Date-Opponent-Attendance
9-6-03-Illinois-56,304
9-11-04-Minnesota-34,006
8-31-02-Purdue-47,701
8-30-01-Western Michigan-33,976
9-2-06-Kansas State-47,250
9-18-99-Minnesota-33,726
9-3-05-Iowa State-44,058
9-19-98-Kansas-31,110
9-27-86-Oklahoma State-38,600
9-23-89-East Carolina-30,245
Turnover Turnaround
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 were in a stalemate with Kansas State on Saturday, as both teams committed a two turnovers each.
Mt. Martindale
Stable like a mountain, Justin Martindale returns to the Redbird defensive front for his final season. One of the conference's most underrated players, Martindale finally drew league accolades after being named to the 2006 Preseason All-Gateway Honorable Mention Team. Martindale has started and played in every game but one during his Redbird career. He has also left his mark on special teams with six blocked kicks in his first three seasons at ISU.
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.
