South Dakota State: John Stiegelmeier (South Dakota State, 1979) is in his 12th season at his alma mater and owns a 73-55 (.570) record with the Jackrabbits. SDSU is his only head coaching position after serving as an assistant coach at Northern Iowa, Northern State, Wisconsin and South Dakota State.
- Illinois State was home to the Missouri Valley Football Conference's Defensive Player of the Year each season from 2002-06.
- The Redbirds had at least one player selected in the NFL Draft each year from 2005-07.
- In each of the past three years, ISU student-athletes have contributed more than 2,000 hours of community service to the Bloomington-Normal area.
- Redbird student-athletes posted a school-record 3.05 cumulative grade-point average (GPA) during the fall 2007 semester.
THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT
- South Dakota State is located in Brookings, S.D., and has an enrollment of 11,706. The Jackrabbits are members of the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
- The Jackrabbits return 14 starters, including six on offense, from a team that posted a 7-4 record last season. TIES WITH THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT
- South Dakota State head coach John Stiegelmeier was a graduate assistant coach at Missouri Valley Football Conference member Northern Iowa in 1981. Illinois State and Northern Iowa did not meet that season.
- Nathan Moe, head strength and conditioning coach at South Dakota State, formerly directed the strength and conditioning program at Eastern Illinois, a longtime rival of Illinois State. In fact, the Illinois State-Eastern Illinois rivalry is the oldest in the state of Illinois and the 13th-oldest at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level. ISU was 2-1 against EIU during Moe's time with the Panthers (2002-04).
- Moe shares another common bond with Illinois State in that he graduated from the same university (Minnesota State-Moorhead) that current Redbird wide receiver Eyad Salem began his collegiate career at. Moe graduated from MSU-Moorhead in 1997, while Salem attended the same university in 2005.
- South Dakota State President Dr. David Chicoine earned a master's of arts degree from Valley Football Conference member Western Illinois, while he completed his Ph.D. in agricultural economics at the University of Illinois. Chicoine also previously served as a vice president at Illinois prior to becoming the SDSU President.
SALEM JOINS CENTURY CLUB
With a 186-yard receiving performance last Saturday, junior wideout Eyad Salem joined the 1,000-yard club at Illinois State. Salem now owns 1,037 career receiving yards and became the 17th player in Illinois State history to post 1,000 receiving yards in a career.
ROAD WARRIORS
Since 2005, the Redbirds have had reasonable success on the road. In the last 20 games away from Normal, Ill., ISU owns a 11-9 mark, including victories this season at Murray State and Indiana State.
BATTLE IN THE BADLANDS
In the 113-year history of Illinois State football, the Redbirds have never played a game in the state of South Dakota.
TURNING OVER THE TURNOVERS
Illinois State has ranked near the bottom nationally all season in turnover ratio, but for first time this season, the Redbirds were turnover-free against Youngstown State last Saturday. The game also marked only the second time this season where the Redbirds had fewer turnovers than their opponents. The first time was the season-opener at Marshall. With ISU's zero turnovers last Saturday, the Redbirds now rank No. 111 nationally in turnover margin (1-1.13).
SURVIVING A SLUGFEST
The offenses of Illinois State and Youngstown State went toe-to-toe last Saturday at Hancock Stadium. After a combined 98 points and 1,057 yards of total offense, the Redbirds stood on top with a 54-44 victory. The 44 points were the most allowed by Illinois State this season and the most allowed in an ISU win since the Redbirds topped Southern Illinois, 55-48, Oct. 23, 1999.
ALL-AMERICAN U.
ISU has produced at least one All-American player in 22 of the last 25 seasons. Over the last eight seasons, 30 players from 12 different positions have been honored. Kye Stewart was an All-America selection in 2007.
FOURTH-QUARTER POINTS = ILLINOIS STATE WINS
For the third time this season, Illinois State notched a high-scoring fourth quarter in last Saturday's victory over Youngstown State. In each of the three games where the Redbirds have scored at least two touchdowns in the final quarter, a win has resulted for Illinois State. ISU has scored a total of 65 points this season in the fourth quarter and 56 of those points have come in wins over Murray State (14), Indiana State (21) and Youngstown State (21).
OPPONENT FOURTH-QUARTER POINTS = ILLINOIS STATE LOSSES
Illinois State opponents have scored 83 fourth-quarter points this season, but there is quite a discrepancy in fourth-quarter scoring in the Redbird losses. In the five ISU defeats, the Redbirds have been outscored 56-9 in the fourth quarter.
HE WASN'T SHOOTING BLANKS
Heading into last Saturday's game against Youngstown State, senior defensive end Adam Blankenship's numbers were anything but impressive. In seven games, with seven starts, Blankenship totaled 11 tackles without a quarterback sack or a tackle-for-loss. That all changed against YSU, as Blankenship recorded a career-high five tackles and 2.5 tackles-for-loss. He also added a team-high three quarterback hurries.
OVERCOMING OPPONENT'S OFFENSIVE ONSLAUGHT
Not only did the Redbirds post a victory over Youngstown State last Saturday, Illinois State overcame 544 yards of total offense by the Penguins. The 544 yards of total offense were the most by an opponent in a Redbird win since Missouri State totaled 581 yards in ISU's 48-43 victory in Springfield, Mo., Nov. 8, 2003.
OFFENSE! OFFENSE! GET YOUR OFFENSE!
This season, the Redbirds are averaging 383.6 yards of total offense per game. That figure currently ranks No. 8 in school history for offensive production in a season. If this average continues, eight of the top-10 total offense season averages will have occurred in Denver Johnson's tenure at Illinois State.
GETTING OFF THE SCHNEID
With the 54-44 victory over Youngstown State, Illinois State posted its first home victory of the season. After losing its first three home games, ISU is now 1-3 at Hancock Stadium this season. The Redbirds also avoided their first winless home campaign since the 1965 season, when ISU went 0-4 at Hancock.
WHAT A RUSH
Through eight games, the Redbirds are averaging 4.68 yards per rush attempt. The per carry average currently ranks as the fourth-best average in school history. It would only trail the 2003 (5.11 ypc.), 2000 (4.73 ypc.) and 1999 (4.71 ypc.) seasons.
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE RUN
If love makes the world go round, running the ball does the same for the Illinois State football program. In Illinois State's three victories this season, the Redbirds have averaged 291.7 yards per game. In the five losses, ISU is averaging 153.6 yards on the ground.
THE THREE DEGREES OF ST-PIERRE
While Jonathan St-Pierre is in his third season with the Redbirds, he has already walked across the stage to receive two degrees, a bachelor's in economics from Illinois State and a bachelor's degree in business administration from Miami (Fla.). The Longueuil, Quebec, Canada, native is on pace to finish with three degrees by the time he leaves ISU in 2009. He is currently working on his master's degree in economics and is on target to have it completed in May 2009. In addition to three degrees, St-Pierre was also selected in the second round of the 2008 Canadian Football League Draft by the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
IT'S IN THEIR BLOOD ... THE NFL, THAT IS
Your upbringing plays a central role in the type of person you grow up to be, and in the case of three current Redbirds, their upbringing as collegiate football players includes NFL ties. Redshirt freshman quarterback Drew Kiel's uncle, Blair Kiel, had a seven-year career in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts, after starring at Notre Dame. Cornerback Kelvyn Hemphill also comes from an NFL bloodline, as his father, Darryl Hemphill, was drafted by the New York Jets and played one season with the Baltimore Colts. In addition, quarterback Preston Earl is the son of former Chicago Bear fullback Robin Earl.
 | ABOUT THE OFFENSE |
- Under head coach Denver Johnson, Illinois State has produced the single-season record holder in both rushing and receiving, along with the No. 1 career receiver, the No. 2 career passer and the No. 2 career rusher.
- Illinois State has scored at least one touchdown in every game dating back to Nov. 20, 2004 (43-straight games).
- Under Johnson, ISU has rushed for at least 200 yards 42 times, including 28 times since 2003.
- During the same time, the Redbird offense has totaled 23 games with 500 or more yards of total offense and 15 games with 300 or more passing yards.
PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE
By being an unselfish player and waiting for his opportunity, senior Walter Mendenhall and the Redbirds were rewarded last Saturday against Youngstown State. In his first-career start with the Redbirds, Mendenhall rushed for a season-best 225 yards on 35 carries. His rushing total was the fifth-best by a Redbird in the Denver Johnson-era and it was his second 100-yard rushing game of the season.
SALEM'S LOT
The football seems to be gravitating toward junior wide receiver Eyad Salem. He has led the Redbirds in receiving in six of the first eight games. In his last 11 games for the Redbirds, dating back to last season, he has recorded 58 catches for 892 yards, while scoring eight touchdowns. Included in this span was last Saturday's performance against Youngstown State. Salem hauled in eight catches for 186 yards and two touchdowns. His 186 receiving yards was the fourth-best effort in the Denver Johnson-era at Illinois State.
THE REDBIRD 500
An offensive milestone that has nearly become a standard in the Denver Johnson tenure at Illinois State is 500 yards of total offense. Yes, 500 yards of total offense. With 513 yards against Youngstown State last Saturday, it marked the second time this season that the Redbirds totaled 500-plus yards of offense in a single game. In his tenure at ISU, Johnson coached teams have posted 500-yard games 23 times.
SILENCING THE NAY-SAYERS
As a first-year starter, senior quarterback Kevin Brockway has learned the hard way about the controversy that surrounds the quarterback position. Brockway also learned last Saturday against Youngstown State that the best way to silence the critics is with a good performance. In his best performance as a Redbird starter, Brockway passed for 283 yards and two touchdowns, while leading ISU to a 54-44 victory over the Penguins. Brockway completed 17-of-24 passes and did not throw an interception.
FIFTY-FIFTY
For the second time this season and the ninth time in Denver Johnson's tenure, the Redbird offense scored 50 points in a single game. Illinois State downed Youngstown State, 54-44, last Saturday, after defeating Indiana State, 57-6, earlier this season.
BIG GAINERS
Quarterback Kevin Brockway has followed in Luke Drone's footsteps more than just literally. Brockway, like his predecessor, has had his own successes with the big play. Of his 111 completions, 14 have been for 20-plus yards. He is averaging 6.3 yards per pass, which currently ranks No. 12 in ISU history for a season. His targets have been Kelvin Chandler and Eyad Salem. Chandler currently ranks No. 17 all-time in Redbird history with 15.68 yards per catch, while Salem is No. 20 with 15.18 yards per grab.
TRIPLE PLAY
With three rushing touchdowns last Saturday versus Youngstown State, senior Walter Mendenhall became the first Redbird running back to rush for three touchdowns in a game, since current teammate Geno Blow had three scores at Missouri State last season (Oct. 6, 2007). As a result, Mendenhall has claimed the team lead for rushing touchdowns with seven on the season.
BLOW-ING INTO THE TOP-FIVE
It all started last season when junior tailback Geno Blow burst onto the Valley Football scene with five-straight 100-yard rushing games. Now, after his second 100-yard rushing game of the 2008 season, a season-high 140-yard effort against Missouri State, Blow has moved into a three-way tie for fifth all-time at Illinois State in career 100-yard rushing games with seven. The junior from Seabrook, Texas, has a way to go to break the ISU career 100-yard rushing game record, which was set at 17 by Toby Davis (1989-92).
| ABOUT THE DEFENSE |
- Illinois State returns eight starters from a defense that ranked No. 102 last season nationally among 116 teams. The Redbirds allowed 427.9 yards per game, including 230.1 yards per game rushing. The ISU rushing defense ranked No. 110 nationally.
- Assistant coach David Ross enters his first season as the defensive coordinator at Illinois State and his third with the Redbird staff.
- In the Denver Johnson-era, the Redbird defense has held its opponent without a touchdown eight times, including once this season in the 57-6 win at Indiana State.
- This season at Indiana State, the Redbird defense held the Sycamores to 113 yards of total offense, which is the lowest team yardage allowed by the 'Birds in a Missouri Valley Football Conference game.
PASSED, BUT NOT BEAT
Last Saturday, Youngstown State totaled 44 points, 544 yards of total offense and 347 passing yards. Those numbers would make any defensive coach cringe and the statistics usually point to a defeat. But that wasn't the case. Instead, the Redbirds posted a 54-44 victory, and gave head coach Denver Johnson only his second victory at Illinois State when a Redbird opponent passes for more than 300 yards. Johnson and the Redbirds are now 2-11 when an opponent passes for 300-plus yards. The other win was a 48-43 victory at Missouri State Nov. 8, 2003, when the Bears passed for 460 yards in the loss.
YOU CAN'T KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN
Two weeks ago, junior cornerback Jason Tate left the North Dakota State game via ambulance after a vicious hit. Despite not practicing the entire week, Tate returned to the field seven days later against Youngstown State and intercepted a pair of Penguin passes. As if this story isn't amazing enough, the interceptions were only the second and third by the Redbirds this season.
THE HALL MONITOR
An individual charged with keeping order in school corridors, the Redbirds had their own "hall monitor" of sorts in Khenon Hall against Youngstown State last Saturday. Hall finished with a team-high and career-best 13 tackles, including 2.5 tackles-for-loss. His biggest stop behind the line of scrimmage occurred in the fourth quarter with 11:40 left in the game. With YSU trailing 40-37, and facing a fourth-and-one situation on the 50-yard line, Hall stopped the Penguins' Dana Brown three yards behind the line of scrimmage. The defensive stop resulted in another Redbird offensive touchdown and a 47-37 lead.
TOTAL RECALL
Over the first four games of the season, the Redbirds held their opponents to under 400 yards of total offense in each contest. Unfortunately, for ISU, that scenario has not been the case in the last four games. UNI started the trend Oct. 11 when it gained a then-season-high 416 yards of total offense against the Redbirds, only to be outdone by Missouri State's season-high 444 yards of total offense against ISU. Both marks were topped when North Dakota State posted 479 yards of total offense against ISU, but all totals were downed last Saturday when Youngstown State gained 544 yards of offense against the Redbirds.
WHO'S GOT NEXT?
For the last six seasons, the Missouri Valley Football Conference's top tackler has worn an Illinois State uniform. Three-time league defensive player of the year Boomer Grigsby set the stage by leading the conference in stops in 2002, 2003 and 2004. Former Redbird linebacker Cameron Siskowic followed suit with back-to-back tackle titles in 2005 and 2006, and Kye Stewart led the league last season with 131 stops. Kelvyn Hemphill was the odds-on-favorite after leading the Redbirds in stops in five of the first eight games of the 2008 season, but has been slowed the last two weeks with a shoulder injury. He ranks tied for No. 40 nationally and is tied for fourth in the Valley with his nine stops per game average.
THE BUCK STOPS HERE
The Buck Buchanan Award is presented annually by The Sports Network to the nation's best NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) defensive player. When acquiring a list of potential candidates, or a watch list, Illinois State is as good of place to start as any. Since 2002, the Redbirds have had one player finish in the top-five of the Buck Buchanan Award voting in each season. Even though Illinois State hasn't been able to claim the top honor, a Redbird has finished second twice and third twice. Here is a list of ISU's Buck Buchanan Award finalists:
- 2002 - Boomer Grigsby (LB) - Third
- 2003 - Boomer Grigsby (LB) - Second
- 2004 - Boomer Grigsby (LB) - Third
- 2005 - Brent Hawkins (DE) - Second; Cameron Siskowic (LB) - 13th
- 2006 - Cameron Siskowic (LB) - Fifth
- 2007 - Kye Stewart (LB) - Fourth
| ABOUT THE SPECIAL TEAMS |
- Under head coach Denver Johnson, Illinois State has scored five touchdowns on special teams, with two punt returns, including Tom Nelson's 82-yard return this season at Murray State; two kick returns, including Chris Garrett's 93-yard return this season against Youngstown State; and one via a blocked punt. The Redbirds also have one extra-point return during that time.
- The Redbirds have blocked 24 kicks since 2000, including a blocked extra point this season by Michael Rhines against North Dakota State.
GARRETT'S GRAND ENTRANCE
Due to a roster shift, junior Chris Garrett found himself as a first-tier kick returner in last Saturday's game against Youngstown State. Garrett probably made himself a mainstay by returning four kickoffs for 150 yards, including a 93-yard touchdown return in the fourth quarter. It was the first Redbird kickoff returned for a touchdown since LaShawn Bullock did it, also against Youngstown State, Oct. 23, 2004. It was also only the second kickoff returned for a touchdown in the Denver Johnson-era.
MAKING PR WORK FOR YOU
Entering Saturday's game at South Dakota State, the Redbirds, thanks to their PR (punt return) practitioner Tom Nelson, rank No. 2 nationally in the FCS in punt return average. The Redbirds are averaging 21.5 yards per game, and Nelson leads the team in punt returns with 22.0 yards per return.
NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED
Since the Redbirds have ranked among the national leaders in punt returns all season, ISU opponents haven't given the Redbirds and Tom Nelson a lot of chances to return punts. In the last four games, the Redbirds have one punt return for three yards. As a result, Nelson who was the nation's individual leader in punt returns has dropped out of the ranking because he doesn't meet the minimum number of returns.
PRETTY GOOD WITH THE NET
Illinois State ranks No. 1 nationally in net punting with 37.9 yards per kick, which is also tops in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Much of this can be attributed to Bobby Kelsey's 42.7 punting average, which ranks No. 10 nationally, but it also shows that the Redbird punt coverage team is getting downfield and making tackles.
IT TAKES SOMEONE SPECIAL
Illinois State has had a total of 27 players record at least one tackle this season on special teams. Those 27 players have racked up a total of 83 tackles, but it is the effort of one player that has stood out from everyone: junior cornerback Jason Tate. The Lake Mary, Fla., native has totaled a team-high 10 special-teams tackles this season, all on kickoff returns, and is seventh on the team in total tackles with 33. Just behind Tate is Clifton Gordon with eight special-teams tackles, while Ray Sankey has seven. Gordon leads the team on punt coverage with five tackles.
A FULL NELSON
Well, it was almost the full length of the field, when senior Tom Nelson returned a punt 82 yards for a touchdown at Murray State. It was Illinois State's first punt-return touchdown since Joe Walkins ran in a 52-yard punt return for a touchdown against Youngstown State Oct. 23, 2004. Nelson's punt return also marked the fourth-longest in Illinois State history and the second-longest to be returned for a touchdown.
KELSEY GETS HIS KICKS
Illinois State's Bobby Kelsey is in his final season with the Redbirds. Kelsey started his ISU career as a field-goal kicker, but has evolved into one of the conference's top punters.
- Kelsey currently ranks No. 10 nationally and No. 2 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference in punting with 42.7 yards per punt.
- Kelsey ranks No. 3 in school history with a 40.13 career punting average.
- He has accumulated 4,816 yards on 120 punts during his career, including 77 yards on one punt earlier this season at Murray State, his career long.
- In his career, Kelsey has pinned 40 punts inside the 20-yard line, had 17 punts total 50 yards or more and had 25 called for a fair catch. He has also never had a punt blocked.
- Kelsey has also been willing to go downfield and make the tackle during his career. Kelsey has posted 25 tackles as a Redbird, including 16 solo stops.
