SETTING THE SCENE
Date: October 15, 2022
Time: 2 p.m. CT
Site: Normal, Illinois
Stadium: Hancock Stadium
Capacity: 13,391
Series: ILS leads 7-2
Last: ILS won 20-14 (Oct. 23, 2021)
Stream: ESPN3
Listen: WJBC 1230 AM / 102.1 FM / 93.7 FM / The Varsity Network
THE GAME
Coming off a big road win last weekend at UNI, Illinois State returns home to host South Dakota for Homecoming at Hancock Stadium. The Redbirds (3-2, 1-1 MVFC) will welcome in the Coyotes (1-4, 0-2 MVFC) as well as thousands of ISU alumni and fans for the annual festivities, which includes the induction of the 2022 ISU Athletics Percy Family Hall of Fame class that features Redbirds greats Marshaun Coprich and Coach Mike Zimmer.
THE SERIES
Illinois State and South Dakota will meet for the 10th time on the gridiron. ISU leads the all-time series 7-2, with the first game between the two programs dating back to 2011 just before the Coyotes joined the MVFC. The Redbirds won the first five games in the series overall, but the two teams have split the last four meetings with the Coyotes winning at ISU in 2021 during the spring COVID season and the 'Birds winning at USD last October.
THE COACHES
Illinois State: Brock Spack (Purdue, 1983) is in his 14th season as the head coach at Illinois State (92-62). Spack guided the Redbirds to back-to-back shares of the MVFC title in 2014-15 and an appearance in the 2014 FCS Championship game. He has led the ISU to five playoff appearances overall and became the program's all-time wins leader in 2021.
South Dakota: Bob Nielson (Wartburg, 1987) is in his 7th season as head coach at South Dakota (30-38) and his 30th year as a collegiate head coach (216-118-1). One of 11 active coaches in college football with 200 wins, Nielson has led the Coyotes to the playoffs twice in the last four years including last year, when USD went 7-5 overall and fell to SIU in the playoffs.
THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT
- The University of South Dakota is located in Vermillion, South Dakota, and has an enrollment of 9,920. The Coyotes are members of the Missouri Valley Football Conference and play their home games at the DakotaDome (9,100).
- The Coyotes are 1-4 on the year, starting the year with losses at Kansas State and No. 2/3 Montana before they picked up a home win on September 17 against Cal-Poly. USD then had to play the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the FCS and suffered setbacks to North Dakota State and South Dakota State in the past two games.
- Local product Carson Camp leads the way for the Coyote offense at quarterback. The Normal Community West product has completed 56.4 percent of his passes on the season, throwing for 777 yards and four touchdowns while also running for another. Camp is just a couple games removed from a career-high 355-yard and three-touchdown performance in the USD win against Cal Poly.
- Stephen Hillis is the second-leading tackler in the Valley at 10.0 tackles per game, behind Illinois State linebacker Zeke Vandenburgh (10.4). He has played in 33 consecutive games, and returned to the field after an injury to record 11 tackles in a start against NDSU. He is one of six Coyotes to record a sack on the season and ranks second on the team with 4.5 TFLs.
LAST TIME VS. COYOTES (10/23/2021)
A big interception by senior Jarrell Jackson with under two minutes remaining in the game sealed a 20-14 win for Illinois State over No. 15 ranked South Dakota (5-3, 3-2 MVFC) on the road in Vermillion. Early in the second quarter, running back Cole Mueller busted loose up the middle on the first play from scrimmage for a 69-yard touchdown run to extend the ISU lead to 10-0 and a 26-yard pick six by linebacker Kenton Wilhoit in the third quarter gave the Redbirds a 20-7 lead at the time. The defense held on late, as the Redbirds picked up a key road victory.
WHAT A DEBUT
Kicker Ian Wagner returned from injury quicker than most expected and made the most of his opportunity against UNI, connecting on three field goals including the would-be game winner against the Panthers. Wagner, who missed the first four games of the season due to injury, competed in his first game as a Redbird and connected on 3-of-4 field goal attempts. He connected from 33 yards in the first quarter to put the Redbirds back in the lead and extended the advantage to six points as time expired in the first half on a 25-yard make. His final make of the game, which came from a career-long 41 yards, proved to be the difference for the Redbirds in the 23-21 defeat of the Panthers. For his efforts, Wagner was named the MVFC co-Newcomer of the Week.
FEELING THE PRESSURE
The Illinois State defense currently ranks No. 17 in the country in total defense (and third in the MVFC) and much of that is do to the amount of success the Redbirds have had getting to the quarterback. ISU ranks No. 6 in the country in team sacks per game with nearly four per contest, and have a total of 19 on the year. A total of seven of those have come from linebacker Zeke Vandenburgh, but the pressure has come from everywhere with 10 players on the defense with at least a half sack on the year.
WELCOME HOME
The annual ISU Homecoming game is always a festive time and one that most Redbird fans mark their calendar with every year. This year, when the Redbirds welcome in the Coyotes for Homecoming 2022, they will do so with a lot of recent success in Homecoming contests. Since ISU head coach Brock Spack took over the program, the Redbirds are 9-3 overall on the annual alumni reunion weekend. Since the stadium renovation in 2013, ISU is 6-2 with both of the losses coming to Top-25 ranked teams in No. 13 Youngstown State (2016) and last year to No. 3 North Dakota State. This year, the Redbirds also get to welcome back two of their very own as members of the 2022 ISU Athletics Percy Family Hall of Fame class in Marshaun Coprich and Coach Mike Zimmer.
CONVERTING WHEN IT COUNTS
Keeping drives alive was crucial to the Redbirds' success in the victory at UNI, as the converted at an eye-popping level against the Panthers. ISU finished the game 13-for-20 on third down and 2-for-2 on fourth down conversions against UNI, which ultimately led to the two-point win for the 'Birds. With that success on third down, the Redbirds now rank No. 16 in the country in third-down conversion percentage at .487, which ranks third among teams in the MVFC.
NO BONES ABOUT IT
The Redbird offense was clicking on all cylinders in its win at Northern Iowa, and much of that had to do with a strong game up front for the offensive line led by senior Drew Bones. For his efforts, Bones was named the Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Lineman of the Week by the league office. Bones and the rest of the Redbird protection unit did not allow a sack to the Panthers and helped the Redbirds outgain UNI by a total of 409-366 overall. Bones graded out at 89 percent in the contest and was credited with four knockdowns, no missed assignments and did not allow any pressures on quarterback Zack Annexstad.
ZEKE THE FREAK
For the third time in just four games played, Illinois State senior linebacker Zeke Vandenburgh was named the Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Week following his performance against Southern Illinois. Vandenburgh tied his career high with 14 tackles against the Salukis and finished the game with a sack and 3.5 tackles-for-loss. In five games, Vandenburgh leads Redbirds in tackles (52), sacks (7) and tackles-for-loss (11.5) on the season, all of which rank first in the MVFC, and he currently ranks No. 2 in the FCS in sacks and tackles for loss per game.
A FIRST FOR LAMPKIN
Injuries to the top two tailbacks for Illinois State have opened up opportunities for other running backs to make contributions, and against Southern Illinois it was Rashad Lampkin who came up big. Down 19-0, the Redbirds needed a score and it was Lampkin who put the 'Birds on the board, as he hauled in a 6-yard touchdown pass from Zack Annexstad out of the backfield to kickstart the Redbird offense. Lampkin also carried the ball seven times, as four different backs shared carries against the Salukis.
SOBKOWICZ ON SCHOLARSHIP
Former walk-on wide receiver Daniel Sobkowicz earned a scholarship prior to the start of the season and he is proving why Coach Spack made that decision. In an offense where seven different players have at least eight receptions on the year, Sobkowicz has stood out as he is tied for the team lead with two touchdowns on the year and ranks second on the team with 150 yards.
THE STREAK CONTINUES
Redbird teams have been very successful in scoring on defense under the leadership of head coach Brock Spack. Thanks to a pair of pick six returns against Eastern Illinois, the Redbirds extended their streak to 14 seasons straight with at least one defensive score. Of note, linebacker Kenton Wilhoit had an INT return for a touchdown in the 2021 spring and fall seasons and could extend his own streak with another in 2022.
