Redbirds Set To Open MVFC Action At Western Illinois

SETTING THE SCENE
Date: September 9, 2023
Time: 3 p.m. CT
Site: Macomb, Illinois
Stadium: Hanson Field
Capacity: 16,368
Series: WIU leads 52-50-3
Last: ILS won 20-13 in OT (Nov. 19, 2022)
Stream: ESPN+
Listen: WJBC 1230 AM / 102.1 FM / 93.7 FM / The Varsity Network

THE GAME
Longtime rivals Illinois State and Western Illinois will meet the earliest they have in a season since 1985, when the Redbirds (1-0) and Leathernecks (0-1) square off in the Missouri Valley Football Conference opener for both squads on Saturday in Macomb.

THE SERIES
Illinois State and Western Illinois will meet for the 106th time on the gridiron, with the Leathernecks holding a slight 52-50-3 advantage in the all-time series. The Redbirds have owned the series as of late, winning four of the last five meetings including a 20-13 overtime win in the season finale at Hancock Stadium last year. Overall, ISU is 13-2 against WIU under the leadership of head coach Brock Spack and have won three out of the last four meeting in Macomb.

THE COACHES
Illinois State: Brock Spack (Purdue, 1983) is in his 15th season as the head coach at Illinois State (96-65). 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.

Western Illinois: Myers Hendrickson (Western Illinois, 2012) is in his second season as head coach of his alma mater (0-12).  Prior to returning to Macomb prior to the 2022 season, Hendrickson led Kansas Wesleyan University to an overall record of 30-4 as head coach, which included two Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) championship titles in 2021 and 2019.

THE REDBIRD FOOTBALL PROGRAM

• 8 FCS playoff appearances (1998, 1999, 2006, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019)
• 6-time FCS quarterfinalists (1999, 2006, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2019)
• 2-time FCS semifinalists (1999, 2014)
• The team is 60-20 at home under Spack's guidance
• ISU is 43-14 at Hancock Stadium since 2013 renovation

THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT

• Western Illinois University is located in Macomb, Illinois, and has an enrollment of 5,543. The Leathernecks are members of the Missouri Valley Football Conference and play their home games at Hanson Field (16,368).
• WIU was 0-11 overall in 2022, finishing last in the MVFC in head coach Myers Hendrickson's first year at the helm of the program.
• Phil Steele selected five Leathernecks as part of his Missouri Valley Football Conference Preseason teams. Defensive back JJ Ross earned a second-team nod, linebacker and returning leading tackler Juan DelaCruz landed on the third team, and running back Ludovick Choquette, defensive lineman Jake Detiveaux and all-purpose player Taj Sanders were also recognized.
• Western Illnois opened the 2023 season on the road, making the long trip to New Mexico State and after playing NMSU close to even in the first half, the Aggies took control of the game in the second half picking up a 58-21 win.
• Quarterback Matt Morrissey completed 16 passes for 215 yards with a pair of touchdown passes, and running back Ludovick Choquette ran for 37 yards and a touchdown for the Leathernecks.
• Safety Bradyn Smith recorded a career-high in tackles, finishing with 13, and newcomer KJ Coleman added six tackles to pace the WIU defense against the Aggies.

LAST TIME VS. THE LEATHERNECKS (11/19/2022)
Overtime was needed to decide the outcome between Illinois State and Western Illinois, as an eight-yard touchdown run by ISU quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse proved to be the deciding score when the WIU offense was shut down as the Redbirds secured the 20-13 overtime victory over the Leathernecks on Senior Day. All-American and Buck Buchanan Award winner Zeke Vandenburgh turned in the best performance of his career in his final game in a Redbird uniform, recording career-highs in tackles (17), sacks (3.5) and TFLs (4.0).

SUCCESS IN HOME OPENERS
The Redbirds have been very good at home under the leadership of head coach Brock Spack, especially in the home opener each season. Thanks to their dominant 41-0 win over the Flyers to open the 2023 slate, ISU is now 14-1 in the first game of the season at Hancock Stadium under the leadership of head coach Brock Spack. That mark also includes another season-opening win over Dayton by a score of 56-14 in 2012.

A PLETHORA OF OPTIONS IN THE BACKFIELD
Throughout the preseason, Illinois State head coach Brock Spack touted the talent group of running backs the Redbirds had on their roster. Touting Cole Muller, Wenkers Wright and transfer Mason Blakemore as each having the potential to be a No. 1 back, the trio certainly validated his claims in the season opener against Dayton. Each found the endzone once and combined for 163 yards on just 13 carries in a dominant effort for the Redbirds. Blakemore led the way with 75 yards on four carries, including a 71-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Wright scored the game's final touchdown and finished with 59 yards on four carries with a long of 48 yards and Mueller started the day's scoring with a 4-yard score while averaging 5.8 yards per carry on the day.

SPACK NEARING THE CENTURY MARK
Now in his 15th season at the helm of the Illinois State football program, Brock Spack is nearing a significant milestone in his coaching career. Already Illinois State's program wins record holder, Spack is rolling through the 2023 campaign four wins away from the century mark in his career. With an overall record of 96-65 (.596), Spack would become just the fourth head coach in Missouri Valley Conference history with 100 wins at a member school. With five more league victories, Spack would also move into a tie for third in MVFC history for most wins by a MVFC head coach.

THE STREAK CONTINUES
Redbird teams have been very successful in scoring on defense under the leadership of head coach Brock Spack. Thanks to the recovery of a bad snap in the end zone for a touchdown against Dayton, the Redbirds extended their streak to 15 seasons straight with at least one defensive score.

DEFENSE POSTS THE SHUTOUT
For the first time since 2018, the Illinois State defense was able to hold their opponents scoreless as the Redbirds defeated the Dayton Flyers 41-0 in the season opener. The previous shutout came during the 2018 season opener against Saint Xavier, which was a 46-0 win for ISU. The Flyers had chances, missing a pair of field goals in the loss, but the Redbird defense was able to hold the rest of the way for their first blanking in five seasons.

NIEKAMP TO THE RESCUE
Starting in his first career game at middle linebacker, Tye Niekamp led the Redbird defense with a strong effort in a 41-0 win over the Dayton Flyers. The redshirt freshman from Normal, Illinois, was forced into action due to injury and made the most of his opportunity by leading the team with nine tackles, a half sack and two tackles for loss in the victory over Dayton. Niekamp was also credited with a pass breakup in the shutout win for the Redbirds.

ANNEXSTAD ON TARGET
Quarterback Zack Annexstad and the Redbird offense came out firing and scored on five of the first six drives of the game in a 41-0 rout of Dayton in the season opener. The sixth-year senior completed finished the game 23-for-30 (76.6 percent) while throwing for 255 yards and a touchdown, highlighted by a 47-yard touchdown strike to wideout Daniel Sobkowicz.