CARBONDALE, Ill. — In a crisp, 58-play scrimmage on Saturday at Saluki Stadium, the Southern Illinois offense had success running the football, while the defense had the upper hand versus the pass and also forced two turnovers.
The running back duo of Daquan Isom and Nate Strong averaged just over five yards per carry today and neither player was stopped for negative yardage. Isom rushed 12 times for 60 yards and scored the only touchdown of the scrimmage when he broke two tackles and scampered into the end zone from 12 yards out on the final play.
“As the scrimmage went on, I realized there were some holes I could make happen if I hit them and made the right move,” said Isom, a 5-foot-8 senior, who led the team in rushing last season with 491 yards.
A transfer from Missouri, Strong carried five times for 26 yards and showed flashes of why he originally signed with a Southeastern Conference power.
“He’s looked better every single day,” said head coach Nick Hill. “He’s just learning the plays and getting in football shape. He didn’t play last season and he tweaked a muscle in winter conditioning so he didn’t get a full winter conditioning. You can see him starting to grasp it and what he could be.”
The field general for the offense this season will be senior quarterback Sam Straub, who completed 7-of-17 passes for 71 yards, but made several impressive throws on a cold, rainy day that showed he’s fully recovered from a wrist injury that prematurely ended his 2017 season. Hill called Straub his “assistant offensive coordinator.”
“He has great control of the offense,” Hill said. “Now, it’s got to be the fine details. He’s a really intelligent quarterback and can even take it a step further of seeing things and getting us in the right plays.”
Straub’s best pass was a 41-yard completion to wide receiver Raphael Leonard, a perfectly thrown deep ball down the right sideline. He later threw an interception in the end zone, though the ball was on target and bounced off the helmet of receiver Matt Quarells into the hands of safety Michael Elbert.
Southern’s four quarterbacks combined to complete 14-of-27 passes and five catches were made by sophomore E’Mare Hogan. He hauled in a 27-yarder over the middle on a pass from Stone Labanowitz.
“He’s an entirely different E’mare from the fall to the spring,” Hill said. “You can see what he can be. He’s an elite-level athlete and probably the fastest player on our team.”
The defense was stingy in the passing game, though, allowing eight yards per catch and few yards after the catch. Junior cornerback Tory Lewis had two pass break-ups, and the secondary, in general, kept separation to a minimum.
“Tory is playing at the best level he’s played since he’s been here,” Hill said. “We’re letting (the corners) do a little more pressing, getting their hands on receivers. All of them are so physical, none of them are small, they’re all big, long arms. That can cause problems when you come up and challenge receivers. It’s been a good battle.”
In addition to the interception, Elbert led the defense with seven tackles. The unit had 11 tackles for loss in the scrimmage, including four sacks. Linebacker Bryce Notree had a strip-sack of Labanowitz.
“The defense has come out every single day with an intensity that I like,” Hill said. “They fly around, play with a lot of energy, they’re physical and they can run.”
The scrimmage was the first of three, full-contact scrimmages during spring ball, in which college teams can practice 15 times. SIU completed its seventh practice today and has another scrimmage scheduled next Saturday at 10 a.m., plus the annual Spring Game at 2 p.m. on April 7.
RUSHING
Daquan Isom: 12-60, 1 TD
Nate Strong: 5-26
Chris Perkins: 4-9
Brandon George: 4-9
Stone Labanowitz: 2-6
Matt DeSomer: 1-4
D.J. Hampton: 1-0
PASSING
Sam Straub: 7-17, 71 yards, 1 INT
Stone Labanowitz: 3-4, 40 yards
Brandon George: 4-6, 9 yards
RECEIVING
E’Mare Hogan: 5-45
Raphael Leonard: 2-44
Sam Bonansinga: 2-0
Sam Thompson: 1-15
Landon Lenoir: 1-10
Matt Quarells: 1-6
Hunter Milligan: 1-0
DEFENSE
Michael Elbert: 7 T, 1 INT
Bryce Notree: 5 T, 2 TFL, 1 Sack, 1 Forced Fumble
Jaylen Waters: 5 T
Raquan Lindsey: 4 T, 2 TFL, 1 Sack
Withney Simon: 4 T, 1 TFL
Jeremy Chinn: 3 T, 1 TFL
Tory Lewis: 3 T, 2 PBU
Qua Brown: 3 T, 1 TFL
Bryson Strong: 3 T
Titus Booker: 3 T
ZeVeyon Furcron: 2 T
Airan Reed: 2 T, 2 TFL, 1 Sack
Anthony Knighton: 2 T, 1 TFL
James Ceasar: 2 T
Travis Pickert: 2 T, 2 TFL, 1 Sack, 1 PBU
Luke Giegling: 1 T
Jaylin Wilson: 1 T
Coleton Jeralds: 1 T
Nick Raby: 1 T
The running back duo of Daquan Isom and Nate Strong averaged just over five yards per carry today and neither player was stopped for negative yardage. Isom rushed 12 times for 60 yards and scored the only touchdown of the scrimmage when he broke two tackles and scampered into the end zone from 12 yards out on the final play.
“As the scrimmage went on, I realized there were some holes I could make happen if I hit them and made the right move,” said Isom, a 5-foot-8 senior, who led the team in rushing last season with 491 yards.
A transfer from Missouri, Strong carried five times for 26 yards and showed flashes of why he originally signed with a Southeastern Conference power.
“He’s looked better every single day,” said head coach Nick Hill. “He’s just learning the plays and getting in football shape. He didn’t play last season and he tweaked a muscle in winter conditioning so he didn’t get a full winter conditioning. You can see him starting to grasp it and what he could be.”
The field general for the offense this season will be senior quarterback Sam Straub, who completed 7-of-17 passes for 71 yards, but made several impressive throws on a cold, rainy day that showed he’s fully recovered from a wrist injury that prematurely ended his 2017 season. Hill called Straub his “assistant offensive coordinator.”
“He has great control of the offense,” Hill said. “Now, it’s got to be the fine details. He’s a really intelligent quarterback and can even take it a step further of seeing things and getting us in the right plays.”
Straub’s best pass was a 41-yard completion to wide receiver Raphael Leonard, a perfectly thrown deep ball down the right sideline. He later threw an interception in the end zone, though the ball was on target and bounced off the helmet of receiver Matt Quarells into the hands of safety Michael Elbert.
Southern’s four quarterbacks combined to complete 14-of-27 passes and five catches were made by sophomore E’Mare Hogan. He hauled in a 27-yarder over the middle on a pass from Stone Labanowitz.
“He’s an entirely different E’mare from the fall to the spring,” Hill said. “You can see what he can be. He’s an elite-level athlete and probably the fastest player on our team.”
The defense was stingy in the passing game, though, allowing eight yards per catch and few yards after the catch. Junior cornerback Tory Lewis had two pass break-ups, and the secondary, in general, kept separation to a minimum.
“Tory is playing at the best level he’s played since he’s been here,” Hill said. “We’re letting (the corners) do a little more pressing, getting their hands on receivers. All of them are so physical, none of them are small, they’re all big, long arms. That can cause problems when you come up and challenge receivers. It’s been a good battle.”
In addition to the interception, Elbert led the defense with seven tackles. The unit had 11 tackles for loss in the scrimmage, including four sacks. Linebacker Bryce Notree had a strip-sack of Labanowitz.
“The defense has come out every single day with an intensity that I like,” Hill said. “They fly around, play with a lot of energy, they’re physical and they can run.”
The scrimmage was the first of three, full-contact scrimmages during spring ball, in which college teams can practice 15 times. SIU completed its seventh practice today and has another scrimmage scheduled next Saturday at 10 a.m., plus the annual Spring Game at 2 p.m. on April 7.
RUSHING
Daquan Isom: 12-60, 1 TD
Nate Strong: 5-26
Chris Perkins: 4-9
Brandon George: 4-9
Stone Labanowitz: 2-6
Matt DeSomer: 1-4
D.J. Hampton: 1-0
PASSING
Sam Straub: 7-17, 71 yards, 1 INT
Stone Labanowitz: 3-4, 40 yards
Brandon George: 4-6, 9 yards
RECEIVING
E’Mare Hogan: 5-45
Raphael Leonard: 2-44
Sam Bonansinga: 2-0
Sam Thompson: 1-15
Landon Lenoir: 1-10
Matt Quarells: 1-6
Hunter Milligan: 1-0
DEFENSE
Michael Elbert: 7 T, 1 INT
Bryce Notree: 5 T, 2 TFL, 1 Sack, 1 Forced Fumble
Jaylen Waters: 5 T
Raquan Lindsey: 4 T, 2 TFL, 1 Sack
Withney Simon: 4 T, 1 TFL
Jeremy Chinn: 3 T, 1 TFL
Tory Lewis: 3 T, 2 PBU
Qua Brown: 3 T, 1 TFL
Bryson Strong: 3 T
Titus Booker: 3 T
ZeVeyon Furcron: 2 T
Airan Reed: 2 T, 2 TFL, 1 Sack
Anthony Knighton: 2 T, 1 TFL
James Ceasar: 2 T
Travis Pickert: 2 T, 2 TFL, 1 Sack, 1 PBU
Luke Giegling: 1 T
Jaylin Wilson: 1 T
Coleton Jeralds: 1 T
Nick Raby: 1 T
Speak Your Mind
You must be logged in to post a comment.