TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Indiana State football returns to Terre Haute Saturday (Oct. 21) for a Homecoming matchup with Southern Illinois. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET from Memorial Stadium.
Saturday's game will be broadcast live on
The Valley On ESPN3. On the call will be Chase Eyrich (play-by-play) and Andrew Gearhart (color). Sycamore fans can also listen live on the radio on WIBQ 97.9 FM (1230 AM) or online at
GoSycamores.com/Watch with
Luke Martin (play-by-play) and
Brian Fritz (color).
For ticket information, click
HERE or call 812-237-3737. For a list of Homecoming events click
HERE.
In a series dating back to 1944, Indiana State and Southern Illinois have each won 27 games in total. After losing 10-straight to the Salukis from 2003-2011, the Sycamores have taken three-straight and four of the last five meetings. ISU defeated SIU, 22-14 last season in Carbondale to spoil Homecoming.
OFFENSIVE NOTES
• New offensive coordinator
Jeff Hecklinski has installed a brand new offensive system for the Sycamores in 2017, moving away from the spread system of years past toward a pro-style, run-oriented offense.
• Senior TE
Jacquet McClendon leads ISU and ranks fifth in the Valley with 31 receptions for 334 yards and two touchdowns. McClendon was the second-best returning receiver for the Sycamores from 2016, when he recorded 157 yards on 14 receptions.
• Starting QB
Isaac Harker owns 94.8 percent of the returning passing total after putting up the third-best passing season in school history with 2,559 yards as a sophomore in 2016 on his way to an Honorable Mention All-MVFC selection.
• Harker nearly broke Mike Perish's 2014 single-season record for 300-yard passing games, coming one short at five 300-yard games. Indiana State did not have a single 300-yard passer in 2015.
• Harker ended 2016 with 214-of-370 (57.8 %) for 2,559 yards, 19 TD, 8 INT and was ranked in the national top-50 in: completions per game (16th, 21.4/game), yards per game (20th, 255.9 YPG), total yards (22nd, 2,559), passing TD (32nd, 19 TD), and completion percentage (47th, 57.8)
• Harker had 35 passing plays of 20 yards or longer in 2016, including five 50 yards or longer. The longest of those was an 85-yard TD pass to
Miles Thompson at SIU, the longest pass play since Indiana State joined the Valley.
• RB
LeMonte Booker has two 100+ rushing games this season and is averaging 97.2 rushing yards per game which is 16th best in FCS. Booker opened the season with 154 rushing yards against Eastern Illinois and most recently put together a 104-yard outing against a North Dakota State defense that leads the country in rushing yards allowed. Booker is averaging 4.6 yards per carry for the Sycamores.
• Booker's rushing totals were the most since Shakir Bell tallied 201 yards at Tennessee Tech in 2013. His 31 rushes also constituted the first 30-plus rush game by a Sycamore since Bell had 33 carries at Southern Illinois in 2012.
• Booker eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for his career in rushing yards this year, currently sitting at 1,495 career yards. Booker currently sits eighth in school history in all-purpose yards at 2,896.
• Redshirt senior WR
Bob Pugh has 728 all-purpose yards this year: 43 rushing yards including 24 at Tennessee. Pugh caught two passes against Eastern Illinois for 47 yards before exploding for 260 yards on eight receptions and two touchdowns at Liberty. He added 64 yards on two receptions against Illinois State and 69 yards on two catches against the Bison.
• Pugh recorded a 54-yard punt return against the Bison, his best return of the 2017 season.
• Pugh ranks 31st nationally and third in the MVFC with 121 all-purpose yards per game.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
• New defensive coordinator
Brad Wilson has installed a change from the nickel set, 3-4 base of years past into a 4-3 defensive front that puts more emphasis on the front seven attack.
• Indiana State ranks 68th in FCS in rush defense, allowing just 159 YPG on the ground.
• The Sycamores allowed just 56 yards rushing to Illinois State, the fewest since holding Southern Illinois to 27 yards on Oct. 25, 2014.
• ISU has recorded 38.0 TFL for a loss of 144 yards in six games this season (6.3 each game). The Sycamores had four games with 7.0 TFL or more in 2016.
• Redshirt sophomore LB
Jonas Griffith has leads the Sycamores in tackles with 49 through six games -- recording 13 vs. EIU and nine at Tennessee. Griffith ranks 3rd in the Valley in total tackles, 12th in sacks with 2.5 and 11th in TFl with five. Griffith had three tackles for loss against Illinois State for 18 yards.
• Sophomore DE
Inoke Moala ranks 13th in the MVFC with one TFL per game. Moala has earned six starts on the defensive line to open the 2017 season. As a true freshman, Moala recorded just five tackles. Through six games, he has 22 total tackles (13 solo), 5.0 TFL (19 yards), 1.5 sacks (nine yards) and two QB hurries.
• Senior DE
Evan Gill has also earned six starts on the defensive line in 2017. Gill was one of four to transfer in from Saint Joseph's College in Indiana, which closed following the Spring 2017 semester. Gill has 14 tackles and 2.0 sacks on the season after two All-Conference seasons at Saint Joseph's. There, Gill was a two-time All-Conference performer and a Team Captain with 78 tackles, 12 sacks and 22.0 TFL.
• LB
Katrell Moss owns 4.5 TFL on the season, including 2.5 sacks (21 yards). Moss is second on the team with 43 tackles including 19 solo tackles. He recorded a career high 13 tackles against EIU -- the most since
Jameer Thurman recorded 14 against Missouri State in 2016.
• Junior CB
Rondell Green ranks sixth in the Valley with 1.17 passes defended per game -- two pass breakups vs. Eastern Illinois and an interception in the endzone to stall a redzone drive at Tennessee. On his career, Green now owns 14 pass breakups and two interceptions. Green ranks third on the team with 35 tackles and leads the team with six pass breakups.
• LB
Raymone Clifford is one of five Sycamores to break the 30-tackle mark this season. The redshirt sophomore set a career high with eight tackles at Illinois State and is fourth on the team in total tackles with 33, including 2.0 tackles for loss for 18 yards.
• Safety Keaaris Ardley has recorded 30 tackles in five games this season. He recorded a season best 12 tackles (7 solo) at Liberty. The senior had just 18 tackles his junior season.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
• Sophomore kicker
Jerry Nunez went 2-for-2 in field goals against South Dakota, the 20th and 21st of his young career. Nunez connected on a 35-yard field goal in the first quarter and a 20-yarder to open the second quarter of action. It was the eighth career multi-FG game for the sophomore. Nunez has 10 career field goals from 40 yards or longer after going 7-of-8 from there and a perfect 4-for-4 from 30-39 as a freshman.
• Senior punter
Thomas Bouldin recorded the longest punt in the Valley in 2016, registering at 70 yards at Southern Illinois.
• Bouldin showcased his power Saturday in Vermillion. The Indiana State punter had eight attempts on the afternoon and totaled 391 yards, averaging 48.9 yards per kick. The Brea, California product also connected on a season long 68-yard punt against the Yotes. His 41.8 yard average this season is good enough for 21st in the nation.
For the latest information on the Sycamore Football team, make sure to check out
GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including
Facebook and
Twitter.
