Game 1: QUINCY (0-0, 0-0) at INDIANA STATE (0-0, 0-0)

Thursday, Aug. 27, 2009 • Terre Haute, Ind. • Memorial Stadium • 6:05 p.m.  ET • Media: ESPN Radio 1130/1300 AM

Setting The Stage

The Indiana State Sycamores begin year two of the Trent Miles Era on Thursday, Aug. 27, with the regular season opener against Quincy. Thursday night's game is set for a 6:05 p.m. (ET) kickoff at Memorial Stadium (12,764). The game will be carried live on ESPN Radio (1130 & 1300 AM), with Brian Fritz and Dave Sabaini calling the action for the Nelligan Sports Marketing Radio Network. Action can be heard live worldwide on ESPNRadio.com, and live stats are available at GoSycamores.com. The game will also be broadcast live over the internet using the latest web stream technology on GoSycamores.com. Cameras high atop Memorial Stadium will send digital images directly into Sycamore fans' homes while the calls of Fritz and Sabaini resonate in the background. The cost of the pay-per-view event is $6.95 and can be purchased directly on GoSycamores.com.

The Indiana State Head Coach

Indiana State is led by first-head head coach Trent Miles, a 1987 ISU graduate and Terre Haute native. Miles made his head coaching debut last season against Eastern Michigan and carries a record of 0-12 into this season's opener against Quincy. Miles previously spent three seasons (2005-07) as the running backs coach at Washington under head coach Tyrone Willingham and three years at Notre Dame (2002-04) as the wide receivers coach. Miles has never faced the Hawks.

The Quincy Head Coach

Quincy is led by 10th-year head coach Bill Terlisner, who is 39-58 at the helm of the Hawks. He has never faced Indiana State.

Quincy Scouting Report

The Hawks are coming off a 6-5 season in which they put together a 5-2 record and finished in a tie for second place in the Midstates Football Association. Quincy runs a spread offense, and their base defense is the 4-3. The Hawks return an impressive 72 letterwinners from last season's team, including eight offensive starters and six more on the defensive side. Quincy travels to Southeast Missouri State next week. The Hawks will return to Memorial Stadium again next season on Oct. 2. Quincy was picked to finish fifth in the Midwestern Division of the MSFA in its preseason poll.

A Little History

This marks the 105th season of football at Indiana State, dating back to 1896. The University did not field teams from 1899-1900; 1908 or from 1910-1919. ISU owns an all-time record of 338-455-22 on the gridiron. Indiana State is competing for the 25th consecutive season as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

For Openers

Heading into 2009, the Sycamores are 42-46-7 in season openers with a .479 winning percentage. This week the Sycamores open at home and are an impressive 52-35-4 in home opening contests. ISU last won a home opener in 2004 with a 28-21 victory over Murray State. The Sycamores last won a home opener, which was also the season opener, in 1996 against Mars Hill.

Preseason Selections

Senior defensive back Donye McCleskey and sophomore defensive back Alex Sewall were Indiana State's selections on the 2009 Preseason All-Missouri Valley Conference Team chosen by the league's head coaches, media members and SID panel. McCleskey was named All-MVFC Honorable Mention last season and was a co-MVP for the Sycamores. He posted 98 total tackles last season, including 53 total stops. In the conference opener against Illinois State, McCleskey was credited with a career-high 17 total tackles. Known as a big-play defensive threat, McCleskey recovered a fumble and returned it 47 yards for a touchdown at Youngstown State. McCleskey had four games in which he recorded at least 10 tackles, including 13 against South Dakota State, 11 in the season finale versus Missouri State, 10 at Western Illinois and the season-best 17 versus the Redbirds.

Sewall was likewise named to the All-MVFC Honorable Mention team last season and was also a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Newcomer squad. He was ISU's top newcomer on defense with 90 total tackles, including 52 solo stops. Sewall posted a season-best nine tackles in five different contests: at Eastern Illinois, at Northern Illinois, South Dakota State, at North Dakota State and in the season finale versus Missouri State.

Sycamores Place Two On MVFC NFL All-Select Team

Tunch Ilkin and Vencie Glenn were named to the Missouri Valley Football Conference's All-Select NFL Team, as announced by the league office. Ilkin was an offensive lineman for Indiana State who graduated in 1979. He played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers from 1980 until 1993. He played 176 career games for the Steelers over his 14-year NFL career. Ilkin has continued as a radio color commentator for the Steelers since his playing career ended.

Glenn graduated in 1985 and played for the New England Patriots, San Diego Chargers, New Orleans Saints, Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants from 1986-95. He played in 153 career games with 35 interceptions.

We Are Mostly ... Young

Of the 87 players on the season opening roster for Indiana State, a total of 67 student-athletes are underclassmen -- or just over 77 percent. There are 40 true or redshirt freshmen on the opening day roster that could see their first collegiate action against Quincy.

T-Total Turf Replacement

Indiana State is the latest NCAA institution to install a FieldTurf playing surface as part of expansive offseason stadium renovations. Memorial Stadium previously served as a minor league baseball park. Indiana State has a long history of playing its home football games on artificial turf, and in 1967, ISU became the first university to own and maintain outdoor use of an artificial playing surface. More than 50 top NCAA universities currently play on FieldTurf, including Nebraska, Ohio State, Michigan, Texas, West Virginia, Washington, Oregon, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas State, Boston College, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Texas Tech, Rutgers, Syracuse, Cincinnati and Louisville.

Dog Days Of August

Indiana State's season opener on Aug. 27 against Quincy is not only the earliest in all of NCAA Division I football this season, it is also the earliest in the history of the program. The Sycamores are 2-7 in their nine previous games during the month of August. Incidently, the Sycamores won their first two August contests (in 1995 & 1996 against Mars Hill), but have lost their last seven played during the month. ISU is 2-2 at home in the month of August, having not played a game at Memorial Stadium during the month since Aug. 31, 2000 in a 42-24 defeat at the hands of Eastern Illinois.

Indiana State All-Time Games in the Month of August

Date                                Result                               Opponent

Aug. 31, 1995              Win, 31-0                          Mars Hill

Aug. 29, 1996              Win, 48-0                          Mars Hill

Aug. 28, 1997              Loss, 13-0                         Murray State

Aug. 31, 2000              Loss, 42-24                      at Eastern Illinois

Aug. 30, 2001              Loss, 51-0                         at Tulsa

Aug. 29, 2002              Loss, 48-17                      at Western Michigan

Aug. 28, 2003              Loss, 31-7                         at Ball State

Aug. 28, 2004              Loss, 49-0                         at Miami (Ohio)

Aug. 28, 2008              Loss, 52-0                         at Eastern Michigan

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