By Tyler Wooten
GoSycamores.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. – Indiana State looks to ruin Homecoming on a third-straight trip to Southern Illinois when the Sycamores and Salukis clash this Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:04 p.m. ET at Saluki Stadium.
QUICK HITS
• Saturday's game will be broadcast live on ESPN3. On the call will be Darren Kinnard (play-by-play), Mike Trude (color) and Danny Valle (sideline).
• Sycamore fans can also listen locally on WDKE 95.9 FM “The Duke” to Brian Fritz (PBP) and Tom James (color).
• This marks the 112th season of football at Indiana State, dating back to 1896. The University did not field teams from 1899 to 1900, 1908 or from 1910 to 1919. ISU owns an all-time record of 383-514-23 (.416) and is competing for the 31st consecutive season as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
• All-time, the Sycamores are 60-145 in MVFC play. Indiana State was 3-5 in conference play in 2015.
• The Salukis hold a one-game edge in the all-time series at 27-26. SIU holds a 15-11 advantage in Carbondale, but Indiana State has won each of its last two trips to SIU -- both on Southern's Homecoming (Sept. 29, 2012, W, 24-3; Oct. 25, 2014, W, 41-26).
• After losing nine straight from 2003-11, Indiana State has won three of its last four against SIU.
• SIU owns the seventh-best passing offense in the nation at 319.0 passing yards per game.
• Four different MVFC schools are ranked entering this weekend: No. 4 North Dakota State (5-1), No. 7 South Dakota State (4-2), No. 12 Western Illinois (5-1) and No. 13 Youngstown State (5-1).
• Indiana State has lost each of its last two games in heartbreaking fashion by three points or less: at No. 13 Western Illinois on Oct. 8 (36-35) and vs. South Dakota on Oct. 15 (33-30, 2OT).
• Despite outgaining South Dakota 466-341 and forcing overtime with a late 10-0 run, the Sycamores lost the game on an errant throw on a WR pass in the second overtime that ended the game.
• At Western, the Sycamores went on a 21-0 run in the third quarter sparked by several exciting defensive and special teams plays, but fell one lucky break short on 4th-and-1 in Western territory with 30 seconds to play, falling 36-35.
• Against South Dakota, the Sycamores recorded their first game with a 300-yard passer, 100-yard rusher and 100-yard receiver since Oct. 25, 2014, at Southern Illinois: QB Isaac Harker threw for 325 yards, RB Roland Genesy rushed for 106 yards and WR Miles Thompson hauled in 152 yards receiving.
• Against Southern in 2014, current WR coach Mike Perish threw for 353 yards and four TDs, RB Buck Logan rushed for 142 yards and one TD and WR Kyani Harris had 129 yards receiving and two TDs.
• Redshirt junior WR Miles Thompson had a career day vs. South Dakota, leading the Sycamores with 152 yards and two touchdowns on eight receptions. Thompson is the first 100-yard receiver since WR Robert Tonyan Jr. at Illinois State in 2015 (117 yards, 3 TDs), and the most since Tonyan tallied 172 yards at Western Illinois in 2014.
• QB Isaac Harker threw for 325 yards and three touchdowns against the Coyotes, pushing him over the 2,000-yard mark passing this season. Harker is the first Valley QB over 2,000 yards this season with 2,001.
• WR Robert Tonyan Jr. recently broke Indiana State's all-time career receiving TD record of 15 with a 65-yard TD reception at Western Illinois on a tipped pass. This past week vs. South Dakota hauled in a 48-yard TD to extend his record to 17.
• With three catches and 59 yards vs. South Dakota, Tonyan also passed Terry Bell (1982-85) for fourth all-time in career receptions (133) and Steve Elmlinger (1987-89) for fourth all-time in career receiving yards (1,855). At seven TDs this season, he is one away from tying Steve Schmid (1968) and Gary Owens (2015) for the single-season TD record of eight.
• Against South Dakota, senior LB Jameer Thurman became the 16th Sycamore to ever join the 300-tackle club. At 305 career stops, Thurman sits 14th all-time in total tackles -- which is led by LB coach Aaron Archie's 428 career tackles.
• Thurman is ISU's active career leader in: tackles (305), solo tackles (148), assisted tackles (157), tackles for loss (28.0), forced fumbles (6), fumble recoveries (5) and interceptions (4).
SYCAMORES IN THE NATIONAL POLLS/VS. RANKED TEAMS
• Indiana State briefly jumped into the national top-25 following an upset over No. 9 Illinois State at home on Sept. 24. The Sycamores fell out the previous week after a 45-24 loss to Missouri State.
• Indiana State has ranked in any variation of the national polls 52 times since joining the Valley in 1986.
• Since joining the Valley, the Sycamores have reached a high ranking of No. 14 three times: 1989 (Preseason), 1995 (Nov. 6) and 2012 (Oct. 29).
• Prior to joining the MVFC, the Sycamores reached an all-time high ranking of No. 1 in the nation during the 1984 Playoff season.
• The Sycamores have faced the No. 1 team in the nation 10 times since joining the Valley, going 1-9 in such games. ISU's one victory came at No. 1 North Dakota State on Oct. 13, 2012, winning 17-14 in the Fargodome.
• The Sycamores own a 16-87 all-time record against Top-25 teams, which includes a 12-67 mark against ranked MVFC schools.
• Since joining the Valley, Indiana State is 20-25 as a ranked team.
• While ranked, Indiana State is 3-10 all-time vs. other ranked MVFC schools, all wins coming in 2014 vs. No. 10 Northern Iowa on Oct. 4 (20-19), at No. 19 Southern Illinois on Oct. 25 (41-26) and at No. 15 Youngstown State on Nov. 15 (27-24, OT).
1989 (1-0)
Preseason, #14
1995 (1-3)
Oct. 9, #23; Oct. 23, #22; Nov. 6, #14; Nov. 13, #19; Nov. 20, #24; Final, #24
1996 (2-3)
Preseason, #24; Sept. 2, #25; Oct. 14, #23; Oct. 21, #21; Oct. 28, #23; Nov. 4, #21
2011 (3-4)
Sept. 26, #23; Oct. 3, #17; Oct. 10, #21; Oct. 17, #16; Oct. 24, #18; Oct. 31, #16; Nov. 7, #23; Nov. 14, #23
2012 (4-4)
Preseason, #23; Sept. 3, #23; Sept. 10, #22; Sept. 17, #22; Oct. 15, #21; Oct. 22, #15; Oct. 29, #14; Nov. 5, #18; Nov. 12, #18; Nov. 19, #23
2014 (5-5)
Sept. 29, #25; Oct. 6, #20; Oct. 13, #22; Oct. 20, #22; Oct. 27, #19; Nov. 3, #17; Nov. 10, #23; Nov. 17, #18; Nov. 24, #21; Final, #19
2015 (4-5)
Preseason, #20; Sept. 7, #21; Sept. 14, #23; Sept. 21, #22; Sept. 28, #21; Oct. 5, #19; Oct. 12., #21; Oct. 19, #18; Oct. 26, #21; Nov. 2, #23
2016 (0-1)
Sept. 26, #24
INDIANA STATE HEAD COACH MIKE SANFORD
HEAD COACH MIKE SANFORD
Indiana State head coach Mike Sanford (Southern California, 1978) is 33-70 (.320) overall in his ninth season as a head coach and is 17-27 (.386) in his fourth season with Indiana State. He is 8-20 all-time in MVFC games, including a 5-10 mark at home and an 3-10 mark on the road. During his career, he is 24-28 in all home games, 9-42 on the road and 12-11 in games decided by three points or less. With the Sycamores, Sanford is 1-2 in overtime games and 0-1 in shutouts. Saturday's game is Sanford's 45th as the Indiana State head coach and his 104th as a collegiate head coach.
INDIANA STATE OFFENSIVE NOTES
QUICK HITS
• Total offense: 419.0 (5th MVFC, 30th FCS)
• Rushing offense: 131.7 (10th MVFC, 82nd FCS)
• Passing offense: 287.3 (3rd MVFC, 15th FCS)
• Against South Dakota, the Sycamores recorded their first game with a 300-yard passer, 100-yard rusher and 100-yard receiver since Oct. 25, 2014, at Southern Illinois: QB Isaac Harker threw for 325 yards, RB Roland Genesy rushed for 106 yards and WR Miles Thompson hauled in 152 yards receiving.
• Against Southern in 2014, current WR coach Mike Perish threw for 353 yards and four TDs, RB Buck Logan rushed for 142 yards and one TD and WR Kyani Harris had 129 yards receiving and two TDs.
• QB Isaac Harker threw for 325 yards and three touchdowns against the Coyotes, pushing him over the 2,000-yard mark passing this season. Harker is the first Valley QB over 2,000 yards this season with 2,001. This season, Harker stands at 163-of-274 (59.5 percent) for 2,001 yards, 15 TD and five interceptions.
• Harker has has passed for 300 yards in four of seven games this season after a 2015 season that saw no ISU passer eclipe the 300-yard mark. In his seven career starts this season, Harker has thrown for at least 237 yards and one touchdown in every game.
• Harker did not throw an interception in his first 146 career pass attempts (142 coming this season), his first coming late against No. 9 Illinois State on Sept. 24. Harker threw two vs. Missouri State and one at No. 13 Western Illinois last week, pushing his season total to four.
• Harker ranks in the national top-30 in: passing yards (5th, 2,001), passing yards per game (9th, 285.9 YPG), passing touchdowns (10th, 15 TDs), points responsible for (11th, 104), completions per game (13th, 23.3/game), total offense (18th, 276.1 YPG) and points responsible for per game (23rd, 15.1 PPG).
• Harker is currently on pace for a 3,144-yard, 23 TD season with eight interceptions. The school record for TD passes in a season is 21, set by current WR coach Mike Perish in 2014.
• Harker opened the game vs. Missouri State with a 38-yard TD strike to WR Miles Thompson on the first offensive play of the game. This was the second time in three weeks Harker led the Sycamores to a score on the first play of the game after a 75-yard play-action wheel-route TD to RB Dimitri Taylor at SEMO.
• Harker has 28 passing plays of 20 yards or longer this season, including 11 that are 30 yards or longer and four plays of 50 yards or longer -- a 56-yard TD to WR Bob Pugh vs. Butler, a 58-yard gain on a tipped pass to WR Clayton Smith at Minnesota, a 75-yard wheel-route TD to RB Dimitri Taylor at SEMO and a 65-yard TD pass to WR Robert Tonyan Jr. on a tipped pass, which broke the all-time receiving TD record at ISU for Tonyan. In 2015, the Sycamore offense only had two passing plays of 50 yards or longer, neither for a TD.
• That 75-yard pass from Harker to Taylor is the longest offensive play by the Sycamores since Nov. 1, 2014, when LeMonte Booker broke off a run of 87 yards vs. Missouri State. It is also the longest pass play since Sept. 6, 2014, when Mike Perish found Gary Owens on a 79-yard strike vs. Tennessee Tech.
• Harker also has a receiving TD (10 yards, from WR Bob Pugh, at Minnesota) and a rushing TD (1 yard, vs. Butler) to his credit.
• Redshirt junior WR Miles Thompson had a career day vs. South Dakota, leading the Sycamores with 152 yards and two touchdowns on eight receptions. Thompson is the first 100-yard receiver since WR Robert Tonyan Jr. at Illinois State in 2015 (117 yards, 3 TDs), and the most since Tonyan tallied 172 yards at Western Illinois in 2014.
• WR Robert Tonyan Jr. recently broke Indiana State's all-time career receiving TD record of 15 with a 65-yard TD reception at Western Illinois on a tipped pass. This past week vs. South Dakota hauled in a 48-yard TD to extend his record to 17.
• With three catches and 59 yards vs. South Dakota, Tonyan also passed Terry Bell (1982-85) for fourth all-time in career receptions (133) and Steve Elmlinger (1987-89) for fourth all-time in career receiving yards (1,855). At seven TDs this season, he is one away from tying Steve Schmid (1968) and Gary Owens (2015) for the single-season TD record of eight.
• RB Dimitri Taylor owns two of ISU's three longest plays this season: a 75-yard TD reception at SEMO (ISU's longest) and a 63-yard run at Western Illinois (third longest).
300-100-100
Although the Sycamores lost in double overtime to South Dakota this past Saturday, the ISU offense did something it hadn't done since the 2014 FCS Playoff season. QB Isaac Harker threw for 325 yards and three touchdowns, RB Roland Genesy rumbled for 106 yards rushing, and WR Miles Thompson had a career day with 152 yards and three touchdowns – the first 300-100-100 game for the Sycamores since Oct. 25, 2014, at Southern Illinois. That game, the Sycamore offense led the way to a 41-26 victory on SIU's Homecoming that featured 353 passing yards and four touchdowns from current WR coach Mike Perish, 142 yards and one touchdown rushing by RB Buck Logan, and 129 yards and two touchdowns receiving by WR Kyani Harris. This coming week is ISU's first trip to Carbondale since that game, and it is once again Homecoming for the Salukis. Each of Indiana State's last two trips to SIU have been on their Homecoming, and both have been wins.
I CAN SEE FOR MILES
After missing the season opener, redshirt junior WR Miles Thompson has emerged as a big-play threat for QB Isaac Harker opposite the often double-teamed Robert Tonyan Jr. In six games played, Thompson -- a former Kentucky Wildcat -- is ISU's second-best receiver with 18 receptions for 401 yards and five scores -- one being the game-winning 15-yard TD strike with 10.8 seconds remaining at SEMO. Thompson is coming off the game of his career vs. South Dakota, where he hauled in eight passes for 152 yards and two scores. Thompson's performance vs. USD is the first 100-yard game by a Sycamore receiver since Robert Tonyan Jr. recorded 117 at Illinois State in 2015. Thompson's 152 yards are also the most since Tonyan recorded 172 at Western Illinois in 2014. At 65.7 YPG, Thompson ranks seventh in the MVFC -- ISU's second receiver in the conference top-10 after Tonyan's 72.4 YPG that ranks fifth.
ALL-TIME LEADER
Senior WR Robert Tonyan Jr. became Indiana State's all-time leader in receiving touchdowns at No. 13 Western Illinois on Oct. 8, and did so in truly entertaining fashion. Following a Western score to briefly take back the lead early in the second quarter, Tonyan was in the right place at the right time to haul in an errant Isaac Harker pass intended for WR Clayton Smith, which hit off two different people before Tonyan snagged it out of the air behind the secondary with 65 yards of daylight for his 16th career score. With the touchdown, Tonyan broke Joe Downing's all-time record of 15 set in 1985. The following week vs. South Dakota, Tonyan had three catches for 59 yards and one touchdown -- a 48-yard score to extend his record to 17 career touchdowns. Tonyan also passed Terry Bell (1982-85) for fourth all-time in career receptions (133) and Steve Elmlinger (1987-89) for fourth all-time in career receiving yards (1,855). At seven TDs this season, he is one away from tying Steve Schmid (1968) and Gary Owens (2015) for the single-season TD record of eight.
THRICE AS NICE, PART DEUX
Most receivers would be lucky to receive three touchdowns in one game during their career, but most receivers aren't Robert Tonyan Jr. The 6-5, 230-pound senior tore up yet another Big Ten secondary for a monster eight-catch, 90-yard day and three touchdowns at Minnesota on Sept. 12 to prove on a national stage that he is an upper-echelon receiver at any level of NCAA college football. This came on the heels of a very impressive three touchdown performance at No. 3 Illinois State in the rain in 2015, which included a superb one-handed snare that ended up as the No. 4 play of the day on SportsCenter's Top-10. Tonyan is the only Sycamore to ever have two separate three touchdown games and and now stands as ISU's all-time career leader in receiving touchdowns after breaking Joe Downing's record of 15 two weeks ago at No. 13 Western Illinois – an impressive feat for someone who came to Indiana State as a QB. In his career as a WR, Tonyan has 16 receptions for 211 yards and four TDs against three Big Ten teams (Indiana in 2014, Purdue in 2015 and Minnesota in 2016), and he has 19 catches for 243 yards and four scores against all FBS schools when ISU's upset at Ball State in 2014 is included.
FROM BACKUP QB TO NFL PROSPECT
Senior WR Robert Tonyan Jr. has NFL scouts on the edge of their seats heading into the 2016 season, but it wasn't that long ago that Tonyan was struggling for playing time elsewhere. Tonyan originally came to Indiana State as a quarterback, and after redshirting the 2012 season he was part of a dual QB setup with Mike Perish in 2013. That year, Tonyan was 32-of-102 for 348 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games played. The next year, at the behest of the coaching staff, Tonyan made the transition to wide receiver and never looked back. His first year as a WR in 2014, Tonyan was the 10th-best in the Valley with 4.2 catches per game, ending the year with 747 yards on 54 receptions and four touchdowns. After another stellar year in 2015 that saw 601 yards and six touchdowns on 40 catches, the 6-5, 220-pound McHenry, Ill., Tonyan has now surpassed 1,800 yards and 130 career receptions, currently standing at 1,855 yards and 133 receptions and 17 TDs.
LIGHTNING AND THUNDER
RB Roland Genesy and RB Dimitri Taylor have been complimentary figures for the Sycamores in the backfield in 2016, with Genesy taking the bulk of the load in-between the tackles and Taylor being utilized downfield to emphasize his speed. Genesy, who recently passed the 1,000-yard mark for his two-year Sycamore career, ranks eighth in the Valley at 67.6 YPG with 473 yards and six TDs. Genesy has gained a totl of 477 yards this season, meaning he has only lost four all year -- averaging 5.4 YPC (37th nationally). In fact, Genesy has only lost nine yards his entire career, gaining 1,064 yards with a net of 1,055 (average 5.1 YPC). Taylor, meanwhile, owns two of ISU's three longest plays from scrimmage this season and owns 448 all-purpose yards with 298 rushing yards and 150 receiving yards.
INDIANA STATE DEFENSIVE/SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
QUICK HITS
• Total defense: 436.4 YPG (7th MVFC, 99th FCS)
• Rushing defense: 172.3 YPG (8th MVFC, 67th FCS)
• Passing defense: 264.1 YPG (9th MVFC, 103rd FCS)
• Against South Dakota, senior LB Jameer Thurman became the 16th Sycamore to ever join the 300-tackle club. At 305 career stops, Thurman sits 14th all-time in total tackles -- which is led by LB coach Aaron Archie's 428 career tackles.
• Thurman is ISU's active career leader in: tackles (305), solo tackles (148), assisted tackles (157), tackles for loss (28.0), forced fumbles (6), fumble recoveries (5) and interceptions (4).
• Thurman ranks in the top-10 in the Valley in: tackles for loss (3rd, 9.0 (1.29/game), fumble recoveries (2nd, 2), forced fumbles (3rd, 3) and total tackles (8th, 57 (8.1/game)
• Thurman was the catalyst for the Sycamores at Western Illinois, recovering a muffed punt that sparked a 21-0 run and returning his fourth-career interception for his first-career score during said run.
• Thurman had a monster day vs. Missouri State on Oct. 1 with 14 tackles (seven solo), 4.0 TFL for a loss of 12 yards, and a forced fumble on a sack of MSU QB Brodie Lambert that briefly turned the tide for the Sycamores in the second quarter.
• Freshman kicker Jerry Nunez is tied for third nationally in field goals made with 10. Nunez stands 10-of-11 on the season with five field goals of 40 yards or longer. Prior to Nunez, Indiana State had not hit a 40-yarder since 2014.
• Nunez was a perfect 7-of-7 entering last week's game vs. South Dakota, one of nine kickers in the nation that had remained perfect at that point. Nunez recorded his first miss against the Coyotes at 46 yards, but ended up hitting three field goals of 40 yards or longer at 42, 42 and 46 -- a career-long.
• Nunez ranks fifth nationally with a 90.9 percentage clip at 10-of-11 in field goals. Nunez also ranks sixth in the Valley in scoring at 7.9 PPG.
• Senior DL Conlan Cassidy had a career game against the Coyotes last week, leading ISU in tackles with 11, 3.0 TFL for a loss of 10 yards, one sack for a loss of eight yards and a fumble recovery returned six yards. Cassidy leads Indiana State with 3.5 sacks, and is now ISU's active career leader in sacks with 7.5.
• Indiana State has recorded at least 5.0 TFL in six of seven games this season with 8.0 or more in three of ISU's last four games.
• Four different Sycamores currently sit with 5.0 TFL or more on the season: LB Jameer Thurman (9.0, 27 yards), DL Kenyota Rollins (6.5, 18 yards), DL Conlan Cassidy (6.0, 23 yards) and LB Cedric Doxy (5.0, 14 yards).
• Redshirt freshman DB John McDonald-Horner recorded a blocked punt in the midst of Indiana State's 21-0 run in the third quarter at No. 13 Western Illinois, the first blocked punt by a Sycamore since Adrian Butler blocked two vs. Southern Illinois on Homecoming in 2015.
• Senior safety Tsali Lough returned a fumble 100 yards for a TD in the season opener vs. Butler, the fourth 100-yard play in Indiana State history, but the first fumble return. The other three were interception returns: Marty Murray (Sept. 17, 1977, vs. Southern Illinois), Vencie Glenn (Sept. 1, 1984, vs. Wayne State) and Travis Starks (Sept. 19, 2015, vs. Southeast Missouri).
• Under head coach Mike Sanford and defensive coordinator Brian Cabral, only four FCS schools have ever broken the 500-yard plateau against the Sycamores: Western Illinois (524; Nov. 14, 2015), Southern Illinois (554; Oct. 17, 2015), Chattanooga (503; Dec. 6, 2014, Second Round of FCS Playoffs) and South Dakota State (510; Nov. 8, 2014).
• The only other schools to break 500 yards have all been FBS Big Ten opponents: Minnesota (593; Sept. 10, 2016), Purdue (540; Sept. 12, 2015) and Indiana (566, Aug. 30, 2014; 632, Aug. 29, 2013).
• Under Sanford and Cabral, the Sycamore defense has held opponents to under 400 yards of total offense in 28 of 44 games played. (nine each in 2013 and 2014, six in 2015, four in 2016). In those games, Indiana State is 15-13.
300 TACKLE CLUB
Senior LB Jameer Thurman recorded eight total tackles in ISU's 33-30 loss to South Dakota in 2OT last week, pushing him over the career 300-tackle milestone. Thurman is the 16th Sycamore to ever pass the threshold, currently sitting 14th all-time with 305 career stops. Thurman is ISU's active career leader in tackles (305), solo tackles (148), assisted tackles (157), tackles for loss (28.0), forced fumbles (6), fumble recoveries (5) and interceptions (4).
JAMEER THURMAN: #20 IN YOUR PROGRAMS...
...but No. 1 as the active leader in several statistical categories among Sycamore defenders. Thurman has been a consistent force for the Sycamores during the last four years, and he ranks as the active leader in: total tackles (305), solo tackles (148), assisted tackles (157), tackles for loss (28.0), forced fumbles (6), fumble recoveries (5) and interceptions (4).
DEFENSE WINS
The Sycamore defense has given up a handful of large offensive outputs under head coach Mike Sanford and defensive coordinator Brian Cabral, but a closer look at the numbers reveals that the Sycamores have been fairly consistent at keeping their own offense in the game. In 44 games coached at Indiana State, the duo have kept opponents to under 400 yards of total offense 28 times, going 15-13 in such games. In the last four years under their leadership, the Sycamores have only given up 500 yards or more eight times -- only four such occurrences coming from fellow FCS schools, the other four coming from FBS Big Ten Opponents Minnesota (593; Sept. 10, 2016), Purdue (540; Sept. 12, 2015) and Indiana (566, Aug. 30, 2014; 632, Aug. 29, 2013).
CHAOS IS A LADDER...
...and the Sycamores have climbed it to their advantage in the backfield this season. A key component to defensive coordinator Brian Cabral's shifting scheme, the Sycamores have tallied up 47.0 TFL for a loss of 155 yards. The Sycamores have recorded 10.0 sacks for a loss of 68 yards this season as well. In seven games, the Sycamore defense has recorded at least 5.0 TFL in five contests -- averaging 28.4 yards lost in those contests.
A total of 19 different Sycamores have had their hands in the TFL fun, but none more so than LB Jameer Thurman (9.0, 27 yards), DL Kenyota Rollins (6.5, 18 yards), DL Conlan Cassidy (6.0, 23 yards) and graduate transfer LB Cedric Doxy (5.0, 14 yards), who together combine for 26.5 TFL for a loss of 82 yards. Cassidy (3.5) and Norvell McGlaun (2.0) have also gotten in on the fun as ISU's top-two in QB sacks.
KICKSTART MY HEART
Freshman kicker Jerry Nunez recorded his first miss of the season in ISU's 33-30 loss to South Dakota in 2OT, but is still in the midst of an extraordinary first season for the Sycamores. Nunez was 3-of-4 against the Coyotes, but all four of his attempts were 42 yards or longer; entering competition, his career long was 43 yards. Nunez's miss came at 46 yards, which he later hit in the first OT to extend his career long yet again. On the season, Nunez is 10-of-11 with five makes of 40-yards or longer this season; for comparison, no ISU kicker had hit one longer than 38 yards since the 2014 season. At 90.9 percent on the season, Nunez ranks fifth nationally, and his 10 made field goals ranks tied for third in the nation.
JOSHUA APPEL: ALL-AMERICAN
Sycamore fans may not want to see the punter in action, but they had best pay close attention to who is snapping him the ball, as Indiana State may have the best long snapper in college football in 2016. Senior Joshua Appel continues to dazzle at camps around the country, and this past summer he was rewarded with a spot on the First-Team on the STATS FCS Preseason All-American team.
Appel was also a Preseason honoree in 2015 as a Second-Team member, and was named a First-Team All-American at the end of the season. Appel, a senior finance major from Normal, Ill., is a two-time winner of the well-known long snapping camp hosted by Chris Rubio. This summer, Appel bested 37 of the best long-snappers in the United States to take the overall title at the Rubio camp.
ONE-MAN WRECKING CREW
Butler was knocking on the door and about to strike a decisive blow to Indiana State's momentum early-on in the first quarter on Sept. 3, and then senior Terre Haute native Tsali Lough took matters into his own hands. The safety kept fighting for the ball even after it seemed the play was over, but the whistle never blew and before Butler knew it, Lough was fifty yards down the sideline on his way to a 100-yard touchdown on the goal line fumble recovery forced by Antonio Broadus. Lough immediately entered himself into the Indiana State record books with that play, the fourth 100-yard play in school history – and the first of which that was on a fumble return (the other three were on interception returns). As if that wasn't enough, Lough went on to seal the momentum shift on Butler's very next play with an interception to setup a Sycamore offensive score. On the day, Lough ended as ISU's leading tackler with 8 total stops (seven solo), 1.0 sacks for 10 yards, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery for a 100-yard touchdown and one interception.
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.
