Illinois State struggling just like Penguins

By Pete Mollica

The Redbirds have lost three straight and have not won at home this season.

YOUNGSTOWN — If there is one team in the Missouri Valley Football Conference that knows what Youngstown State has been experiencing this season it would be Illinois State.

While the Penguins have an injury list that is as long as your arm, the Redbirds might even have a bigger one.

The Redbirds (2-5, 1-3 MVFC) and the Penguins (2-7, 1-4) will meet Saturday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. at Hancock Stadium in Normal, Ill.

Illinois State lists 15 players on its injury list, and like the Penguins they’ve been hit hardest on the defensive front with three probable starters out of action.

Both Redbirds coach Denver Johnson and YSU coach Jon Heacock had high expectations coming into the season, but both have suffered through injuries and both teams are struggling to survive.

Illinois State comes into the contest with three straight losses. The Penguins have now dropped five straight and neither team has much more to play for than pride.

The Redbirds are winless in three home games this season, while the Penguins have not won on the road in four tries this year.

“Injuries have been a factor this year, but it still comes down to taking care of the football and we haven’t done a very good job of doing that this season,” Johnson said.

In seven games the Redbirds have committed 19 turnovers (nine fumbles lost and 10 interceptions) and are minus-12 in turnover margin.

“We’ve shot ourselves in the foot so many times this year that I’ve lost count,” Johnson said.

The Redbirds’ most recent key injury has come to junior tailback Geno Blow who is the team’s leading rusher with 549 yards on 100 carries. He had 140 yards in a 34-28 loss to Missouri State, all in the first half before getting hurt. He did not play in last week’s 25-7 loss to North Dakota State and is not listed on the team’s two-deep roster for Saturday’s contest.

But the Redbirds do have senior tailback Parish Fisher (5-10, 210) healthy and he’s gained 406 yards on 91 carries and scored four touchdowns this season. He had a career high 118 yards against Missouri State, but was held to just 21 yards last week.

The Redbirds have senior quarterback Kevin Brockway guiding the offense. The 6-foot-4, 225 pounder has thrown for 994 yards on 94-of-179 attempts with four touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Illinois State likes to run the football, averaging over 200 yards per game on the ground.

The top receiver on the team is junior Eyad Salem (6-2, 180) who has 30 receptions for 391 yards and three touchdowns. Fullback Garin Harcar (5-11, 255) is second in receiving with 19 catches and one touchdown.

Defensively four of the Redbirds’ top tacklers are defensive backs, led by sophomore strong safety Kelvyn Hemphill (6-2, 180) who had 68 stops, three for losses.

One of the real strengths of the Illinois State team this season has been in their special teams.

Senior safety Tom Nelson (6-0, 200) still leads the nation in punt return average with 22 yards per return, but in the last three games he hasn’t had a single return opportunity. He also leads the team in kickoff return average with a 22.8 mark and has totaled 585 return yards on the season.

Senior punter Bobby Kelsey is averaging 43.1 yards a kick on 30 attempts which is the best mark in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, while the Redbirds’ to kickers sophomore Steven Fetzer and junior Zach Kutch have combined for 6-of-7 field goals and have been perfect on 22 extra point attempts.

mollica@vindy.com