Saluki Football picked ninth in MVFC preseason poll
CARBONDALE - Southern Illinois was picked to finish ninth in the 10-team Missouri Valley Football Conference in a preseason poll of league coaches, media and sports information directors, announced on Monday.
North Dakota State was tabbed as the favorite for the eighth-straight season, receiving 32 of 40 first-place votes and 392 total points in the poll. Also receiving first-place votes were South Dakota State (4), Illinois State (3) and Indiana State (1).
The Salukis return 15 of 22 starters off a 2018 team that posted a 2-9 record, in which five of the losses were by a touchdown or less.
"We have a great group of guys - I really believe that," said SIU head coach Nick Hill, who enters his fourth season at the helm of his alma mater. "Our first recruiting class from 2016 has stuck together, and now those guys are fourth-year players and seniors. They're the leaders of our team."
The Salukis return 10 starters on defense for new defensive coordinator Jason Petrino, including four starters on the defensive line and the entire secondary. Headlining the group are All-Conference safety Jeremy Chinn (55 tackles, 3 INT), defensive end Anthony Knighton (8.5 sacks) and linebacker Bryce Notree (78 tackles).
"We have a lot of returning players who are battle-tested," Hill said. "We were ahead in eight out of 11 games at halftime (last year) and didn't win. We have to learn how to close some games out and stay healthy, but I feel like we have the pieces. I'm excited about Jason Petrino and the different tweaks he puts in. He's fun to coach with and has a lot of great ideas."
On offense, SIU returns three starters on the line (Jacob Marnin, ZeVeyon Furcron, Ernest Dye Jr.) and key skill-position players such as running back D.J. Davis (1,118 rushing yards) wide receiver Landon Lenoir (48 catches) and tight end Nigel Kilby (16 catches, 6 TDs). Hill said training camp will determine who starts at quarterback and listed redshirt freshman Nic Baker and junior college transfers Karé Lyles and Stone Labanowitz as the top contenders.
"I'm excited about the quarterback competition," Hill said. "I really feel like we have a few guys that can play at a high level and win games in this league. Nic Baker got a little taste of action (last year) as a redshirt. Karé is an outstanding worker and outstanding kid and I think things will slow down in training camp for him. Stone battled a couple of injuries but is as healthy as I've seen him and will compete as well."