SON OF A....   (11/17/2005) Off My Office Floor.... Skins vs. shirts... A big thank you goes out the Bison players, coaching staff, cheerleaders, student managers, etc... for their huge win over the SDSU Bunnies. Living in Bunnyville (South Dakota) has been really been enjoyable this week... and of course, I've been laying the smack pretty heavy on all the Bunny fans I know down here in Watertown. Life is usually good, but this week life has been a blast. The Bison win really put a hop in my step. No pun in intended... of course. Need a Bud... So people want to drink an adult beverage in the Fargodome during Bison games? Trouble is... it's never gonna happen. The trend over the past ten years has been to eliminate the sale of beer during NCAA football games and I sincerely doubt the Bison athletic department is going to buck the trend. Just an example... at the beginning of this season, USC eliminated beer sales inside the LA Coliseum. So be happy you can share a beer with your friends in the west parking lot, because tailgating will be the next target. Several big-time DI-A schools already have prohibited alcohol from tailgating areas. Ohio State comes to mind... Why? It's pretty simple. Drunken students and fans rioting in the streets after an Ohio State football game should be reason enough. We all know it... Not to say this would ever happen in Fargo, North Dakota, but people can get pretty stupid after a dozen adult beverages. But the number one reason you'll never see beer sold at NDSU athletic games is.... Liability. Who's responsible when a Bison fan crashes his car into another car killing two people after drinking beer during a Bison football game? The Bison athletic department doesn't want to touch this issue with a mile long stick for exactly the same reason the University doesn't promote the drinking of alcohol in the designated tailgate area after a Bison game. And I must agree... Now don't get me wrong, I like to get together with friends and tip back a few "brewski's" but a Bison game isn't going to get better because I'm drinking a few beers... Roundball mania... Just a note from Rich Stevens... Bison basketball fans are really going to enjoy watching St. Paul Johnson's Freddy Coleman on the basketball court. I had the pleasure of officiating a St. Paul Johnson football game this past season and I must say that Coleman is one of the two or three most athletic players I saw this past season. It wouldn't surprise me if he is a dual athlete in college (basketball and football), because he's simply that good. I'm equally surprised he didn't sign a Division I football tender this February. So if your in the Twin Cities area make plans to see a St. Paul Johnson game this coming basketball season. You'll be glad you did... Now comes life... This section of my column was supposed to be a tribute to the 2005 senior football players, but I just don't have enough time this week to these players and their college football careers justice. So next week, I'm going to write my entire column about why I'm thankful of seeing these fine young men wearing the Bison yellow and green. And why these seniors were special in leading the Bison football program into Division I... One more time... Just once this season, I want to see Tyler Jangula take a handoff from Steve Walker. After watching Bison game films, it would suprise the crap out of the Saluki defense for sure... The Southern Illinois Offense.... Base Offense: Pro-set... Leading the Southern Illinois offensive attack is junior RB Arkee Whitlock (2004 2nd team All-Gateway). The 5-9, 200-pound Rock Hill, South Carolina native has rushed for 1156 yards on 203 carries (5.7 ypc) and 10 touchdowns, while catching 17 passes for another 172 yards. Whitlock also averages an impressive 24.3 yards per kickoff return... But let's not forget about Salukis QB Joel Sambursky, the 2004 Gateway Conference Player of the Year... the 6-0 195-pound sophomore from Liberty, Missouri, has thrown for 2151 yards, completing 158 of 243 attempts while hurling 20 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. Sambursky has also rushed for 198 yards and another touchdown. Leading Salukis wide receiving crew are senior WR Brent Little (6-0 185-pounds Poplar Bluff, Missouri) and senior WR Kellen Allen (6-2 190-pounds Springfield, Missouri). Little, a 2004 1st team All-Gateway selection, has nabbed 37 passes for 661 yards (17.9 ypc) and 5 touchdowns. Meanwhile, Allen has caught 31 passes for 414 yards (13.4 ypc) and 9 touchdowns. Through all games this season, the Salukis have racked up an average of 434 yards of total offense, including an 190 yards by land and 244 yards through the air... *Note: The Salukis are #5 in the nation in scoring offense and #11 in total offense.... The Southern Illinois Defense.... Base Defense: 4-2-5... On the defensive side of the ball, the Southern Illinois defense is led by All-Gateway LB Royal Whitaker (6-0 230-pound senior Lenexa, Kansas). This season, Whitaker has racked up 55 take-downs including 5.5 for loss. The Salukis defense also features FS Marlon Heaston (5-11 205-pounds). This season, the junior from Covington, Tennessee, leads the team with 68 tackles including 1 for loss. The Southern Illinois sack crew is headed by DT Lionel Williams (6-2 265-pound senior Addison, Illinois). Williams has torn up opposing offensive lines for a team leading 9.5 tackles for loss, including 5.5 sacks. Cornerback Brad Brachear (5-10 185-pound senior Harrisburg, Illinois) leads the Salukis secondary with 4 picks, along with 5 pass breakups. This season, the Southern Illinois defense has given up 391 total yards per game, including 112 rushing yards and 279 yards through the air... *Note: The Salukis defensive numbers are representative of a very offensive-minded football conference... The Series.... The 2nd meeting between the two schools. Southern Illinois defeated North Dakota State 20-15 during the 1963 season in Carbondale behind former St. Louis Cardinals quarterback Jim Hart... The Bison are 20-24 against current Gateway Conference members, Southern Illinois (0-1), Youngstown State (2-1) and Northern Iowa (18-22). Show Me the Keys.... * The Bison offensive line faces a more conventional/power defensive line this week. In the past, the Bison offensive line has matched up quite well against bigger defensive line, so expect above-average yards by the Bison runningbacks this week. A power versus power matchup always favors the Bison 'Big Ol - meat and potatoes' offensive line. Not flashy, just effective... * Bison QB Steve Walker must continue to stretch the field to open up the running game. Opposing teams know if they can shutdown the running game, the Bison have had difficulty relying on their passing game. Getting the Salukis out their 8-9 man front will be a key... * The Casey Bradley, pressure defense of the past few weeks must continue... The last three weeks the Bison defense has shown an extra gear and now it's time to take the show on the road. * Sacks, interceptions, fumbles... Goal for takeaways this week for the Bison defense? Three... Three turnovers from the Bison defense equals a win this Saturday (Prediction - less will absolutely equal loss)... Five sacks means a quality Bison win. The Bison MUST put relentless pressure on the Salukis quarterback... which means it could be another Itterman/Mays blitz fest... * Control... The Bison offense must continue to finish what it starts... Salukis QB Sambursky and RB Arkee Whitlock will take control of this game if give half a chance. Folks, these two young men are quite possibly the best offensive playmakers the Bison defense has faced this season... * Score early! A quick start out of the gate against the Salukis is mandatory. Not a good time to take the 1st quarter off... The Bison have been quite susceptible to early naps during road games... * This is a very important week for the Bison coaching staff. A switch of gears, so to speak. This will be the BEST offensive backfield the Bison have faced this season. Time for a couple of new schemes to confuse the Salukis... A couple different blitz packages will be of great benefit to the Bison defensive effort this week... * One word -- 'Consistency'.... from play to play; from game to game. The youth of some Bison players has become quite evident the last four games... too many mistakes. Again, Bison consistency on both offensive and defensive will make the Bison awfully tough to contain. The maturation of young players such as LB Nick Compton, LB Mike Maresh, FB Tyler Jangula, WR Kole Heckendorf, FS Nick Schommer and any true freshman (Humber, Bowman, Champ, and Ogbetola) is crucial to the success of the Bison program during the final games of this season. And help the Bison climb to the top of the Division I-AA mountain... Note: These young players are no longer considered to be first year players... the maturation must take place now to bring this season to a close on a high note. Jottings.... - The weight in the trenches: Offensive line: NDSU 307, Southern Illinois 298 Defensive line: NDSU 275, Southern Illinois 284 - Injuries this week: FB Travis Roehl - out; WR Travis White - out; LB Tony Bizal - out (knee); WR Marques Johnson - out (hamstring); LB Kole Zimmerman - out; - Saluki running backs have rushed for at least 100 yards 26 times in the last 34 games. SIU backs have rushed for 100 yards eight times in 10 games this season. - Although the NCAA does not publish national statistics on 3rd down efficiency, the Salukis are surely near the top. They have a remarkable 50.8 percent 3rd down conversion rate. - The Salukis have been especially proficient in the red zone (inside the 20 yard line) this year. They have made 46 trips to the red zone and come away with 34 touchdowns (73.9 percent). - Not only does Southern Illinois RB Arkee Whitlock (5-10, 200, Jr.) rank 5th in the nation in rushing (128.7 avg.), he is 2nd in all-purpose yardage (188.0 avg.). All-purpose yards include receiving and kick return yards. - The Salukis have returned three punts for a touchdown this season, one shy of the school record set in 1969... - Over the last three games, North Dakota State is outscoring opponents 40.7 to 12.7 points per game. 11/19 at No. 11 Southern Illinois. The Bison are averaging 446.7 yards of total offense including 266.3 yards rushing. NDSU has held a time of possession advantage of 36:45 to 23:15. North Dakota State’s defense is limiting opponents to 74 yards rushing and 258 yards of total offense overall... - Audio of Salukis football games is available on the internet free of charge. Click Here to listen... - Against South Dakota State, Steffes, a 5'11, 206-pound junior from Dickinson, N.D., logged his sixth 100-yard game of the season and the 12th of his career... - With 15 interceptions and nine fumble recoveries, North Dakota State’s defense has forced the issue ... The result has been a plus-1.40 turnover margin, which is 3rd in NCAA Division I-AA football. - Poll Watch: This week the Bison are currently ranked #16 by AnyGivenSaturday.com; #20 by the Sports Network, and #18 in the Bison Insider Top 20, while Southern Illinois is ranked #12 by AnyGivenSaturday.com; #11 by the Sports Network, and #11 in the Bison Insider Top 20... Four NDSU opponents are ranked in the Top 25, while five others are receiving votes toward the national polls.