Published: October 04, 2008 11:35 pm         

Redbirds rack up yards on ground, points against Sycamores

TERRE HAUTE — Indiana State’s football conference has a new name, but it was the same game for the Sycamores.

Illinois State humbled ISU 57-6 in the Missouri Valley Conference football opener for both schools Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The defeat extended ISU’s FCS-worst losing streak to 19.

The Redbirds outgained the Sycamores 535-113 in total yardage, so there was no point mincing words about how it looked from the Sycamore perspective.

“They whooped us. Up and down the field. Offensively, defensively, special teams and coaching-wise,” ISU coach Trent Miles said. “We want to get our program to that level, where we can push people around and knock them off the ball.”

ISU (0-5, 0-1) struggled on both sides of the ball. Illinois State (2-2, 1-0) rushed for 410 yards, as Geno Blow amassed 119 yards and backup Walter Mendenhall gained 103 on just 10 carries. The Redbirds ran the ball 15 consecutive times to start the game, with only one gain under four yards — a 1-yard touchdown by Blow.

“It can tell you it, I’ve been on that side of the deal and it is frustrating and it is demoralizing for a defense when they hand it off and there’s only one play under four yards,” Illinois State coach Denver Johnson said.

ISU linebacker Quinton Scott was at a loss to explain why the Redbirds were so effective on the ground.

“Their offensive line did good,” said Scott, who had 14 tackles. “But I was very surprised they ran it down our throat like that. I was shocked.”

Though ISU’s defense didn’t have anything like the required stopping power it needed, the paltry 113 yards the offense amassed has a direct correlation to the 57 points Illinois State piled up. Illinois State had four drives start in ISU territory, with six other possessions starting within 10 yards of midfield in its own territory. ISU only had four first downs in the first three quarters.

“We have a team that’s desperate to win, because we don’t know how to win yet against a team that’s wants to come in and mash you. Then you give them the ball in great field position, and they drive a short field because of special teams or a turnover, you compound that with the defense being on the field all the time. They can’t keep it up,” Miles said.

Redshirt freshman Matt Seliger started at quarterback for ISU, his second career start (he also started at Eastern Michigan on Aug. 28), and was relieved by Calvin Schmidtke in the second quarter. Chuck Dowdell, who had started ISU’s last three games, didn’t play until mop-up time in the final quarter.

“I started Matt Seliger because we have some young men in our program that need to understand accountability,” said Miles, when asked why he went with Seliger. “It’s being where you’re supposed to be and doing what you’re supposed to do when you’re supposed to do it. If you’re not doing that on or off the football field, I’m going with the next guy.

“I’d say 95 percent of our football team is doing the right thing, but we still have some young men, for whatever reason, that decide they’re not going to be accountable to the team like they should, then they’re not going to start the football game.”

Miles didn’t mention Dowdell, but was subsequently asked whether Dowdell would return as the starter for next Saturday’s game at Southern Illinois.

“It’s going to be a competition every week at that position,” Miles said. “Again, guys have to be accountable for the team and themselves on and off the football field. We can’t be late [to go] to places, we can’t miss meetings, it all relates to what goes on the field. If you don’t execute away from football, then you’re not going to execute on it. We’re making a stand on that.”

No matter who played quarterback, ISU’s passing game was next to non-existent — the Sycamores threw for only 14 yards. Schmidtke completed 2 of 14 passes for 13 yards, Seliger was 1 of 4 for zero yards, Dowdell was 1 of 3 for 1 yard. Each of the quarterbacks missed open receivers, but they were also victimized by several drops on the part of Sycamore receivers.

“We can move the ball, but we get a penalty or we’ll have a dropped ball. We just can’t keep getting into bad situations,” Seliger said.

The only bright spot for ISU offensively was running back Antoine Brown, who rushed for 68 yards after starter Darrius Gates injured his ankle early in the game. Brown nearly gave ISU a touchdown on its first series, when he broke a 35-yard run, but was caught from behind at the Illinois State 12. ISU settled for a 25-yard Corey Varnadore field goal to take a 3-0 lead.

After Blow’s early touchdown put Illinois State up for good, it was all downhill from there. The Redbirds opened a gap when fullback Garin Harcar caught Kevin Brockaway’s first pass of the game, broke a tackle, and went all the way down the sideline for a 16-yard touchdown to make it 14-3.

Illinois State settled for field goals on its next two drives, but put the dagger in the Sycamores with 1:28 to go in the half when Eyad Salem made a 43-yard circus catch for a touchdown to make it 27-3. Braulio Martinez’s 44-yard field goal just before halftime to make it 27-6.

Blow struck again for the Redbirds in the second half, scoring a 1-yard run to give Illinois State a 28-point advantage. ISU did itself no favors when the ball was snapped over Schmidtke’s head on ISU’s first play from scrimmage from its own 23, Schmidtke was forced to fall on it in the end zone for a safety to make it 36-6.

Illinois State methodically pounded away from there, scoring three more touchdowns before an announced crowd of 3,971.

Southern Illinois, ISU’s opponent next Saturday in Carbondale, Ill., will be in an ill mood after blowing a 20-0 lead in a 35-27 loss at North Dakota State Saturday, but Miles is more focused on his own team.

“We’re not where we want to be as a program. We’re not close and it was evident today,” Miles said. “We have to keep fighting. Our kids didn’t quit. We have to get past the ‘we want to fight stage’ and get to the execution stage.”