CARBONDALE, Ill. — Drew Wilson, the newest grad assistant on the Saluki Football staff, said he’s wanted to be a football coach since he was old enough to watch the sport on TV.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Salukis took a break during Saturday night’s practice at Du Quoin High School and let the kids take over.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — When DJ Williams got a phone call from NFL quarterback trainer Quincy Avery last season, he could hardly believe it.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — It’s not quite the story of the Prodigal Son, but wide receiver Allen Middleton’s return to Southern Illinois, after one season at Bowling Green, has some obvious parallels.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — SIU offensive line coach Dan Clark scripted the running game in Saturday’s practice, and scripting is a responsibility that all of the assistant coaches will have a chance to do this spring under head coach Nick Hill.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Every Wednesday afternoon leading up to Spring Ball, Saluki Football held a team-wide meeting, not to talk about Xs and Os, but for players to lead a discussion about what makes a great team.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois returns 87 percent of its rushing output from last season, plus it’s added a few more weapons to the arsenal for what should be a dynamic ground game next fall.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — The FCS Oversight Committee recently approved a key change to its at-large criteria for the playoffs, telling the selection committee “to give more consideration to teams that have played all Division I opponents and/or a greater number of Division I games.”

CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Salukis lost their top four wide receivers to graduation after the 2025 season, creating an open competition for spots in the playing rotation this spring.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois opened spring ball practices on Thursday, and All-American quarterback DJ Williams took plenty of live reps, but did not participate in 11-on-11 during the two-hour session.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — It’s time to break out the footballs at Saluki Stadium. Under the direction of 11th-year head coach Nick Hill, spring ball practices will begin at Southern Illinois on Thursday morning.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Saluki Athletics and Nick Hill have agreed on a contract extension that will keep the football head coach at Southern Illinois through the 2030 season.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — With the 2026 NFL Draft just 43 days away, Saluki Football hosted its annual Pro Day on Wednesday morning, in which nine players ran a gauntlet of drills and exercises.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — New Saluki Football graduate assistant CJ Polkinghorn grew up playing 8-Man Football at tiny Elkader High School in the northeast corner of Iowa. His graduating class had just 30 students.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois has hired Findlay University defensive coordinator Tom Rebholz as its linebackers coach, head coach Nick Hill announced today.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Saluki Football has added nine-year coaching veteran Jake Kulig to its defensive staff, head coach Nick Hill announced today, giving the program four full-time assistants on the defensive side of the ball.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Saluki Football alum Andrew Kernes (2003-07) played in some of the most memorable games in school history. To top it off, he got to play alongside his brother, Ryan, calling the experience one of the “best things that ever happened to me.”

CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Saluki Football spring season will feature three Friday-night scrimmages in the community, including the annual spring game on Friday, April 17 at Saluki Stadium.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Fresh off a victory in Super Bowl LX, Seattle Seahawks associate head strength coach Mark Philipp took time this week to reflect on his football journey that started as a defensive tackle at Southern Illinois (2002-05).

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois will open the 2026 conference season at Murray State on Sept. 26, in the new version of the Missouri Valley Football Conference schedule released on Friday morning.