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. — The Missouri Valley Football Conference is down to nine teams following the departure of North Dakota State for the Mountain West on Monday, raising a host of interesting questions.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — North Dakota State AD Matt Larsen spoke last week about the school’s continued desire to join the Mountain West Conference, saying its interest “is as strong as it's ever been.”

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Jack Halperin, Saluki Football’s director of player personnel and recruiting, didn’t get much sleep during the two weeks of the NCAA transfer portal earlier this month.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Saluki Football added two more transfers this week, with commitments from a pair of FCS starters at wide receiver and center. Here’s our in-depth scouting report.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — The first two weeks of January brought overwhelmingly positive news for Saluki Football, both in its retention of players from last year’s team, plus new additions to supplement its roster.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Saluki Football turned heads this week with the announcement that DJ Williams will return to SIU for his final season of college eligibility.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — The NCAA transfer portal officially opened for business on Friday and the staff at Southern Illinois has already conducted on-campus visits.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Safety is a demanding position in SIU defensive coordinator Lee Pronschinske’s 4-3 scheme, and the Salukis added important depth to that spot this week with the addition of junior college transfer Tenerrean “Rue” Jackson. Jackson played two seasons at Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Mississippi, where he recorded 35 tackles and flashed the kind of traits Pronschinske is looking for. “What it takes to play safety in this scheme — it’s not just standing i

CARBONDALE, Ill. — I appreciate Tim Leonard spending nearly two hours of his day answering my questions about Saluki Football this past week.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — A year ago, with little money to spend, the Salukis lost nine starters in the NCAA transfer portal. Southern is planning to increase its investment in the marketplace in 2026, improving its chances of keeping key players.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois was left out of the 24-team FCS Playoff field on Sunday, as the committee dismissed SIU’s favorable power rating, strength of schedule, and yesterday’s overwhelming win at Illinois State.

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Watching a four-hour, college football drama unfold at Saluki Stadium yesterday, you knew it was either going to be a storybook-ending for the ages for Saluki Football, or the ultimate gut-punch.