Merry Christmas and thank you to Strong Dawgs everywhere

CARBONDALE, Ill. — What an amazing five months it has been! The StrongDawgs website went live with its coverage of Saluki Football on July 26. Thank you to everyone who has subscribed or donated, bookmarked or followed, liked or shared a story about this extraordinary program.

I’ve gained an even greater appreciation for how much Saluki Football means to people, and how it has shaped the lives of generations of players, families, friends and fans.

The first interview for the site took place on a hot summer day at Krispy Kreme in Marion with '70s football alum John Flowers. He told the story of growing up on a farm, and how getting kicked by an ornery cow he was milking set him on a path to Southern Illinois. After breaking career tackling records at SIU, John went on to have a successful coaching and athletic administrative career.

Not long after, StrongDawgs interviewed running back Andre Herrera and heard an inspiring story about a guy who grew up in the projects of New York City, yet overcame difficult circumstances to eventually become an All-American at SIU. Loved hearing his behind-the-scenes account of that record-setting day against Northern Illinois that earned him national Player-of-the-Week honors.

Over the ensuing weeks and months, StrongDawgs had the honor to share the stories of many more alums, including Joel Sambursky, MyCole Pruitt, Chris Lockwood, Leonard Hopkins, Craig Coffin, Branson Combs, Tom Striegel, Jeremy Chinn and Alan Turner.

Some of the players enjoyed great team success at SIU. Some did not. The common thread among them — they each recognized how special it was to wear maroon and represent Southern Illinois University, and they are all grateful for the opportunity afforded them by Saluki Football.

Of course, the primary focus of the site is the current team, its players and coaches. Once training camp started, StrongDawgs published at least one news story per day, all the way through the end of the season. There were dozens of in-depth features, including both heart-warming and heart-wrenching stories.

Linebackers coach Mac McLeran explained how he and his wife, Sydney, nearly lost their newborn son, Brooks. The remarkable young boy is now a frequent visitor at practice.

Cast aside by Akron, linebacker Andrew Behm recalled searching for a new college football home from his hospital bed, while being treated for a pulmonary embolism. The Zips must have been kicking themselves after seeing Behm make 16 tackles for the Salukis at Purdue this season.

Offensive lineman and team captain Derek Harden Jr. overcame several major knee surgeries, and shared how, after losing his dad to brain cancer, he is carrying on his father’s legacy.

Former quarterback Lem Wash described how he went from Gatorade Player of the Year in High School to out-of-football in a matter of years, only to resurrect his career as a running back at SIU this season.

Wide receiver Vinson Davis III talked about becoming the man-of-the-house while in high school, after the sudden loss of his father. He later lost his brother to a drug overdose. His extraordinary resilience and personal drive led to one of the greatest seasons by a wideout in school history in 2025.

As a child, cornerback Jeremiah McClendon was adopted by his aunt to keep him out of foster care. Now a father himself, he became an All-American in 2025 and has his sights set on the National Football League.

Bullied in school, tight end Aidan Quinn was told by doctors that he’d never play football due to his extensive medical conditions. He defied the experts to have an impressive playing career, leaning on his faith to overcome a major injury and become one of the most-respected leaders on the team.

Center Noah Fenske emerged from a turbulent childhood to play Power Four football and ultimately found a welcoming home with Saluki Football. After opening a sports-training business in Carbondale, he has embraced the region as much as it has embraced him.

StrongDawgs produced 18 Mic’d Up sessions with players and coaches, where their personalities really shined. In the midst of practice, they riffed on life and football. It’s one thing to read about quarterback DJ Williams being a team leader. It’s far more impressive to actually watch and listen to him lead his team during a training camp practice.

A handful of players took fans behind the scenes with insider blogs about their experiences on road trips. It might be hard to believe that true freshman and walk-on Alex Broshears led the team in special teams tackles, until you read his first-hand account of how he goes about his business.

Peyton Reeves set the bar high as the entertaining talk-show host for StrongDawgs Survey. Who is going to take his place in 2026?

The 2025 season itself had many highs and a few lows — from winning the War For the Wheel, to beating Murray State in a torrential downpour, to losing in five overtimes to South Dakota. The season ended at Illinois State with a 30-point beatdown of a Redbirds team that will play in the FCS National Championship game, showing how tantalizingly close Saluki Football is to reaching the ultimate prize.

StrongDawgs was there every step of the way, with reporting, analysis, videos and photos, (shout-out to Russell Conwell, Cheyenne Bruce and Camryn Lincoln for your in-game assistance), plus weekly zoom calls for members to hear directly from Coach Hill.

Since the season ended, StrongDawgs has continued to report upon the program with breaking news and analysis. Looking ahead to 2026, there are exciting opportunities that await the program and many more stories to tell.

To date, the StrongDawgs website has reached more than 10,000 unique visitors. Thank you for buying the StrongDawgs gear, or just sending texts and emails of encouragement.

More than 200 people have subscribed or donated. Know that your investment is making a difference in the lives of players. In just the last week, for example, your support has helped multiple players afford transportation home to be with their families for Christmas.

Finally, thank you to Coach Hill, Coach Pron, the entire staff and players, not just for letting StrongDawgs share your stories, but for being a a shining example of how people should care for one another.

Merry Christmas to Strong Dawgs everywhere!