Run-game unlocks victories for Saluki Football
- Tom Weber
- Oct 26
- 5 min read
CARBONDALE, Ill. — One statistic stands out as the key to victory for Saluki Football throughout the 2025 season. When Southern Illinois out-gains an opponent in the run game, it wins. When it doesn’t, it loses. Simple as that.
During the recent two-game losing streak versus North Dakota State and North Dakota, SIU was out-gained on the ground by a 575-202 margin. Versus Northern Iowa, the Salukis flipped the script, 230-120, and it led to an easy win over the Panthers.
As we saw yesterday, the entire offense benefits from a strong running game. Head coach/offensive coordinator Nick Hill could pick-and-choose when to mix in the pass, allowing quarterback DJ Williams to complete 82 percent of his throws — the sixth-highest completion percentage in school history.
Williams said he could hear the intensity of Southern’s offensive line exploding off the ball in the run game. Just the threat of the run made his job in the pass game easier.
“All credit to the offensive line,” Williams said. “They allowed me to drop back, see every coverage, and just read the defense with no pressure in my face. I had all the time I needed to go out there and make plays.”
Stopping the run on defense is just as critical for Southern. The unit held the Panthers to 120 rushing yards, and 43 of those yards came on a busted play/quarterback scramble.
Stuffing the run made it easier for the Saluki defense to pressure the quarterback, leading to a season-high four sacks.
Here’s a closer look at what went well and what didn’t during yesterday’s game.
