Saluki defense must play “complementary football” at NDSU, Coach Pron says

CARBONDALE, Ill. — SIU defensive coordinator Lee Pronschinske reeled off a seemingly endless list of names of skill players his defense will need to defend on Saturday at North Dakota State.

It starts with quarterback Cole Payton, who leads the nation in completion percentage (74.7) and leads his team in rushing — a lethal combination — but he has an arsenal of weapons at his disposal.

The No. 1-ranked Bison lead the league in scoring (44.4 points), total offense (493.6 yards) and passing offense (264.0 yards). NDSU grinds opponents down with an offense that ranks ninth in the nation in time of possession.

Pronschinske said his unit is determined to play “complementary football” and do it’s part to supplement the overall game plan that seeks peak performance in all three phases on Saturday.

Coordinator’s Corner with Lee Pronschinske

SD: You dealt with some injuries at linebacker during Saturday’s game, allowing guys like Shug Walker and Ben Fiegel to step into bigger roles. Thoughts on how they performed?

LP: You never know when your name's going to get called to go out there and execute, and those guys prepared like they were going to play every snap. With Shug, there’s probably been games when he walked off the field and wished he would have played more. Saturday, he put together a complete game, and obviously, won the Valley Player of the Week. Fiegel went from playing six snaps in the last three games to playing 55 snaps against Indiana State. There's going to be some moments to grow and learn from, but I think he's proven he's a player who can have a long career in the league.

SD: When Andrew Behm is not in the game, who takes over responsibilities for communication and getting guys lined up?

LP: When Andrew is out, we’re able to bump Colin Bohanek inside and not really miss a beat in the communication piece. It’s a luxury that most teams probably don't have. Fiegel can step in, as well. It’s a credit to Coach Mac (McLeran) and the way that room goes about their business that guys step in and not miss a beat.

SD: The offense turned the ball over twice near the SIU 30, and the defense was able to get stops both times. Can you explain the execution that took place?

LP: We preach about getting stops out of sudden changes, and so far this year, we’ve executed at a high level. We’re 4-of-5, with the one touchdown allowed at UT Martin. On Saturday, we made it a little harder on ourselves with the fourth-down penalty, but continued to play hard and violent and still got the 4th-and-goal stop. On the other drive, we executed some extra-long situations to force a longer field goal attempt.

SD: Indiana State had success with the run game. What did you see defensively?

LP: Six plays accounted for 194 yards of total offense, and it’s a combination of things — some missed tackles, some bad angles, a misfit or two, a bad play call by me on one of those explosive touchdown runs. We came away with a win, but we need to keep an extreme level of focus and stay detail-oriented to make sure that stuff doesn't happen again.

SD: You were able to get a safety Jagger Williams back from a hand injury and he played 35 snaps Saturday. What does he add to the back end?

LP: He wasn’t full strength at Purdue, and having to miss the last two games, I know he was itching to get back. On the sixth play of the game, he goes out there and has a crucial PBU on third down. He’s learning to play with the club, how to play and execute with essentially one hand. Having Jagger back also allows us to get Vinny (Pierre Jr.) and Cejai (Parson) a little break at times and keep those guys fresher as the game goes on.

SD: When you look at NDSU quarterback Cole Payton, he’s well-known for his running ability, but since taking over as starter, he’s put up impressive passing numbers. Thoughts?

LP: Cole’s been an extremely talented thrower his whole career. His high school tape showed what he's doing right now. He can roll out against his dominant arm and make really good throws on the run. He's making touch passes with both feet off the ground and putting the ball into a bucket. He's an extremely confident player. With his ability to extend plays with his feet, the play's never dead with him.

SD: Bryce Lance is regarded as one of the top receivers in the country, a pro prospect. What's your evaluation of him?

LP: Bryce will be an NFL draft pick, there's no doubt in my mind. He's a complete package when you talk about an NFL-style wide receiver. He attacks the ball and has a lot of NFL-style catches where he's coming down putting two feet in. I think he is the best wide receiver in FCS football, and there's a bunch of really good ones.

SD: Do you adjust your defense to account for him?

LP: You can't just focus in on Bryce, because Barika (Kpeenu) averages six yards per carry and runs with violence at all times. DJ Scott, the second running back, is talented. Cole, obviously, has the ability to run. RaJa Nelson is as talented of a slot as you’ll find in this league. He’s just like VD (Vinson Davis III). Then Jackson Williams, their young wide receiver, is an All-American return man. I could go on, but you have to respect all their weapons.

SD: And North Dakota State is obviously well-known for its dominant run game.

LP: That’s their identity. When you watch their offensive line, they fire off the ball and they're moving people. They have extremely athletic guys that can climb, get on ‘backers fast, seal things for those really talented backs. They want to establish the line of scrimmage at the point of attack, and this year's team is no different.

SD: Southern has never won in the Fargodome. Keys to victory?

LP: There's teams who go in there and it turns into the Twilight Zone on you real fast. You're in it for two quarters, and then all of a sudden you look up at the scoreboard, you're down 21. They do a great job of playing complementary football in all three phases and find ways to put you on your heels, wear you out.

Nothing changes for us. We need to play high-level, complementary football. It’s about creating stops, getting the ball back to the offense, making sure when we have the chance, that we stop momentum, force field goal attempts instead of touchdowns, just chip away at it and keep swinging until the clock strikes zero.