Can the Saluki defense slow down prolific Jackrabbits rushing attack?
CARBONDALE, Ill. — For the Salukis to have a shot at upsetting No. 4-ranked South Dakota State on Saturday, they must find a way to slow down the nation’s most prolific rushing attack.
The Jackrabbits average an FCS-best 259 rushing yards per game. The only team to hold them under 150 yards this season was Big Ten Northwestern, which “limited” SDSU to 147 yards.
According to Southern Illinois defensive coordinator Lee Pronschinske, success will require a collective effort.
“No one's going to go out there and just stop their rushing attack,” said SIU defensive coordinator Lee Pronschinske. “The thought is to win your 1/11th and execute your responsibility on that rep. When you have opportunities to make tackles, make it. Show up at the football and gang tackle.”
The Jackrabbits play old-school, smash-mouth football. They have a dominant offensive line. They run a lot of two-tight end sets. They’re the only school in the conference that utilizes a fullback.
“We have to be really good at block-destruction,” Pronschinske noted.
Finally, the Jackrabbits (8-2, 5-1) have not one, but two elite tailbacks in Josiah Johnson (1,061 yards, 6.1 avg.) and James Basinger (744 yards, 10.1 avg). They are the top-two rushing leaders in the conference and have combined for 22 rushing touchdowns.
“(They) bounce off people if you don't wrap up and shoot your shoulder and club-up,” Pronschinske observed.
The Salukis (5-5, 3-3) have steadily improved against the run throughout the season and are coming off a game at Indiana State where the defense missed a season-low four tackles.
“Every day we're in shells or full pads (at practice), we’re doing some sort of tackling drill,” Pronschinske said. “There's plenty of stuff we still want to clean up, but I think we've definitely taken a take a step in the right direction the last couple weeks. We've been tackling out at a pretty good clip.”
If you’re a competitor, this game is what you want, Pronschinske said.
“This is what big-time college football is about — playing meaningful games down the stretch against great opponents,” he said. “One of the keys for us is applying pressure and stress early in the game to get them off track. We have to force them out of their comfort zone a little bit.”
Coordinator’s Corner: StrongDawgs conversation with defensive coordinator Lee Pronschinske
SD: What were some of the keys to your success at Indiana State, where you held the offense to six points and roughly 100 yards through the first three quarters?
LP: It was a little different at the quarterback situation than what we expected, but you go out there and play the opponent across from you. We disguised some things pre-snap and post-snap in the back end, so I think he struggled to know what coverage we were in, but I think it all came down to the energy and effort up front. We did a really good job tackling and finishing on third down. We gave up two conversions on third down all day. When you can get teams behind the sticks it makes them a little bit predictable.
SD: With ISU running only 51 plays, you were able to keep the snap-counts low across the board on defense. How important is that aspect for your defense this time of year?
LP: Defensively, you’d like to be below that 63-to-65 play mark. We defended 15 drives, which is the most drives we’ve defended this year, too. We had 11, 3-and-outs, which is a season high, and obviously, two of those were first-play picks. When you go 11-of-13 on third down, that's a winning recipe to keep your snap-count down. It was good to take some reps off some guys, understanding the challenge we have this upcoming week.
SD: Where was the breakdown on the 99-yard run?
LP: Overall, it was a misfit, but we had some guys peeking in gaps hoping to make that tackle in the paint and get a safety, and then next thing you know, the back slides through there. We still gotta get it knocked down to a 40-yard run. Obviously, you can't allow a 99-yard run. That's backbreaking stuff.
SD: Defensive tackle Caillou Robinson had his first-career sack and led the team with four QB pressures. Talk about his development as a freshman.
LP: He was our defensive player-of-the-week. On that sack, he forced the quarterback to make an ill-advised decision. He’s continuing to grow and develop, and learn from mistakes. It’s a physically demanding position. He’s an extremely hard worker and loves the game of football. It's awesome to see.
SD: You had a season-low four missed tackles. What makes a good tackler?
LP: First and foremost, it just comes down to a willingness. You have to crave contact and want to tackle, or else the technique doesn't matter. From there, it’s about keeping leverage on the football, being aggressive downhill, eyes up, chin up, striking with your shoulder, clubbing up, driving your feet and finishing to the ground. You want to keep your head out of it, which has been a big transition in tackling. When I was playing, you were taught to put your head across the bow to make the tackle, and now you want to keep your head out of the tackle as much as possible.
SD: How do you ensure that tackling stays crisp throughout the season?
LP: We do a tackle circuit twice a week. Every day we're in shells or full pads, we’re doing some sort of tackling drill. There's plenty of stuff we still want to clean up, but I think we've definitely taken a take a step in the right direction the last couple weeks. We've been tackling out at a pretty good clip.
SD: For a younger player watching the Salukis, who are some guys on the team with good, fundamental tackling technique you’d recommend they watch?
LP: The top two would be Fiegs (Ben Fiegel) and Charlie (Whelpley). They both do a really good job of putting their bodies on people and driving through contact. They're both athletic, physical cats that can play well in space and play well in the box. In our unit meeting yesterday, we looked at one tackle Charlie made in the second quarter for a gain of two, but it was probably the best tackle all day. He pops back into the fit, beats a lineman across his face and goes and makes a nice tackle.
SD: South Dakota State leads the nation in rushing offense with two explosive backs running behind a dominant offensive line. What are the keys to slowing down the Jackrabbits’ ground game?
LP: The way you phrased that is actually perfect, because no one's going to go out there and stop their rushing attack. Even in their loss at Northwestern, they rushed for 150 yards. The thought is to go out there and just win your 1/11th and execute your responsibility on that rep. We have to be really good at block-destruction, because the tight ends do a really good job of sticking on you and driving you off the ball, the wide receivers want to dig you out. Both Josiah Johnson and James Basinger bounce off people if you don't wrap up and shoot your shoulder and club-up. When you have opportunities to make tackles, make it. Show up at the football and gang tackle.
SD: Quarterback Chase Mason is on the Payton Award watch list. He’s only thrown one interception all year. What’s the scouting report on him?
LP: He has great arm-talent to get the ball into tight windows and does a really good job of getting the ball to their playmakers in space. He’s only had five career interceptions, which means he knows where the ball’s going. He's a really good athlete. Now, he's had two lower-body injuries the last two years, so some of the run-game stuff that he did a lot in ’24, when he'd come in to spell (Mark) Gronkowski, he’s not doing as much.
SD: Big-picture: what’s the messaging about this opportunity to play a Top 5 team at this stage of the season?
LP: This is what big-time college football is about — playing meaningful games down the stretch against great opponents. That's what you want as a competitor. One of the keys for us is applying pressure and stress early in the game to get them off track. We have to force them out of their comfort zone a little bit. We have to be willing to play free and confident on our side of the ball.
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