Saluki Football powers through the dog-days of training camp
- Tom Weber
- 31 minutes ago
- 4 min read
CARBONDALE, Ill. — After two intense weeks of training camp, Southern Illinois head coach Nick Hill sensed the energy was slipping just a bit at the start of Practice No. 13 on Tuesday morning.
Hill called the entire team together at the 50 yardline — players and coaches — and hit the reset button. It wasn’t a scolding, just a reminder about what’s at stake each day.
“When you cross the white lines, you got to get zeroed-in, and we have to get things accomplished,” he told them.
Hill sent the offense and defense back to their respective tunnels to “refresh your minds” and re-take the field with purpose.
The message was well-received, and the team proceeded to have a crisp, 90-minute practice that was focused on fundamentals and execution.
After practice, Hill encouraged every player to maximize their opportunities, especially those who are currently low on the depth chart. He reminded his squad that two years ago, the team was down to its fourth-string quarterback, and it played a game with only seven healthy linemen in 2025.
Senior defensive tackle Max Bremer knows how fast circumstances can change. The former walk-on played in nine games on special teams as a redshirt freshman in 2024.
“I’ve seen it every year here, people get hurt and young guys have to step up,” he said. “You always have to be ready mentally and physically.”
His advice to the underclassmen?
“You just gotta take it one rep at a time and attack it with everything you got with whatever's left in the tank,” Bremer said.
This is the seventh training camp for starting right tackle Coleon Smith, who has lost parts of two seasons due to injury. He emphasized the importance of good study habits outside of practice.
“When we’re having meetings at night, take detailed notes on each rep and go over it when you get home,” he recommended. “Take extra film reps and be able to replicate it in your mind.”
Fifth-year cornerback Sebastian Vargas-Escobar explained how he handles fatigue during the dog-days of training camp.
“When you're tired, talk to yourself,” he suggested. “When I'm on the field, I'm telling myself — eyes, feet, hands, what my job is, reading my keys, reading my alignment and making sure I'm just ready for the opportunity to present itself.”
Fifth-year tight end Miles Marshall said he’s pleased with how the team is handling the grind of training camp.
“We've put a great camp together,” he said. “Although our bodies are tired, our mental fortitude is just growing as a team. We’re relying on each other, looking for those young guys to step up and the old guys to lead.”
Practice 13 Recap
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