Saluki players reflect on ties to Fighting Illini
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Saturday’s game between Southern Illinois and the Fighting Illini has a little extra meaning for three Saluki Football players with ties to the state's flagship program.
Saluki tight end Karsen Konkel said he grew up watching Illinois games on TV and was elated when the program offered him a scholarship during his junior year at Pinckneyville High School (IL). Illinois later withdrew the offer, which Konkel ackowledged worked out for the best.
“I was going to camps my junior year when my recruiting started to snowball,” Konkel recalled. “Illinois offered me, and it was really exciting at the time, but it just wasn't the right fit and thankfully led to where I am today.”
Konkel caught his first touchdown pass two weeks ago at Samford in front of 6,713 fans in Birmingham, Alabama. When he takes the field at Memorial Stadium for the Salukis (2-1) on Saturday, there could be as many as 60,670 fans in attendance.
“It’s gonna be an awesome opportunity to show what we have at Southern Illinois,” he said. “I know we will go up there and play our tails off. We may have a little more of a chip on our shoulder than they do.”
Wide receiver Blayne Sisson, who missed Southern’s first three games this season with an injury, has previously experienced the home sideline at Memorial Stadium. The Mount Carmel High School (IL) grad walked-on at Illinois in 2024, though he did not play in a game that season before transferring to SIU.
“It was my dream school growing up,” he admitted. “When they started talking to me a little bit in high school, that was kind of surreal. I enjoyed my time there and still have friends on the team.”
Illinois (1-1) is coming off a 31-27 home loss to Duke, and Sisson said he hasn’t reached out recently to any of his former teammates.
“We haven't talked this week, for obvious reasons,” he explained.
Saluki left guard and Illinois transfer Kellen Francis played three games for the Fighting Illini in 2025. He has since found a home at SIU and has started the team's first three games.
“There’s a lot of guys over there that I’m still really good friends with and have a lot of respect for, and all the coaches,” Francis said. “I’m trying to treat it like any other game. Don't worry about all the noise and just focus on you and the 10 guys next to you.”
The last time the two teams met in 2013, Francis was actually in the stands with his father, Saluki Football alum Mark Francis (1988-91).
“I was wearing SIU gear,” Francis smiled.
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