The Southern Illinois Salukis football program represents

Southern Illinois University Carbondale Southern Illinois University (SIU or SIUC) is a public research university in Carbondale, Illinois. Founded in 1869, SIU is the oldest and flagship campus of the Southern Illinois University system. The university enrolls students from all 50 s ...

college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...

. The Salukis are a member of the

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...

and compete at the Division I

Football Championship Subdivision The NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly known as Division I-AA, is the second-highest level of college football in the United States, after the Football Bowl Subdivision. Sponsored by the National Collegiate Athleti ...

level (formerly known as NCAA Division I-AA). The Salukis are a member of the

Missouri Valley Football Conference The Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC), formerly the Gateway Football Conference, is a collegiate athletic conference which operates in the Midwestern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I Football Championship Subdivis ...

and play in

Saluki Stadium Saluki Stadium is a stadium on the campus of Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. It is primarily utilized by the Southern Illinois Salukis football team. History Construction on Saluki Stadium was completed in August 2010. ...

on the campus of Southern Illinois University Carbondale in

Carbondale, Illinois Carbondale is a city in Jackson and Williamson Counties, Illinois, United States, within the Southern Illinois region informally known as "Little Egypt". The city developed from 1853 because of the stimulation of railroad construction into the ...

, which has a

seating capacity Seating capacity is the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, in terms of both the physical space available, and limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that ...

of 15,000. The Salukis are coached by

Nick Hill Nick Hill (born April 5, 1985) is an American football coach and former quarterback. He is the head football coach at his alma mater, Southern Illinois University. Hill was signed by the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) as an ...

, who was the starting quarterback for the Salukis in 2006 and 2007.

History

The first official season of Southern Illinois football took place in 1913. Their first game was a win against Anna High School. In 2006, the Salukis defeated

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. Campuses Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI. *Indiana Universit ...

Bloomington, Indiana Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County, Indiana, Monroe County in the central region of the U.S. state of Indiana. It is the List of municipalities in Indiana, seventh-largest city in Indiana and the fourth-largest outside ...

, 35–28, becoming the first

(MVFC) school to win against a

Big Ten Conference The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...

member. In 2007, the Salukis were victorious against

Northern Illinois University Northern Illinois University (NIU) is a public research university in DeKalb, Illinois. It was founded as Northern Illinois State Normal School on May 22, 1895, by Illinois Governor John P. Altgeld as part of an expansion of the state's system ...

. This marked the second consecutive year that SIU had beaten an FBS program. In the 2000s, SIU set then-MVFC records with 99 consecutive weeks ranked in the top-25 and 14-straight MVFC wins.

Conference affiliations

* Independent (1913–1924, 1962–1976) *

Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference The Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) was a college athletic conference that existed from 1908 to 1970 in the United States. At one time the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, or IIAC, was a robust league that clai ...

(1925–1961) *

Missouri Valley Conference The Missouri Valley Conference (also called MVC or simply "The Valley") is the third-oldest collegiate athletic conference in the United States. The conference's members are primarily located in the midwest. History The MVC was established ...

(1977–1984) *

(1985–present) (known as the Gateway Football Conference until June 2008)

Postseason games

The Salukis have appeared in two

bowl games In North America, a bowl game is one of a number of post-season college football games that are primarily played by teams belonging to the National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA's NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, Division I Fo ...

, compiling a 2–0 record.

Bowl games

Division I-AA/FCS playoffs

The Salukis have appeared in 17 playoff games in I-AA/FCS tournaments, compiling a record of 9–8. They won the I-AA national championship in 1983.

Championships

Conference championships

* 1947 – Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champions * 1960 – Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Co-Champions * 1961 – Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champions * 2003 – Gateway Football Conference co-champions * 2004 – Gateway Football Conference Champions * 2005 – Gateway Football Conference Co-Champions * 2008 – Missouri Valley Football Conference co-champions * 2009 – Missouri Valley Football Conference Champions

National championships

* 1983 – NCAA Division I-AA Champions, 43–7 win over

Western Carolina Western Carolina University (WCU) is a public university in Cullowhee, North Carolina. It is part of the University of North Carolina system. The fifth oldest institution of the sixteen four-year universities in the UNC system, WCU was founded t ...

Players

Salukis in the NFL

SIU has had 28 players drafted in the NFL Draft, including four since 2010. In total, 36 Saluki football players have gone on to play in the NFL. Some notable Salukis in the NFL are listed below. * Kenneth Boatright –

Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...

, DE (2013–2015) *

Brandon Jacobs Brandon Christopher Jacobs (born July 6, 1982) is a former American football running back, who spent the majority of his career with the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Coffeyville, Auburn, ...

–

New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...

, RB (2005–2013) *

Bart Scott Bartholomew Edward Scott (born August 18, 1980) is an American sports analyst and former football player. Scott was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven seasons. After playing college football for the Southern Illinois S ...

–

Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...

New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...

, LB (2002–2012) *

Carl Mauck Carl Mauck (born July 7, 1947) is a former American football player and coach who was a center who played 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for four teams and later served as an offensive line coach for several teams. Mauck attende ...

–

San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...

, OL (1969–1981, coach 1982–2007) *

Damon Jones Damon Darron Jones (born August 25, 1976) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who was an assistant coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A combo guard, he played college baske ...

–

Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team play ...

, TE (1997–2001) *

Deji Karim Abdul-Gafar Olatokumbo Ayodeji Lamar "Deji" Karim ( ; born November 18, 1986) is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football for Southern Illinois and Nor ...

–

Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division, and play their home ga ...

, RB (2010–2014) *

Houston Antwine Houston J. Antwine (April 11, 1939 – December 26, 2011) was an American professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the South ...

–

Houston OIlers The Houston Oilers were a professional American football team that played in Houston from its founding in 1960 to 1996 before relocating to Memphis, and later Nashville, Tennessee becoming the Tennessee Titans. The Oilers began play in 1960 as ...

, DT (1961–1972) *

Jayson DiManche Jayson Dimanche (born September 22, 1990) is a Haitian former American football linebacker. He was originally signed by the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2013. He played college football at Southern Illinois. Early years He ...

–

Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The c ...

, LB (2013–2017) * Jewel Hampton –

San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...

, RB (2012–2016) * Jim Hart –

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...

, QB (1966–1984) *

Kevin House Kevin Nathaniel House (born December 20, 1957 in St. Louis, Missouri) is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second round of the 1980 NFL Draft. A 6'1", 175 lbs. wide receiver ...

–

Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South divisio ...

, WR (1980–1987) *

MyCole Pruitt MyCole Pruitt (born March 24, 1992) is an American football tight end for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Southern Illinois Salukis football, Southern Illinois, where he was a two-time fi ...

–

Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their h ...

, TE (2015–Current) *

Sebron Spivey Sebron Ervin Spivey (born August 2, 1964) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Southern Illinois University. Early years Spivey attended Rayen High Sch ...

–

, WR (1987) * Amos Bullocks –

, RB (1962–1964) * Ray Agnew III –

Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...

, FB (2014–2015) *

Terry Taylor Paul Worden Taylor III (born August 12, 1955) is an American retired professional wrestler better known by his ring name Terry Taylor and for his time as an in-ring performer in National Wrestling Alliance, World Championship Wrestling, and Wo ...

–

Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...

, DB (1984–1995) *

Tom Baugh Thomas Anthony Baugh (born December 1, 1963) in Chicago, Illinois is a former professional American football player. He was a center who played four seasons in the National Football League for two teams. A 1981 graduate of Riverside Brookfield ...

–

Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The tea ...

, OL (1986–1989) * Yonel Jourdain –

Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...

, KR, RB (1994–1997) * Korey Lindsey –

Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...

, CB (2012, 2014) * Chase Allen –

Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...

, LB (2017 – Current) * Jeremy Chinn -

Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. T ...

, LB/SF (2019-Current) * Craig James -

Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...

, CB (2018-Current) * Ryan Neal -

, CB/SF (2018-Current) * Madre Harper -

, CB (2019-Current)

All-Americans

Cornell Craig Cornell Craig was a wide receiver at Southern Illinois University Carbondale (1996–1999). Craig is the first receiver at the university to earn consensus 1st Team All-America, All-American honors (1999). In the 1999 season Craig was voted the ...

is the school's all-time leading receiver and first receiver in school history to earn consensus All-American honors (1999). His senior season he led the nation in receiving with 77 receptions for 1,419 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also amassed over 2,000 all-purpose yards as a senior. His career numbers (all Saluki records) are 207 receptions, 3,508 yards, and 37 touchdowns. He was inducted into the SIU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008 and is also honored on

's 25th anniversary team along with three other Salukis.

Home venue

SIU Football plays at the 15,000-seat

, which replaced

McAndrew Stadium McAndrew Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in Carbondale, Illinois, United States. It opened in 1938 and was home to the Southern Illinois University Southern Illinois University is a system of public universities in the southern region of ...

, the home of Saluki Football since 1938. Saluki Stadium opened on September 2, 2010 when a sellout crowd of 15,200 watched the Salukis defeat Quincy 70–7. The Saluki Stadium is part of the university's larger athletic facilities plan, known as "Saluki Way," a comprehensive plan to renovate and restructure the campus athletic facilities. Saluki Way

References

External links

* {{Authority control 1913 establishments in Illinois American football teams established in 1913