Oct. 11, 2003

By Seth Whitehead
www.SIUSalukis.com

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CARBONDALE - You couldn't have written a better script for Tom Koutsos' final homecoming game at Southern Illinois University.

And considering it wasn't even certain whether SIU's all-time leading rusher would be healthy enough to play in the game, you couldn't have written or more unlikely script either.

Koutsos shook off a variety of nagging injuries to rush for a season-high 153 yards and three touchdowns -- becoming the Gateway Conference's all-time leading rusher in the process -- as the eighth-ranked SIU football team moved to 6-0 with a 45-17 drubbing of Illinois State Saturday in front of 13,000-plus at McAndrew Stadium.

Koutsos broke the record in spectacular fashion, willing his way through defenders and finally breaking free for a 35-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

"I'll take it any way I can get it," Koutsos said of the record. "But it made it a little bit sweeter doing it like that, especially in front of a homecoming crowd and the place was jam-packed.

"It was just an awesome feeling."

More importantly, the Salukis clinched their first winning season since 1991. They are off to their best start since 1983, when they went 13-1 and won a I-AA national championship.

"You know, the best feeling was getting a win -- being 6-0," Koutsos said. "We haven't had that feeling around here in a while. No matter what happens from now to the end of the season -- this is a winning team. This is a winning program. You can't take that away from us.

"I had never been on a winning team here, so that's just a great feeling."

And winning big -- SIU has won each of its six games by at least three touchdowns. Koutsos credits the men with the headsets and clipboards for turning things around.

"You've really got to compliment coach Kill and the assistant coaches," Koutsos said "Without them, who knows where this program would've went, because a couple years ago we only won one game. Now we're 6-0. That's unbelievable, a testament to our assistant coaches.

Koutsos came in needing 141 yards to pass Willie High of Eastern Illinois for the top spot on the all-time Gateway list. But it seemed like he would have to wait until another game to break the mark early on, as he had 56 yards at halftime, still nearly 100 yards away from the record.

But Koutsos exploded for 97 yards in the second half, thanks to -- perhaps -- a change in eyewear. Koutsos said he had his contacts physically knocked out of his eyes by ISU man-child linebacker Boomer Grigsby. He was forced to don a pair of goggles the rest of the way.

"He picked up a lot with those goggles," fullback Brandon Robinson said. "That last touchdown, he resembled Eric Dickerson."

"Tommy had a great day," SIU head coach Jerry Kill said. "Very fitting for him."

The fifth-year senior now has 4,244 career rushing yards.

Koutsos wasn't the only Saluki running wild Saturday. Three SIU players rushed for at least 90 yards, as SIU piled up 358 yards on the ground despite Walter Payton Award candidate Muhammad Abdulqaadir sitting out most the game.

Robinson had 101 yards rushing, highlighted by a 65-yard scamper, and quarterback Joel Sambursky had 92 yards on the ground, highlighted by a 50-yard run.

"I don't think last week we ran the ball really well,'' Robinson said. "I think today we picked it up a lot more from the previous weekend."

Abdulqaadir entered the game briefly in the first half, but had just two carries for minus-2 yards overall. Abdulqaadir didn't practice all week after sitting out last Saturday's game at Indiana State with a bruised knee.

Still, the nation's top-scoring offense showed no mercy to the struggling Redbirds (3-4, 0-2), racing out to a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter and never looking back.

Craig Coffin got the Salukis on the board with a 36-yard field goal in the first quarter, and SIU reached into its bag of tricks moments later, as Robinson hooked up with Courtney Abbott for a 17-yard touchdown on a halfback pass late in the quarter.

Abbott's touchdown reception was set up by an interception by Royal Whitaker, the first of two on the day for the sophomore linebacker -- and the latest example of the improved defense helping the offense.

SIU finds itself first in the Gateway in scoring defense a year after finishing dead last. But Whitaker thinks its time to put any comparisons to last year's team to rest.

"We have a very good defensive team right now," Whitaker said. "So I don't really look back to last year's team."

The Salukis went up 17-0 on the opening drive of the second quarter, moving 77 yards and converting on two third down situations, capped by a 21-yard touchdown pass from Sambursky to Chris Kupec.

ISU temporarily got back in the game late in the quarter, as tailback Sha-Ron Edwards accounted for 39 yards of a 56-yard drive, including a 16-yard touchdown run to finish it.

But SIU responded with a quick touchdown, as Robinson busted free for a 65-yard run that moved SIU from its own 25 to ISU's 10. Koutsos capped the drive with a 1-yard TD run.

SIU squashed any thoughts of a comeback when Frank Johnson recovered a fumble in the endzone to give SIU a 31-7 lead in the third quarter.

As has been the case so far this year, Kill was pleased with the win, but focussed on what lies ahead. Next week, it will be a trip to Macomb to face No. 2 Western Illinois.

"We're going to enjoy this win," Kill said. "I'm going to sit in my chair, turn on the TV until I fall asleep, then get up in the morning with Western Illinois on my mind and go to work."

Mike Souza was 17-for-33 passing for 207 yards and a touchdown for the Redbirds, hooking up with Dwayne Smith four times for 85 yards. Edwards added 88 yards rushing and a touchdown for ISU.

ISU head coach Denver Johnson felt his team gave a good effort, but failed to put together four quarters of solid football. He indicated that the Salukis had a lot to do with that.

"I have to tip my hat to Coach Kill and the SIU players on a well played game today," Johnson said.