3 Matchups to Watch: SIU

Photo by Abby Fullenkamp

As I shared yesterday, SIU is a dangerous team.  They are playing well and they have talented players on the roster.  The Jackrabbits will have to play a good game to come away with a win.  SIU is multidimensional on offense and can move the ball on the ground or through the air.  Their defense has been decimated by injury.  If SIU is able to sneak out a victory, it will be because of a shootout. 

3 Matchups to Watch
1. Dalton Cox & Logan Backhuas vs.  Running back D.J. Davis
This is a big IF because I can't tell if D.J. Davis is hurt or not and I can't find anything in the news that says he is.  He is the most explosive weapon that SIU has but he hasn't gotten his typical amount of touches the past two weeks. Last week, he fumbled midway through the second quarter and only had one other touch the rest of the game.  If he is hurt, the SIU offense is not as dangerous as the option isn't as scary without the home run threat.  However if he does play, the Jackrabbit linebackers will need to be ready for swing passes and screen passes and make the tackle in the open field.  His replacement, Jonathan Mixon, is more of a mauler than Davis and ran dive after dive against the WIU defense.  Furthering the pressure on the Jackrabbit OLBs, SIU's quick-strike short passing game will mean the backers have to be ready for bubble screens, slants, and the 5 yard variety of pass routes. 

2. Jackrabbit pass catchers vs. SIU Secondary 
I expect Adam Anderson and Cade Johnson to continue to build on an excellent 2018 season.  The SIU secondary has a very good player in Jeremy Chinn but not much else.  They are on their 7th different combination of starters in the secondary and have lost 3 of their top 4 corners to season ending injuries.  I wouldn't be surprised if someone like Jacob Brown, Deyon Campbell, Blake Kunz or Kal Hart also has a strong performance tomorrow.  It'd be great if one of those three could bust out to provide a little relief for Cade and Adam.

3. Christian Rozeboom vs. Quaterback Matt DeSomer 
Corralling DeSomer won't be Rozeboom's responsibility alone, the dual threat quarterback had 208 passing yards and 44 positive rushing yards against a good WIU defense last week and is nearing 1,000 rushing yards for his career.  On the option he is dangerous to keep it and run.  He has played wide receiver and safety for SIU so he is a good athlete.  The Jackrabbit pass rush has to be disciplined and stay in their lanes and if SIU does run the option, the Jackrabbits must maintain their assignments.  If DeSomer does break out of the pocket hopefully Rozeboom is there to sit him down.  Last week the Jackrabbit defense did an excellent job of limiting the scramble yards of MSU quarterback Peyton Huslig.

Again, I like the Jackrabbits to win.  I think they are too talented and will pull away late.  However, it would not surprise me if SIU hung around longer than Jackrabbit fans would like.

Go Jacks!
Matt 

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