Issue date: 11/9/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Alex Reside Redbird wide receiver Kevett Mickle attempts to haul in a pass against Western Illinois on Oct. 27.

The Redbirds will be closing out their season on Saturday in Carbondale, Ill., as they take on the Southern Illinois Salukis. After two tough losses, ISU comes into the game with a 4-6 record (2-3), while the No. 5 Salukis carry an 8-1 mark (4-1). Southern Illinois is also ranked second nationally in offense and leads the Gateway Conference, averaging 41.11 points per game. In anticipation of this final game, Head Coach Denver Johnson said that in spite of the rather disappointing outcome of the season, his team is still ready and excited to take on this weekend's challenge.

"We will end our season on Saturday at Southern Illinois - a disappointing, frustrating season. We'll be hopefully looking to go out and recapture some joy at the end of the season and hopefully end it on a positive note, something to hopefully make wintertime seem not so long and cold. We're at a deficit, we're kind of shot full of holes injury-wise, but nonetheless we're excited to play," Johnson said.

"I said it at the first of the season, that it's been my biggest wish that we could get to the Southern Illinois game and it would have maybe Gateway Championship implications or playoff implications, and it certainly doesn't, but nonetheless, we have an opportunity to go play Southern Illinois, and that has become a very meaningful game to both institutions, both programs, both teams."

While the Salukis top the conference in passing offense with 252.5 yards per game, they also bring a rounded running game to the table. This rush attack is led by running back John Randle, who is averaging 81.3 yards per game. Senior linebacker Kye Stewart said that the primary objective is to stop the run game this weekend.

"It'll be my last ride here as an ISU athlete, so of course I want to get out on top with a good victory," Stewart said.

"I guess throughout the course of the year we've had our struggles, but our approach each week is that in order to eliminate teams you have to stop their run first. We go into the game, stop their run, they have a great trio of runningbacks, they can all run the ball pretty well, they're very effective, and our goal is to initially stop the run."

Continued...

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