Unheralded NFL Prospect Alert, SIU's Nick Hill

People laughed at me when I suggested that the Chicago Bears should take a look at Southern Illinois running back Brandon Jacobs in the 2005 NFL Draft.

It might have been the “homer” thing to say at the time, but when I saw Jacobs play during my freshman year at SIU in the fall of 2004, I believed that I was seeing something special. Jacobs shredded Div. 1-AA defenses while on offense and on special teams as a kick returner.

This season Jacobs became the New York Giants feature back after Tiki Barber retired after the 2006-07 season. He capitalized on his opportunity, rushing for over 1,000 yards and six total touchdowns (4 rushing, 2 receiving).

In Sunday’s 24-14 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacobs scored two touchdowns helping the Giants win their first playoff game under Coach Tom Coughlin and quarterback Eli Manning.

And when the 2008 NFL Draft rolls around, I’ll be leading the charge for the Bears to take a look at SIU quarterback Nick Hill.

If Hill isn’t granted another year of eligibility at SIU, his career as a Saluki is over and he will be eligible for the NFL Draft. By no means is Hill a blue-chip prospect, but he is a player that should be given serious consideration to make an NFL roster.

I won’t go as far as to suggest that Hill is the next Tony Romo, a product of Div. 1-AA Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Ill. who made good as an undrafted free-agent with the Dallas Cowboys. But Hill could be the type of quarterback that could manage a game and lead winning teams like Brad Johnson or Jeff Garcia.

Hill stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 210 pounds, and in 2007 he lead the Salukis to a 12-2 record and an appearance in the semi-finals of the FCS (formerly Div. 1-AA) against the University of Delaware. He had a terrific year, throwing for over 3,000 yards and 28 touchdowns and gained over 350 yards in the ground game with four rushing touchdowns.

Two other things that make Hill appealing to NFL scouts are his accuracy and his ability to protect the football. In 2007, he completed over 71% of his passing, while only throwing 7 interceptions (3 of which came in a 30-24 loss to then No. 1 Northern Iowa).

The FCS quarterback that will likely get the most attention is Delaware’s Joe Flacco. Flacco looks like your prototypical NFL quarterback, he stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 220 pounds. In 2007, he passed for over 4,000 yards with 23 touchdowns and only five interceptions. He is projected to be a second or third round pick and could be the steal for the right team.

There’s plenty of time between now and the NFL Draft, but if Presidential campaigning has taught me anything, it’s that it’s never too early to throw a quality candidate out there for the people.

My Teams 2007 Review, 2008 Preview

CHICAGO CUBS: (2007: 85-77, NL Central Champions. Lost to ARZ 3-0 in NLDS)

My favorite moment of the 2007 Cubs season was Lou Piniella's dirt-kicking tirade on June 2. In an attempt to deflect attention from the "Slugout in the Dugout", Piniella picked a fight with third base umpire Mark Wegner after a close play at third base. After that, the Cubs had one of the best records in the NL and went on to win the NL Central for the first time since 2003.

My least favorite moment was when the Cubs were swept in Florida in the second to last series of the season. It looked like it was going to be another classic Cubs collapse at the hand of the lowly Florida Marlins, which would have only been fitting, seeing that it was the Marlins who did you know what to you know who in 2003. The Cubs would go on to win the NL Central in the first game of the next series against the Reds.

Storylines to follow in 2008:

· The 100 Year Anniversary and the questions and stories that will follow.

· Will the Cubs have a new owner in 2008? Sam Zell says it could happen before Opening Day.

· On the field, the story to follow will be right fielder Kosuke Fukudome's transition to big league ball.

CHICAGO BEARS: (2006-07: 13-3, NFC Champions. 2007-08: 7-9, missed playoffs)

My favorite moment was Devin Hester's return of the opening kick in Super Bowl XLI. Since then, it's been all downhill for the Bears who went from NFC Champs to chumps in the blink of an eye. Hester's ability gives Bears fans a glimmer of hope, no matter what the situation.

My least favorite moment was when the Bears gave up 34 points in the fourth quarter in a loss to the Detroit Lions. That was one of two losses to the Lions, who played like world beaters against the Bears.

Storylines to follow in 2008:

· How will the Bears improve their offense? The Bears have a tendency not to spend money in the off-season, which is a shame seeing that they need a quarterback, a running back and a big play wide receiver.

· Will Lance Briggs get that contract extension he craves? In a sense, he does deserve it because he's been one of the best players on the team. However, the Bears have a quality replacement in Jamar Williams and probably could put that $7.2 million into a need area.

· Will the coordinators return? Bob Babich is a Lovie Smith guy and he will likely return. Ron Turner could return only if he burns the John Shoop playbook he used for most of the season.

CHICAGO BULLS: (2006-07: 49-33; lost in Eastern Conf. semis. 2007: 11-17)

My favorite moment from the Bulls was when they swept the defending NBA champion Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs. At that time, it looked like the Bulls were ready to take the next step in the post-Jordan era with rising stars Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon and Luol Deng.

My least favorite moment from the Bulls was the NBA Draft. It would have been easy to pick one of the bad losses or the firing of Scott Skiles, but I was not a happy man on draft night. The Bulls could have (hypothetically) used a combination of youngsters and their first round pick to acquire a bonafide star like Kevin Garnett or Kobe Bryant. Instead, they drafted Joakim Noah—who is playing like Tyson Chandler, circa 2004.

Storylines to follow in 2008:

· Who is going to be coach in the future? Will Jim Boylan get the job full-time after his stint as the interim head coach? Will the Bulls bring in a high-profile guy like Larry Brown? Will Scottie Pippen get a chance to coach in the NBA?

· Will the Bulls acquire a low-post scorer or the type of go-to-guy they desperately need?

· Will the Bulls make the proper adjustments and make a run at a playoff spot again?

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS SAUKIS FOOTBALL (2007: 12-2; lost in FCS semi-final)

My favorite moment from Saluki football was the 34-31 come from behind victory against in-state rival Northern Illinois University. It was the second straight year that SIU came from behind to beat a FBS (formerly Division 1-A) school (they beat Indiana University in 2006). Down 21, the SIU comeback began with an interception returned for a touchdown and two touchdown passes from Nick Hill.

That prompted a phone call to my friend at NIU who taunted me prior to the game. The message was simple: "Earlier you asked 'What's a Saluki?' Well, it just kicked your ass!"

My least favorite moments from the year were SIU's two losses. The loss to the then No. 1 ranked University of Northern Iowa was a tough loss, especially since SIU fell six-yards short from what could have been a game winning touchdown. The loss to Delaware in the FCS semi-final was more painful, having to be there.

Storylines to follow in 2008:

· Will QB Nick Hill be given another year of eligibility by the NCAA?

· How will new head coach Dale Lennon implement his system at SIU?

· How will SIU do in the new look Gateway Football Conference?

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY MEN'S BASKETBALL (2006-07: 29-7, MVC champs, Sweet 16; 2007-08: 6-6)

My favorite SIU hoops moment was Senior Night at the SIU Arena. SIU's 76-69 victory over Evansville served as a great sendoff for senior leaders Jamaal Tatum and Tony Young. Young scored 17 and Tatum added 15, including his first dunk in front of the Saluki faithful. Junior forward Randal Falker provided the oxymoron of the year, quietly pouring in 30 points.

I have three least favorite moments; two of them involve road trips that ended in SIU losses against Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind. and Creighton University in the MVC tourney championship game in St. Louis. The other was the heartbreaking loss in the Sweet 16 against Kansas University. Coming up a distant fourth was SIU's loss to Indiana University on Super Saturday in Carbondale.

Storylines to follow in 2008:

· Can SIU shake off an early 6-6 start to come back and win another Missouri Valley title and make another NCAA tourney appearance?

· Will seniors Randal Falker and Matt Shaw lead SIU the way that SIU combos Tatum and Young and Darren Brooks and Stetson Hairston have in recent years?

· Will SIU find consistent guard play with Bryan Mullins, Joshua Bone & company.

Welcome to the enemies list, NIU

After hiring Southern Illinois University’s football coach Jerry Kill to the same position, Northern Illinois University joins my enemies list (university edition).

This comes less than a week after Kill lead the Salukis to the FCS semifinals and within three points of the championship game. Kill will inherit a mess at NIU. The Huskies are coming off a 10 loss season; of course one of their losses came at the hands of Kill and the Salukis.

All is not lost for Kill who will get a substantial raise at NIU, not to mention the top-notch facilities that come with a D-1 football program (including a new stadium). Coach Kill will also receive some great health benefits, which SIU fans can appreciate especially knowing about his health history.

Coach Kill will also get the (well deserved) full attention of the athletics department because NIU is definitely a football school unlike SIU, which is considered to be a basketball school.

Still, it doesn’t stop me from putting NIU on the list. They were already on my “un-happy list” for putting me on a waiting list for entrance to their university, which is fine by me because SIU has much more going on in the journalism department than NIU ever will.

And honestly, if it wasn’t for its proximity to the Chicagoland area, NIU would be nothing but cement in the middle of a cornfield. And don’t even think about saying Carbondale is the same because technically, SIU is in the middle of a national forest.

There are so many reasons that coach Kill should have stayed a Saluki. He built this program into a perennial championship contender that has produced productive NFL players such as Baltimore Ravens linebacker Bart Scott and New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs.

At one point, the SIU football program was on the brink of being eliminated before Kill came to town and turned around the Saluki football program.

I have two concerns about Kill’s hiring at NIU.

My primary concern is the Salukis. Where do they go from there? Athletic director Mario Moccia said that there will be a nationwide search for Kill’s replacement, though I have no clue where SIU would start. It was a much easier transition for the basketball team when Bruce Weber’s top assistants Matt Painter (who since has moved on to Purdue) and Chris Lowery stepped in after Weber left for the University of Illinois.

The basketball program has one of the nation’s most notable coaching trees which starts with Weber and branches off with Painter and Lowery. It is a coaching tree that could branch out more if top-notch assistants Rodney Watson and former Saluki star Brad Korn are offered D-1 jobs.

I digress. Next concern.

What if he is unable to revitalize the Huskies? I don’t doubt that he can, his body of work at SIU can speak for itself. However, it’s a different ballgame recruiting D-1 talent, especially up north where he will be battling Ron Zook and the Fighting Illini for the top recruits. What if his health gets in the way of his coaching or recruiting?

If somehow Kill fails, all you will hear from the pundits up north is that Kill was a terrible hire who was out of his league at a D-1 school. However, all of southern Illinois will know about how coach Kill saved a program that was nearly wiped off the map.

And really, why leave SIU? The Salukis lost two games in 2007. The Huskies won two. Besides, the Saluki is a much cooler dog than a Huskie.

For your entertainment, the enemies list (university edition):

1. Duke University men’s basketball. I’m a big North Carolina fan. Had it not been for cost, I would have attended UNC-Chapel Hill instead of SIU. Both have top journalism programs.
2. Ohio State University football. I’m also a big fan of Michigan football, mostly because it seemed like they were on TV every week and winning big games. It’s called a rivalry, and they’re at the top of the list.
3. University of Illinois basketball. They took Bruce Weber from SIU, which started three consecutive years of SIU having a different head coach. They also will not play SIU’s men’s team, and really have no reason not to.

'The Greatest Weekend in SIU History' (hopefully)

I have been looking forward to this weekend since before officials in the Southern Illinois University athletics department coined this weekend as 'Super Saturday.'

Back in late October/early November I was already coining this weekend as potentially 'The Greatest Weekend in the History of SIU.' Well, at least since I've been at SIU.

I know those are some big expectations to fill, but I have full confidence that the events this weekend has to offer will leave everyone who was here for them with a sense of satisfaction.

But before 'Super Saturday,' one must note what a Friday night in Carbondale can bring, seeing that the very popular cover band Mike & Joe kick-off this weekend's festivities by playing at the Copper Dragon.

When you wake over from your hangover, then you can officially start thinking about 'Super Saturday,' which begins around 2:20 p.m. when the No. 4 seed SIU Salukis play the UMass Minutemen in the second round of what used to be called the Div. 1-AA playoffs.

SIU will be looking for its first semi-finals appearance since 1983, the year that they won the Div. 1-AA National Championship.

SIU's football team usually takes a back seat to the basketball team, because in all reality, SIU is a basketball school. It wasn't until head coach Jerry Kill came to Carbondale and put the Saluki football program on the map.

And despite five straight years of playoff appearances for SIU, the fans still don't come out like they should. That's why I think it is important that Saluki Nation heads out to McAndrew Stadium and support their Salukis.

After the football game, you can head to The Strip and take in one of the finest traditions in Carbondale, the annual Lights Fantastic Parade. The parade will run between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.

As for the main event, SIU men's basketball will host 15 Indiana University at the SIU Arena at 8:30 p.m. This is the second game of a home-and-home series between the perennial national powers of the Hoosier state and the up-start Salukis of the much slept-on Missouri Valley Conference.

But the night doesn't end there.

After the ball game, fans should be encouraged to (again) enjoy the Carbondale night life. I for one will be enjoying the sounds of 17^th Floor at the Copper Dragon.

17^th Floor is one of the best cover bands that comes to Carbondale and is worthy of any cover charge that the bar will be throwing at you. They are a cover band that combines a "party like a rock star" atmosphere with hip-hop music.

Sounds like a fun weekend doesn't it? On paper, it looks like one of those weekends that I thought that every weekend in college would be like. But like the Cubs, once every four years you get something special like this to happen all at the same time.

Weekend Recap: Cubs, Cards & Other Animals Too

All I have to say is: "Wow, what a weekend!" Lots to recap, let's get it crackin'!

CUBS VS. CARDS WEEKEND

In September, every series is critical but when you're hanging on to first place by the slimmest of margins. But when you're playing your top rival, everything is magnified to the fullest. Even with all that pressure on the Cubs, they still won three of four games in St. Louis against the Cardinals and maintained their one game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers.

Carlos Zambrano picked up the win Friday night by pitching eight innings and allowing only one run. Daryle Ward's clutch three-run pinch-hit double in the ninth was the difference in the ballgame. Ward is batting .333 against the Cards this year.

The Cubs won game one of Saturday's double header behind Alfonso Soriano's game winning two run home run in the eighth inning. Kerry Wood picked up his first win as a reliever in the contest. Soriano also hit a two-run homer in game two giving the Cubs a short-lived 3-0 lead that starter Sean Marshall could not hold. The Cards won game two 4-3.

In game four, Jason Marquis pitched good enough to earn his 12th win this year, and his second victory against his former mates. On September 1st, I mentioned that Marquis should be the most motivated Cub, seeing that the Cards left him off the NLCS and World Series roster. The Cubs should have scored more than four runs, they left 14 guys on base. They left more guys in scoring position than a prude virgin. Youngsters Matt Murton (three run home run) and Geovany Soto (4-for-5) led the Cubs at the plate in the 4-2 victory.

By taking three-of-four this weekend, the Cards fell to seven games behind the first place Cubs, marking what could be the beginning of the end of the Cardinals reign as World Champions. Currently, the Cards have a .339% chance of making the playoffs. Somewhere, Marquis is kicking dirt on a make-shift Cardinals grave.

Just call 'em the "Deadbirds."

BIG FOOTBALL WEEKEND

Indeed, it was a big weekend for my favorite football teams. Michigan stomped Notre Dame 38-0 for their first win of the season. Mike Hart led the Wolverines (1-2) rushing for 187 yards and 2 TDs, while Notre Dame (0-3) has yet to score an offensive touchdown this season.

No. 6 SIU moved to 3-0 this weekend after beating Southern Utah 44-10. Quarterback Nick Hill (who happens to be a Cubs fan) threw four touchdowns to spark the offensive attack. This coming one week after SIU's 34-31 upset victory over in-state rival NIU last week in DeKalb.

Sunday, the Bears (1-1) beat the Chiefs 20-10 at Soldier Field. In a refrain familiar to Bears fans, today's victory was sparked by the defense and a punt return touchdown by Devin Hester. Also, Cedric Benson picked up his first 100-yard game in the NFL.

A WEEKEND AT THE BARS

It's not an official weekend in Carbondale unless there is bar hopping involved, and this weekend was no exception. Friday night earned a star in my book. Gatsby's II was off the chain, mostly because of the atmosphere. Their drinks are expensive ($5 long islands, $2.75 for a Miller Lite) but the crowd and the music made up for it. Friday's DJ played all the hot current music you would want to hear while enjoying a night on the town. It was like he jacked my I-pod for the night.

Saturday, however wasn't that good---mostly because the DJ sucked. So I've come to the conclusion that Gatsby's is the place to be on Friday nights. Saturday nights, however, are still up in the air. Something will get figured out by next Saturday, I'm sure.

MISCELLANEOUS HAPPENINGS

• I got a chance to work this weekend, that makes me happy because I like working...and I like getting paid. I have a newfound respect for officials. They take so much sh*t and have to put up with fans and players--it's only my first week, but it's a little nuts. In the end, I'm happy to be working again.
• I'm coming home in October, and it couldn't happen soon enough. I'm missing my peeps at home and a weekend in the Chi could work wonders for my mental state. I've also planned my trip to (hopefully) coincide with what would be game 3 of the NLDS (which would be played at Wrigley Field.) Yeah, I'm a loser 'cuz I've figured out the postseason schedule a month in advance. I can only imagine how it could be in Wrigleyville on a chilly October night with playoff baseball around the corner. I guess we'll find out in about 12 games.

That's all for now, hope you rweekend was as eventful as mine.