Football is a volatile game and teams have to deal with injuries every year. But not all teams are affected equally.  This season, Saluki Football has been on the wrong side of the battle with the injury bug.

Two quarterbacks went down during the season and one during training camp. The running back room has been banged up. Tight ends, defensive backs, linebackers and some of the players in the trenches have all missed time from getting hurt.

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The injuries haven’t been an easy problem for the athletes to grapple with. 

“It kinda hurt (to sit out),” said Vontrell Charise, a defensive lineman who began the season on the bench recovering from surgery.

Jon Nalley, an offensive lineman who injured his knee during the season, said, “Injuries are frustrating.”

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Cameron Dye, another offensive lineman for the Salukis, understands that injuries can be a tough thing to deal with. He does his part to be a good teammate by offering an open door to those who need it.

“I’m always here for those guys that are hurt,” Dye said. “If they need anything, they can come to me.”

But even though they aren’t able to be on the field, players still want to find a way to contribute for the betterment of the team.

“You try to find how you can contribute… sharing some input on what you saw,” Nalley said.

Though it’s never something players want to deal with, the time off the field can also be a valuable time for the athletes to work on themselves.

“Injuries can definitely deter you sometimes. I feel like it also gives you a chance to build character and have value in other places,” Charise said. “You gotta take it as a learning experience and use the time to your advantage. If I’m not able to go physically, then mentally I have to be a step ahead.”

Something that certainly hasn’t helped the outcomes this season has been losing locker room leaders, as three of the four captains have missed games.

Colin Bohanek, a fifth year linebacker, was named one of the captains of the Salukis, but went down after two games and has been out since.

“A guy like Colin, that’s a pretty special guy to have in the locker room, he’s a pretty vocal leader,” Charise said. “It’s hard to see him go down.”

But as players have gone down, others have risen to take their place.

Take redshirt sophomore linebacker Ben Bogle for example, who has been a key presence on the defense. In the absence of players like Bohanek, Bogle has stuffed the stat sheet, tallying 54 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 to this point in the season.

“(Bogle) really got a chance to step up with Bohanek going down,” said Charise.

On the offensive side of things, Hunter Simmons embraced a leadership role after DJ Williams was sidelined with a fractured finger against Incarnate Word. However, Simmons’ own season ended prematurely with a broken leg against Illinois State, giving Jake Curry a chance to step up.

Dye said, “Hunter did a great job stepping up for the offense. He came in and he brought that energy. And Curry, he brought the energy as well, really stepped up for us.”

One position group in particular has been able to provide a familiar presence week in and week out: the wide receivers.

Leading the wide receivers is Keontez Lewis. The Wisconsin transfer is first in the Missouri Valley and sixth nationally with 611 receiving yards and has three total touchdowns in the 2024 campaign. Vinson Davis III, a preseason All-Conference pick, has been a consistent presence too, racking up 319 yards on 31 catches.

The ability of the receivers to consistently get open and make plays has been a stabilizing force to an otherwise shaky offense.

Dye said, “We have great receivers that make the offense. They have really stepped up.”

Even in the midst of a four game slide, Saluki football is not using the injuries as an excuse for poor play.

“We can’t take steps backwards because one guy goes down,” said Nalley. “Anybody’s got to be able to step up to maintain the same level of play.”

With only five games left in the regular season, the Salukis will look to compete down the stretch. Their next action will be on Oct. 26 at Indiana State.

Dye said, “We have the pieces to win games, we just have to execute.”

Sports Reporter Nick Pfannkuche can be reached at [email protected]. To stay up to date on all your southern Illinois news, be sure to follow The Daily Egyptian on Facebook and X @dailyegyptian.

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