As all preseason polls seemed to indicate, the SIU football team is doing what everyone thought it would-winning.

The Salukis are 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the Gateway Conference, and are looking at putting another conference championship trophy in Lingle Hall. Although they are No. 1 in the Division I-AA polls, if the Salukis think the winning is going to continue the way they have played the last three games, they could be surprised.

The Salukis have been plagued all year by a poor passing defense and a streaky offense, and have yet to resemble the team it was the past two seasons.

When the year started, the defensive backs were the one of the question marks in the Saluki lineup. With Alexis Moreland graduated and Brandon Bruner lost to suspension, the Salukis have resorted to playing underclassmen, such as A.J. Wallace and Clayton Johnson.

In SIU’s last three games against Western Michigan, Missouri State and Western Illinois, the Salukis have given up a total of 958 passing yards and have surrendered 81 points. Last year, it took the Salukis the first seven games to let their opponents score as much. The offense has been just as sketchy.

Last year, the team was able to pile on points, burying the opponents so deep in the first half that backup quarterback Jon Cairns took the majority of snaps in the second half. Man-child Brandon Jacobs – now playing for the New York Giants – was also part of the scoring frenzy the Salukis relied on so heavily.

So far this year, reigning Gateway Conference Player of the Year, Joel Sambursky, has thrown four interceptions, one less than his entire 2004 season. During the 34-24 win against Western Illinois, Sambursky was held to one completion in the first half and watched several balls be dropped by veteran receivers. In that time, the Salukis relied heavily on sophomore Craig Turner, who rushed for 142 yards and three touchdowns against the Leathernecks.

Sambursky said in a press conference afterward he was tired of close games and appreciated the blowouts of the 2004 season. The only time they did that was against Union (Ky.) College, a lowly NAIA team more reminiscent of a large high school squad. Close games are the only way the Salukis are winning and it appears to be a worrisome trend.

The Gateway Conference continues to be one of the toughest conferences in I-AA football, with teams like No. 17-ranked Youngstown State, No. 14-ranked Northern Iowa and No. 3-ranked Western Kentucky pressing the Salukis. Coincidentally, these three teams comprise three of the Salukis last four games.

So far, the only thing that has been consistent is their lack of consistency.

Reporter Matthew McConkey can be reached at [email protected]