Saluki men’s basketball coach Rich Herrin will conduct open tryouts for his 1997-98 squad at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the SIU Arena.

All full-time students are welcome to tryout. For more information, contact the Saluki basketball office at 453-HOOP (4667).

SIUC Army ROTC places fifth

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The Striking Saluki Army ROTC Ranger Challenge Team placed fifth out of 10 teams in the Ranger Challenge Saturday in Springfield.

Each team, consisting of nine members, competed in seven events. The first event was the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT), which scores on the amount of push-ups and sit-ups the team members could do in two minutes and how quickly they could run 2-mile course.

Other events included the one-rope bridge, where the teams had to create a bridge to clear a 40-foot impediment. There was also a hand grenade course, assembly and disassembly of the M-16A1 rifle, and land navigation and patrolling tests.

The final and most difficult event was the 10K road march, in which each team member carried a full rucksack, their load carrying equipment and an M-16A1 rifle. The course must be completed in less than 90 minutes or the team would receive point deductions.

The University of Illinois finished first, followed by Western Illinois University in second place and Truman State University in third.

Peete reportedly scheduled to replace Detmer

The Philadelphia Daily News reported in Wednesday’s edition that Rodney Peete has been named the new starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles. He would replace Ty Detmer, who is 2-4 as the starter this season.

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Peete relieved Detmer last Sunday in a 38-21 loss at Jacksonville and completed 12-of-15 pass attempts for 123 yards and two touchdowns. It was the second time in the team’s four losses that Peete had come on to replace Detmer.

Head coach Ray Rhodes indicated that Detmer is not being blamed for the team’s disappointing start, but that a change is necessary to try to jump start a team that has been wildly inconsistent. Rhodes cited the combination of poor offensive line play and Detmer’s struggle to win behind that line as factors that went into the decision.

Peete was in a similar situation in 1995 when he took the reins from Randall Cunningham after Philadelphia got off to a 1-3 start. The nine-year veteran guided the Eagles to nine wins in 12 regular- season contests and an NFC Wild Card game victory over Detroit.

Peete and Detmer battled for the starting job in 1996, and Peete emerged victorious. The Eagles jumped out to a 3-1 record before Peete was lost for the season with a knee injury in a Monday night loss at home against Dallas. Detmer stepped in and guided the team to four straight wins and a 7-2 record.

Philadelphia then lost four of its last seven regular-season games and was blanked, 14-0, in a first-round playoff matchup in San Francisco.

Detmer won the starting job in training camp this season, but was yanked from the season-opening 31-17 loss to the New York Giants. Rhodes gave no indication that there would be a change, but thought long and hard about it after Philadelphia lost at Minnesota two weeks ago to fall to 1-3.

Detmer has completed 106 out of 186 throws for 1,206 yards and five scores. He has also run for one touchdown and been intercepted three times. In his two relief roles, Peete has combined to complete 29-of-38 passes for 391 yards and three TDs.