By Ryan Keith 21

The 1997 season has not been filled with success for SIUC football tailback Karlton Carpenter, but signs of an offensive resurgence have given him a positive outlook on the rest of the season.

Heading into their matchup at the University of Northern Iowa Saturday, the Salukis are 1-2 overall and 0-1 in the Gateway Football Conference. SIUC ranks at the bottom of the Gateway Football Conference in rushing with 75 yards per game.

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But solid performances from the offense in the second half of the last two games leads Carpenter to see a brighter future.

I wish I had the chance to carry the ball a little more, Carpenter said. I plan on getting better and better as time goes on. You just have to keep a positive outlook on things.

The Saluki offense has found the first three quarters in each of its last two games a struggle. Against Murray State University Sept. 6, the Salukis managed just three points through three quarters, while SIUC was shut out after three quarters against Indiana State University Saturday.

But the fourth quarter has been a solution to the offense’s problems, and Carpenter has been one of the leaders in the resurgence. Against Murray State, the Saluki running game made several long gains as SIUC scored three touchdowns.

Against the Sycamores, Carpenter rushed for a season-high 68 yards, and backup quarterback Marcus Capone added 36 yards as the Salukis nearly pulled off another comeback victory before falling 19-14.

For the year, Carpenter is second on the team in rushing with 81 yards on 33 carries for an average of 27 yards per contest. But until Saturday’s performance, 1997 had been a season of disappointments for Carpenter.

After beating out last season’s starting tailback, Coe Bonner, for the starting spot, Carpenter rushed for 11 yards in a 33-0 loss at Nicholls State University. Carpenter followed that performance with three yards rushing against Murray State.

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But SIUC coach Jan Quarless said Carpenter’s play Saturday and a solid effort in practice have been an example for the team.

He responds to success on Saturday, and he comes to practice like a competitor is supposed to do on Monday, Quarless said. I think if we had some players on this football team that learned to have practice habits like he demonstrated (Monday), we would be much more successful.

Carpenter said the biggest difference in the second half against Indiana State was an adjustment in communication with the offensive line.

I knew the whole course of the game that we could run on them, he said. We were always one step or one block away from a big play during the first half. We had holes the whole game, and finally we started going through them.

Although this season has been a disappointment for both Carpenter and the Saluki running game, Northern Iowa (1-2) has faced its share of struggles defensively under first-year coach Mike Dunbar.

After an embarrassing 66-0 loss to Division I University of Iowa, the Panthers handled Mankato State University but fell to McNeese State University Saturday. The Panthers’ defense ranks near the bottom of the Gateway standings, giving up 216 yards per game on the ground.

But starting the season below the .500 mark is not a cause for concern for the Panthers, who have beaten the Salukis in their last five meetings and in nine out of the last 10 meetings.

While a losing record falls below the Panthers’ usual standard of success, Quarless does not see Northern Iowa’s record as being a reflection of a lack of talent, as the Panthers are learning to adjust under Dunbar’s system.

Besides a history of success against SIUC, Northern Iowa has the home-field advantage Saturday in the UNI Dome, which routinely seats 16,000 at each game. The Panthers also are opening their conference season play Saturday.

A large crowd and increased noise under a domed stadium may be a problem for some teams, but Quarless said SIUC will head into the game prepared for everything.

They’re a good football team, he said. What happens for me is Hey, let’s go into their barn and play ball.’ There isn’t a man on this Earth but our football team that says we can win. I love that kind of challenge.

The Salukis travel to Cedar Falls, Iowa, Saturday for a conference matchup with the University of Northern Iowa at 6:30 p.m.

The game can be heard on 95.1 WXLT-FM.