Will the real Salukis please step forward?

After a strong performance in SIUC’s first football game against Southeast Missouri St., the Dawgs played a clunker Saturday versus Murray St.

However, the squad remains positive even if the Saluki faithful don’t know what to expect.

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Saluki head coach Shawn Watson said he really does not know exactly what the personality of the team is right now.

I can’t figure yet, he said. I have to work with them a little bit longer, the reason being we’ve got such a mix of kids from all different parts.

We’ve got some four-year transfers, we’ve got some two-year transfers, some high school kids playing two-deep. Our personality I can’t really tell you exactly what it is right now. It’s been kind of like an elevator, its been up and its been down. More ups than downs, which is a good thing.

After the 35-3 loss, the Dawgs could be down, but Watson said that will not be the case with his ballclub.

The response that I got from the kids yesterday was a favorable one, Watson said. They know and understand that the expectation is a lot more from them.

Those expectations are different from a year ago.

Last year I handled them with kid gloves, this year because of the team that I have in terms of people, I can build with for the future and the future of this season as well, I’m going to hold them accountable as men.

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Watson said being positive is the key to any successful football program.

If you haven’t got what I’m about right yet, I’m about being positive and really, if your going to get things done its to be positive, Watson said. If you continue to accentuate the negatives and look at things in a bad way, that’s where your headed.

Your headed for a loss; your headed for failure, and I’m not going to do that.

Watson said part of being positive is being honest with the players in good times as well as bad.

I am going to tell them the truth. I’m disappointed in our performance on Saturday. I am disappointed because I expect a lot better out of them, he said. Am I going to worry about those things? No. We have to coach against them.

That’s part of the psyche of coaching, you have to get in their heads a little bit.

One of the changes Watson plans on making this week is a spring drills type of practice on today and Wednesday.

We’re going to have a little different format this week, he said. We’re going back to a spring practice format, where we emphasize fundamentals on offense and defense and kids are put in positions where they have to make plays.

I’ve got to go back to what I believe in and I believe in having physical practices on Tuesday and Wednesday, within reason.

The Salukis next game will be at Division 1-A Arkansas St. this Saturday at 6 p.m.