SIU quarterback Nic Baker and punter Jack Colquhoun both earned Missouri Valley Football Conference Player of the Week honors after their performance on Saturday.
Baker earned the Offensive Player of the Week honor, helping to rally the Dawgs back from a 20 point deficit to a 42-41 overtime victory over #2 South Dakota State. Baker completed 28 of 45 passes for 359 yards, 4 touchdowns and no interceptions. Baker also rushed 12 times for 43 yards. He led a game-tying 70-yard TD drive late in the fourth quarter that included conversions on 4th-and-6 (ran for 8 yards) and 4th-and-11 (passed for 18 yards). SIU’s fourth all-time leading receiver Landon Lenoir was his favorite target, catching a career-high 10 passes for 147 yards and two TDs. His one-handed catch in the front corner of the end zone of a 19-yard pass from Baker tied the game with 34 seconds remaining and sent it to overtime, where the Salukis prevailed.
Colquhoun was named the Special Teams Player of the Week after SIU’s huge win at SDSU as well. Colquhoun continued his hot streak with five punts for a 49.2 yard average, including a long of 65. He pinned SDSU inside its 10 twice and inside its 20 three times, including a field-flipping 65-yard boot that was downed at the Jackrabbits 1.
The Salukis return home Saturday for homecoming, where they’ll face the Fighting Hawks of North Dakota, kickoff is set for 2pm. Pregame with Mike Reis, Gene Green and Connor James is at 1pm on 101.5 CIL-FM.
