Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Football

Entering his 10th season as head coach in 2025, Nick Hill has elevated his alma mater into one of the elite programs in FCS Football. A native son of Souther...

Chris Gillespie joined Coach Hill's staff at SIU in 2022 as the program's video coordinator and was promoted to director of football operations prior to the ...

Dan Clark has served as SIU's offensive line coach since 2022 and has mentored a pair of all-conference linemen in offensive tackle Beau Branyan (2022) and center Chase Evans (2024). The Salukis advanced to the Sweet 16 of the FCS Playoffs in 2023 and posted marquee wins over Big Ten Northwestern (2022) and Northern Illinois (2023). Prior to SIU, Clark was the co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Illinois State, where he helped the team to three FCS playoff appearances from 2014-16 and set up the program's run to the 2014 FCS title game in Frisco, Texas. Clark mentored offensive guard Michael Liedtke of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and offensive tackle Jermaine Barton of the Buffalo Bills during his time with the Redbirds, while also working with the Josh Aladenoye, who went on to sign with Dallas Cowboys as a free agent. Prior to Illinois State, Clark served as the tight ends and special teams coach at Northern Iowa for three seasons (2010-12). He was a part of the coaching staff that led the Panthers to two MVFC championships and two FCS playoff appearances with a cumulative record of 22-14. In Clark’s first year at Northern Iowa, two of his graduating tight ends signed free agent contracts in the NFL. Schuylar Oordt inked a deal with the St. Louis Rams, while Ryan Mahaffey signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Ravens. Before coaching at Northern Iowa, Clark served as an offensive graduate assistant coach at the University of Iowa (2007-09). Clark assisted w

Darius Davis was named SIU's defensive line coach on Feb. 4, 2025. He joined the Salukis following a three-year stint as defensive line coach at Robert Morris (2022-24). The Colonials posted a 7-5 record in 2024, a seven-win improvement over a winles season in 2022. While at RMU, Davis coached SIU transfer defensive tackle Bernadin Fleurima Jr., who played in 31 games in three seasons (2022-24) and recorded 42 career tackles with 3.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble. Davis joined the coaching staff at RMU after spending five years at Findlay as the co-defensive coordinator. During his five-year stint at Findlay, the Oilers posted an overall record of 37-16 (.698), including a mark of 27-8 (.771) in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC). Findlay claimed the G-MAC championship in 2021 and earned a spot in the NCAA Division II Football Championship thanks to a 26-21 victory over Tiffin. In 2021 the Oilers led the G-MAC in scoring defense, yielding just 16.4 points per game, while also holding opponents to just 98.1 yards per game on the ground, which also led the conference. During his tenure at Findlay, Davis coached 20 student-athletes that earned all-conference honors on the defensive line, including four on the first team. In his first season at Findlay in 2017, Davis helped the Oilers earn their first bid to the NCAA Division II Football Championship. Findlay ranked in the top 25 for the majority of the season as Davis was instrumental in the development of John

Eriq Moore was named cornerbacks coach in April, 2025. Prior to SIU, Moore spent two seasons coaching defensive backs at Missouri Western State, helping lead the Division II Griffins to a playoff appearance in 2023. “Eriq has worked his way up through the coaching ranks, starting out as a GA at Chadron State,” Hill said. “The path he’s taken, it tests you and your love for the game. Everywhere he’s been, he’s helped elevate their program.” As a player, Moore was a three-year starter at SEMO (2013-16), walking on to the team as a freshman, before earning a scholarship and being voted a team captain his junior and senior years. “He has an infection personality,” Hill said. “He brings a lot of energy, and the guys in the corners room are really going to enjoy playing for him.” Prior to Missouri Western, Moore spent two seasons at Emporia State (2021-22), helping lead the Hornets to a 15-6 record and two post-season appearances. Two defensive backs under Moore's tutelage – Montrell Wilson and Derrick Maxwell – tied for the conference lead in 2022 with three interceptions apiece. Moore also served as defensive backs coach at Southern Arkansas (2019-20) and as a graduate assistant coach at Chadron State (2018). He and his wife, Unique, have two sons, EJ and Elijah.

A native of Lincoln, Neb., Halperin joined the staff in 2024 as the director of player personnel and recruiting. Prior to SIU, Halperin served two seasons on the staff at Villanova, working in the role of assistant director of player personnel. He helped coordinate high school recruiting, transfer portal recruiting, assisting with all visits, and assisting with the kickoff return unit. Halperin graduated from Ohio University with degrees in sports management and business analytics, and worked as a student assistant with the football team at Ohio in video and with the cornerbacks.

Du Quoin native Jacqueline Crain has worked on the support staff for Saluki Football since 2021 and currently serves as the program's graduate assistant, res...

FootballSkip AdKulig, JakeClark, DanDavis, DariusFrame, NathanGrant, ZachGriffin, NateHill, NickKulig, JakeLindauer, MichaelMoore, EriqPronschinske, LeeRebholz, TomWarner, Larry

Larry Warner, one of SIU’s all-time great tailbacks, returned to coach the team’s running backs in 2023. He was a guiding force behind the success of Saluki tailback Ro Elliott, who finished his career ranked 10th all-time in rushing at Southern. The Salukis advanced to the Sweet 16 of the FCS Playoffs in 2023 and posted an FBS win at Northern Illinois. Known by his nickname, “Lighting Larry,” the 5-foot-6 Warner electrified Saluki fans for two seasons, including a 2008 campaign in which he rushed for 1,265 yards and was named First-Team Associated Press All-American. Warner returned a school-record three kickoffs for touchdowns in 2008 and was the fourth-fastest player in school history to reach 1,000 rushing yards, accomplishing the feat in just 130 carries. “He was the first person I called when a spot opened up on my staff,” said Hill, who played with Warner on SIU’s 2007 team that went 12-2 and advanced to the Final Four of the postseason playoffs. “He is a close friend, and he shares the same core values and passion for our program. You’re not going to find anybody that has more energy than Larry.” Warner began his coaching career at Carbondale High School in 2009, before joining Dale Lennon’s staff at SIU as a graduate assistant in 2011. He later joined Hill at CHS, before the two became full-time assistants for Lennon from 2014-15. After leaving Southern, Warner coached at Central Arkansas (RBs, 2016-17), South Alabama (RBs, 2018-20) Arkansas-Pine Bluff (RBs, 2020-21)

Southern Illinois head coach Nick Hill promoted Lee Pronschinske (pronounced pron-CHIN-ski) to defensive coordinator after the 2024 season. Pronschinske will...

Meade Smith is one of the top strength and conditioning professionals in college athletics with a proven track record of helping athletes maximize their potential. He joined the staff at Southern Illinois in May of 2016 after serving as head strength coach at SIUE from 2011-16. In 2019, he oversaw a complete renovation of the Saluki weight room. A 2000 graduate of Missouri, Smith played two seasons with the Tigers’ baseball program and earned a bachelor’s degree in nutrition and fitness. He earned his master’s degree in exercise physiology in 2004 from Southern Illinois, where he served as graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach. During his first stint with the Salukis, Smith was mentored by Eric Klein, who is now the head football strength and conditioning coach at UConn. Smith’s core strength and conditioning principles focus upon training movements not muscles, ground-based training programs, explosive training, an accent on core training, and an emphasis on injury reduction. “The primary focus with all performance programs is to build a strong athletic foundation while focusing on each student-athlete’s individual needs,” said Smith. “This is accomplished by developing comprehensive training programs that put a major emphasis on movement training, explosive power development, foot speed and agility, linear and lateral speed, proper resistance training techniques, functional strength, injury reduction, and energy system development.” Smith is a certified strengt

Michael Lindauer was promoted to quarterbacks coach on Jan. 8, 2026, and enters his first season in the role. Lindauer was previously a graduate assistant for the Salukis and was in the role for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. In 2025, Lindauer primarily worked with the offense as an offensive assistant. The former quarterback started his collegiate career at Cincinnati and was there from 2019-20. In 2020, Lindauer played behind NFL quarterback Desmond Ridder. Lindauer transferred to Southern Illinois in 2021 and spent the rest of his playing career in Carbondale. The Evansville, Ind., native missed the 2021 season due to injury and served as Nic Baker's backup from 2022-23. In 2024, Lindauer began the season as a graduate assistant on the coaching staff before being activated in Week 9. From there, Lindauer went on to play in four games and made one start, which came in a record-breaking performance against Murray State. The former quarterback threw for a program-record seven passing touchdowns against the Racers.

Nate Griffin joined Nick Hill’s staff as running backs coach in 2016 and moved to the tight ends room in 2023. Playing in the toughest conference at the FCS level, the Salukis have advanced to the playoffs three times in the last five seasons. SIU was one of only two FCS teams in the nation to beat FBS opponents in both 2022 (Northwestern) and 2023 (Northern Illinois), joining Sacramento State, which beat Colorado State (2022) and Stanford (2023). At SIU, Griffin has mentored some of the greatest running backs in school history, including a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in the 2019 season — D.J. Davis and Javon Williams Jr. As a unit, SIU’s ground game ranked No. 12 in the nation. Davis totaled 5,431 career all-purpose yards — finishing with the 2nd most yards in school history and 7th in MVFC history. He also finished fifth in career rushing yards at SIU (2,697) and 11th in receptions (112). Williams earned All-American status in 2019 and finished 3rd in the voting for Jerry Rice Award, which goes to the nation’s top freshman in FCS football. He led all Division I freshmen with 19 TDs (17 rushing, 2 receiving) and finished with 1,038 rushing yards (2nd nationally among freshmen). As recruiting coordinator, Griffin made an immediate impact, earning recognition from Hero Sports for bringing in some of the top recruits in the FCS in 2016. Griffin came to Carbondale from Minnesota, where he spent four seasons in the Big Ten on the Golden Gophers staff. Griffin served as a quality c

Nathan Frame returned to the Saluki Football program in 2023 as the special teams coordinator and defensive assistant. He was also on head coach Nick Hill's ...

FootballSkip AdRebholz, TomClark, DanDavis, DariusFrame, NathanGrant, ZachGriffin, NateHill, NickKulig, JakeLindauer, MichaelMoore, EriqPronschinske, LeeRebholz, TomWarner, Larry