By Eric Stock

NORMAL – Just one game into the Illinois State football season and the Redbirds already have their bye week.

Following a 45-0 season-opening thrashing of Butler on Saturday, ISU plays its game on Sept. 16 at Eastern Illinois.

“Optimally you would like to have it after three nonconference games if you can work that out, but it’s so difficult now to schedule it’s almost impossible to get it they way you want it. I think it’s better than having (a bye) in the first week.”

ISU had planned to have its bye later in the season, but had to move its open date to add Northern Arizona to the schedule on Oct. 7.

Spack said the Redbirds will take advantage of the extra time by foregoing most of the game planning this week to focus on the bigger picture.

“We’ll probably look at a lot of our younger players at the end of practice and do some work with them and see how they are coming along and try to keep developing those guys,” Spack said.
“Maybe one of four of us can help us win this year.”

Spack said he was pleased with the defense, missing only one tackle in limiting the Bulldogs to 41 yards.

“Usually if you are in single digits you are happy but one is really good,” Spack said. “I think we did pretty good that way. Changing techniques has helped tremendously. You don’t miss as much they way we tackle now.”

Spack noted the passing game was slowed by four dropped passes, which he said will have to improve.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].