Jack Piatt
Daily Egyptian
Tommy Koutsos is one season away from representing SIU as the all-time career rushing leader in the Gateway Conference.
The senior is already the school career rushing leader with 3,531 yards in just three seasons, and he has averaged 4.6 yards per carry during his career.
It will take only 701 yards this season for Koutsos to surpass Eastern Illinois University's Willie High, who holds the league's career rushing record with 4,321 yards.
Koutsos is the first running back in Gateway history to rush for 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons. He has 17 100-yard rushing games so far in his career, which is also an SIU record. With 32 career touchdowns, he is only six scores away from setting the SIU career record. Koutsos has also never missed a game in his three-year career.
Koutsos has received numerous honors during his time at SIU. He was named to the First Team All-Gateway his sophomore and junior years. As a freshman, he received an honorable mention for All-Gateway. Koutsos also enters this season as a pre-season ALL-American.
The Saluki football squad is looking to Koutsos to lead them to a successful season. The team has been working hard to improve at many different levels. If Koutsos can continue his success on the field, the team has a good recipe for winning some games this year.
"Koutsos has been working real hard all summer to improve," said junior linebacker Eric Egan. "He is going to have a great season. I hope he breaks the Gateway career rushing record."
SIU football head coach Jerry Kill said scouts last year thought Koutsos was stiff, but he thinks this season will be different.
"Tommy had a very productive spring. He is a much better player now than he was in the fall," Kill said. "He has increased his speed and will be exciting to watch in the fall."
After this season is over, Koutsos plans to compete at the professional level. He hopes to be invited to an All-Star game to begin his movement into the next level.
With a young team and a determined coaching staff, the Salukis are ready to create a new image for SIU football.
"We have a young team mixed with some good veterans," Koutsos said. "The young players need to step up and play hard, and the veterans need to step up and lead the younger players."
This season will be an important test for a fired-up Saluki football squad, and it also will be a chance for one SIU star to rise even higher.
"This will be my best season for sure; I have pre-season honors I have to back up," Koutsos said. "I am looking forward to going out on a winning season. This team is going to open some eyes."
Reporter Jack Piatt can be reached at jpiatt@dailyegyptian.com
Published on 11/17/05; 12:24:44 PM
