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Kowalczyk: 'It can be done.'

SIU Athletic Director Paul Kowalczyk, a native of Warren, Ohio, knows how impressive Youngstown State's football stadium is.

He was living just outside Youngstown as it was being built, later worked in Stambaugh Stadium as a clerk at the Penguin ticket office and was there as his department's football team dismantled the legendary Penguins Saturday night.

Kowalczyk calls the stadium a "first-class facility," especially for I-AA. But should SIU build something similar, Kowalczyk said it would look very different.

Stambaugh Stadium has one dominant side, about five times higher than the opposite bleachers. SIU's new stadium, if Kowalczyk gets his way, will be an evenly spaced bowl.

Also, don't expect any SIU football stadium to hold 20,630 people as Youngstown State's does.

"Our intention is certainly to build a first-class facility as well, although I don't think we're looking at 20,000 seats at this point."

Given the small population of Southern Illinois, the Athletic Department will be aiming for a stadium of around 15,000. To expect as much support as Youngstown and the greater Northeast Ohio - a total of more than a million people - would be unrealistic at this point.

Kowalczyk is not setting a limit at that number, but it is what he expects based on the latest football attendance numbers. A total of 12,326 people showed up to watch the No. 1 team in the country face its most recent rival on homecoming weekend.

"I don't know what the maximum is. I don't know how much this area will support I-AA football," Kowalczyk said. "But I think there's a lot of great possibilities there."

Kowalczyk saw a small-town school turn into a powerhouse first-hand at Kansas State, where he served as assistant athletic director for business operations.

Manhattan, Kan., is about the size of Carbondale and has similar marketing characteristics, yet it is now a football powerhouse and a terrific revenue producer. But it took some time - and a little faith.

With fan support and a decent football stadium, Kowalczyk believes SIU can become what Youngstown State has been for the last quarter-century - an elite I-AA football program.

"It can be done," Kowalczyk said. "When I was there, we were standing in the press box looking out over the traffic flow wondering where in the heck we were going to get people to come watch us play," Kowalczyk said.

They found some people in the area, but the larger portion of Kansas State's ticket buyers came from those outside the area, something Kowalczyk hopes can work for SIU should the football team continue to win.

"We'll always be hindered when it comes to marketing opportunities and some sales opportunities," Kowalczyk said. "But I think as a program, we can be successful and continue to be successful and draw people from outside of the region, as well."

If SIU can do that, it may enjoy the type of atmosphere that, like Youngstown, will fill a stadium with 16,000 people even if the team is losing. But it will take at least a few years of winning and a sustained effort to promote Saluki football across the region.

With fan support and a decent football stadium, Kowalczyk believes SIU can become what Youngstown State has been for the last quarter-century - an elite I-AA football program. "It can be done," Kowalczyk said.