Football 8/29/2023 2:34:00 PM

Millikin Football Ready to Kickoff 2023 Season

The Millikin University football team will open the 2023 season with a Saturday night game at Illinois College in Jacksonville. The Blueboys will be a new season opening non-conference opponent for Millikin with the two teams not having played each other in 12 years.

Millikin Head Coach Carlton Hall is back for his second season leading the Big Blue program looking to improve on last year's 4-6 performance. The 2023 Big Blue will be a young squad with just four seniors on the roster.

"As we start year two, I will reiterate my comments from a year ago: there are no cheat codes, shortcuts, magic pills, or hacks that will allow Millikin Football to become the best team in the CCIW overnight," said Hall. "We are working hard on Today. We are getting better each day. We are excited to see this sophomore class grow and learn. Now, they've gotta play like juniors but having 40 student/athletes working and working out here this summer will help us expedite their maturation process."

All four of Millikin's seniors play on defense. Defensive lineman Christopher Montgomery,
Collin Hancock, Ryan Hoang and Kelvin Smallwood will be called upon to provide leadership on both sides of the football.

"We have four seniors on this team, that's it," states Hall. "We cannot nor will not use that as an excuse, this season. We have 41 incoming players that have already proven they will contribute to this team, this year. This is the best D3 football conference in the country, we have all our work and all our goals sitting right in front of us."

Millikin does return some experienced players with seven starters from last year returning including three on defense. The returning defensive group is led by Montgomery who earned College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) All-Conference Second Team honors in 2022. Montgomery had 30 total tackles with 13.5 tackles for a loss including six sacks. Last season, Montgomery joined with senior All-American Alexander Perkins (Division III sack and tackle-for-a-loss) leader and senior Quinton Miller to form a defensive front that helped the Big Blue defense rank third in the country in tackles for a loss and 13th in sacks. Montgomery added four quarterback hurries, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one blocked kick. He earned CCIW Player of the Week honors and was named to the D3football.com National Team of the Week. Junior linebacker Gabe Rivera and sophomore defensive back Sean Steele both return in 2023. Rivera had 16 tackles last season and Steele had 24 stops and two interceptions.

Four players return on offense led by junior quarterback Aiden Lombardo and junior running back Matthew Salazar. Lombardo passed for 1,591 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. Salazar was the Big Blue's leading rushing in 2022 with 461 yards and three touchdowns. Sophomores Aiden Etchason and Eddie Chalmers return to the Millikin offensive line after making several starts last season.

"We know in time Millikin can be one of the best programs in the country," adds Hall. "With the help of President Reynolds, Athletic Director Dr. White, and our ambitious alumni base; we now have a seismic shift in our facilities coming. A 4,000 square foot weight room, a new locker room, a new team meeting room, new coach's offices are all now truly tangible items. The precedent has been set here at Millikin. You need to look no further than our baseball and softball facilities; build IT and they will not only come but they will be successful. We are moving closer to our vision. I have a great staff and a young, talented team and I am excited to see them work this season."

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Players Mentioned

#4 Quinton Miller: DL; 6' 1"; Senior

#9 Alexander Perkins: DL; 5' 11"; Senior

#56 Eddie Chalmers: OL; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#78 Aiden Etchason: OL; 6' 5"; Sophomore

#3 Collin Hancock: LB; 5' 10"; Senior

#29 Ryan Hoang: DB; 5' 10"; Senior

#5 Christopher Montgomery: DL; 6' 2"; Senior

#41 Gabe Rivera: LB; 6' 0"; Junior

#9 Matthew Salazar: RB; 5' 8"; Junior

#0 Sean Steele: DB; 6' 3"; Sophomore

#30 Kelvin Smallwood: DL; 6' 0"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#4 Quinton Miller
: 6' 1"; Senior
: DL

#9 Alexander Perkins
: 5' 11"; Senior
: DL

#56 Eddie Chalmers
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: OL

#78 Aiden Etchason
: 6' 5"; Sophomore
: OL

#3 Collin Hancock
: 5' 10"; Senior
: LB

#29 Ryan Hoang
: 5' 10"; Senior
: DB

#5 Christopher Montgomery
: 6' 2"; Senior
: DL

#41 Gabe Rivera
: 6' 0"; Junior
: LB

#9 Matthew Salazar
: 5' 8"; Junior
: RB

#0 Sean Steele
: 6' 3"; Sophomore
: DB

#30 Kelvin Smallwood
: 6' 0"; Senior
: DL