NORMAL - While Illinois State contemplates ways to work second-stringer Drew Kiel into the quarterback mix with starter Kevin Brockway, the Redbirds' opponent on Saturday is having quarterback issues of its own.

North Dakota State, which will oppose ISU in a 1:30 p.m. Missouri Valley Football Conference game at Hancock Stadium, is considering stripping the redshirt from freshman Jose Mohler.

Bison quarterback Nick Mertens is second in the Valley with 1,509 passing yards. But the junior first-year starter tops the conference with 13 interceptions while tossing 12 touchdowns.

"Mertens is starting and Jose is our No. 2," NDSU coach Craig Bohl said Wednesday. "We will continue to evaluate it during the course of the week."

Mertens completed 14 of 33 passes for 128 yards and four interceptions in last week's 23-13 Bison loss to Northern Iowa.

Tailback Tyler Roehl, who rolled through ISU for 257 yards on 20 carries in a win last season in Fargo, is off his 2007 pace a bit with 501 yards rushing while battling ankle problems.

"The doctor told us he would be able to play, but at times he would land on it wrong and the residue of inflammation in the joint would sting him for a while," said Bohl. "Tyler has been a great team player. He does not pout."

Senior wide receiver Kole Heckendorf has 33 catches for 591 yards and has become the Bison's all-time leader in receptions with 170 and receiving yards with 2,579.

"Kole has a lot of concentration and he's deceptively fast," Bohl said. "Because of his gait and stride, you don't think he's covering that much ground. But he's pulled away from a lot of defensive backs and come up with a lot of big plays."

The loss to Northern Iowa dropped NDSU to 3-4 overall and 1-3 in the Valley. The Bison dropped out of the Sports Network national rankings for the first time all season this week and are clinging to the No. 25 spot in the Football Championship Subdivision Coaches Poll.

Warner the weapon

Opponents are beginning to kick away from Southern Illinois return man Larry Warner. The 5-foot-5, 169-pound Warner has returned nine kickoffs for an average of 33.8 yards and two touchdowns and brought back six punts for a 16.7 yard average.

"If they don't kick it to him, we probably benefit in some other way. We've benefited from some short kicks and getting the ball at the 35-yard line or better," Salukis' coach Dale Lennon said. "It's just good having him back there."

Warner also is Southern's leading rusher with 533 yards.

Miles and miles to go

Indiana State coach Trent Miles responded with a chuckle when someone on Wednesday's Valley teleconference suggested his team might be "scary" to play. The Sycamores are 0-7 and have been outscored, 335-40.

"A scary team? Have you seen us play?" Miles said. "I would say our play has been scary."

The first-year coach estimates it will take "another two years in the weight room" to be competitive in the conference.

"The brutal part of it is having kids who know what to do, but just physically get pounded," said Miles, who plans to play 18 to 22 true freshmen against South Dakota State on Saturday. "They're just not ready yet."