Coordinator Joe Davis’s Eastern Illinois offense may hold the key to the Panthers’ chances to recapture the Mid-America Classic traveling trophy. (Photo by EIUPanthers.com)
By Dan Verdun
For the second time in the season’s first three weeks, Eastern Illinois will face a Missouri Valley Football Conference foe.
Second-year head coach head Chris Wilkerson’s Panthers began the year with a 27-0 shutout at regional rival and MVFC member Indiana State.
After losing at FBS Bowling Green, EIU (1-1) will host rival Illinois State (2-0) Saturday at O’Brien Field in Charleston. The Redbirds, picked to finished seventh in the MVFC preseason poll, are ranked No. 25 in this week’s FCS Coaches Poll.
“It’s important for us to make sure that our league be recognized for the competitive league it is. Strong leadership, strong coaching, strong players. Great play across the board,” Wilkerson said. “Again, it’s an amazing opportunity for us to compete against the Missouri Valley (Football) Conference.
“We certainly want to do our part to make sure that people understand the Big South/OVC is a league that’s very strong.”
Focusing on his team, Wilkerson shared his thoughts after watching tape of the 38-15 loss at Bowling Green.
“I was really pleased with the effort,” he said. “We didn’t tackle very well on defense and too many missed opportunities for explosive plays on offense.”
This week’s opponent
Illinois State is ranked first nationally in rushing defense, allowing just 46 yards a game and 1.6 yards per carry.
The Redbirds are tied with two other schools for the nation’s lead with 10 sacks, which has resulted in 70 lost yards by opposing quarterbacks.
“They are very well coached on defense,” Wilkerson said. “They know exactly what they want to do. They match patterns as good as anyone in the country.
“Offensively, their quarterback (Zack Annexstad) has been phenomenal, taking care of the football and being accurate,” Wilkerson said, “and then they have a three-headed monster at tailback.”
That backfield trio includes Cole Mueller, Wenkers Wright and Mason Blakemore.
ISU left tackle Hunter Zambrano and Blakemore (170 rushing yards, three TDs) were both named MVFC offensive award winners after the Redbirds’ 34-18 win at Western Illinois.
(2 p.m. kickoff, TV: ESPN-Plus; Radio: WEIU.net)
One matchup to watch
EIU offense vs. ISU defense
As strong as the Illinois State running game is, the Panthers’ best chance to win Saturday’s game may well rest with their offense.
Eastern needs to control and move the ball while also producing points off its drives that limit ISU’s time of possession.
Wilkerson has confidence in his offensive leader.
“Our quarterback continues to show development and comfort within our system,” he said. “Pierce Holley has done a phenomenal job of being efficent, taking pretty good care of the football, distributing the football, taking what they give him, but most importantly for him, it’s been his poise and his ability to stand in the pocket and take some hits.
“We’ve got to do a better job up front to keep the pocket clean for him, but his accuracy, anticipation and understanding of our system has continued to improve.”
What’s at stake
EIU has not raised the Mid-America Classic traveling trophy since 2016 when the Panthers defeated Illinois State, 24-21, in Normal.
ISU head coach Brock Spack’s Redbirds have won the last five games in the rivalry. Spack is 9-4 versus EIU in his coaching career.
“We’ve got our hands full, but again it’s a great opportunity for us,” Wilkerson said.
Quick hits
With kicker Stone Galloway out with an injury suffered before the season opener, EIU has turned to former Panther kicker and soccer player Julian Patino, who nailed a 31-yard field goal against Bowling Green. … Galloway remains questionable with a leg injury, Wilkerson said. … Receiver/returner Cooper Willman remains out following a lower body injury sustained at Indiana State. … The EIU-ISU rivalry is the eighth-longest played non-Ivy League FCS series between schools (16th overall among FCS schools counting Ivy League). The schools first met in 1901 with Eastern winning, 28-0. The schools began playing for a traveling trophy in the rivalry with the 100th meeting of the series on Sept. 1, 2011 (a 33-26 EIU win). … The two schools have missed playing just three times since World War II – in 1996 due to conference realignment, in 2001 due to 9/11 and in 2020 due to COVID. … Eastern will play a game on the newly installed turf at O’Brien Field for the first time.
Dan Verdun is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin. He has written four books: NIU Huskies Football, EIU Panthers Football, ISU Redbirds Football and SIU Salukis Football.
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