Redshirt freshman M.J. Flowers (20) rushed for the third-highest single-game yardage in Eastern Illinois history Saturday. (Photo by Sandy King, EIUPanthers.com)
By Dan Verdun
CHARLESTON – Perhaps unnoticed in Eastern Illinois’ comeback win Sept. 16 over rival Illinois State was the end-of-the-game performance by redshirt freshman M.J. Flowers.
Second-year EIU head coach Chris Wilkerson said following the toppling of the Redbirds, “M.J. Flowers caught some nice checkdown (passes) and was very understanding of the situation and got out of bounds.”
Flowers caught three passes for 23 yards on EIU’s winning scoring drive that culminated with quarterback Pierce Holley throwing a 25-yard touchdown pass to Justin Thomas.
One couldn’t help but notice his follow-up act in Saturday’s 31-28 comeback victory against McNeese at O’Brien Field.
Saturday’s starring role
With starting running back Kevin Daniels sidelined with an ankle injury, Flowers stepped into the starting lineup and rushed for career-highs in carries (37) and yards (272). He also scored a touchdown.
“They (EIU coaches) told me this week that he’d be down, so I had to step up,” Flowers said after the game. “It’s honestly a blessing. Coach (Wilkerson) told us next man up, be ready. I worked my butt off in practice all week.”
That work paid dividends for both the player and the team. Flowers broke off a 65-yard run on the Panthers’ first possession en route to a day that produced the third highest individual rushing game in school history.
Only J.R. Taylor’s 308 yards against Florida Atlantic (2002) and Kevin Staples’ 283 yards against Grand Valley State (1983) top Flowers’ single-game rushing yardage.
In addition, the redshirt freshman from Cincinnati caught six passes for 26 yards. Flowers handled 52 percent of EIU’s offensive touches. Moreover, he accounted for 66 percent of EIU’s total offense.
Did the head coach or the player expect Flowers to be handed the ball so many times?
“Probably not 37. We knew that he was going to shoulder the load today, but I don’t think any of us thought it was going to be 37,” Wilkerson said.
“I did not expect 37 carries,” Flowers said. “But, hey, they put the ball in my hand and I went to work. It’s all God’s work.”
How sore did Flowers feel after the game?
“Super sore, but hey, we got the win. That’s all that matters,” he said.
Stone cold lock
As previously mentioned, Saturday’s win was the second consecutive comeback triumph for EIU.
Kicker Stone Galloway made his first appearance of the season after being sidelined with an injury. The senior nailed a 56-yard field goal in the game’s final minute, lifting the Panthers to a 31-28 win.
“I knew. I knew it was going in,” Flowers said. “That’s Stone. He’s got that leg on him. It’s crazy, surreal.”
Galloway, one of EIU’s team captains, loved that EIU offensive coordinator Joe Davis kept calling Flowers’ number.
“Watching M.J. do his thing was so exciting,” Galloway said. “After his first (run), he got hit in the gap and bounced outside and had that 65-yard gain. I went up to him and just hit his hand and said, ‘Dude, find a way. That’s all you’ve got to do. Find a way.’”
On Saturday, M.J. Flowers certainly did. To the tune of 272 rushing yards and a victory.
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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