Illinois State linebacker Darius Walker (53) and his Redbird defensive teammates celebrate his fumble recovery that denied Eastern Illinois a scoring opportunity on the first drive of Saturday’s game. (Photo by GoRedbirds.com)
By Dan Verdun
NORMAL – It sure didn’t look like it on the first 11 plays from scrimmage in Saturday’s Mid-America Classic rivalry game, but Illinois State’s defense was about to experience a resurgence.
For on the 12th snap, momentum and the game as a whole turned.
After moving his team down the field with relative ease, Eastern Illinois quarterback Pierce Holley mishandled the snap from center on a first-and-goal from the ISU 1-yard line.
Illinois State linebacker Darius Walker pounced on the fumble, thwarting the EIU threat and boosting the Redbird sideline and faithful in the stands or following on any available media.
It also pleased head coach Brock Spack immensely.
“It set the tone for the rest of the game,” he said. “Travis (ISU defensive coordinator Travis Niekamp) does a great job with our defense. He always talks to them about defending every inch. We’ve done that several times during his (seven-year) tenure here.”
The Redbird offense followed with a 12-play, 98-yard drive for an early 7-0 lead.
“We got control, got the lead and then never gave it up,” Spack said.
Illinois State, ranked in the Top 20 in both FCS polls, breezed to a 31-7 win against its longtime rival.
“It’s a tough pill to swallow, but a tip of the hat to the Redbirds. They outplayed us,” EIU head coach Chris Wilkerson said.
While Spack complimented his team in all three phases of the game, the defensive effort certainly had to delight him.
After all, Spack spent 14 seasons as Joe Tiller’s defensive coordinator first at Wyoming and then Purdue prior to becoming ISU head coach in 2009.
Turnover tallies
Eastern’s second drive lasted four plays before ISU safety Keondre Jackson grabbed a tipped pass off the hands of Panther receiver Terrance Gipson. Jackson, a senior captain, returned the interception 24 yards to the EIU 26.
ISU scored its second touchdown four plays later as quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse found receiver Xavier Loyd wide open in the end zone.
The resulting 14 points off turnovers handed ISU a two-touchdown lead before the end of the first quarter.
“Turnovers were big in the game,” Spack said.
Dominant performance
While Illinois State ran 80 offensive plays, Eastern Illinois was limited to just 51. The Redbirds held the Panthers to 192 total yards of offense.
Holley, who led a 93-yard game-winning Eastern drive against ISU in the final minutes of last year’s Mid-America Classic, was held in check.
Holley – the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Association preseason player of the year – threw for 72 yards, his lowest total this season.
“We did a really good job on a really good player. I’m really high on their quarterback,” Spack said. “He didn’t have the night that I’m sure he wanted, but he’s a very good player.”
In addition, the Redbirds sacked Holley three times, intercepted him a second time and were credited with a QB hurry.
Two of the sacks were career firsts for a pair of ISU defenders, lineman Steven Curtis and linebacker Patrick Bauer.
“There was nothing better than that,” Bauer said. “We had a little pick game going. Steve, my defensive end, sold it really well. I think he missed the sack actually. I just dove at the quarterback’s ankles and got up and everyone was screaming.”
Bauer has been playing in place of injured All-American Amir Abdullah.
“The coaches believe in me, so I’m just basically out there having fun,” said Bauer, who recorded a career-best five tackles.
Spack said the redshirt freshman from St. Viator High School “did some really good things (and) some things he’s got to get better at.
“He’s got to understand that he’s got to set the edge of our defense. He’s hot and cold with that,” Spack said. “But when he’s hot, he’s very, very good. He did some nice things rushing the passer and was disruptive in the running game.”
Spack added that the ISU defensive scheme relies on outside linebackers.
“Everybody knows that Amir is injured. I’m sure Patrick is tired of hearing it. He went out and played really well,” Spack said.
Tackling the issues
Illinois State’s impressive defensive performance was delivered following last weekend’s struggles with Western Illinois.
Though the Redbirds defeated WIU, Spack was far from happy after his team surrendered 503 yards and 34 points to the winless Leathernecks.
“Where was that (defense) last weekend?!” Spack joked with the media in Saturday’s postgame conference. “They were a little embarrassed (against Western). They’re better than that. We didn’t tackle very well either. When you don’t tackle well, that doesn’t bode very well on defense. And we didn’t tackle well.”
Spack said the practices leading up to the EIU game delivered “a really good week.”
“We didn’t change anything. We practice tackling every day when we’re in pads, but we (coaches) were very adamant about correcting all errors. The players were on top of each other with that too. They wouldn’t let each other get away with poor tackling.
“It showed out there, and as a coach I’m very proud of that.”
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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