Kaelin Drakeford grabbed an interception (above) against Illinois State and also forced a fumble. He has 20 tackles this season. (Photo by EIUPanthers.com)
By Barry Bottino
For more than a year, Kaelin Drakeford has been taking care of his left shoulder.
“Last year during fall camp, I tore (the labrum),” the Eastern Illinois junior strong safety said. “My two options were to get surgery and miss the season or see how long I could play with it. I ended up playing the whole season with it torn.”
More than nine months since postseason surgery to repair the shoulder, Drakeford is healthy and playing at a high level for the Panthers (1-3), who open Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Football Association play Sept. 28 at home against Lindenwood. (2 p.m., ESPN-Plus).
“He’s a guy that can tackle like a linebacker and cover skill players,” Eastern head coach Chris Wilkerson said. “He brings a lot of experience to the table. He brings confidence. He brings toughness and physicality to our secondary.
“I’m excited about his efforts and his energy.”
Through four games this fall, the 6-foot-4, 210-pound Drakeford’s 20 tackles are nearly halfway to his career high of 41, set in 2011. In last week’s 31-7 loss to No. 18 Illinois State, Drakeford grabbed a second-quarter interception and forced a fumble with the Redbirds driving in the fourth quarter.
“In games, in practices, we’re always looking for turnovers,” Drakeford said. “Ever since I came here, a big point of emphasis is pursuit. Good things happen when you pursue. Being around the ball every play trying to make some impact. You never know when (the ball) pops out or when you can make it pop out. It’s constantly being around the ball to involve myself as much as I can.”
That includes forcing a fumble in the fourth quarter of a game when the Panthers were down 24 points, as they were in Normal.
“He’s never going to give up,” Wilkerson said. “He’s a guy that is absolutely going to keep working the football.”
This fall, maintaining his left shoulder has been “a day-to-day process” since the December surgery, Drakeford said. Being healthy has allowed him to return to the starting lineup and provide lessons for teammates.
“Being a starter, I need to be a lot more consistent and focus on doing everything right because I’m an example for guys in my room,” he said.
For Drakeford, setting an example begins with getting opponents on the ground.
“My biggest impact has been tackling,” he said. “My biggest contribution is showing up in the run game, helping out the front seven. We need to learn from our mistakes these past few games and continue to grow.”
This week’s opponent
Junior quarterback Nate Glantz threw for two touchdowns while completing 13 of 18 passes last weekend for Lindenwood in a 64-0 victory over St. Thomas of the non-scholarship FCS Pioneer League. The well-traveled Glantz began his career at Iowa Western Community College before stops at FBS Iowa State in 2022 and FCS McNeese State in 2023. … Senior running back Cortezz Jones and junior wide receiver Jeff Caldwell surpassed the 150-yard plateau against St. Thomas. Jones carried the ball 10 times for 152 yards and two TDs. Caldwell caught five passes for 153 yards and two TDs. … Lindenwood moved to Division I FCS play in 2022, elevating from the D-II level. Jed Stugart, who had a highly successful run at D-II Sioux Falls University from 2010-2016, is in his eighth season as Lindenwood’s head coach. … The Lions’ defense is led by senior linebacker Vincent King (35 tackles) and sophomore defensive end Donnie Wingate (three sacks). … Lindenwood, based in St. Charles, Mo., has 15 Illinois players on its roster.
Kickoff: 2 p.m.; TV: ESPN-Plus; Radio: WEIU.net/hitmix
Key matchup to watch
EIU secondary vs. Lindenwood WR Jeff Caldwell: The 6-4 Caldwell ranks among the conference leaders with 19 receptions (third), 393 receiving yards (second) and three TD catches (third). He will pose a challenge for the Panthers, according to Wilkerson, who called Caldwell “maybe the best wide receiver in all of FCS.” Eastern’s defense leads the Big South/OVC with four interceptions.
What’s at stake?
Eastern is aiming to start the Big South/OVC schedule with a 1-0 record after losing three of its first four games.
Quick hits
During EIU’s 1-3 start, the Panthers are averaging 10.3 points and 237.3 yards a game on offense. Quarterback Pierce Holley, who was chosen as the preseason Big South-OVC Offensive Player of the Year, has thrown two touchdowns and six interceptions, albeit against a schedule that included two Big Ten Conference teams (Illinois and Northwestern) and a nationally ranked Illinois State team. “It’s been up and down,” Wilkerson said of Holley’s play. “He’s been the recipient of some bad luck. The majority of his turnovers have actually been off deflections. He’s (also) had some throws that he probably wishes he would’ve made different decisions. I have all the faith and confidence in the world in Pierce. He’s a competitor.” … Of the receiving corps, which lost two of its top pass catchers from a year ago, Wilkerson said he’s seeking consistency. “That’s really what we’ve lacked offensively. We’ve moved the football in spurts. The bottom line is we’ve got to execute. We’ve got to finish drives. We’ve got to possess the football,” he said. … Defensive end Nicholas Oliveira-Chace is tied for the conference lead in sacks with 3.5. Last season, he had 2.5 in 11 games. Oliveira-Chace also ranks second in the league with five tackles for loss. This week, the Panthers’ defensive front is facing a Lindenwood team that has allowed a conference-high 13 sacks. … Senior linebacker Elijawah Tolbert leads the Panthers and ranks third in the Big South-OVC this season with 38 total tackles. … Junior cornerback NiJhay Burt is tied for the league lead with two interceptions, while fellow cornerback Moses Alexander’s two fumble recoveries lead the conference. … EIU will induct its 2024 athletics hall of fame class this weekend, including its 1978 Division-II national champion football team.
Barry Bottino is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin and a 19-year veteran of three Illinois newspapers. He has covered college athletics since 1995.
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