Eastern Illinois defensive end Nicholas Oliveira-Chace has 4.5 sacks this season, nearly double his season total from a year ago. (Photo by EIUPanthers.com)
By Barry Bottino
In five games this season, Nicholas Oliveira-Chace has collected 4.5 sacks, nearly double his total from a year ago.
But the Eastern Illinois defensive end is quick to point out that rushing the passer is a team sport.
“The biggest part in getting sacks is getting all four guys to their contain points and then one of them can win the one-on-one and get the sack,” he said. “It has to do with rushing together as a D-line.”
Oliveira-Chace and the Panthers (1-5 overall, 0-2 Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Football Association) will need their pass rush to disrupt Tennessee State (4-2, 2-1) Saturday, Oct. 12 in Nashville. (5 p.m., ESPN-Plus)
“He’s really improved his pass rush,” EIU coach Chris Wilkerson said. “That’s a credit to his work ethic and his attention to detail.”
Oliveira-Chace arrived as a transfer in January 2023 weighing around 255 pounds.
“I got up to 280 expecting to play 3-technique (tackle),” he said. “They liked my play at defensive end, so they moved me out.”
That led Oliveira-Chace to expand his healthy cooking skills to maintain his weight at 270. He and Eastern’s other defensive linemen have bonded with first-year position coach Carlif Taylor, who played four NFL seasons with the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys.
“He’s really helped me understand pass rush lanes,” he said. “I try to get into the office with Coach Lif as much as I can. He’s definitely helped me.
“The biggest aspect is understanding some of the nuances of defensive line play and pass rush and understanding how to apply pressure then remove it.”
Snapping the team’s losing streak could get a boost from the pass rush, as TSU has allowed 14 sacks in only six games.
“We can impact the passer a lot more,” Oliveira-Chace said. “We need to get a lot more pressure on the quarterback consistently.”
This week’s opponent
The Tigers are coming off of back-to-back comeback wins in which they took the lead in the fourth quarter. Last weekend, they scored 17 second-half points to win at Lindenwood, 24-20. “It shows the growth of our unit,” TSU head coach Eddie George said. “When you win a game like that on the road, it feels like you’ve won two games.”. … Quarterback Draylen Ellis spent two seasons at Austin Peay and is now starting his third year in a row at TSU. He has thrown a career-high nine TDs this season but has yet to rush for a score. … TSU ranks 13th nationally in pass defense, allowing only 160.7 yards a game. Last week, junior cornerback Jalen McLendon shadowed Lindenwood star receiver Jeff Caldwell and held him to three catches for 45 yards, Caldwell’s lowest totals this season against an FCS opponent. … Safety Boogie Trotter has three fumble recoveries and two interceptions this season, along with a team-leading three pass breakups. … The Tigers have 16 sacks from eight different players this season, including 3.5 from defensive lineman Eriq George, the son of TSU’s head coach.
Kickoff: 5 p.m.; TV: ESPN-Plus; Radio: WEIU.net/hitmix
Key matchup to watch
Eastern Illinois offense vs. Turnovers: To call TSU’s defense ball hawking could be an understatement. The Tigers rank 11th in the nation with 11 turnovers gained this season, including eight fumble recoveries. Tigers’ head coach Eddie George said two years ago, he received a video from former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel on various techniques for forcing fumbles. “We’ve called it the ski mask play, just different ways to take the ball away,” he said. Eastern has lost three fumbles this season and thrown six interceptions.
What’s at stake?
The Panthers are trying to break a four-game losing streak in which they’ve allowed at least 28 points in every game.
Quick hits
The Panthers have had two first-quarter leads this season in six games. “Our slow starts continue to be a frustration,” Wilkerson said. “We’ve just got to continue to move the football and possess the football in the first quarter. We’re still searching for our best four quarters of football. We haven’t even come close to doing that yet.” EIU has the lowest time of possession in the league (26 minutes, 17 seconds) and ranks 114th in the category nationally. … Three players who left last week’s game against Southeast Missouri with injuries – tight end Anthony Manaves, wide receiver Eli Mirza and defensive lineman Drake Van Hyfte – are all “day to day,” according to Wilkerson. … Linebacker Anthony Shockey has the second-most tackles in the conference this season (54) and the sixth-most among all FCS players. … Wilkerson said the Panthers’ defense, which is allowing 32.2 points a game and nearly 277 passing yards, has been hindered by injuries, specifically in the front seven. … By passing for 366 yards last week, EIU quarterback Pierce Holly compiled his fourth career 300-yard game. He trails Anthony Buich by one 300-yard game for fifth on the all-time EIU list. … Junior Malik Rainey has started three games in a row at nickel defensive back, replacing injured senior Nick Coates and Ira Armstead, who moved to the defensive line.
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.
Find us on social media!
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/PSPigskin
Facebook: Prairie State Pigskin
Instagram: Prairiestatepigskin
Prairie State Pigskin 
Leave a comment