Despite the team’s 1-7 record, Eastern Illinois quarterback Pierce Holley has thrown for 2,032 yards, the second-most in the Big South-OVC this season. (Photo by Barry Bottino, PrairieStatePigskin.com)
By Barry Bottino
New faces have popped up this season all around Eastern Illinois quarterback Pierce Holley.
As injuries ravage the wide receiver and tight end positions, the Panthers have started nine different players at those two spots. Fifteen different players have caught a pass for EIU this season.
“It has taken making sure we are all on the same page at practice and getting those reps in throughout the week,” Holley said. “It’s talking about those small little details that you can’t really learn on a whiteboard that we’ve had to iron out.”
As those catching passes rotate through the lineup, Holley has remained productive amid the Panthers’ 1-7 season (0-4 Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Football Association). Holley has four straight 300-yard passing games, a feat last achieved by NFL veteran Jimmy Garappolo in 2013. His 2,032 passing yards this fall are second-best in the Big South-OVC.
Holley is also on pace to throw for more than 3,000 yards, which has only been accomplished at EIU by Garoppolo, Tony Romo and Sean Payton.
Holley will start his 20th consecutive game Saturday, Nov. 2, when the Panthers play host to Western Illinois (3-5, 2-2) in a conference game and a renewal of a rivalry that began in 1930.
The Leathernecks are led by first-year head coach Joe Davis, who coached Holley last season as EIU’s offensive coordinator.
“I’m very well aware of what Pierce is capable of,” Davis said. “He’s an absolute master of the operation of that offense. He’s still, to this day, probably one of the better quarterbacks I’ve ever had the privilege to coach. When you have a quarterback like that, regardless of record, regardless of score, you’re never out of it.”
The Panthers’ offense has relied heavily on sophomore running back M.J. Flowers and senior receiver Cooper Willman.
Flowers ranks fifth in the conference in rushing yards per game (66.5) and has the second-most receptions (38) on the team. Willman has a team-leading 41 catches and four touchdowns, along with back-to-back games of eight or more catches and 140-plus yards.
Plenty of new faces have also contributed. In last weekend’s loss at UT Martin, junior tight end Alex Herrera caught seven passes and a touchdown in his first career start. “He did a really nice job,” EIU head coach Chris Wilkerson said.
Sophomore tight end Alex Ginnever had seven receptions Oct. 12 in his first career start Oct. 12 at Tennessee State. “We’re going to continue to use him quite a bit,” Wilkerson said.
At receiver, redshirt freshman Quenton Rogers, a Mahomet native, has 12 catches and 159 yards over the past two games.
“I’ve been impressed,” Holley said. “He’s a great athlete, a guy who’s faster than you think he is. He’s been able to create some separation.”
Return of a rivalry
Eastern and Western will play Saturday for the first time since 2016 and the first time as conference rivals since 1995.
A former EIU defensive lineman, Wilkerson said physical play was always the hallmark of games against WIU.
“We had some knock-down, drag-out backyard fights,” he said. “The ability for us to play every single year in the conference is awesome for both schools.
“We are kind of mirror schools – similar enrollments, similar college towns, similar football programs with strong, storied traditions.”
For Holley, playing against his former offensive coordinator will be unique, and competitive. “It will be good to see him, but we’re both going to be doing whatever we can to put our teams in the best position to win.”
This week’s opponent
With Davis in his first year as Western’s head coach, the Leathernecks are having a resurgence on offense. Western is putting up 28 points a game, a far cry from the 12.6 points per game last season. … A potent passing game with senior quarterback Nate Lamb (244.3 yards per game) and several capable receivers has made headlines. Last weekend, in a loss at Lindenwood, Lamb compiled a single-game school record 564 passing yards. … The WIU running attack, led by senior Cameren Smith, is averaging 86 more yards per game than a year ago. … Defensively, Western has not made many strides from 2023, when they were 0-11. This year’s WIU defense is allowing only three fewer points a game but 30 more yards. Opposing offenses have scored 46 touchdowns this fall vs. WIU, including 30 on the ground.
Kickoff: 2 p.m.; TV: ESPN-Plus; Radio: WEIU.net/hitmix
Key matchup to watch
EIU RB M.J. Flowers vs. WIU defense: Flowers finished as the Jerry Rice Award runner-up last fall, an award given to the best freshman in FCS. He also was named the Big South-OVC Freshman of the Year. This season, he’s averaging 66.5 rushing yards a game, but already has a career-best 38 receptions out of the backfield. Western has struggled mightily to stop the run. They rank second-to-last nationally, giving up more than 264 yards a game on the ground.
What’s at stake?
Eastern is still looking for its first conference win, which would snap the Panthers’ six-game losing streak.
Quick hits
EIU linebacker Anthony Shockey continues to pile up tackles. He ranks second in the conference with 67 stops, which is good for 32nd nationally. … Willman is enjoying a breakout year, with career bests in catches (41), receiving yards (543), touchdowns (four), yards per reception (13.2) and yards per game (67.9). “His reliability,” said Holley, of Willman’s best asset. “He’s a guy whose hands are really sticky and he comes down with the ball if it’s in the air. His ability to step up on Saturdays has been big for our offense.” … An injury to transfer cornerback Moses Alexander has put redshirt freshman Chris Sharp in the spotlight. Sharp will start for the second week in a row opposite veteran cornerback Jay Burt. “Chris is a competitive young man,” Wilkerson said. “I have no question that he will compete very hard.” Sharp will be backed up by fellow redshirt freshman Kiwaun Davis, a Chicago native who spent one semester each at Washington State and Northern Illinois before transferring to EIU. Davis has started one game in Alexander’s spot. Burt is being backed up by true freshman Isaiah Houi. … This weekend, the Panther Football Players Association, a group of former EIU players, is hosting a tailgate reunion for Eastern’s 1989 team, which advanced to the FCS quarterfinals.
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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