Eastern Illinois head coach Chris Wilkerson’s team finished 3-9 this fall after winning eight games last season. (Photo by EIUPanthers.com)
By Barry Bottino
Injuries, inconsistencies and an imposing schedule.
All three of those things played a role this fall for Eastern Illinois in its 3-9 record, which was five fewer losses than in 2023.
At one point in the season, EIU was without five of its top seven wide receivers because of injury. Head coach Chris Wilkerson lamented that a starter would get hurt at a position, then his replacement also would get hurt.
The rash of injuries did, however, uncover some talent.
Redshirt freshman Quenton Rogers, a receiver from Mahomet, finished second on the team with 349 receiving yards on 22 catches. Redshirt sophomore tight end Alex Ginnever played eight games, hauling in 22 passes and scoring two touchdowns in a victory against Western Illinois. True freshman cornerback Isaiah Houi played extensively late in the season and was a key contributor against WIU, when he replaced starting cornerback NiJhay Burt, who was ejected for targeting.
The offense struggled with inconsistency, failing to extend drives on a regular basis and committing 20 turnovers, putting the defense back on the field, and at times deep in EIU territory.
Eastern’s schedule was a bear, plain and simple. Playing two Big Ten teams – Illinois and Northwestern — in the first three weeks of the season helped the athletic department’s budget thanks to a pair of six-figure guarantees. On the field, however, the result was a combined score of 76-7 in favor of the big guys from FBS. From Sept. 21 to Oct. 26, Eastern played four playoff teams in a five-game span, all of which were double-digit losses (Illinois State, Southeast Missouri, Tennessee State and UT Martin).
The Panthers also were stung by the loss of veteran linebacker Elijawah Tolbert, who started his career at EIU and became an all-conference player, left for Missouri State via the transfer portal, but returned after just one semester. He made the surprising decision to enter the portal again in late September.
In our annual series, Prairie State Pigskin examines five burning questions facing the Panthers this off-season.
How quickly can EIU improve its pass protection?
In contrast to 2023, Eastern struggled late in the season to protect the quarterback.
The Panthers allowed 43 sacks in 2024, the highest total in the Wilkerson era. That included 25 sacks in four November games.
In 2023, Eastern gave up a combined 13 sacks in back-to-back September games against FBS Bowling Green and Illinois State then remedied the issue as the season went on, giving up only five sacks in three November games.
This fall, after Eastern gave up seven sacks Nov. 16 in a 16-13 overtime win against Charleston Southern at O’Brien Field, center Drew Wilder said the offensive line was not winning enough of its one-on-one matchups.
This season’s struggles in pass protection had a trickle-down effect, limiting the offense to the lowest time of possession total in the Big South-OVC and keeping the defense on the field longer.
Where did all the turnovers go?
While going 8-3 in 2023, the Panthers led the nation in turnover margin and finished in the top 10 in turnovers gained and fumbles recovered.
Turnovers were the lifeblood of Eastern’s defense and put the Panthers in playoff contention.
What a difference a year makes.
The Panthers finished this season with a minus-12 turnover margin, which ranked 113th nationally. They recovered only two fumbles and had six interceptions in 12 games this fall.
Eastern’s interception total and four forced fumbles in 12 games this fall both ranked last in the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Football Association.
If the Panthers want to turn their record around, taking the ball away will be a necessity.
How important is special teams improvement?
Sophomore punter Jacob Horvath ranked second in the Big South-OVC with a 44.3-yard average, a mere 0.4 of a yard away from breaking Kevin Cook’s school record of 44.6 set in 2007.
The Australian was among few highlights on special teams.
The Panthers ranked 113th in FCS in punt return defense and 96th in kickoff return defense among 123 FCS teams.
Among Big South-OVC teams, Eastern was last in the league in kickoff average (55.1 yards) and touchbacks (11) while they were second-to-last in field goal accuracy (7-for-14).
All the punt return, kickoff return and kickoff numbers added up to hundreds of yards in lost field position.
Who’s the next man up at quarterback?
Gone is Pierce Holley, who joined elite company for the Panthers by passing for more than 3,000 yards this season. Only former EIU QBs named Payton, Romo and Garoppolo have accomplished that feat in Charleston.
Who’s next? The likely answer is current redshirt freshman Blainey Dowling of Chicago Mount Carmel. He led the Caravan to the ISHA Class 7A state title as a high school senior, guiding the team to a 14-0 record.
He was a centerpiece of EIU’s 2022 recruiting class. He served as Holley’s backup this fall and was 8-for-16 for 69 yards and one interception. None of the other four quarterbacks on EIU’s roster – junior Joey Sprinkle, redshirt sophomore Kevin Conway, and freshmen Jacob Rosenstiel and Connor Wolk – attempted a pass.
While Dowling has a strong pedigree, he’s also likely to have competition from within and potentially from a transfer if the coaching staff chooses to add more experience.
Where should expectations be set for 2025?
In August, Eastern received votes in both the national media and coaches polls after an 8-3 season in 2023. The Panthers were picked to finish second in the Big South-OVC poll.
After an eighth-place finish in 2024, where will expectations land for the 2025 season?
The loss of Holley as well as several veteran pieces on defense likely will land the Panthers in the middle of the pack among Big South-OVC voters. The league’s three playoff teams – Southeast Missouri, UT Martin and Tennessee State – are certain to draw plenty of attention, along with fast-rising Tennessee Tech.
Coming off a 3-9 season, don’t expect any attention from national poll voters, whose eyes are usually planted firmly in the Missouri Valley and Big Sky conferences.
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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