Eastern Illinois running back Charles Kellom (22) rumbles to a 25-yard, first-half touchdown. (Photo by Barry Bottino, PrairieStatePigskin.com)
By Barry Bottino
MACOMB – A timeout barely 90 seconds into the fourth quarter Saturday sparked a beehive of activity on the Eastern Illinois sideline.
The punting unit stood near the numbers preparing to kick the ball away. Coaches huddled to discuss strategy. The offense hurriedly gathered along the sideline.
Seconds later, the offensive unit rushed in, trying to convert a fourth down and 1 at EIU’s own 34-yard line.
The Panthers’ offensive line got just enough push for junior running back Charles Kellom to plow ahead – then waited out a replay review – to keep the drive alive and help the team forge a 31-23 OVC-Big South victory for EIU (2-2 overall, 1-0 conference).
“I’m happy they’ve got the confidence in us,” EIU junior right tackle Nic DiSanto said. “Being able to convert that was huge, then just being able to go score, that was definitely the momentum swing of the game.”
Five plays later, redshirt freshman running back Jacarre Fleming maneuvered through Western’s defense for a 30-yard touchdown run and a 28-16 EIU advantage.
“The play count got skewed in the first half,” Wilkerson explained of the fourth-down decision. “We were ahead on the scoreboard (21-16) but we were a little bit exhausted defensively.”
Western (1-4, 0-1) ran 44 first-half plays to only 26 for Eastern.
“Entering the third quarter, that was a big concern of mine,” Wilkerson said. “As an offense we had to balance the play count somehow.”
On the Panthers’ seven first-half drives, only one was longer than five plays.
Western eventually finished with 80 plays and 10 more minutes of possession time.
Eastern took advantage on the ground, rolling up 239 yards on 41 carries. Two of EIU’s four rushing TDs came from Fleming, who rushed nine times for 111 yards. Kellom added 10 carries for 74 yards, and junior Jay Pearson rushed for 59 yards on 11 carries.
“We prepared all week for it,” Fleming said. “We said it was going to be there, to hit the holes inside and inside out. And, it was there.”
Eastern used both Connor Wolf (4-for-10 passing for 90 yards, rushing TD) and Cole LaCrue (no pass attempts) at quarterback.
The Panthers enjoyed a positive start to the conference season before consecutive home games against Tennessee State (1-3) and Gardner-Webb (2-2) the next two weeks.
“It was big just to get our energy back up,” said linebacker Tylan Foster, who had 10 tackles – including seven solo stops – and one of five EIU tackles for loss. “The win really elevated our morale.”
Foster praised the defense’s physicality against WIU, along with his own.
“We thrive off of being physical. Somebody has to make the big hit and get everybody else riled up,” he said. “If it’s going to be anybody, it’s going to be me.”
Game changers
1:46, 2nd quarter: Fleming ripped off a 55-yard run just before halftime to extend EIU’s lead to 21-6 and deflate the Leathernecks’ momentum.
13:32, 4th quarter: Kellom plowed ahead for just enough yardage on fourth-and-1 to his team’s own 35-yard line to keep EIU’s offense on the field.
10:37, 4th quarter: Five plays after the fourth-down conversion, Fleming scored on a 30-yard run to give Eastern a 28-16 lead.
Prime Time Panthers
Prairie State Pigskin chooses the top three Eastern Illinois players in Saturday’s game:
Fleming, RB: The redshirt freshman carried the ball only nine times but had 55- and 30-yard TD runs.
Kellom, RB: The Akron transfer rushed 10 times for 74 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown.
Nickson, LB: Among his 10 total tackles, the junior college transfer had seven total tackles and one of five EIU tackles for loss.
What it means
EIU ended a two-game losing streak, evened its overall record at 2-2 and started the conference schedule on the right foot before hosting Tennessee State and Gardner-Webb over the next two weeks.
What’s next
The Panthers host OVC-Big South foe Tennessee State (1-3, 0-1) on Oct. 4 in Charleston. Kickoff is at 2 p.m.
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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