Western Illinois had plenty to celebrate last weekend after breaking a five-game losing streak. This week, they’re focusing on getting some players healthy. (Photo by Barry Bottino, PrairieStatePigskin.com)
By Barry Bottino
Western Illinois entered its bye this week battered, bruised and in need of a break.
“It’s been one of those years,” said head coach Joe Davis, who estimated more than 20 players have been out with injuries the past several weeks. “We get a couple guys back, and then a couple guys go back out.”
But the Leathernecks (2-7 overall, 1-4 OVC-Big South Football Association) entered their off week with an important achievement – a victory, thanks to last weekend’s 17-16 triumph at Tennessee State, which broke a five-game losing streak.
“I was pleased to see our team find a way to close that game out,” Davis said. “We’ve been close. The last three weeks, we’ve had some shoulda, coulda, wouldas.”
What does the last month of the season look like for WIU?
A new defensive alignment paid dividends, plenty of young players will be on the field and some roster decisions are coming.
Let’s take a look.
Defensive shift
Davis said WIU’s defense, which struggled in the first half of the season, “dabbled” with a 3-4 alignment because of injuries on the defensive line. That changed against Tennessee State.
“We went fairly exclusively to it last week,” he said. “We got to a point as a staff where we said that we had better have a plan here. We were getting pretty thin. We did not want to get caught in a position where we didn’t have any depth on that defensive line.”
Among the losses early was team captain and defensive end Peyton Bradford, who has been ruled out for the season with a right leg injury.
Western, which returns to the field Nov. 8 with a home game against Lindenwood, recently moved safety Buju Aumua-Tuisavura (54 tackles) to outside linebacker. The emergence of freshmen Aa’zoriyon Bonner (4.5 tackles for loss), Justin Buckner (14 tackles) and Joe Edwards (two sacks vs. TSU) have provided depth along with Aumua-Tuisavura.
At inside linebacker, seniors Christian Pierce and Kevin Washington Jr. – who are tied for the team lead with 66 tackles and have combined for 19.5 tackles for loss – have provided consistent production.
Two interceptions – a pick-six by safety Malini Ti’a and a late pick by freshman Don Paul Keith – made a big imprint on last week’s win.
“It was definitely the best defensive performance we’ve had in my two seasons here,” Davis said. “The ability to get a couple turnovers was massive. We’ve been working on that quite a bit in practice.
“I’m proud of our players and happy for them,” he said.
Offensive glitch
For a team that has produced consistent offensive output, the Tennessee State game was impacted by the loss of several players to injury. That includes junior wide receiver Christian Anaya, who has been ruled out for the season with a broken collarbone.
“Some guys were getting their first significant snaps, and it showed,” Davis said. “It took (freshman QB Cason Carswell) out of rhythm a bit. The expectations are much higher.”
While Western managed just 196 yards and 10 first downs, getting a first down on a fourth-quarter drive with less than 3 minutes remaining helped close out the game.
Senior offensive lineman Jeremiah Banks-Wall returned from injury against Tennessee State but had an unfortunate day.
Davis said Banks-Wall was reinjured on his first play and missed the rest of the game.
At wide receiver, transfers A.J. Harris and Fabian Baez have struggled with injuries all season and have contributed a combined six receptions.
New faces
More than a dozen freshmen have played thus far, and over the last three games of the season, Davis expects more to get snaps.
He said Edwards, who was in the game for only three plays last weekend “will see an increased role.”
Redshirt freshman defensive back Jacob Kruger is expected to see playing time, along with 6-foot-5 true freshman tight end Sage Yazzie. According to NCAA rules, football players can appear in four games and still earn a redshirt season. WIU has three games remaining on its schedule.
Decision time
With a large number of injured players sitting out, Davis said roster decisions will be taking place over the next few weeks.
“Now you get to a point here later in the season where players that have been in and out of the lineup have to make a decision. ‘Do I try to fight back? Do I try to redshirt? Do I take a medical redshirt?’” Davis said. “These are all discussions that are happening with players. That’s not a woe is us statement. I think every team in the conference would say they’re missing key guys at certain spots.”
Davis said he can’t recall a season in which a team he coached was missing as many players.
“Those are things you try to forget about and move on. It does seem higher than usual this year.”
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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