Eastern Illinois running back Charles Kellom rushed a career-high 33 times for 150 yards and two touchdowns as the Panthers won their Ohio Valley Conference opener. (Photo by GWUSports.com)
By Dan Verdun
Eastern Illinois survived heavy rain and outlasted Gardner-Webb to win its Ohio Valley Conference opener Saturday in North Carolina.
The Panthers scored a pair of late fourth-quarter touchdowns to knock off the Runnin’ Bulldogs, 21-7.
Eastern (1-4 overall, 1-0 OVC) snapped a four-game losing streak. Gardner-Webb (2-5, 1-1) suffered six turnovers, while EIU had none.
“The most important thing is we took care of the football,” EIU head coach Chris Wilkerson said.
Those miscues proved to be a major difference in the outcome as G-W led in total offense (246-174) and first downs (13-6).
EIU converted only 1 of 13 third-down attempts and completed two passes for 11 yards.
“They (G-W defense) really played snug to the box all day and certainly the conditions were so hard to throw the football,” Wilkerson said. “The balls were so waterlogged and heavy.”
Yet, the Panthers prevailed.
EIU – stymied most of the day by the inclement weather and stingy Runnin’ Bulldog defense – drove 76 yards on seven plays to take a 14-7 lead with 2:31 left in the fourth quarter.
Quarterback Cole LaCrue cut back and raced left into the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown run to cap the scoring drive.
“The elements were really, really, really tough,” Wilkerson said. “The guys just continued to scratch and claw and find a way to do what needed to be done.”
The Panthers’ go-ahead drive began with a 16-yard pass play from LaCrue to receiver Devin Whitlock. That play seemed to soften the G-W defense and ignite EIU’s offense.
Running back Charles Kellom took over from there, rushing for 61 yards on five carries to set up LaCrue’s TD.
Defense, special teams deliver
Eastern’s defense played solid for most of the game, allowing only a 37-yard touchdown pass by true freshman Lan Farmer to Kory Jones with 9:41 left. G-W kicker Tyler Simpson nailed the extra point to tie the game, 7-7.
The Panther defense not only gained the six turnovers, it – along with special teams – delivered at key moments.
EIU’s first touchdown was set up when redshirt freshman Davian Humphrey recovered a botched snap on a Gardner-Webb punt. Humphrey, a Chicago Phillips graduate, covered the ball at the Runnin’ Bulldog 1-yard line.
“Massive momentum shift,” Wilkerson said of the play.
Kellom then lined up in the wildcat formation with tight end Whitten Weems in the backfield. Kellom followed his blocking to score on a run to the left.
With Eastern leading 7-0, defensive back Jerry Addo-Boateng thwarted a potential G-W scoring drive. The redshirt senior snagged an acrobatic interception at the EIU 5-yard line.
Leading 14-7, the EIU defense turned the Runnin’ Bulldogs over on downs with 1:48 remaining.
Farmer – playing in place of injured star quarterback Cole Pennington – shook off EIU defensive lineman Aidan Archibald but was stopped short of the line to gain by linebacker Lonnie Burt on a fourth-down scramble.
Eastern’s offense took over at the G-W 32-yard line. The Panthers responded with an insurance touchdown as Kellom, with the help of a push from his offensive line, powered in for a 4-yard touchdown with 1:18 remaining.
Archibald provided an exclamation mark when he sacked Farmer, forcing a fumble that teammate Isaac Engle recovered on the final G-W possession.
Game changers
13:25, 3rd quarter: Humphrey pounced on a fumbled punt snap at the Gardner-Webb 1-yard line. The special teams play set up Kellom’s 1-yard touchdown. Drew Schiller added the PAT.
6:16, 3rd quarter: Addo-Boateng snagged an acrobatic interception at the EIU 5-yard line to foil Gardner-Webb.
2:31, 4th quarter: LaCrue scored a 4-yard touchdown, giving Eastern a 14-7 lead.
Prime Time Panthers
Prairie State Pigskin chooses the the top three Eastern Illinois players in the game:
Kellom, RB: The senior carried the ball a career-high 33 times for 150 yards and two touchdowns. Kellom has rushed for 100 or more yards three times this season.
Addo-Boateng, DB: The redshirt senior first deflected a Farmer pass, then tipped it and finally secured it for an interception on the EIU 5-yard line.
Cade Cox, P: The transfer punted 11 times for 43.7-yard average in the foul conditions to keep G-W at bay.
What it means
Eastern won its third Ohio Valley Conference opener in the last five years. The Panthers are 23-9 in OVC openers.
What’s next
EIU hosts Lindenwood at 2 p.m. Oct. 10 at O’Brien Field in league play.
Dan Verdun is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin. He has written four books: NIU Huskies Football, EIU Panthers Football, ISU Redbirds Football and SIU Salukis Football.
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