Sunday, August 17, 2008 11:10 PM CDT
Backs lack experience, but ready to go for EIU
By Brian Nielsen, Sports Editor
bnielsen@jg-t.com
Face it, Eastern Illinois football fans.
At least in the early and tough going, things may be dependent on what looks like a good defense and a running game relying on a junior who has scored one collegiate touchdown, and a true freshman.
Junior Ron Jordan, all 5-foot-8 of him, and 6-foot, 223-pound Desmin Ward, the recruit from Hamilton High School of Milwaukee, continue to handle most of the ball carrying duties as three Florida products who might have been 1-2-3 on your tentative depth chart remain sidelined by injuries.
Missing the past week’s practices with a sprained ankle, the highly regarded University of Florida transfer Chevon Walker appears ineligible for the season’s first three games anyway on an NCAA suspension he brought with him to Eastern, which has been able to get cut from six games to three.
Norris Smith, the highly rated high school recruit from Fort Lauderdale, has been injured much of the time since arriving at Eastern five years ago and is dealing with a bad back now.
And Travorus Bess, whose 716 career yards are the most of any of the EIU running backs, is also trying to recover from an injury in his senior preseason.
Eastern coach Bob Spoo is not talking as if this is a problem.
“The way Ronnie is performing for us, I’m pleased with that,” Spoo said.
So apparently Jordan and Ward are Eastern’s running backs for the Aug. 28 opener at Central Michigan.
“They deserve to play in that game,” Spoo said.
If needed Lemont’s Bobby Earnest, a freshman listed as a strong safety recruit in the media guide before these injuries moved him to offense, could also shed his redshirt year to help immediately.
“Ron Jordan, Desmin Ward and Bobby Earnest have done an outstanding job for us,” offensive coordinator Roy Wittke said. “They’ve shouldered the load for us in practice and have made a name for themselves. From the work they’ve done our guys have confidence in them.”
The fact that these backs did not break long runs in the scrimmage — you know, the way Walker did sometimes during spring practice — is not necessarily a bad thing.
Maybe it just means the Panthers with an experienced line and secondary and promising linebackers are going to be a defensive force.
“I think it’s a good thing,” Spoo said. “I’m not disappointed with that. I think it’s good that our defense is doing the job.”
Eastern’s defense did not allow a score when starting quarterback Bodie Reeder led the first-team offense starting from its own 20-yard line or when now No. 2 Luke Hockaday started from the 20.
On series starting from its own 40, the offense had possessions end with a missed 50-yard field goal by Iowa transfer Austin Signor, a miss from 35 yards out by Zach Yates and a miss from 55 by Tyler Wilke.
“This week coach Roc (Bellantoni, the defensive coordinator) was emphasizing playing hard and getting to the ball,” senior defensive back Adrian Arrington said.
Getting to start a series just 40 yards from the end zone, the first team converted as Reeder hit fullback Chip Keys for a 3-yard touchdown capping a drive that included a 12-yard pass reception by sophomore tight end Sean McGrath and a 10-yard run up the middle by Ward.
Ward later scored on a 3-yard touchdown run in a red zone drill which started from the 20 with Reeder and McGrath connecting on a 13-yard pass.
Earnest scored on a 1-yard touchdown run in a series between backup units with freshman quarterback Doug Reynolds directing the possession starting 40 yards away.
“Our guys have to realize there are times when the ball is going to be placed on our side of the field and we have to respond,” Bellantoni said.
Still, on a day when OVC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Pierre Walters was held out with an upset stomach and other starters’ action was limited trying to prevent injuries, Bellantoni was not unhappy.
“Overall, I’m very pleased with the tackling,” the defensive coordinator said. “We’re pretty strong up front and I think we’ve got a lot of depth in the secondary.”
Taking into consideration that Eastern might have the best secondary in the OVC, Wittke still saw reason for concern with his pass receiving corps that no longer has Pittsburgh Steelers free agent Micah Rucker.
“If there was one disappointment, it’s that we put the ball on the ground and didn’t make some plays when we had the opportunity,” Wittke said. “We have to become tougher mentally and physically.”
The bright spot in the passing game was probably McGrath, Mundelein Carmel product who after playing special teams last season as a freshman now figures to have an impact as sophomore tight end.
“We’re really happy with Sean,” Wittke said. “He’s going to be a weapon for us.”
The weapons could also include Hockaday, the redshirt freshman who now stands as the backup quarterback behind Reeder.
On Saturday, Hockaday had some good plays and some not so good.
“That’s a sign of a young quarterback but he’s throwing the ball well for the most part,” Wittke said. “He’s grasped things and he’s made less mistakes than he did last spring.”
Brian Nielsen is sports editor of the Journal Gazette/Times-Courier. Contact him at bnielsen@jg-tc.com or 238-6856.
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RDCENT wrote on Aug 18, 2008 9:01 AM: