Wednesday, October 1, 2008 11:09 PM CDT
After wakeup call, not all is lost for EIU
By BRIAN NIELSEN, Sports Editor
bnielsen@jg-tc.com
CHARLESTON -- Coach Bob Spoo welcomed visitors for today’s Eastern Illinois practice today but by now you may have missed it.
The Panthers’ were scheduled to be going at 6 a.m.
No, this is not some punishment no matter how displeased everyone was with the performance in Saturday’s 23-10 loss to Jacksonville State knocking EIU out of the top 25 in one of the two major NCAA Football Championship polls and perhaps putting the Panthers in a must-win predicament the rest of the season for a chance at the postseason playoffs.
This is just a chance for EIU coaches as soon as this morning’s practice ends to hit the road recruiting, probably seeing some Friday and Saturday games before returning to Charleston for Sunday’s practice.
No, this is not to replace any Panthers by the next game a week from tonight at UT Martin, just the never-ending recruiting process and taking advantage of a free weekend.
Really, things aren’t that bad for this Eastern team now 2-3 overall with two of those losses to Bowl Subdivision teams, albeit the one FCS loss coming in a big early-season Ohio Valley Conference showdown.
“I think everybody was embarrassed with how we played but it’s not like we forgot how to play football in a week,” offensive line coach Jeff Hoover said.
Hoover coaches the offensive line that received much of the criticism following a game in which the Panthers netted just 20 yards on 23 rushing plays against Jacksonville State.
Now Eastern is just trying to move forward.
“It’s not like yelling and screaming is the answer,” Hoover said.
By the same token, Eastern’s one possible change on the offensive line comes could be because of an injury not a knee-jerk reaction.
Senior left guard Mike Scheibel has a foot injury which could keep him out of next week’s game, moving center Chris Vacarro to left guard with redshirt freshman Willie Henderson stepping into the center spot.
“It’s his first significant action but he’s been ready to go,” Hoover said of Henderson, a 6-foot-2, 270-pounder from Lafayette (Ind.) Jefferson.
Getting closer to full speed is the Florida transfer running back Chevon Walker, whose anticipated EIU debut at Illinois State was a forgettable one before he sat out last week’s game with more ankle trouble.
“He’s a guy who when he’s healthy gives us speed,” EIU offensive coordinator Roy Wittke said. “He’s a big home run hitter, a big-play runner.”
On defense, linebacker James Larson is questionable because of a broken finger.
That could mean a starting role for redshirt freshman Cory Leman, the brother of former Illinois All-American J Leman.
“Cory has done well in there,” EIU defensive coordinator Roc Bellantoni said.
This bye week provides some needed rest for other EIU defenders as well.
“The whole D-line is real beat up,” Bellantoni said.
However, those players are likely to be ready to play.
Likewise, the bruised egos from an OVC opening loss could eventually heal as well.
“It’s a long season yet,” Spoo said. “We’re not out of it by any stretch. People just have to step up.”
Even before today’s pre-breakfast practice, Jacksonville State provided the wakeup call.
Contact Brian Nielsen at bnielsen@jg-tc.com or 238-6856.
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