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Monday, September 14, 2009 9:17 AM CDT
QB's runs were a nice addition
By BRIAN NIELSEN, Sports Editor
bnielsen@jg-tc.com
Whether Eastern Illinois fans got excited or scared, Jake Christensen sent a message.
The former Iowa transfer coming with the reputation as a passer found a crease in Indiana State’s defense that was leaving no receiver wide open so Eastern’s quarterback ran the ball and then slid safely into first down territory.
On the first of those occasions, he gained 20 yards converting a third-and-5 in the third quarter.
Then came a third-and-7 and he ran for 18 yards while some were just fearing an injury.
So now Eastern has joined the ranks of those football teams – almost every Ohio Valley Conference foe had one last year - with a running quarterback.
“I think the rest of the games we’re going to have to have a quarterback make something happen you your feet to win,” Christensen said.
Shortly after Eastern’s 31-0 win Saturday at Indiana State, Christensen and the rest of the Panthers were looking ahead to the Ohio Valley Conference.
Before it was over, actually.
That was why on that same EIU possession in which Christensen twice ran for first downs, he was replaced by Bodie Reeder early in the fourth quarter hoping the starter would not further add to an ailing shoulder apparently first injured the previous week in the win over Illinois State.
“It’s fine,” Christensen said. “Just some soreness.”
Let’s hope so, and with no sling or any other appearance of a real injury, that may be right.
You also get the idea that if Christensen would have been on a hospital bed in traction, the football player in him would have insisted “it’s fine.”
Certainly, no pretenses were made that this 2-0 Eastern football team has reached perfection.
“Offensively, we did not play a good game,” Christensen said. “We made too many mental mistakes.”
Offensive coordinator Roy Wittke’s diagnosis: “Inconsistent. A little bit sloppy. We couldn’t get into a rhythm. We were like a ping pong ball with the penalties.”
Oh yeah, the Panthers are sure to be reminded of penalties – they were called for 10 of them for 78 yards Saturday – this week in practice.
“We got one first down and got a personal foul by the ball carrier,” coach Bob Spoo said. “That’s just stupid.”
That was a penalty that was part of Chevon Walker’s day of six carries for 17 yards.
Eastern’s other Florida transfer running back Mon Williams ran 15 times for 113 yards and two touchdowns, including a 54-yarder that probably erased any thoughts of an Indiana State comeback in the second quarter.
That yardage has Williams 17th in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision and second among OVC running backs averaging right at 100.0 yards per game.
On a day when he completed 14 of 19 passes for 145 yards, Christensen wasn’t always that elusive getting sacked three times and finishing with 44 yards gained and 27 yards of losses for a net 17 rushing.
“There’s no question they’ve been doing a good job but I think Mon will be the first to tell you and Jake too, the line is playing well,” Wittke said.
Just not perfectly.
“We’ve got to clean some things up,” Wittke said.
Defensive coordinator Roc Bellantoni says the same about his group even after the shutout.
“We’re far from a finished product and our guys understand that,” Bellantoni said.
So the Panthers are likely to hit this week of preparation for Southeast Missouri on the run.
That includes a quarterback who can run as well as pass.
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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