Still hanging on
The Panthers employ what acting head coach Mark Hutson calls a “check-with-me offense.”
On nearly every play, quarterback Cole Stinson looks to the coach to see if any audible will be called based on the defense presented.
This weekend’s opponent, Tennessee Tech, uses the same thing – except on defense.
It sets up a chess match that has both teams checking against the other team’s unit.
“I don’t know where checkmate comes in (but) both sides are eventually going to have to snap it within the 25 seconds,” Hutson said.
The Panthers (6-4, 5-1 Ohio Valley Conference) play the Golden Eagles at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday in Cookeville, Tenn., trying to keep their hopes for a postseason berth alive.
The 15-9 loss to Tennessee-Martin on Oct. 28 left Eastern needing help to win its second straight OVC championship. It also has the Panthers barely hanging on to hopes of a postseason berth.
“We can’t control our destiny anymore,” said running back Vincent Webb Jr. “The theme this week is go 1-0 this week.”
Tennessee Tech (3-6, 3-3) has an attacking defense that sometimes gives up the big play, which is something that comes with their style of defense, Hutson said.
“The way they attack upfield, they create some lost-yardage plays and they give up big plays,” Hutson said. “Some teams are bend but don’t break (in) philosophy. Some are attack. They’re a very aggressive group.”
The Golden Eagles have given up an average of five yards per run play, the most in the conference.
TTU head coach Doug Malone, who is an acting coach like Hutson, said they try to move their defense around because of their lack of size.
“We use them in a motion where they’re most effective in movement,” Malone said. “We try to out-quick.”
TTU’s defense has its hands full with the Panthers on the ground.
The Panthers lead the conference and are 13th in the country with more than 210 rushing yards per game.
TTU is second-to-last in the conference in rushing defense. They have given up more than 177 rushing yards per game and rank 92nd in the country.
“The match-up with Eastern Illinois’ running game will be a challenge,” said Malone. “They’ll keep pounding and pounding. (Then) there’s a bootleg or a play action.”
Eastern’s defense is coming off a game in which it held the conference’s leading rusher heading into the game, Javarris Williams, to just 38 yards on 15 carries.
But the performance had more to do with TSU falling behind than the Panthers’ defensive scheme, said defensive coordinator Roc Bellantoni.
Bellantoni said he expects the Golden Eagles to establish the run.
“They like to run the ball first,” he said. “Establish the run and throw play-action passes and screens. They have two really good running backs. They run downhill.”
Anthony Ash and Derek White have combined for more than 1,000 yards rushing this season.
Tennessee Tech will have the backing of its Homecoming crowd.
It will be the fourth time this season Eastern will play in a Homecoming game.
But the distractions won’t keep the Panthers from focusing on what they have to do to keep their postseason hopes alive.
“We know it’s their Homecoming so they’re going to be fired up,” Webb said. “(But) we have a lot of things we want to do. Something has to give.”
Injury updates: Starting left guard Drew Cairo-Gross is out for the rest of the season because of a left knee injury suffered during the 29-3 win last Saturday against Tennessee State. Head coach Mark Hutson said the injury would not require surgery. Chaz Millard will move into the starting spot for Cairo-Gross . Running back Norris Smith was held from contact during the week but should be able to play this weekend against TTU. Smith is nursing a left shoulder injury.
Still hanging on
Wide receiver Jermaine Mobley catches a pass in Saturday’s game against Tennessee State on Saturday. The Panthers play their third straight game against a team from Tennessee, Tennessee Tech, this weekend in Cookeville, Tenn. Eric Hiltner/The Daily Easter
