All teams in the OVC, except Tennessee State, have played two conference games. With that being said, a quarter of league play is already finished. Eastern Illinois is right where the coaches predicted it would be: at the top of the standings tied for first with Eastern Kentucky. Here’s a breakdown of how the OVC season has gone so far.

Offensive Player of the Year if regular season ended today: Tennessee Tech running back Derek White. The senior leads the conference in rushing (152.6 yards per game) and has made Tech’s offense even more legitimate.

-Others to keep in mind: Eastern Illinois wide receiver Micah Rucker, Tennessee State quarterback Antonio Heffner and Jacksonville State quarterback Cedric Johnson.

Defensive Player of the Year if regular season ended today: Southeast Missouri linebacker Adam Casper. The senior leads the conference in tackles (57), is all over the field and without his play, the Redhawks would be 0-5.

-Others to keep in mind: Tennessee State defensive end Shaun Richardson, Austin Peay linebacker Daniel Becker and Eastern Illinois corner back Rashad Haynes.

Coach of the Year if regular season ended today: Eastern Illinois head coach Bob Spoo. The 69-year-old has kept his team focused after a devastating loss against Illinois State. After missing the 2006 season, Spoo has shown the game isn’t passing him by with the Panthers out to a 3-2 start and Top 20 national ranking.

-Others to keep in mind: Tennessee Tech’s Watson Brown and Austin Peay’s Rick Christophel.

Most surprising team: Eastern Kentucky. The Colonels, under fifth-year head coach Danny Hope, have abandoned a pass-happy offense and realized running the ball efficiently equals winning.

-Others to keep in mind: Samford, Austin Peay and Tennessee Tech.

Most disappointing team: Tennessee-Martin. Not much debate about this. The Skyhaws are still winless this year after going 9-3 in 2006 and winning the league. Second-year head coach Jason Simpson’s honeymoon is definitely over.

-Others to keep in mind: Jacksonville State and Murray State

What others are saying

“The year was 1982. Tennessee Tech was 3-1. Entering their fifth game of the season, after a victory at Tucker Stadium over Murray State, the Golden Eagles were missing starting quarterback Tony Costantine and defensive lineman Manny Michel. Tech traveled to Tennessee-Martin and fell 35-21 to the Pacers.

Fast forward 25 years to 2007. Tech held a 3-1 record. As the Golden Eagles traveled to face the Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks for the fifth game of the season, following last week’s 48-21 victory over Murray State, Tech was missing starting quarterback Lee Sweeney and defensive lineman Martini Hilliard.

Fortunately for the Golden Eagles, history didn’t repeat itself.”

-Herald-Citizen staff reporter Thomas Corhern in his Sept. 30 story about Tennessee Tech’s win last Thursday at Tennessee-Martin.