The hiring of first-year head coach Dino Babers has reenergized the student fan base. Myself included. The Panthers up-tempo style of play has students turning out in numbers to O’Brien Field for the first time since their 2009 Ohio Valley Conference championship-winning season.

The up-tempo style of play is exciting to watch and has the Panthers averaging an OVC-best 45.5 points per game. But, despite the big numbers on the scoreboard, they are a .500 football team heading into their Homecoming matchup with Jacksonville State on Saturday; a game I consider to be a must win for the Panthers if they expect to contend for a conference championship in a very even field.

The offense is prolific and the defense is improving on a week-to-week basis. So, what could keep the Panthers from winning an OVC championship in 2012?

Changes, inexperience and road woes.

The Panthers are adjusting to a new style of play that has only been in effect for roughly eight months. Babers took over a team with a lot of talent, but they are not your prototypical players that are needed to run an up-tempo offense like Babers has brought to Eastern.

It’s not to say the current players aren’t performing. The Panthers have already surpassed the win total in each of the last two seasons behind one of the best offenses in the nation as they find themselves in a five-way tie for second place in the OVC.

Eastern ranks second in the nation in total offense, averaging 538.3 yards per game which is 69 yards more then any other team in the OVC. The Panthers also lead the conference in scoring offense (45.5), passing yards, (405), passing touchdowns (23), and rushing touchdowns (14).

Clearly, the Panthers are adapting well to Coach Babers up-tempo scheme, but if they are adapting well enough to win a conference title remains to be seen.

The Panthers aren’t the same team they are on the road as they are at home.

Playing on the comfort of O’Brien Field, Eastern is undefeated and averages over 50 points per game. Along with an undefeated home record and averaging over 50 points per game at O’Brien Field the Panthers have been ultra-efficient in front of their home crowd. They have turned the ball over just six times, all via fumble, as Panther Nation has seen exceptional play out of the Panther.

A major reason for the Panthers success at home can be attributed to their quick starts. The Panthers have got off to a fast start in each of their three home games this season, totaling 85 first half points compared to the 50 first half points they have posted on the road.

The Panthers have posted at least 20 points in the first half in each of their three home games, but have yet to break the 20-point mark in the first half playing on the road.

A slow start is nothing a team can’t overcome, but the consistent trend that the Panthers are forming on the road is something they will have to shake if they want to punch a ticket to the playoffs for the first time since 2009.

Jordan Pottorff can be reached at 581-2812 or jbpottorff@eiu.edu.