While Eastern quarterback Jalen Whitlow left Jefferson Davis High School, following his sophomore year, Murray State quarterback KD Humphries arrived after attending Sidney Lanier High School.

Whitlow went on to Prattville High School, as Humphries started for three years at Jefferson. Now, the two Montgomery, Ala., products cross paths again, starting at noon Saturday at O’Brien Field.

For Whitlow, the matchup against Humphries is a delight.

“It’s going to be fun playing against someone from your hometown,” Whitlow said. “We weren’t that close during high school, but we played against each in junior high and probably before that too.”

Eastern coach Kim Dameron said he has been impressed by Humphries, who leads the Ohio Valley Conference with 19 passing touchdowns and 1,608 passing yards.

“KD Humphries is throwing it all over the park,” Dameron said. “They have a lot of really good playmakers on the outside. This is a bunch that can score points in bunches.”

While Humphries has led the Racers to 30 points per game in the OVC, the Murray State defense has struggled. In five games, the Racers have surrendered an average of 41 points. Last Saturday against Tennessee-Martin, the Skyhawks put up 62.

To add on to the defensive troubles, Murray State coach Chris Hatcher said injuries are starting to pile up, including a couple on the defensive side.

“We got Bishop Woods, Perry Cooper, T-Ray Malone, Zach Littlefield, Jalen Harrington and Shawn Samuels-Connell, probably our best safety, right now all those guys are questionable for the game on Saturday,” Hatcher said.

The Racers have the No. 7 rated defense in the OVC, but Hatcher said that because of some injuries other players that have not made their debuts yet might get a chance to play Saturday.

“What we got to do is move a few guys around, we got to pull a couple guys, few freshmen, that have been practicing really well and move them into some spots that if one or two more guys went down in the ball game they would have to be ready to play,” Hatcher said. “We’re getting to the point now that with the injuries mounting up some of those guys may have to play.”

At 4-1 in the OVC, Eastern hosts the 1-4 Racers, who bring a unique challenge to the Panthers’ defense. Averaging 455.4 yards per game, Murray State has the No. 3 offense in the conference that is primarily fueled by Humphries’ 321.6 passing yards per game.

Unlike previous opponents, Dameron said Murray State is like no other team Eastern has played against this season.

“Nobody that we’ve played is really this fast paced and this pass-oriented,” Dameron said. “It’s going to be a heck of a challenge for our defense.”

Humphries is going up the Panthers’ No. 3 passing defense.

Unlike last year’s matchup in Murray, Ky, where Eastern won 37-17, Hatcher said this year his offense is trying to be as quick as it can be. Last season the Racers slowed down the pace of the game to try and limit Jimmy Garoppolo’s opportunities. On Saturday, the Racers will be galloping freely.

“We’re going to try to play as fast as we can play,” Hatcher said.

While Whitlow and Humphries get to see each other play from each respective sideline, Dameron gets to coach against one of the first teams he ever had success with.

As defensive coordinator at Murray State, from 1993-95, Dameron saw the 1995 Racers go 11-1, sporting one of the nation’s best defenses.

This season, the Panthers’ defense has been tough, bouncing back from early struggles. In OVC play, Eastern has the No. 2 overall defense. Dameron wants to bring the same success he once had at Murray State to Eastern.

“That’s one thing I’m trying to do here is to rekindle that type of atmosphere for these coaches and these players that we had at Murray State back in the 90s,” Dameron said.

While Dameron still visits Murray, where his wife Debbie is from, a couple of times a year, Whitlow still talks with Humphries.

A few weeks back, Humphries was named OVC Offensive Player of the Week. Whitlow passed on his congratulations. The two have continued to talk this season, but no trash talking leading up to Saturday’s game.

“It’s always fun to play against guys that you knew previously,” Whitlow said. “It’s always good to see someone from your city doing good things too. He’s making his mark in the OVC as well, so it’s always good to see that.”

Despite the 3-6 overall record for Murray State, Hatcher said the offense isn’t the problem. Humphries, who is a red-shirt sophomore, is getting full-time reps in college for the first time this year, doing everything to impress Hatcher.

“We’re asking a lot of him and he’s completing 66 percent of his passes, we’re throwing it 50-something times a game and he’s been running the ball well when we ask him to,” Hatcher said. “I’ve been really pleased with him. He’s got a chance to be one of the better ones that have ever played at Murray State.”

Whitlow is also making his name know around the conference, rushing for 87. 2 yards per game in the OVC, scoring eight rushing touchdowns. Passing wise, Whitlow is near the top of the league with 11 touchdown passes, throwing one interception in five conference games.

Hatcher said his team would have a difficult time coming away with a win at O’Brien Field, as the Panthers seem to be hitting on all cylinders.

“Anytime you play a new quarterback like Eastern had to this year it takes a little while to get going,” he said. “Right now, I think they’ve hit their stride and they may be playing as good as anybody in the league right now.”

Aldo Soto can be reached at 581-2812 or asoto2@eiu.edu.