After a 27-20 win over Indiana State, Eastern is looking forward to its next game against Northwestern University on Saturday.
Northwestern is the second Big 10 opponent Eastern will face in the 2024 season. The first Big 10 opponent the team faced was UofI, and the Fighting Illini shutout the Panthers 45-0.
Eastern’s head football coach Chris Wilkerson said he was excited with how the team had grown.
“The theme of the week was improvement, and we did improve as a football team,” he said. “We were able to execute a two-minute situation before the end of the first half and close with a field goal. We were also able to execute a unique and special situation with the onside kick recovery, but our biggest improvement from week one to week two was our ability to win the turnover margin.”
Against the Fighting Illini, the Panthers recorded a negative four turnover margin with two interceptions and two fumbles from the offense.
Against the Sycamores in week two, the Panthers recorded a positive three turnover margin with only one interception from the offense. Eastern’s defense recorded three interceptions and a scoop and score touchdown by redshirt junior defensive back Moses Alexander.
“It’s obviously nice to come out with the w[in] and be able to bounce back from week one,” graduate quarterback Pierce Holley said. “It shows a lot about the team as a whole.”
Since Saturday’s win, the team has been practicing their assignments before Saturday’s game.
“We’ve been having sharper practices,” Holley said. “We’re getting everyone on the same page.”
Senior safety Nick Coates says his position room has been making sure everyone is ready just in case a starter goes down. He said the everyone is getting multiple repetitions of game situations regardless of whether they start or not.
“We’re pretty serious, and it’s basically business out here everyday,” he said. “As a group, it’s good to have a certain standard, and if we’re below that line, we got to come back the next day and we improve on that.”
Senior linebacker Elijawah Tolbert said the team has been paying more attention to details throughout practices.
“Everything we do, having that sense of urgency and making sure we’re all knowing where everyone is supposed to be and trusting the system, is important,” Tolbert said.
Preparing for another Big 10 opponent is something the team said it isn’t too focused on. At the end of the day, the Panthers want to achieve another win no matter how much of a disadvantage they are at in competing against a program in a higher division.
Although the season is seen as a marathon in the eyes of the team, Wilkerson believes another chance to face an FBS opponent is something the team will use to help them when Big South-Ohio Valley Conference play starts.
“We continue to see growth, and that’s what this season is about,” Wilkerson said. “It’s a unique opportunity to play a Big 10 school, and to be able to do it twice in the same season is unprecedented here. It’s a great opportunity to put our best foot forward.”
Eastern (1-1) is set to play Northwestern (1-1) in Evanston on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Zaria Flippin can be reached at 581-2812 or zhflippin@eiu.edu.
