With the Coles County Clash now in the books, Charleston has a lot to look at for the next week.

Charleston is now 3-3 with a 0-3 conference record after their 20-17 loss to Mattoon. Charleston has to win two of its next three games to make the playoffs. These are some of the takeaways from the Coles County Clash for Charleston. 

Too many costly turnovers  

Turnovers cost the Charleston offence too much momentum. Charleston had three fumbles and one interception in the first half.  

One of those fumbles came at a crucial moment inside the five-yard line that cost Charleston points.  

In the last three games, Charleston have had a total of seven turnovers. All three of those games have also been losses.  

“[We] shot ourselves in the foot,” Charleston head coach Brian Halsey said. “We can’t turn the ball over like four or five times like we did. Stupid penalties. We beat ourselves.”   

Penalties hurt Charleston   

Penalties are always bad, but it’s worse when it costs you the game.  

Charleston had a costly unsportsmanlike conduct penalty when one of their defenders started clapping in a Mattoon’s player’s face. That play would give Mattoon a first down and they would go on to score a touchdown that drive.  

Charleston had another costly penalty during the last two minutes of the game.  

Mattoon was set to punt the ball away, but senior Marcellx Boling ran into the punter resulting in a penalty and automatic first down. Charleston would not get the ball again after that. 

Two-way play is wearing Couch down

Sophomore Treylin Couch plays both running back and defensive back. He has quickly become one of Charleston’s best and explosive players.  

However, he can’t stay on the field. 

 In the first quarter of the Coles County Clash, Couch had two big rushes. One was 85 yards for a touchdown and the other was eventually called back for a penalty. However, after that second run, he did not see the field again until the second half.  

Couch has had issues before with staying on the field as he has gone down with an injury in past weeks as well. This is happening because he is playing both sides of the ball.  

He is getting tired; however, he has no time to rest as he must go play defense right away. 

Charleston has to play two-way, as they don’t have enough players not to, but it is hurting them as the season goes on. 

The defense improved from past weeks 

This is the first game in four weeks where Charleston’s defense held a team to under 30 points.  

Charleston has had trouble keeping teams at bay and not letting big plays happen. Mattoon had a few this game like one 60-yard touchdown run by Mattoon’s senior running back Cale Kimbro.  

Charleston was able to limit the big plays though. The defense was able to keep Charleston in the game. The defense was able to hold Mattoon at the line of scrimmage many times and forced four punts and three turnovers.  

The defense for Charleston kept it close, the offence just could not capitalize on it. 

Patrick Schmitz can be reached at 581-2812 or at pfschmitz@eiu.edu.