Eastern is currently 2-8 on the season and is looking to get a win against Charleston Southern and celebrate their 27 seniors this weekend. The Panthers are currently 1-5 in the Big South Ohio Valley Conference play.
This will be the first meeting between the two schools, as both have endured multiple losses and are at the bottom of the conference standings.
This is the last home game of the season and for a handful of seniors.
Eastern’s head coach Chris Wilkerson said the program would like to honor the seniors and let them play their last game on a high note.
“It’s really cool seeing all the guys,” senior tight end Jordan Sprycha said. “It’s bittersweet; it’s the end of our class’ careers, but you see the foundation being laid down and I’m excited to see what the guys will do next year.”
Redshirt senior offensive lineman Sebastian Pares will be playing his last home game as a Panther this upcoming Saturday, and he’s excited to play on the O’Brien turf one more time.
“It’s a long time coming,” Pares said. “It’s nice to reflect back on what I’ve done as a college athlete, and it’s a great way to celebrate everyone’s journey and how they got to this point. It’d be nice to end it with a win.”
The Panthers lost 31-28 to Gardner-Webb this past weekend, and Wilkerson was disappointed with being down 24-7 at the half but was pleased the players responded in a good way.
“And to be down 24-7 at the half, and then come out and talk about, ‘Hey, let’s just play one play at a time’, and then to be down 31-7 early in the third quarter, certainly was disappointing,” Wilkerson said. “But I was very pleased with the way the players did respond, and competed to score 21 straight points to give ourselves a chance to win the game in the fourth quarter, or at least extend the game in overtime.”
Offensively, graduate quarterback Pierce Holley passed for more than 300 yards in a game for the sixth straight week finishing with 458 yards on Saturday at Gardner-Webb.
Holley said the Panthers started off slow against the Bulldogs and got behind. He also said, they weren’t able to come back and pull it out at the end.
“More like mixing in some different protections just to help us stay protected, and working with our running backs to get our run game going,” Holley said.
Even though the Panthers aren’t having the season anyone expected, senior defensive back Zay Gentry said they are coming out like they’re undefeated; there’s still more to the season.
“We’re coming in like we’re 10-0,” Gentry said. “The season’s not over. Even though we’re not having the season we want, the season’s not over. We still have something to prove on senior night, something to the fans, and to prove to ourselves, our coaches, and our program.”
Gentry said since the Gardner-Webb game, it has been more intense at practice.
“I feel like our coaches have done a very good job of kind of getting us to start practice with a fire intensity,” Gentry said. “So therefore, we don’t come out of the game flat, so they don’t get a head start on us.”
Senior wide receiver Cooper Willman is in the record books for the Panthers as he had 291 receiving yards on 11 catches and three touchdowns,
Willman’s 291 yards ranks third in Ohio Valley Conference history, and he broke Eastern’s record set by Erick Lora (269) in 2012.
Willman now has 55 receptions for 853 yards, and eight touchdowns ranking him in the top 15 of the FCS in receptions and receiving yards.
Holley believes the team is constantly improving, but for his defensive teammates they will be prepared for a lot of running this Saturday.
“I know they do their offenses a little differently than most teams,” Holley said. “So defensively, they’ve been preparing for a lot of running. And then offensively, we’ve been just watching film and seeing what they do defensively to try to put ourselves in the best situation.”
Redshirt senior defensive lineman Joel Barrows believes the line likes to work together to improve, especially since they are a veteran group.
“I think the defensive line enjoys coming to work together,” Barrows said. “I think because we’re a veteran group, we all understand during the game, we have a job to do.”
Even though the defensive may have some shaky starts, Barrows said once they find their rhythm they are good.
“I think once we catch our rhythm, that’s when people see the true capability of the defense,” Barrows said. “One thing I can say about this defense is that we’re a tough group.”
Eastern is set to play Charleston Southern for their last home game and a time to recognize their seniors this Saturday. Kick off is set for 12:30 p.m. at O’Brien Stadium.
Payton Liggins can be reached at 581-2812 or at paliggins@eiu.edu.
