[Westside]

Final

[cuppett777]

the way Eastern ILL had been playing i started to pick them by more than 17..

[cuppett777]

what did jude this game, by the score i say not much?

[Walt Longmire]

what did jude this game, by the score i say not much?

He had 9 carries for 69 yards. He had 2 or 3 good runs early then ripped off a 31 yard run but he fumbled again at the end of it. He was benched for the rest of the half then twisted his ankle when he came back in and didn't return. I don't think the ankle is too serious but with the game out of reach no reason to chance it. He's got the chance to be a special running back but he has to stop fumbling. He's put it on the ground 4-5 times already.

[Walt Longmire]

Just a bad day all around. EKU had their chances to play with EIU early but 4 turnovers, 3 of them deep in EIU territory did the Colonels in. EKU should have been up 14-7 or 10-7 after one and could have put up 20 points in the first half if they would have held on to the ball. The defense is really scuffling right now as well. Garoppolo is the real deal for EIU--he'll likely be playing on Sundays next season. The Colonels should be able to get well next week vs Austin Peay.

[Westside]

CHARLESTON, Ill. – The No. 8 Eastern Illinois Panthers rolled to a convincing 42-7 victory over the Eastern Kentucky University football team Saturday afternoon.

The Panthers improve to 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the OVC while the Colonels fall to 2-3 and 0-1.

EIU quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, a Walter Payton Award candidate, completed 26-of-39 passes for 322 yards and three touchdowns. Wide receiver Keiondre Gober tallied six receptions for 115 yards and two scores.

The host team scored touchdowns on four of its first six drives to race out to a 28-0 lead. Eastern Kentucky threatened to score before the end of the first half, but the Panthers' Anthony Goodman returned an EKU fumble 70 yards for a touchdown to make the score 35-0 at the break.

Eastern Kentucky turned the ball over four times in the first half. On the Colonels' opening drive, junior quarterback Jared McClain threw an interception at the Eastern Illinois 14-yard line. A few minutes later, redshirt freshman running back JJ Jude exploded for a 31-yard run, but fumbled the ball at the EIU 30-yard line.

Eastern Illinois racked up 360 yards of offense in the first 30 minutes and 519 yards for the game. The Colonels were held to a season-low 97 yards passing.

Junior running back Caleb Watkins scored EKU's lone points, a three-yard touchdown run, with 3:33 remaining.

Eastern Kentucky returns home to face Austin Peay next Saturday, Oct. 5. Game time is set for 6 p.m.

http://www.ekusports.com

[cuppett777]

He had 9 carries for 69 yards. He had 2 or 3 good runs early then ripped off a 31 yard run but he fumbled again at the end of it. He was benched for the rest of the half then twisted his ankle when he came back in and didn't return. I don't think the ankle is too serious but with the game out of reach no reason to chance it. He's got the chance to be a special running back but he has to stop fumbling. He's put it on the ground 4-5 times already.

any reason for all the fumbles?

[Walt Longmire]

any reason for all the fumbles?

Most of his fumbles have come at the end of runs when he is fighting to get extra yards. He's got great balance and strength and he plays extremely hard--I think that might be working against him somewhat. In high school he was strong enough to break free from a tackler or even a couple of tacklers when they had him wrapped up or at least keep his balance and drag them for extra yards. He was also stronger than just about anyone trying to rip the football out so he could fight for extra yards and still hold onto the football. In college a lot of the guys can bring him down (he still drags them or falls forward but they can eventually get him down) and the 2nd and 3rd tacklers always try and strip the ball. Most of them are strong enough to do it unlike high school. I think sometimes he needs to realize when he's tackled, cover up and go down instead of trying to break free and give them a chance to rip the ball out. It is almost like his effort works against him at times. He's a great player, he'll get it figured out.