Hola Gents!
It's been a few years. Hope all is well in Macomb, IL!
Here is my write-up on the game. If anyone is coming down, feel free to stop by our tailgate near the library - (near the big alumni blowup tent).
Thoughts on last week’s game:
The way we played, we had no right being close to UAB let alone winning the game. We lost the turnover battle and I’m still trying to figure out why it took so long to bench Keane.
Famous Alumni:
Former NFL players Rodney Harrison, Bryan Cox, and Frankie “bag of donuts” Winters. Actors Michael Boatman and John Mahoney.
Preview:
WIU is in the MVFC and was picked to finish 6th . They had four players named to the Preseason Team. On the first team were Jr RB Steve McShane, Sr OL Jacob Judd, and Sr LB Brett Taylor. DL Khalen Saunders made the Honorable Mention Team.
I have been to WIU twice and it is in the middle of nowhere. I still have no idea why my brother willingly chose to go there. It’s kind of like Charleston Southern, just bigger. They had an extremely large dorm – 20 stories - Higgins Hall (where my brother was at) that they decided to implode in early July (
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/we ... 26623.html) It was either take it down or spend almost $50million to repair it. The building was 50 years old and had a ton of issues.
On Offense their second leading rusher from last year returns but he is only averaging 18 yards/game. Their third leading WR returns as does their backup QB but he played in every game to some extent last year.
On Defense three of their top four leading tacklers return from last year.
On Special Teams ironically none of their return men return from last year! They also have a new kicker and punter this year.
Injuries:
Shane Johnson is 50:50 according to Coach Chadwell.
Out for the season:
N/A
Past History with the team and Conference:
We have played the Leathernecks twice before. The first match up was the Zach MacDowell turnover show in the FCS playoffs at home where we lost 17-10. ZMac threw 4 interceptions (channeling his inner Tyler Keane from last week). In 2015 the Chants exacted revenge on WIU to the tune of 34-27. Hop did what Hop does and went for 167 yards and 2 TDs. Two WIU WRs went for over 100 yards as well.
Common Opponents from last year:
We did not play any of the same teams last year. I’m sure if we were playoff eligible we would have played NDSU again.
Statistical Breakdown:
On offense they run the living $#!t out of the ball. They average 252 yards a game on the ground. They aren’t slouches through the air either averaging 180 yards. They average 5.1 yards/carry and 11.61 yards/catch. They put up 430+ yards/game. Max Norris is their leading rusher who averages 118 yards/game. He is their workhorse so far averaging 21 carries/game. Senior WR Jaelon Acklin leads the WRs with 90 yards/game and 2 TDs. He seems to be their main threat as the next WR averages only 32 yards/game.
On defense they allow 28.5 yards/game on the ground. No that is NOT a typo…28 yards a freaking game. On the other hand they do allow 236.5 yards/game through the air. They only give up 264.5 yards/game which is typical in the MVFC it seems. Sr LB Brett Taylor leads the Leatherneck defense with 22 tackles. Quentin Moon and Khalen Saunders have a combined 6 TFLs and Sr DB Tyrin Holloway has 2 INTs so far. They have only allowed opponents to convert 20.83% of third downs this season (5/24). Their defensive numbers are pretty gaudy, but their two opponents, Tennessee Tech and Northern Arizona, while not terrible teams, they are a combined 0-5 this season.
On Special Teams their punter, Adam Fellner, averages 41.78 yards/punt and a net of only 31.33 yards. His long is 55 yards and he has had 4 touchbacks, 1 fair catch and 2 inside the 20. Their FG kicker, Sam Crosa, is 3/3 with a long of 41yds. Darron Wheeler is their main kick returner. He averages 29 yards/return with a long of 34.
Offensive Player of the Game:
Last week I went with Osh saying he would get 17 carries for 101 and a TD. I think he gets it with only 78 yards and 2 TDs.
This week I am going with Osh again. We have no passing offense right now so we just need to play smashmouth football. Osh gets 18 carries for 87yds and 2 TDs.
Defensive Player of the Game:
Last week I went with Fitz saying I think the DLine needs to have a huge game for us to have a chance, but I think Fitz has the best stats of the game with another double digit tackle game. It has to go to Marcus Williamson who had 8 tackles, 1 TFL and 1 sack.
This week I am going with Silas Kelly. He seems to be all over the field and I think he needs to have a big game to slow down the WIU running game. I think he gets double digit tackles and 2 TFLs.
Special Teams Player of the Game:
Last week I went with the punt coverage team and I think they get it yielding 4 yards on only 1 punt.
I think I am going to go with the punt coverage team every week until something else happens. I think they limit the Leatherneck returns to fewer than 5 yards.
Random:
There is a saying, “even the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry”. It’s funny how life gets in the way of things. Before my wife and I had our son Payton I would always get up super early on gameday, get a workout in, and do some cleaning around the house all before 8am. It was a routine that I enjoyed and had no plans on changing. Now I can’t clean and I have to walk on eggshells so I don’t wake our son up (he sleeps 12 hours like clockwork). I don’t wake up as early any more either since taking care of our son is exhausting, and I try to force myself to sleep until 7am. My brother (a WIU alum for those that didn’t know) is similar to me. He went to college just 1 year before me despite being 6 ½ years older than me. He went into the Army after high school, was in the 101st Airborne before being Honorably Discharged after suffering a fracture dislocation of his ankle playing “touch football”. He stepped in a rut while playing and as he put it when he lifted his leg up he saw his heel instead of his toes – his foot was completely backwards. He was part of a group of fans called the “Purple Posse” at WIU – their colors are Purple and Gold. They did kegs and eggs before many games and after he graduated he would go drive down for a game or two every year. The past few years though, with his job he has been travelling all over the world, has a son (who is a man child) and is between the Virginia/DC area and Chicago. I do not know how long it’s been since he last went to a WIU game. He was actually planning on coming down this weekend for the game, but extenuating circumstances prevented that. I know it bothers him as much as it bothers me to not be as involved in following our alma maters as we would like to be, but as they say, life happens!
Prediction:
WIU is a solid FCS team from the best conference in the FCS in my opinion. I think our depth wears them down eventually despite our lackluster aerial attack.
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers 17 Western Illinois Leathernecks 13