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Eastern Illinois redshirt junior wide receiver Jeremy Reeves was one of four different Panthers who caught a touchdown pass in Saturday\u2019s 45-16 win over<\/p>\n Eastern Illinois redshirt junior wide receiver Jeremy Reeves was one of four different Panthers who caught a touchdown pass in Saturday\u2019s 45-16 win over<\/p>\n
Eastern Illinois beat UT Martin 45-16 on Saturday in Martin, Tennessee, snapping a stretch in which the Skyhawks had held the edge in the series.<\/p>\n
The Panthers scored on their first drive, led the entire game and finished with 552 total yards.<\/p>\n
Here are some takeaways after the game:<\/p>\n
552 total yards for EIU:<\/p>\n
Eastern Illinois averaged 8.8 yards per play, compared to 341 total yards for UT Martin.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Panthers ran for 283 yards and threw for 269, a balance head coach Chris Wilkerson said had been missing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to be balanced, and we haven\u2019t been balanced enough certainly through the first part of the conference schedule,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Redshirt junior quarterback Cole LaCrue said the plan was to attack a defense that is \u201cbased on stopping the run, forcing us to pass.\u201d<\/p>\n
7-for-11 EIU\u2019s third-down conversions:\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Panthers were a perfect 5-for-5 on third down in the first quarter and led 14-0 after one.\u00a0<\/p>\n
UT Martin finished just 3-for-11.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wilkerson said the defense \u201cwas able to get off the field on the conversion downs this evening at a higher clip.\u201d <\/p>\n
He also admitted third down \u201chas been a problem for us recently,\u201d which EIU fixed Saturday.<\/p>\n
4 touchdowns and 112 rushing yards LaCrue\u2019s day:\u00a0<\/p>\n
LaCrue went 20-of-31 for 269 yards and four touchdown passes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He also ran 12 times for 112 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he was pretty doggone good tonight,\u201d Wilkerson said. <\/p>\n
LaCrue made it clear which skill he values most: \u201cI wanna be the best passer there is. But that\u2019s why I have my legs, right?\u201d<\/p>\n
190 all-purpose yards for Jacarre Fleming-Page:\u00a0<\/p>\n
Fleming-Page ran six times for 98 yards, with runs of 44 and 58 yards, and caught two passes for 75 yards, including a 67-yard touchdown.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His 58-yard run late in the second quarter set up the score that made it 24-13 at the half.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve got a guy like Smoke [Fleming-Page] who certainly hasn\u2019t played probably as much as he would like, and he rushes for almost 100 yards and provides some massive explosive plays in the running game,\u201d Wilkerson said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
105 UT Martin\u2019s passing yards:\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Skyhawks did run for 236 yards, including a 50-yarder by Jaydon Peete, but they went 14-of-28 through the air and were sacked twice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Both of their interceptions came in the fourth quarter, and Makhi Wilson\u2019s 46-yard return with 1:31 left sealed it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wilkerson pointed to plays that don\u2019t show up as big numbers: \u201cWhen you tip a pass and then we\u2019re able to intercept it, or you tip a pass and it\u2019s just as good as a sack on a third down where they have to punt.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
EIU had seven pass breakups, and UT Martin never scored through the air.\u00a0<\/p>\n
21-3 EIU\u2019s edge after halftime:\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Panthers led 24-13 at the break, then outscored UT Martin 21-3 in the second half and shut them out in the fourth quarter.\u00a0<\/p>\n
LaCrue said the win meant extra because they scheduled Eastern for homecoming and said that the Panthers took that personally.<\/p>\n
Wilkerson said the Panthers played with class, pride, and a toughness about themselves.<\/p>\n
Eastern Illinois is set to play Western Illinois next week at O\u2019Brien Field. A team Wilkerson said that has \u201cimproved very much on defense.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kickoff is at 2 p.m. Saturday.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n