It was a rainy evening in Richmond, Kentucky for the EKU home opener. The theme of the night was legendary coach Roy Kidd. His passing hit the program hard this week, but Coach Walt Wells was determined to make Coach Kidd proud of the Colonels’ performance on the field. EKU welcomed in the Catamounts of Western Carolina. The two teams last met in 2021 when the Colonels won 31-28 on the road. The focus for EKU on this day was to play up to the Colonel tradition, this game, as much as any game in recent history, was a matter of pride. Here is the EKU vs. Western Carolina recap.
First Quarter
EKU came out on a mission and went nine plays for 75 yards and concluded when Parker McKinney hit Jackson Hensley for a six-yard TD. The Colonels converted the 2pt conversion with a pass to TE Mena Mannan. The defense followed suit after allowing a quick first down to WCU but then forced a punt four plays later. The Colonels’ second drive ended with a 41-yard field goal by Patrick Nations. The Catamounts got on the board with a 45-yard TD pass. The first quarter ended with EKU on top 11-7 and driving.
Second Quarter
The Colonels’ last drive of the first quarter stalled out, and they punted for the first time in the game. In turn, the EKU D forced WCU to punt on their ensuing drive. And… EKU punted on their next drive. WCU drove down quickly but missed a 35-yard field goal wide left. EKU could not take advantage of the missed kick, due mainly to an offensive pass interference call. The Colonels punted for the third time in the second quarter. Following a fourth down conversion EKU’s Darrian Baker forced a fumble and Cam Junior recovered it. EKU used three long passes to set up a 34-yard FG attempt which Patrick Nations nailed. EKU went into halftime with a 14-7 lead.
Third Quarter
The Colonels defense looked sharp coming out of the half, holding WCU to a three-and-out. The EKU offense mustered one first down before punting. WCU used three long plays including a 33-yard run to move quickly down the field and a 15-yard TD pass to conclude the drive. Parker McKinney proceeded to throw his fourth interception of the year. Thankfully the EKU D stood strong and forced another three-and-out. The EKU offense could not convert after a hands-to-the-face penalty that pushed them into a long-yardage situation. Punter Jeremy Edwards was called on yet again. The third quarter ended with WCU at the four-yard line threatening to take the lead.
Fourth Quarter
On the second play of the fourth quarter, WCU scored from the one-yard line and took their first lead of the night at 21-14. Braedon Sloan returned the kickoff across midfield to the 38-yard line. Parker McKinney then found Jaden Smith for a 14-yard TD pass to tie the game at 21-21 with just over 11 minutes to play. EKU’s defense held WCU again to give the offense a chance to take back the lead. The offense got down the field quickly with a 41-yard pass to Mo Edwards Jr., and an 18-yard pass to Jaden Smith, but had to settle for a field goal. EKU went up 24-21 with just over four minutes left in the game. The Catamounts were driving, but LB Logan Blake made a diving interception with three minutes left in the game. The offense decided to be ultra-conservative and went three-and-out to put pressure on the D to win the game by getting another stop. The Colonels chose not to add DBs in a clear passing situation, and the Catamounts hit passes of 28 yards, 21 yards, and 15 yards, before scoring on an 8-yard TD pass. WCU missed the XP, giving the Colonels :25 to get into FG range. EKU took over at the 38-yard line after the return. Play one, McKinney found Ethan Bednarcyk for a gain of 23. On the second play, McKinney scrambled out of bounds for 11 yards. Play three, Mo Edwards Jr. dropped a TD pass. Then Patrick Nations just missed a 40-yard field goal, and WCU walked away with the win.
Final Thoughts
Missed opportunities define the last two games for EKU. It was rainy but there were too many dropped passes. The run game never got going outside of QB Parker McKinney who had 61 yards. Defensively, the deep pass was open the whole game. That has to get fixed soon. Punter Jeremy Edwards was great today punting five times for 244 yards. Braedon Sloan had two huge kickoff returns. Jaden Smith is a stud! He had 10 catches for 121 yards and 1 TD.
Vince talks EKU Sports with DL Ryan Jackson every Monday on the Sports Stove Local Hour. Follow Vince on Twitter for more EKU coverage.
