Eastern Kentucky opened the season with a tough loss to Mississippi State. While the beating was hard to watch, there were some good things throughout the game and some not-so-good things. The Colonels got a lot of snaps from new players and finally got to hit someone who was not wearing an EKU jersey. Here are the EKU week one pros and cons.
Pros
Running Backs:
EKU took a hit in the offseason when Braedon Sloan transferred, but Joshua Carter and Braden Latham did just fine. Carter ran 19 times for 75 yards, and Latham added 71 yards on 14 carries. Both backs had some really nice runs.
Safeties:
The safety room for EKU looked really good today, especially with their tackling. Sam Robertson led the team with 10 tackles, Mike Smith Jr forced a fumble (not officially in the stats, but I saw it). Jaheim Ward and Moses Sarweh both had some important tackles. It is hard to judge the defense against an opponent like Mississippi State, but I was impressed by the play of the safety unit.
Dequan Stanley and Marcus Calwise
Marcus Calwise was impressive all summer, and he looked good Saturday as he led the Colonels in receiving with 5 catches for 45 yards. Dequan Stanley did not get the start, but he made an impact. He had 4 catches for 33 yards, 22 of which were yards after the catch. Stanley should see the field more often in the coming weeks, at least I hope he does.
While I like to focus on the positives, there were a couple of negatives to mention.
Cons
Big Plays:
Last season the Colonels struggled to stop big plays from their opponents, and Saturday was much of the same. Again, this game is not a great measuring stick of what this EKU team will be, but it is all we have. Mississippi State managed 6 big plays through the air, and 8 big plays on the ground.
Short Yardage Play Calls:
The Colonels had some flashes on offense throughout the final three quarters but were too predictable in short-yardage situations. EKU was 8 of 20 on third down and 0 for 3 on 4th down. It seemed like everyone on the field, in the stands, and viewing on ESPN+ knew where the ball was going on 3rd and short, and 4th and short situations. Maybe EKU did not want to tip their hand to future opponents, but there needs to be adjustments made in short-yardage situations.
These are my EKU week one pros and cons, what are yours? EKU looks to be at instate rival Western Kentucky next Saturday. Tune into The Sports Stove Local Hour with Ryan Jackson and me as we recap Mississippi State, and preview Western Kentucky. Follow me on X for more EKU opinions. All photos used in this article were taken by members of the EKU staff.
