INSIDE SLANT

The Eagles have lost 10 straight games, and only been close in a couple of them, and things don’t get any easier in the final two dates of the season. All that separates Eastern Michigan from the humiliation of an 0-12 record are games at Toledo and Akron.

Eastern Michigan will be hoping for a change of fortune, but there is little evidence that such a change is in the making. The struggles of the first week in a loss to Army—the inability to stop the opposition’s running attack and prevent the self-inflicted damage done by turnovers—are still the struggles of today.

No one expected this team to be a contender in the MAC West Division. There was no talk of winning a championship, playing in a bowl game, or finishing with a winning record.

The goals were more abstract, more big-picture in nature. First-year head coach Ron English wanted his team to “embrace the process”, which simply meant to sign on to his long-term plan of getting stronger, getting better, and never losing sight of the ultimate prize.

English brought enthusiasm and passion to this long-suffering program, and sometimes tempered it a bit with reality checks. His sales pitch resounded for a while, until the losses mounted and the futility seemed to spiral. Now Eastern Michigan faces the likely prospect that its 14 seniors will finish their final season without a single win, and that will make English’s job even tougher over these last two weeks.

NOTES, QUOTES

• Despite their struggles, the Eagles still own the No. 4 rated pass defense in the nation, allowing just 156.2 yards per game.

• Eastern Michigan, winless on the field this season, owns a 4-6 record in coin flips. People keep track of these things.

• Junior wide receiver Jacory Stone has played in all 46 games in his Eastern Michigan career, starting 38 times.

Series History:   Toledo leads series 25-11 (last meeting, 2008, 41-17 Toledo)

Scouting The Offense:   Eastern Michigan has turned the offense over to its third different starting quarterback this season, and true freshman Alex Gillett is getting his baptism by fire. The Eagles are building for the future, and Gillett is part of that plan, but his inexperience will make it tough for this offense to get going.

Scouting The Defense:   The Eagles are a study in contrasts within this unit, with a surprisingly sound pass defense being matched up with a dreadfully ineffective run-stopping segment. The opposition has found plenty of success running the ball, and has not had to throw much. Toledo will try and follow that trend, so the Eagles can expect to face the run early and often.

Quote To Note:   “We really just need to get better in practice, just pay attention to the little things and the details—everybody consistently doing what they’re assigned to do, every play.”—Eastern Michigan defensive tackle Brandon Downs on what the Eagles need to do to improve their defensive play

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

This Week  ‘S GAME: Eastern Michigan at Toledo, Nov. 20—The Eagles (0-10, 0-6) will find little relief when they enter the Glass Bowl to face a Toledo team nearly as desperate as Eastern Michigan. The Rockets, once a power in the MAC West, are now struggling to try and get back to .500 this season.

Keys To The Game:   The Eagles will enhance their chances of being competitive and staying with the Rockets if they can, for the first time this season, avoid the mistakes that have given the opposition a short field. Eastern Michigan will need to pressure Toledo’s young quarterbacks, and not let the Rockets’ game-breaker WR Eric Page get loose.

Players To Watch:  

S Chris May is sixth in the nation in interceptions with five this season. May had his fifth pick in the recent loss to Western Michigan.

QB Alex Gillett, a true freshman, was impressive in his first career start as he led the Eagles in rushing with 105 yards on 26 carries against Western Michigan.

WR Kinsman Thomas is part of a solid youth movement at Eastern Michigan. The freshman led the Eagles with five receptions for 47 yards and a touchdown in the Western Michigan loss.

Roster Report:  

• QB Alex Gillett, a true freshman, has played in seven games this season, completing 39-of-82 passes for 420 yards and one touchdown.

• LB Andre Hatchett is tied for 16th nationally in tackles-per-game with 10 per outing.

• OT Bridger Buche has missed the entire season with a hip injury.

• C Eric Davis was injured in the loss to Northern Illinois and will miss the final three games of the season.

• P Zach Johnson missed two games with injury, but returned for last week’s Western Michigan contest.

• S Ryan Downard was lost for the season when he broke his left arm at practice prior to the Temple game.

• QB Andy Schmitt, a senior and returning starter, suffered a season-ending knee injury in the loss at Michigan.