The practices have been just as crisp, and that’s a positive sign for Emporia State football coach Dave Wiemers.
Though his team has suffered through a five-game losing streak, players haven’t seemed to change their mindset about practicing hard and preparing well.
“It’s as good as ever,” Wiemers said. “We’re having a hard time equating our preparation with our performance all the time, but it’s been good. The kids have been very professional and maintained a good work ethic through a hard time.”
The coach hopes that focus pays off this weekend, as ESU faces a struggling Central Missouri squad.
Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Walton Stadium in Warrensburg, Mo.
“They’re facing about the same things we are,” ESU safety Jake Richter said. “It’s going to come down to who wants it more.”
After an 18-tackle, two-interception performance last week, Richter will look to lead the pass defense against arguably the best quarterback in the conference.
Central’s Toby Korrodi enters the game first in the league in both passing yards and touchdowns this season.
“Very rarely do you have to go into a game and defend the pass first,” Wiemers said. “The kids is a very good quarterback — very gifted in when to throw it, where to throw it and the timing of passing the ball.”
Just last week, Korrodi became the 12th NCAA player to eclipse the 10,000-yard passing mark in his career. In his two seasons with Northern (S.D.) State and two years with Central, Korrodi has thrown for a combined 10,245 yards.
Though Wiemers said his pass defense had made improvements week to week, it couldn’t afford the mental lapses that oftentimes haunted the Hornets in earlier games this season.
“You can’t do that this week, man,” Wiemers said. “If you lose it this week, it’s a touchdown.”
Meanwhile, ESU has added a few extra twists to an offense that has struggled over the past four weeks.
After averaging 45.4 points through the first five games, the Hornets have averaged just 12 points over the last four contests.
“We’ve got some new things,” Wiemers said, “just simply trying to get who we have that are playmakers in better spots to make a play.”
Wide receiver Jermaine Barnett should see increased action after returning from a high-ankle sprain last week against Washburn. Despite missing three full games, he still ranks fourth in the MIAA with six touchdown receptions.
Running back El Ray Henry is again doubtful with his nagging back injury.
Central comes in having lost its previous two games, including a disappointing 31-26 defeat to Missouri Southern in Joplin, Mo., two weeks ago.
The Mules were ranked as high as No. 19 nationally before dropping consecutive games to Washburn and Truman early in the season.
“They’re in a lot of the same situation that we are,” Wiemers said. “They thought all this was going to go a lot better, and it hasn’t. They’re really confused about why it happened.”
Central has won six consecutive games against the ESU, including a 21-14 victory last year at Welch Stadium.
To snap that streak, Richter said he and his teammates would have to focus on what is still left to accomplish this season.
“We’re just trying to stay positive on what we can play for,” Richter said, “and that’s our seniors.”