ESU continues difficult stretch with matchup at Missouri Western
By Jesse Newell
Friday, October 20, 2006
It’s been the most difficult coaching stretch for Dave Wiemers in his six seasons at Emporia State.
Three home losses — all by a combined six points, and all within the Hornets’ reach — have taken a toll on the coach’s emotions.
“This stuff will tear you up,” Wiemers said. “It’ll make an old man out of you in a hurry.
“The playoff loss (in 2004) is hard and so were a couple other things. But this is the most difficult because we’re a lot better than this. That’s what makes it harder.”
It doesn’t get any easier for the Hornets (3-4, 2-3 MIAA), as they travel to face No. 16 Missouri Western in the first game of a brutal three-game road stretch.
Saturday’s kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Spratt Stadium in St. Joseph, Mo.
“I think it’s a test of our maturity and what we have inside,” Wiemers said, “and how we’re going to handle this hole we’re in.”
The coach has been pleased with his team’s preparation this week after Saturday’s disappointing 14-13 loss to Truman at Welch Stadium. ESU did everything in the game but win, putting itself in position for the potential game-deciding score three different times and coming away empty on each possession.
Wiemers said his players had responded with maturity, practicing well despite feeling disappointed on the inside.
“This group’s irritated. They’re mad. They’re a little embarrassed about things,” Wiemers said. “They want to correct it in a bad way.”
The Griffons come in with a 6-1 record, having only lost to No. 2-ranked Northwest Missouri Bearcats — and only then by three points.
Western’s strengths so far this season have been the ability to run the ball on offense and also stop the run on defense. Offensively, that starts with running back Jeremiah White.
The senior is the conference’s third leading rusher, averaging 98.4 yards per game and 5.0 yards per carry.
“He’s big, powerful,” Wiemers said, “and does all the things you want from a running back.”
White is also surrounded by a more-than-capable line, which Wiemers said might be the best group in the league.
On defense, the Griffons allow just 85.9 yards per game rushing. Western is one of only two teams in the conference to hold opponents under a 100-yard average on the ground.
ESU is ranked second in the MIAA in rushing with 177.9 yards per game but had major problems when it faced a good run defense in Northwest Missouri State two weeks ago.
In that game, the Hornets rushed 32 times for only 30 yards.
Still, ESU running back Seville Ko said the gameplan would remain the same.
“We’d like to establish the run like we do every week,” Ko said. “We’re not going to change.”
The Hornet offense might get a boost, as the team’s leading rusher El Ray Henry might be able to play Saturday.
After suffering from back spasms, Henry practiced Thursday and will be a game-time decision.
“It’s just going to be how he feels,” Wiemers said. “The first two days of practice this week, he felt awful.”
Ko performed well in Henry’s absence last week, rushing 30 times for a career-high 130 yards.
ESU most likely will still be without receiver Jermaine Barnett, who continues to recover from an ankle injury.
The Hornets remain ranked sixth nationally in scoring (36.7 ppg) despite their lowest output of the season last week.
“I still feel like we haven’t been stopped all year; I just feel like we’ve stopped ourselves,” Ko said. “I think that’s a common feeling across the team.”
Western defeated ESU, 21-14, in last year’s matchup at Welch Stadium. The Griffons hold the all-time lead in the series, 17-11.
Wiemers said his team needed to learn how to do all the little things down the stretch to win the close games.
“We’re all collectively right now doing the wrong thing at the wrong time,” Wiemers said. “It’s leading to this feeling that we all have right now, which doesn’t feel very good.”
Ko said the Hornets were close to accomplishing great things.
“It’s tough to find that X-factor to win those close games,” Ko said. “The talent’s here, and we’re playing hard, making the plays. We just have to get over the hump.”