CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The Western Illinois football team wrapped its 2019 schedule in
a 38-7 setback on the road at No. 9/10 Northern Iowa Saturday (Nov. 23).
“They are obviously a
great football team, very good front, and they just started grinding us
out, there in the second half,” said head coach Jared
Elliott. “Our guys fought. We’re not very deep on the [defensive line] and that front seven, but they fought and fought.
“There’s some things I
think we could have done a little differently, especially in the second
half, to give us a chance. We needed to threaten vertically a little
more. We were efficient throwing the ball, but
we weren’t productive. There’s a lot, really in every phase, that we
can control, and until we can get those things corrected, it’s very
difficult to beat a ‘Top 10’ football team on the road. I was proud of
the first half; our guys battled, came out with
the right energy, mindset, played physical, but consistency is what
we’re lacking.”
The Panthers ate seven
minutes off the clock on their opening drive and converted a Leatherneck
fumble into seven points. The ninth-ranked team scored 17 before the
half, where it held a 10-point advantage.
Western found the end zone on the feet/quick hands of four Leathernecks playing in the final collegiate game.
The score was a quick response to UNI’s opening possession and began with Jared
Drake’s 28-yard kick return. A 3:54 drive ensued, featuring plays from seniors Drake, George
Wahee, Max
Norris, and Matt
Clark. WIU
looked to its active leading rusher to punch it into the endzone, and
Norris finished a four-yard rush for his 10th career touchdown.
With a 52-yard field goal already under his belt, Nathan
Erickson was
tested from an additional yard out, and the attempt fell on target but a
foot short of the post. The field goal would have tied the game at
10-all with 5:22 left before the half.
UNI held Western scoreless through the final three quarters while managing a 355-240 advantage in total offense.
Seniors Drake, Erickson, Norris, Wahee, Eric
Carrera, Matt
Clark, Zach
Glisan, Kevin
Johnson, LaCale
London, Tom
Rehfeld, Deontez
Thompson, Joe
Turk, and Chris
Zobrist all played in their final collegiate football game.
“For these guys, they
literally had 60 minutes of football left in their life, and I thought
they played with the truest emotion. I wish the outcome was different
for those guys, but I will say, I’m proud of how
they fought and battled.”
Western finished its season with a 1-12 record, 1-6 in Missouri Valley Conference action.
• Carrera and Rehfeld finished with a career-high 13 and 11 tackles, respectively
• Adam
Fellner recorded a career-long, 64-yard punt
• Max
Norris’ four-year career ends with 1,054 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns
• Justin
Hall ranks sixth all-time in single-season history with 660 kick return yards
• Clint
Ratkovich notched his 1,000th
career receiving yard this season and will enter his senior campaign with 1,204
