Big plays defined the Big Blue’s season last year. Unfortunately, Millikin didn’t always come out on top in those big moments.
“One play at Wesleyan and one play at Elmhurst could have changed those two games,” Millikin Head Coach Patrick Etherton said.
Millikin is coming off a respectable 5-5 campaign in 2012 which included a 1-point overtime loss to conference rival Illinois Wesleyan, and a 3-point overtime loss to Elmhurst.
Even if those two games would have gone the other way, Millikin would have just fallen short of getting a playoff bid. Some would say though that two big wins against top schools in the CCIW could have changed the morale of the team and could have pushed them to win a few of the other close games.
“I don’t think those two plays would have changed the whole season,” Etherton said, “It would have been cool to have them go our way though.”
The Big Blue are looking to improve from last season, and hopefully have a few of those big plays go their way this year.
“We got a great group of seniors that are going to lead the way for us,” Etherton said.
Millikin lost 1st Team All-Conference Wide Receiver Erik Tobey and 2nd Team All-Conference Quarter Back Matt Holmes, among others, to graduation, but have enough experience on the field to produce on Saturday’s.
The Big Blue are returning four of the five starting Offensive Lineman from last year, and leading rusher Sean Dunning. Some other notable players returning for the offense are 5th year Senior Wide Receiver Tommy Eichenauer and Junior Wide Receiver Mike Blakely, who is coming off an injury from last season.
Sophomores Nick Pippen and Kyle Leadlove seem to be the likely candidates under center this fall, but nothing is set in stone yet on a roster with nine quarterbacks.
On the defensive side of the ball, Millikin still looks good enough to hang in there with anyone on game day.
“We have a lot of speed up front,” Etherton said, “and a couple really good linebackers.”
Senior Jake Hazelton and Junior Andy Roth return in the middle and were tied for second last season in team tackles with 72 each. Others returning on defense are junior defensive end Wesley Beach, and senior safety Jacob Alvis.
Where the Big Blue may struggle is their secondary. Safety Christian Silva and defensive backs Darrell Mitchell and Sonnie Rollins all graduated and left some very large shoes for the defense to try and fill in.
Millikin should be able to hold its own with the top schools in the CCIW. They have experience, size, speed, and talent according to Coach Etherton, which is exactly what it takes to win in a tough conference schedule.
The Big Blue open their regular season schedule September 7th against non-conference opponent Greenville College. The game will be at 1 p.m. at Frank M. Lindsay Field.