Eagles grounded
Mike Dzikowski
In the first half Jackson was contained, running for only 59 yards on 13 carries. Of his 59 yards, 31 came on a touchdown run.
“In the beginning they were running a lot of blitzes. I knew it was a matter of time before we wore them down,” Jackson said.
The CMU coaches made an adjustment and Jackson ran for 152 yards on 12 carries, 12.66 yard per carry, in the second half.
“This is one of the worst defensive performances I have seen in my life; it was poor tacking on a good back and you can’t do that against him,” said EMU Head Coach Jeff Woodruff said.
After a scoreless first quarter, Eastern jumped out on top on a three yard plunge by C.R. Roberson.
Jackson responded with a four-yard score, 3:47 later Jackson scored on the 31-yard dash.
Shortly before halftime, CMU quarterback Derek Gorney, making his second career start, took a quarterback draw into the endzone giving CMU a 21-7 lead.
“I have been waiting for this opportunity since I got here,” Gorney said. “An opportunity presented itself and I couldn’t have been more excited to have it.”
The Eagles cut into the lead with a 39-yard field goal by Eric Klaban.
Five plays later Jackson took the hand off for a 52-yard touchdown.
“It is the greatest feeling to give it to Jackson and let him do the rest,” said Gorney. “My whole job then is to catch up to him and celebrate with him in the endzone.”
With under five minutes to go in the third quarter, EMU decided to go for it on fourth and 14 on the CMU 18 yard line, instead of kicking a field goal with the wind at its back. The Eagles had already missed two field goals in the first quarter with the wind.
“There are no guarantees that we would have made the field goal,” Woodruff said. “What was the score at the time? We needed sevens’ and not three’s. In that situation we ”
CMU would take a 28-10 lead into the fourth quarter.
On the first play of the quarter, tailback Keenan Lawhorne fumbled, Eastern recovered but was unable to move the football.
On its next possession, freshman quarterback Kainoa Akina connected with Kevin Walter for a 25-yard touchdown pass, the two point conversion attempt was no-good, cutting the CMU lead to 28-16.
On the following kick-off, Klaban kicked the ball high into the Kelly/Shorts Stadium wind, the ball blew back and was recovered by Eastern at the CMU 42 yard line.
“That is a planned kick for high wind circumstances,” Woodruff said.
Six plays later Akina hit Terrance Lloyd for an 11 yard score, cutting the CMU lead to five, 28-23.
On the next Central play, Jackson scampered 58 yards for a touchdown, his fourth on the day. The rush was his longest at CMU.
Gorney was 14-23 for 185 yards, with the CMU offense rolling up 451 yards of total offense.
CMU travels to Kalamazoo for a match-up with Western Saturday.
“What we will do now is watch these guys go through the week and make the decision at the end of it,” DeBord said. “I am happy with Gorney and the way he is playing and I am not going to disrupt this football team.”
