By Eric Stock
BLOOMINGTON – As dramatic as Illinois Wesleyan football’s come-from-behind win was at Carthage last season, Titan senior running back Austin Harrell said he learned a lesson.
“We can’t be in that situation again,” Harrell said of IWU’s 21-17 win last October in a game in which the Titans scored two touchdowns and recovered an onside kick in the final 1:19.
“You don’t win like that. That just doesn’t happen.”
Photo finishes like have hardly happened this season as the Titans last five games have been decided by an average margin of 31 points. Wesleyan (4-2, 3-2 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) is preparing for a closer contest against Carthage (5-1, 3-1) in Kenosha, Wis. on Saturday.
IWU coach Norm Eash said the Titans didn’t intend to roll up 62 points at Carroll last weekend.
“I’m kind of embarrassed by the points, I’m not a points guy,” Eash said. “I also tell the kids it’s not points its about performance and they were performing so well, the points came really quick.”
Akin weekly honors
Junior defensive end Josh Akin was named CCIW Defensive Player of the Week. Akin led the Titans with 10 total tackles and added 1.5 sacks in the 62-10 win over Carroll,
The converted linebacker said the guys on defense are learning to trust each other on the field.
“We have a lot of playmakers on defense and you get those guys really wanting to do as much as they can and sometimes doing too much can hurt you,” Akin said. “Now everyone is trusting each other and doing their job.”
WJBC.com will have the action starting at 12:45 p.m.
Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].
