Top defenses collide in Illinois Wesleyan, Carthage matchup

Posted on October 19, 2017

Norm Eash’s Illinois Wesleyan Titans host Carthage on Saturday. (Photo courtesy iwusports.com)

By Eric Stock

BLOOMINGTON – It will be a matchup of College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin football leaders on Saturday when the Carthage Redmen come to Tucci Stadium to play No. 11 Illinois Wesleyan.

Carthage has the highest rated defense in the league while Wesleyan has the top rush defense and the best scoring defense, holding opponents to 11 points per game.

Titans coach Norm Eash said it will come down to which defense blinks first.

“We are going to have to make some big plays, we are going to have to make every play count because when you have a high pressure defense and they play man-to-man you are going to catch them once in a while,” Eash said. “We have to catch them more than they catch us during the ballgame.”

Eash added special teams can play a key role in what’s expected to be a defensive struggle. Titans’ sophomore Liam Keffer was named CCIW Special Teams Player of the Week after he averaged 15 yards in five punt returns and caught a 36-yard touchdown pass in the Titans’ 30-0 win over Carroll last week.

WJBC.com will have the game at 12:45 p.m. Saturday.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].

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