By Eric Stock
BLOOMINGTON – Illinois Wesleyan football coach Norm Eash recalls the last time the Titans played Carroll University (then known as Carroll College) in 1991.
“Actually the only people that remember playing Carroll would be (defensive line) coach (Rich) Baldwin and myself. Coach Baldwin was a player then. “They were always a tough team in our league.”
The Pioneers have found their return to the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin after 25 years in the Midwest Conference to be unwelcoming, at least on the field. Carroll is 0-5 with CCIW losses to Augustana, Carthage and Elmhurst.
They will meet the Titans (3-2, 2-2) at Schneider Stadium in Waukesha, Wisconsin on Saturday.
“I’m sure they are looking to upset us,” Eash said. “They have everything to gain and nothing to lose and what a better way to make their mark than to play us.”
Senior receiver Austin Wagner said the team showed how it can play for pride after losing to Wheaton by throttling Augustana, 42-6, last week.
“There was a period where we were all pretty sad about the whole season and how things could end up,” Wagner said. “But I think we bounced back pretty well.”
Sophomore defensive back Trevor Staley said last week marked the start of a clean slate, in a sense, for the Titans.
“We are splitting the season in half,” Staley said. “We know we need to win out to put ourself in this best position we can this year. All the focus is on this year.”
The Titans will be without sophomore running back and kick returner Matese Scott for the rest of the season after he suffered a knee injury in the junior varsity game vs. Wheaton this week.
It’s the first of back-to-back trips to Wisconsin for Eash’s Titans who will visit Carthage next week.
The game will be on WJBC and WJBC.com at 12:30 p.m.
Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].
