Several Chicago area players can be found on Eastern Illinois’ defense. (photo courtesy Sandy King. EIU Athletics)

CHARLESTON—Head coach Adam Cushing believes a closer look at one-win spring season shows promise for Eastern Illinois football.

The third-year head coach has pointed out several times that his Panthers were in every game following a one-sided opening week loss to Southeast Missouri State.

In fact, EIU (1-5) was either leading, tied or losing by a touchdown in the second halves of three of those four losses after the blowout loss to SEMO.

The most crushing saw the Panthers take a 21-20 lead with just 41 seconds remaining only to see Tennessee State kick a game-winning field goal on the game’s final play.

Thus, a number of analogies have been used by the coaching staff. For example, there’s “finishing strong” to “it’s time” depending on the position group.

“Finishing is a mindset and a habit,” said Cushing, the former Northwestern assistant who was hired at EIU in December 2018. “You have to do it every day. It’s not just one of those things you start talking about on game day.

“It’s finishing every single drill. It’s me telling the coaches that every single drill has a defined finish. It’s me watching the video and making sure the coaches are coaching that finish. It’s the transition between drills, running from drill to drill. It’s so many things that add up.”

In-state talent

Cushing’s biographical sketch on the EIU website states his staff landed the “biggest Illinois based recruiting class in more than 20 seasons (in 2019)”.

Many of those in-state recruits now start on defense for the Panthers.

Rich Central’s Jason Johnson led the Ohio Valley Conference in tackles per game at 11 per contest, which ranked ninth in the FCS in the spring. Johnson, a linebacker, wound up a first team all-conference player and was named a HERO Sports sophomore All-American.

“It means a lot to show my hard work paid off, but I’ve got to come in and do it again,” Johnson said after a practice last week.

Marist product Colin Bohanek joined Johnson in the linebacking corps and ranked second on the team with 40 tackles, which was first among OVC freshmen.

The 6-foot, 210-pounder helped seal EIU’s lone win of the spring with a late-game interception over Tennessee Tech.

“The (defenseive) play (call) came in late, so I just let my instincts take over. I kept my eyes on the quarterback and thought he might run at first. I put my hands up and fortunately he threw the ball right at me,” Bohanek recalled of the interception.

Elk Grove Village’s Tim Varga is a key player in the defensive line, including a season-high eight tackles in the win over Tennessee Tech. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Varga started the final three spring games.

“Everything is an experience for me, as it was in high school. Year-by-year I just try to get better and better,” Varga said.

Tim Varga

Yet, not every contributor has Illinois roots. Freshman Kaelin Drakeford, a Kentucky native, started all six games at free safety and ranked third on the team in tackles.

Drakeford is one of the players who benefited most from playing in the spring.

“My physical and mental aspect (have improved). Coming up and taking on blocks. Understanding the defense, not just standing by,” Drakeford said.

Pre-conference ‘opportunities to improve’

Cushing — a Chicago native who prepped at Mt. Carmel and played collegiately at the University of Chicago — and his staff have endured a one-win 2019 fall season and a one-win 2021 spring season. They have shaped the roster with players they have recruited, both from the high school ranks and via the transfer.

His team faces a four-game non-conference schedule that begins with a Week Zero date at regional rival Indiana State before trips to SEC member South Carolina and Dayton, a team predicted to finish fourth in the 11-team non-scholarship FCS Pioneer League.

The Panthers won’t open their home schedule until Sept. 18 when EIU hosts rival Illinois State in the 109th Mid-America Classic.

“It’s going to be really important for us to use those opportunities to improve,” Cushing said at last month’s conference media day. “I believe what you’re going to see is the most competitive OVC season in a long, long, long time. You look at all the way from top to bottom and anybody can beat anybody on any given Saturday.

“You look at all the players in this league that are coming back for another year and it’s going to be phenomenal, so we’ve got to use these out-of-conference games to get ourselves ready.”

Varga, a sports management major, paraphrased his coaching staff’s mantra.

“The next step. It’s what they’re (coaches) harping on a lot — finishing,” Varga said. “That’s something we struggled with last year. We had a lot of games that we were in and didn’t finish.

“Indiana State is a big game for us. I feel like we’re going to flip the switch here. The coaches say we’re like a faucet dripping water and we’re so close to just ripping the nozzle off and getting the water flowing. That aspect of finishing is going to be huge for us.”

Cushing continued the theme as fall camp opened.

“It’s a mindset and a habit, and if you create that habit, it defines who you are. If you do that every single day, every minute of the day, it will just become who we are,” he said.

A space exhibit, night sky and solar observing, and shows at the Planetarium are all happening this week in space.

To the Moon: Snoopy Soars With NASA Exhibit, Elmhurst History Museum, T-Sun 1-5pm

This touring exhibit was put together by the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing. Snoopy, and the Peanuts characters, played an important role in the Apollo program and NASA culture ever since. Exhibit info here: Elmhurst Museum

Naperville Riverwalk Public Stargazing, Naperville Riverwalk, Thurs August 19, dusk-11pm

Meet members of the Naperville Astronomical Association at the Dandelion Fountain for the chance to view planets in our Solar System through club telescopes. Event info here: NAA Calendar

Adler Summer Sky Shows, Adler Planetarium, August 21st & 22nd, 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 12:15 pm, and 1:15 pm

Catch a show at the Adler Planetarium and explore the Universe, from a tour of our night sky to the galaxy and beyond. Tickets must be purchased online, in advance and sell out fast. Ticket info here: Adler events

Naperville Sun Viewing, Naperville Riverwalk, Saturday August 21, 9am-noon

Use this opportunity to take a look at something different in the sky- the Sun. Members of the Naperville Astronomical Association will set up solar scopes for guests to view the surface of the sun in all its glory. Event info here: NAA Calendar

His mouthpieces will have a hard time explaining away Afghanistan.

Really? He’s hot on the case. Rest easy.

Time magazine concludes: Joe Biden’s Botched Withdrawal Plunges Afghanistan Into Chaos.

That’s the first of many rightly deserved condemnations of President-in-name-only Biden for the catastrophe he’s unleashed on our long-time ally, Afghanistan.

This is beyond a political, military, strategic or tactical failure. It is a failure on a moral scale that should and will haunt this incompetent for the rest of his life.

It’s just the latest of his screwups, from opening the border, to fueling inflation and more. I await in great anticipation for his handlers to come up with an explanation that purportedly will be reasoned but actually will be laughable.

Even the liberal Daily Beast lays it on Biden: “Kabul Falls, Afghanistan Burns.” “Joe Biden’s Surrender Is an Ugly, Needless Disaster.” “Jake Tapper Grills Sec. of State Blinken on Afghanistan: ‘How Did President Biden Get This So Wrong?”

From The Sun: “Sleepy Joe Biden’s withdrawal of crucial air support for Afghan army borders on criminal.”

It’s worth quoting the opening of a Wall Street Journal editorial: “

Biden’s Afghanistan Surrender

The President tries to duck responsibility for a calamitous withdrawal.

President Biden’s statement on Saturday washing his hands of Afghanistan deserves to go down as one of the most shameful in history by a Commander in Chief at such a moment of American retreat. As the Taliban closed in on Kabul, Mr. Biden sent a confirmation of U.S. abandonment that absolved himself of responsibility, deflected blame to his predecessor, and more or less invited the Taliban to take over the country.

The New York Times: “The war had to end. But it didn’t have to end in such chaos.” The paper said:

This longest of American wars was code-named first Operation Enduring Freedom and then Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. Yet after $83 billion and at least 2,448 American service members’ lives lost in Afghanistan, it is difficult to see what of lasting significance has been achieved.

Don’t count me among the current whine that those lives were lost in vain. The expulsion of the Taliban was more than a just and wise action, in defense of America. It was supported by the vast majority of Afghans whose lives were so controlled by lunatics that even kite flying was forbidden.

The honorable and brave men and women who fought in our and Afghanistan’s interests have had their memory defied by Biden and all the isolationists whose goal is, what? Play turtle while opponents of freedom, conveyors of terror and autocrats of all stripes snuff out democracy, inch by inch, country by country.

It’s 11:23 pm EDT Sunday. And yet not a word out of the White House, the administration or any of his toady spokesman. Not even a whisper from Biden himself.

Too bad we don’t have a parliamentary system of government. There’d be a thunderous vote of “No confidence,” and Biden would be returned to his basement. To be replaced by a new government. Anything would be better than what we have now.

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Are you from Canada and thinking about going on a holiday to Chicago?

It’s closer than you think and there is so much to do in Chicago that you’ll never have a dull moment! Get out and about and fill your day with excitement or sit back and chill by the pool and get involved in the Canadian-favorite casino online – Spin Casino. Enjoy some quiet time and try your luck with the best games around.

Now, let’s take a quick look at a few cool things you could do in Chicago!

Up For Music Lovers Weekend In Chicago

Gambling might be your thing, but when you are away, you don’t want to miss everything going on around you. Step away from the screen and enjoy some music in Chicago. 

While it might be impossible to get in and enjoy all the legendary venues, at least try and see a few of the city’s spectacular music scenes. Head to the local neighborhood for some indie bands, then wander around to find some of the best jazz and blues clubs.

Chicago is a beautiful architectural wonder, and the scenic views from the iconic buildings are truly breathtaking.

Let the pros guide you on an architectural tour if you want an easy ride. No matter which way you go, you’ll see amazing buildings and rare finds.

A highlight (and infamous) event of Chicago’s history is the World’s Fair of 1893. In addition to the zipper, elevators, Cracker Jacks, Ferris wheels, the first voice recording, and much more, this historic fair introduced over 27 million people to an important array of modern marvels.

Visit The Museum

Visit the Field Museum to learn about natural history. On the main fall, Máximo waits for you. This one is the largest dinosaur ever discovered. Then head upstairs to meet SUE, the world’s most complete Trex skeleton. The exhibit includes full-scale dinosaurs shown in their natural surroundings, a full-scale SUEs collection. You can also see one of the nation’s largest mummy collections and a marketplace inside Ancient Egypt, which features a 5,000 year-old tomb.

Deep-dish PIZZA!

Besides gaming, Canadians who visit Chicago will also love their pizza. Chicago is well known for its pizza. They are primarily known for their deep-dish pizza.

A friend tells about the famous deep-dish pizza from experience:

“When I visited my hometown of Chicago recently for a family reunion, I wanted to gather my family for a unique experience. I felt nostalgic for a familiar food that I crave while living on the west coast. Home Run Inn is a family-owned business—one with deep roots in the city of Chicago.

In 1923, the original Home Run Inn location opened as a small tavern on Chicago’s South Side. Founded by Mary and Vincent Grittani, the bar received its name one fateful day when a baseball from the neighborhood park smashed through one of the tavern’s windows, a home run for some young slugger on the sandlot. In 1947, after that baseball made history, Mary and her son-if I’ve learned nothing else from my growing family. It’s to put family first. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be able to gather with my family during this time. We seized an excellent opportunity to enjoy some delicious pizza. It was perfect because we got to sit down together for a family meal.

Our family not only enjoyed the experience, but they also enjoyed the idea of getting together for a family dinner. It’s not often that families sit down and enjoy dinner together. There was no screen time, just excellent conversation and laughs.

It was a great experience, and I’m so grateful that my family joined us for a great time. Putting family first has allowed me to have no regrets, whether working on my book project, doing a freelance gig, or spending time with my husband. I never regret it, and it always allows me to win.”

Yes, go for it!
Whatever you are coming to Chicago for, the great music, rich architecture and amazing food will make you happy that you did. Chicago will not disappoint.