Eastern Illinois at No. 19/17 Murray State
Stewart Stadium (16,800) • Murray, Kentucky
March 28, 2021 • 2 p.m. • TV: ESPN+
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NOTES TO KNOW
• Linebacker
Jason Johnson was named the OVC Defensive Player of the Week after making 15 tackles in the home win over Tennessee Tech. Johnson had ten solo stops with two tackles for loss and a sack. He is the first EIU player to make 15 or more tackles in a game since Pono Choy had 15 stops at Miami (Ohio) on Sept. 10, 2016. Johnson currently leads the OVC in tackles with 44 and ranks 16th in the FCS.
• Eastern Illinois picked up its first win of the 2021 spring football season on Sunday with a 28-20 win over Tennessee Tech. It was the first home win for second year head coach
Adam Cushing as the Panthers lone win in 2019 was on the road at Tennessee State. EIU heads into its final road game this Sunday playing at nationally ranked Murray State.
•
Arron Foulkes hauled in two touchdown passes from quarterback
Otto Kuhns in Sunday's win over Tennessee Tech. It was the second straight game that an EIU player had multiple touchdown passes in a game. At Tennessee State, super back
Jay Vallie had a pair of touchdown receptions from Kuhns. Foulkes and Vallie are both tied for 37th in the NCAA in touchdown receptions this year.
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Marcus Bornslater had a big special teams play to start the Panthers scoring on Sunday against Tennessee Tech. Bornslater blocked the first punt attempt of the game for TTU and then recovered the loose football in the end zone for a touchdown. He became the first player to score a touchdown off a blocked punt since Mack Weaver recovered a blocked punt on Sept. 16, 2017 against Illinois State. It was the second blocked punt this season by EIU's special teams as
DeAirious Smith had a blocked punt resulting in a safety at UT Martin.
• Senior corner
Mark Williams had one of three interceptions for the Eastern Illinois defense on Sunday against Tennessee Tech. The pick was the eighth of Williams career as he now has at least one interception in all four of his seasons. This season he has added two pass break-ups as he ranks sixth on the EIU all-time list with 24 pass break-ups.
