EIU football veterans playing like veterans

CHARLESTON -- Seats on the bus to Indiana State might be at stake this afternoon at Eastern Illinois' football scrimmage.Starting lineups for these experience-laden Panthers are pretty well set for the Sept. 1 opener. - College Football -
"There's not anybody who has come in and unsettled a regular," defensive coordinator Roc Bellantoni said of his unit, "which is good because that means the regulars are playing the way they should."The second of EIU's preseason scrimmages is scheduled for 4 p.m. today at O'Brien Stadium with another set for Saturday at 7 p.m., simulating the kickoff time for the first game at Indiana State."The final two scrimmages will probably decide who goes to Terre Haute with us and who is on the scout team," Bellantoni said. - College Football -
Starters for the offense are also nearly set, including the quarterback position where Matt Schabert is the only major missing face from last year's 5-6 Panthers.Barring a Rex Grossman-like preseason injury, Mike Donato is to be EIU's opening night starting quarterback although freshman Kyle Kniss, a Class 2A all-stater from Eastland-Pearl City, is moving up the depth chart."He's taking reps with the No. 2s," offensive coordinator Mark Hutson said. "He's splitting time at No. 2 with Michael Keeling. - College Football -
He's doing well and making the adjustments from high school to college freshman. It helped that he was here this summer and threw to the receivers in 7-on-7."Don't mistake this for a quarterback controversy, however.Mike Donato, a sophomore yet to attempt a pass in a college game, emerged last spring as EIU's man and has done nothing to lose the starting job nine days into preseason practice."Mike continues to improve," Hutson said. "We'll afford him every rep he can have with the first unit to gain experience. - College Football -
"Donato is trying to fit in with an offense featuring All-Ohio Valley Conference first team receiver Ryan Voss, second-team choices Pascal Matla at center and Steve Sobolewski at guard and running back Vincent Webb, the OVC's top returning rusher."There are still a few position battles in the receiver corps," Hutson said.For me in the offensive linemen, I'm looking to see who the backups will be."After a spring with only seven healthy offensive linemen, EIU now has 15 practicing in that segment. - College Football -
EIU's offensive line coach the past two years, Hutson continues those duties but now as the offensive coordinator replacing Jon Carr, who took a job as Toledo's receivers coach."We're having a real good camp," Hutson said. "The effort and attitude have been outstanding."Bellantoni is entering his fifth season on EIU coach Bob Spoo's staff and his fourth coordinating the defense.The defensive coordinator's overall preseason view is positive."Now isn't the best time to be talking to me because we had a bad practice this morning," Ballantoni said Monday, "but overall, I'm pretty pleased. - College Football -
We're inconsistent. At times we're great, and at times we haven't been out there."New starters appear to be North Iowa Area Community College transfer Clint Sellers at strong-side linebacker and redshirt freshman Pierre Walters at defensive end.But as with the offense, this is a mostly veteran unit featuring All-OVC second team returnees Kory Lothe at defensive end and junior Ben Brown at cornerback. - College Football -
Lothe is among the seniors living up to expectations to this point."No question," Bellantoni said. "Kory Lothe, (end) Travis Wanzack, (safety) Chad Cleveland, (tackle) Will Bihun, (cornerback) Terrance Sanders and (safety) George Love n having them out there with three years of experience, some of them four, all of that experience is paying off."

BRIAN NIELSEN,
Sports Editor