Eastern Kentucky aims for fresh start with new coach during unusual season

Amid unprecedented times, some college football teams have implemented unprecedented solutions in order to take the field in 2020. Count Eastern Kentucky University among them.

The Ohio Valley Conference in August postponed its league schedule until spring but allowed its members to pursue up to four non-conference games this fall, presumably so that they could attempt to retain the kind of road games against big-name opponents that smaller programs rely upon to bolster the finances of their athletics departments.

EKU went a step further, scheduling eight games against non-conference opponents and electing to forego a spring OVC season.

“We had serious safety concerns with respect to a spring season and the idea that student-athletes could play in 18-22 games in a calendar year,” EKU Vice President and Director of Athletics Matt Roan told the Herald-Leader after the schedule was announced. “We huddled up and collaborated with campus leaders and experts and made the decision that the fall was the best thing for us and went two feet in.”

With both feet, the Colonels will jump into an unusual season sporting a brand new man at the helm. Former University of Kentucky assistant Walt Wells, 51, became head coach in December, returning to Richmond after a previous stint as an EKU assistant from 1997-2002.

It’s been a whirlwind honeymoon period for Wells. Back in April, he spoke to the Herald-Leader about the frustrations of missing out on most of spring practice because of the pandemic.

“I’m sitting here thinking, ‘Tomorrow would have been my eighth practice,’ but I haven’t been on the grass yet where we have a ball and do what we all love to do, which is coach and be around these kids,” Wells said. “I think each and every person that’s going through this realizes how much they miss what they do.”

In the midst of dealing with the logistics of shuffling the schedule and preparing for a season that’s been in doubt for months because of the pandemic, EKU suffered a handful of defections. At least four players left the team over the summer, citing concerns over the program’s handling of COVID-19 safety protocols.

While it surely wasn’t the type of preseason Wells expected entering his first campaign as a head coach, there’s now a plan in place and football to be played.

Wells replaced Mark Elder, who in four years led the Colonels to a 21-24 record. EKU went 7-5 last season but once again failed to make the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs — the team’s last postseason appearance came in 2014.

There will be no postseason for the Colonels this year because of the unique schedule, but Roan told the Herald-Leader the team could potentially add two more home games, and that in doing so he’d seek to “create a championship-level opportunity, where a trophy could be raised or a bowl game-type atmosphere could exist ... ”

Elder’s EKU tenure was marked by a quarterback carousel that never stopped spinning — in the last two seasons combined, six different quarterbacks threw at least 50 passes for the Colonels.

Another EKU newcomer, quarterbacks coach Trent Steelman — a Bowling Green native who set several program records as a four-year starting QB at Army — told the Herald-Leader in July that he hoped to help bring continuity to the quarterback position.

“I want to find a guy to emerge as a leader and a solidified starter. I think that’s been one thing that’s weighed on this team in the past, they’ve gone through a few different quarterbacks,” Steelman said. “You need to be able to have the freedom to go out there and not be afraid to make a mistake.”

Redshirt sophomore Parker McKinney started seven games last season, throwing for 1,371 yards, seven touchdowns and nine interceptions. Redshirt junior Dakota Allen also has experience under center for the Colonels, having started six games in 2018.

They’ll compete for the starting job with redshirt freshman Isaiah Velez — who threw for 2,700 yards and 28 touchdowns as a high school senior, leading Miami Northwestern to the Florida Class 6A state championship in 2018 — and transfers Kaymen Cureton (Nevada) and Matt Shearer (Concord).

Come Sept. 5 at Marshall, Colonels fans will see who won the job. During the balance of an unusual season, they’ll see how committed EKU’s new staff is to sticking with the victor.

Scouting report

Head coach: Walt Wells (first season).

Last season: 7-5 overall, 5-3 in OVC.

Returning starters: 19 (nine on offense, seven on defense and three specialists).

Outlook: It could be a bumpy inaugural season for Wells as he looks to navigate the Colonels through some unusual circumstances. In addition to three road games against FBS opponents (Marshall, West Virginia and Troy), the Colonels will twice face FCS power Central Arkansas, once at home and once on the road. Central Arkansas is ranked No. 11 in the FCS in multiple preseason polls and is coming off a Southland Conference championship and FCS playoffs appearance.

Wells and the Colonels will probably lean on the run game, and they have the talent at their disposal to make plenty of headway on the ground. Though EKU won’t be competing in a conference season, three Colonels were voted to the preseason All-OVC team: Running back Alonzo Booth and offensive linemen Tucker Schroeder and Graham Ashkettle. Last season Booth, a 6-foot-1, 250-pound junior, had 673 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns while averaging 4.8 yards per carry.

Question marks: New coaching regime, same dilemma. Uncertainty at the quarterback position has plagued the Colonels for several years now and as of press time there was no clear frontrunner for the job. Back in April, quarterbacks coach Trent Steelman told the Herald-Leader, “Right now we’re in the process of a quarterback competition and we feel like we have five guys that can play. It’s going to be a fun competition, but ideally we want to find a solidified starter and commit to him.”

Redshirt sophomore Parker McKinney had a leg up in the competition, having started seven games last year. But exciting incoming freshman Isaiah Velez could have a say in the matter, coming off an outstanding senior season competing in the hard-knock ranks of Florida Class 6A high school football.

Game of the year: An Oct. 10 meeting with No. 11 Central Arkansas will kick off EKU’s home slate and offer fans a glimpse at how the Colonels measure up against one of the best teams in the FCS.

2020 EKU football schedule

Home games in all capital letters. Kickoff times and TV details to be announced later, unless noted.

Sept. 5: At Marshall

Sept. 12: At West Virginia

Sept. 26: At The Citadel, 1 p.m.

Oct. 10: CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Oct. 17: At Troy

Oct. 31: At Central Arkansas

Nov. 7: STEPHEN F. AUSTIN

Nov. 21: WESTERN CAROLINA

This story was originally published August 31, 2020 at 2:10 PM.

Josh Sullivan

Lexington Herald-Leader

859-428-8243

Josh Sullivan has worked at the Herald-Leader for more than 10 years in multiple capacities, including as a news assistant, page designer, copy editor and sports reporter. He is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and a Lexington native. Support my work with a digital subscription