The 2003 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team represented Eastern Michigan University in the 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season. Eastern Michigan competed as a member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) West Division. The team was coached by Jeff Woodruff in his final season at EMU. Following the 38–10 loss to Central Michigan, Woodruff, who had compiled a 9–34 record in 3 3⁄4 seasons, was fired on November 3.[1] Running backs coach Al Lavan was named the interim coach while the school conducted a national search for the new permanent coach,[2] and under his leadership the team won two of their final three games. After the end of the season, Northwestern running backs coach Jeff Genyk was hired as the new EMU head coach.[3]
EMU was briefly scheduled to host the University of South Florida Bulls in 2003. The Rynearson Stadium game had originally been scheduled for 2002, but the Bulls paid EMU a $50,000 postponement fee to delay the game to 2003, allowing USF a 2002 game at Arkansas. However, EMU dropped USF from the 2003 schedule with no advance notice.[17]
EMU opened the season with the East Tennessee State Buccaneers, a Division I-AA team in the Southern Conference. East Tennessee State had a 4–8 record in 2002,[18] and 2003 would be the final year for their football program, which had been losing nearly $1 million per year from 1999 through 2003.[19]
Scoring summary
1st Quarter
1:16 EMU – Anthony Sherrell 68 yard pass from Chinedu Okoro (Andrew Wellock kick) 7–0 EMU
2nd Quarter
10:26 EMU – Anthony Sherrell 38 yard run (Andrew Wellock kick) 14–0 EMU
8:56 East Tennessee State – Scott Brumett 70 yard interception return (Jonathan Godfrey kick) 14–7 EMU
0:57 East Tennessee State – Brian Matthews 34 yard pass from Carl Meadows (Jonathan Godfrey kick) 14–14
3rd Quarter
7:12 East Tennessee State – Gavin Varner 1 yard run (Jonathan Godfrey kick) 14–21 East Tennessee State
7:49 EMU – Eric Deslauriers 44 yard pass from Chinedu Okoro (Andrew Wellock kick) 28–21 EMU
Western Illinois
1
2
3
4
Total
Leathernecks
7
7
6
14
34
Eagles
3
3
3
3
12
Following the Leathernecks' win over EMU, Western Illinois received its first-ever #1 ranking in the national Division I-AA polls, though they lost the ranking the following week with a 35–7 loss to the eventual I-A national champions, the LSU Tigers.
Scoring summary
1st Quarter
11:02 Western Illinois – Travis Glasford 2 yard run (Justin Langan kick) 0–7 Western Illinois
4:14 EMU – Andrew Wellock 38 yard field goal 3–7 Western Illinois
2nd Quarter
13:01 EMU – Andrew Wellock 33 yard field goal 6–7 Western Illinois
2:01 Western Illinois – James Norris 95 yard punt return (Justin Langan kick) 6–14 Western Illinois
3rd Quarter
13:27 EMU – Andrew Wellock 35 yard field goal 9–14 Western Illinois
8:41 Western Illinois – Travis Glasford 1 yard run (Justin Langan missed kick) 9–20 Western Illinois
4th Quarter
13:18 EMU – Andrew Wellock 25 yard field goal 12–20 Western Illinois
7:22 Western Illinois – Russ Michna 15 yard run (Justin Langan kick) 12–27 Western Illinois
3:56 Western Illinois – Travis Glasford 11 yard run (Justin Langan kick) 12–34 Western Illinois
Akron
1
2
3
4
Total
Eagles
0
10
7
0
17
Zips
7
14
0
3
24
Scoring summary
1st Quarter
3:42 Akron – Matt Cherry 58 yard punt return (Jason Swiger kick) 0–7 Akron
2nd Quarter
14:17 Akron – Miquel Irvin 16 yard pass from Charlie Frye (Jason Swiger kick) 0–14 Akron
11:06 EMU – Anthony Sherrell 13 yard run (Andrew Wellock kick) 7–14 Akron
4:15 Akron – Charlie Frye 2 yard run (Jason Swiger kick) 7–21 Akron
1:20 EMU – Andrew Wellock 43 yard field goal 10–21 Akron
5:14 Akron – Jason Swiger 23 yard field goal 17–24 Akron
Navy
1
2
3
4
Total
Eagles
0
0
0
7
7
Midshipmen
8
3
14
14
39
EMU junior quarterback Chinedu Okoro being tackled by Navy junior linebacker Lane Jackson.
With their win over EMU, the Midshipmen won consecutive home games for the first time since 1997.[20] EMU's offense committed six turnovers,[21] including four interceptions thrown by Chinedu Okoro,[20] about which head coach Jeff Woodruff commented, "You can’t beat a high school team giving up five turnovers...Mathematically, you are out of the game with that. That was frustrating because the defense was playing well."[21]
Scoring summary
1st Quarter
1:12 Navy – Eric Roberts 15 yard pass from Craig Candeto (Amir Jenkins pass from Craig Candeto) 0–8 Navy
2nd Quarter
7:57 Navy – Geoff Blumenfeld 29 yard field goal 0–11 Navy
3rd Quarter
12:23 Navy – Tony Lane 32 yard run (Geoff Blumenfeld kick) 0–18 Navy
8:17 Navy – Trey Hines 17 yard run (Geoff Blumenfeld kick) 0–25 Navy
4th Quarter
13:50 Navy – Craig Candeto 3 yard run (Geoff Blumenfeld kick) 0–32 Navy
12:28 Navy – Bronston Carroll 2 yard run (Geoff Blumenfeld kick) 0–39 Navy
7:13 EMU – Chris R. Roberson 13 yard pass from Chinedu Okoro (Andrew Wellock kick) 7–39 Navy
10:38 EMU – Kevin Zureki 40 yard pass from Chinedu Okoro (Andrew Wellock kick) 7–7
3:45 Bowling Green – Josh Harris 20 yard run (Shaun Suisham kick) 7–14 Bowling Green
2nd Quarter
14:12 Bowling Green – Shaun Suisham 24 yard field goal 7–17 Bowling Green
10:56 EMU – Anthony Sherrell 3 yard run (Andrew Wellock kick) 14–17 Bowling Green
6:59 Bowling Green – Josh Harris 4 yard run (Shaun Suisham missed kick) 14–23 Bowling Green
0:22 Bowling Green – Shaun Suisham 23 yard field goal 14–26 Bowling Green
3rd Quarter
2:15 EMU – Andrew Wellock 40 yard field goal 17–26 Bowling Green
4th Quarter
12:59 Bowling Green – Josh Harris 5 yard run (Shaun Suisham kick) 17–33 Bowling Green
8:08 EMU – Andrew Wellock 29 yard field goal 20–33 Bowling Green
Central Michigan
Following the 38–10 loss to Central Michigan, EMU's eight consecutive loss, Jeff Woodruff, who had compiled a 9–34 record in 3 3⁄4 seasons, was fired on November 3.[1] Running backs coach Al Lavan was named the interim coach while the school conducted a national search for the new permanent coach.[2]
1
2
3
4
Total
Eagles
7
3
0
0
10
Chippewas
0
10
14
14
38
Scoring summary
1st Quarter
10:33 EMU – Anthony Sherrell 1 yard run (Andrew Wellock kick) 7–0 EMU
2nd Quarter
14:57 EMU – Andrew Wellock 21 yard field goal 10–0 EMU
8:52 Central Michigan – Joseph Staley 29 yard pass from Derrick Vickers (Mike Gruzwalski kick) 10–7 EMU
2:26 Central Michigan – Mike Gruzwalski 33 yard field goal 10–10
3rd Quarter
11:03 Central Michigan – Jerry Seymour 14 yard run (Mike Gruzwalski kick) 10–17 Central Michigan
0:23 Central Michigan – Troy Peyerk 12 yard pass from Derrick Vickers (Mike Gruzwalski kick) 10–24 Central Michigan
4th Quarter
9:42 Central Michigan – Jerry Seymour 16 yard run (Mike Gruzwalski kick) 10–31 Central Michigan
4:41 Central Michigan – Jerry Seymour 15 yard run (Mike Gruzwalski kick) 10–38 Central Michigan
Central Florida
1
2
3
4
Total
Knights
0
13
0
0
13
Eagles
10
7
0
2
19
In Al Lavan's first game as interim head coach, the Eagles snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 19–13 win over Central Florida. After the two offenses combined for 20 second-quarter points, neither offense scored in the second half of the game.
Scoring summary
1st Quarter
12:50 EMU – Alonzo Harris 15 yard pass from Ken Bohnet (Andrew Wellock kick) 7–0 EMU
4:13 EMU – Andrew Wellock 39 yard field goal 10–0 EMU
2nd Quarter
13:50 Central Florida – Dontavius Wilcox 8 yard run (Matt Prater kick) 10–7 Central Michigan
9:31 Central Florida – Matt Prater 40 yard field goal 10–10
4:25 EMU – Anthony Sherrell 16 yard run (Andrew Wellock kick) 17–10 EMU
0:50 Central Florida – Matt Prater 46 yard field goal 17–13 EMU
3rd Quarter
4th Quarter
3:42 EMU – Matt Kudu safety 19–13 EMU
Ball State
1
2
3
4
Total
Cardinals
0
0
7
7
14
Eagles
0
14
17
7
38
With a win over Ball State, the Eagles achieved back-to-back wins over Division I-A opponents for the first time in more than three years; they had last done this in November 2000, in Jeff Woodruff's first season as head coach.[22]
Scoring summary
1st Quarter
2nd Quarter
14:58 EMU – Ken Bohnet 1 yard run (Andrew Wellock kick) 7–0 EMU
5:29 EMU – Anthony Sherrell 1 yard run (Andrew Wellock kick) 14–0 EMU
3rd Quarter
9:37 EMU – Andrew Wellock 32 yard field goal 17–0 EMU
7:44 EMU – Anthony Sherrell 1 yard run (Andrew Wellock kick) 24–0 EMU
4:00 EMU – Anthony Sherrell 1 yard run (Andrew Wellock kick) 31–0 EMU
1:31 Ball State – Dante Ridgeway 1 yard pass from Andy Roesch (Brian Jackson kick) 31–7 EMU
4th Quarter
11:18 EMU – Anthony Sherrell 9 yard run (Andrew Wellock kick) 38–7 EMU
3:47 Ball State – Ryan Hahaj 20 yard pass from Andy Roesch (Brian Jackson kick) 38–14 EMU
^McMurphy, Brett (February 14, 2003). "USF Scrambling Even More After Losing Another Game". Tampa Tribune. p. 1. Retrieved November 3, 2010. The Wildcats are seeking a home game Sept. 20. USF was scheduled to host Baylor on Sept. 20, but the Bears canceled last month. USF also has openings Sept. 6 and 13. USF officials were not aware Eastern Michigan had dropped USF from its 2003 schedule until Wednesday when the Eagles' schedule was released – minus USF. USF was supposed to visit Eastern Michigan in 2002, but pushed the game to 2003 so the Bulls could instead play at Arkansas. USF paid a $50,000 postponement fee to EMU for moving the game.
^Sterling, Feleesha (December 7, 2006), "Football at what cost?", East Tennessean, archived from the original on March 8, 2008, retrieved November 3, 2010
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