There is a reason the term special is used to describe the special teams unit.

In many situations those players can decide a game, whether it be a game winning field goal or a blocked punt.

Thus far this year the Panther’s special teams have found ways to harm the team’s overall effort instead of helping.

Saturday’s game against Eastern Kentucky was no exception, as Eastern once again struggled throughout to control the game when both the offense and defense were off the field.

One problem Eastern has had throughout the year has been stopping the opponents punt rush. Senior punter Tom Schofield had another punt nearly blocked against Eastern Kentucky. Previously Schofield had two punts blocked and on another punting situation he didn’t have enough time to try to kick the ball before oncoming defenders were able to get to him.

Perhaps an effect of worrying too much about the punt block, Eastern also managed to make another mistake when lined up for a punt. This time the ball was snapped well over the head of Schoefield who had to run back to the two yard line, reestablish himself and get the punt off.

He managed to do so successfully and made the best of a bad situation as he got the ball back out towards mid-field.

“It’s the same kind of things that have been killing us for weeks,” Eastern head coach Bob Spoo said. “There is not a whole lot you can do when you have a punt snapped over his head.”

The same type of problems occurred with sophomore kicker Steve Kuehn and the rest of the field goal unit. After Kuehn had already missed one field goal, Colonel linebacker Jerome Jones was able to get a hand on Kuehn’s second kick, which was a 45-yard field goal attempt.

Another aspect of special teams Eastern struggled with Saturday besides the punting and kicking teams were the coverage teams, in particular the punt coverage.

Colonel wide receiver and punt returner Allen Evans was a threat through Eastern Kentucky’s passing game and their punting game.

Evans was held in check when he lined up at wide receiver, he only had three receptions for 22 yards, but he used his abilities as a punt returner to have an impact in the game.

With a little more than a minute remaining in the second quarter, he fielded a Schofield punt at his own 13 yard line and weaved his way behind his blockers and reached the end zone 87 yards later.

Throughout the year special teams has been a group of players who have needed to improve, and opposing coaches have found the holes in the group to exploit.

Eastern Kentucky’s coach first year coach Danny Hope understood he could take advantage of the special teams matchup he had against Eastern.

“On special teams I like for our team to be the aggressor,” Hope said. “For us, the only problem on special teams had been our kicking game, but that has been solidified with Steven Swann doing kickoff duties and Adam Smith has been solid lately as our kicker.”