Maybe I was just being a little too naive, but after a 29-12 Homecoming victory over Tennessee-Martin, I was expecting to see a happy Bob Spoo. I was wrong, and Spoo had every right to feel the way he did in that interview room.

The Panthers’ head football coach was frustrated over what he described as an “effortless performance,” unlike their 27-17 road victory against Murray State.

“The fire obviously got left at home today, and I can’t understand it,” Spoo said.

Spoo has gone through his most difficult coaching season in recent years and is frustrated with having a talented football team that in certain situations looks very disinterested in playing football. It was painful to watch the man age even further after five straight losses (three of which were games Eastern should’ve won).

Basically, Spoo and the other coaching staff has inherited a football team that doesn’t seem to realize they are still in the battle for the Ohio Valley Conference title.

Spoo painted a picture about his football team, which I completely agree with. There have been Saturdays where Eastern has resembled the lion and tin man from “The Wizard of Oz.” The Panthers have proved on many occasions that they lack heart and have even less courage.

Let’s face it, a 17-point win is a good beginning to hopefully a winning streak that continues all the way to the I-AA playoffs, but how can a team be described as emotionless on Homecoming?!

The alumni are on campus, the seats are usually packed and excitement is in the air, but the Panthers sleepwalked through another crucial game.

This lack of effort lead to Eastern’s inability to put away a Tennessee-Martin football team that was overmatched, undermanned and undersized compared what the Panthers put on that field. The difference – the Skyhawks had a leader and maybe we ought to look toward a red-shirt freshman for leadership.

Tennessee-Martin quarterback Brady Wahlberg isn’t the most talented player in the conference, but he simply plays every down hard. I can’t remember how many shots he took from a linebacker because sliding represents to him and his head coach a weak attitude. Wahlberg threw six passes in a game this season with a broken bone in his throwing elbow. The sophomore was able to fool his coach into believing everything was fine because he understood that if he came out, his team might lose, and he would bear the responsibility.

“Brady wouldn’t slide even if I told him to,” Skyhawks head coach Matt Griffin said. “But I don’t teach my quarterbacks to slide and avoid contact anyway.”

Wahlberg leaves every drop of sweat, blood and tears on the field whether the game is at the Rose Bowl, O’Brien Stadium or in the parking lot. He simply feels obligated to give it his all.

In all my disappointment with the Panthers, two of our leaders are fighting injuries and it’s hard for young players to be thrown into action with captains like Fred Miller and Andre Raymond on the bench.

However, maybe Eastern should look toward one incredible individual effort by starting tailback Vincent Webb. No, I’m not talking about his 52-yard run on the Panthers first drive or the 67-yard reception for a touchdown. This play had much more significance.

Last in the fourth quarter, the St. Louis native went up the middle and had his ankle bent in a way that had everyone in the press box wondering if he could be back for the rest of the season. Webb was unable to put any pressure on the leg as he was helped off the field.

He didn’t go to the locker room. He didn’t get an x-ray. He went to the training staff and told them to get him back in the game. It’s amazing how a 19-year old could have the heart of a champion.

The training staff used what looked like two rolls of tape on his ankle and Webb returned, leading Eastern on the final scoring drive to ice the victory.

What was the last thing Webb did on the day? He limped into the interview room.

“We needed somebody in there that could get a score and my injury wasn’t serious so I came back in there,” Webb said.

Do your job no matter what and feel obligated to perform when your name gets called – Vincent Webb defines the meaning of heart and courage. Maybe other Eastern players should just watch and learn if they expect to pull off another upset next week at conference leading Tennessee State.