Commitment to change crucial for IWU football success

Friday, August 31, 2007 9:32 PM CDT

BLOOMINGTON — The Illinois Wesleyan football team can’t avoid the question. Is this the year the Titans turn it around after three straight 3-7 seasons?

To their credit, the Titans aren’t making any brash predictions ahead of Saturday’s 1 p.m. season opener at Coe. Instead, everyone is following the company line:

Change is essential.

“The key is change,” said veteran IWU coach Norm Eash. “Changing what we’ve done over the last three years, changing our attitude and our approach, and making sure we’re always confident and handling adversity.

“That’s the change that has to occur and that’s our theme. The kids understand to make that change it has to be a full commitment, not half way.”

Returning IWU to the upper half of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin has become a personal issue for senior running back Marcus Dunlop and senior free safety Bo Osburn, both three-year starters.

“We need to take everything to the next level, and we know we have to because obviously we haven’t been getting the results,” Dunlop said. “Every drill has to be run a little harder, every play has to be run a little better.”

“It’s absolutely on us,” Osburn said. “We have to change things around in order to be the team we want to be.”

IWU returns 11 starters, including seven seniors on the defensive side, from last year’s team that tied for sixth place in the CCIW at 2-5. The Titans were tabbed to finish seventh in the CCIW preseason coaches poll.

“We don’t listen to the critics,” said junior wide receiver Martin Ceisel, a two-time all-CCIW performer. “We can overcome a couple of 3-7 seasons and the way to do it is to rely on our coaches, follow blindly and rely on the leadership of our seniors and captains.

“We have to make sure we’re positive and always moving forward.”

Senior linebacker Charlie Welke isn’t putting much weight in the preseason poll, either. But he hasn’t forgotten it.

“Preseason-wise it’s a lot about respect,” Welke said. “Seeing that hurt, but if you look at what we did in the conference last season it’s understandable. It’s definitely in the back of our minds and it isn’t something we’re taking lightly.

“This is a new team with new guys in different roles. Everybody is really excited about what we can do as a team this year.”

Eash, entering his 21st season at his alma mater, doesn’t mind playing the underdog role.

“I think people are selling us short,” Eash said. “We’re out to prove people wrong, and the burden of proof is on our shoulders. We have some key players that are seniors, and that makes a big difference.

“Everybody has talent. You just have to make sure that talent believes in what it’s doing and believes in themselves.”