Everything Eastern Illinois Head Coach Chris Wilkerson Said After Facing Alabama

Eastern Illinois head coach Chris Wilkerson took the podium after the Panthers fell 56-0 to No. 10 Alabama in Week 13 of the 2025 season. Here's everything he said:

On the opportunity to play Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium :

“We said it all week. This is an honor and a privilege to even be in this facility. As I've said before, it's the gold standard of college football. Nothing but respect for the University of Alabama, their football program. You know, I said they were elite in everything they do, and they are. They're elite with talent. They're elite with schemes, they're elite with coaching and adjustments, and the atmosphere was elite.

And I was excited for our guys to have this, again, generational opportunity to compete in this atmosphere, on hallowed ground, if you will, or the mecca of college football. Again, they're a very, very, very good football team and they're very well coached. They're extremely talented. And I thought our guys competed, and that's what we asked them to do every play. It certainly has a life and a history of its own, just to try to line up and keep going five seconds at a time. And again, I was extremely pleased with their efforts.

Certainly we made some mistakes that put your football team in a tough position, and those are things that we just have to continue to avoid as we build into the offseason.”

On EIU’s two takeaways:

“Kaleb Lyons did a really good job in one of our sub packages and had to go up and make an athletic play, and did that. Phenomenal football player. Again, has had limited opportunities this season but has an extremely bright future — amazing player, extremely intelligent.

And at the end of the half, again, Dillon Conway did a really nice job situationally and going up and high-pointing the football and ended up with that turnover in the end zone there to keep her from getting points at the half and doubling up possessions, trying to go two for one. So I'm really happy for those guys.

Again, those are plays that they'll remember for the rest of their lives at this place. You know, they'll be 75-year-old men talking to their grandchildren about the interception that they had at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. And I'm really happy for them because they're very good players, but they're very good people.”

On Alabama’s run game:

“Yeah, they're big and they're physical. Their offensive line is extremely well coached. They've got great depth in the backfield, and if you outnumber them in the box, they're very capable of ripping the ball outside on the access throws or the screens.

They block well on the perimeter, and certainly if you crowd it too much, then they're talented enough to run right by you. So you really have to pick your poison if you're willing to bleed a little bit in the running game and try not to give up the home runs in the passing game, which was kind of our plan.

You know, they're well coached enough that they can execute and consistently move the football down the field.”

On Alabama’s quarterback play:

“Yeah, again, all extremely talented, all very well coached. You know, certainly Ty has had an awesome season, very familiar with his father, Jason, in our league as the head coach at UT Martin. Again, I think he's a Heisman Trophy finalist, in my opinion. And the other guys, I'm sure it was great to get some game experience — phenomenal athletes — and were efficient throwing the football around.

So they did a really good job. If we rotated the coverage, throwing away from it and taking what we gave them, I thought they didn't force anything. Again, it's not a shock because they're very talented. They're very, very well coached."

On what lessons he will preach to his team:

“I think for our players, they have a better understanding of the detail and the intense preparation that needs to occur for every single snap regardless of opponent, regardless of score, regardless of location. They understand now that if they want to play elite, high-level football, they have a very good idea of what that looks like, and our preparation will have to certainly improve as we move into the offseason and next season.”

On Alabama’s defensive line:

“Yeah, they're extremely stout. Again, Kane Womack does a phenomenal job. I think they lead the SEC in scoring defense right now. And they're talented, they're well coached, they move around very well for as big as they are.

And so, you know, I thought we got a body on a body at times, but when there is any space, the space just closes so fast. You dump the ball in the flat and they suffocate you. There's space for a running back to make a cut vertically, and again, they get off blocks very well. They're violent at the point of attack, and they suffocate you.

So they were suffocating today. I think we only had two first downs offensively, maybe three. Certainly didn’t have very many yards. But I'm proud of our guys’ effort. And again, they're a very stout, well-coached group.”