EIU Adds Several New Additions To Football Roster

Eastern Illinois recently began summer classes on campus and with that came the announcement of several new additions to the Panther football roster including three four-year college transfers.

First-year head coach Adam Cushing and his staff have now added 40 new players to the 2019 roster including 26 from the state of Illinois.

The new additions include four-year college transfers Isaiah Hill (South Dakota State), Eric Rooks (Hawai’i) and Chris Walker (Cornell).  

Seven additional high school players have also been added to the roster with TJ Davis, Stone Galloway, Nile Hill, Eric Johnson, Jerit Medler, Jonah O’Brien and Tim Varga.

The Panthers will report for fall camp in early August with the season opener on Thursday, Aug. 29 at Chattanooga.   Following a road game at Big Ten member Indiana on Sept. 7, the Panthers will play their home opener at O’Brien Field on Saturday, Sept. 14 against Illinois State in the Mid-America Classic.  Season ticket sales and renewals are underway online at www.eiupanthertickets.com or by calling 217-581-2106.

TJ Davis (Defensive Back, 5-11, 165, St. Louis, Mo./Trinity Catholic HS) – Played for coach Terrence Curry at Trinity Catholic HS… helped lead team to a 13-2 record and Missouri Class 3A State Championship as a senior with team winning 13 straight games… as a senior finished season with 20 tackles with 16 solo stops… had one interception on the season against Duchesne HS, returning the pick 47 yards for a touchdown…

Stone Galloway (Kicker, 5-11, 170, Belleville, Ill./Althoff Catholic HS) – Played for coach Ken Turner at Belleville Althoff Catholic HS… was the starting kicker for all four seasons finishing prep career with 173 extra points, 14 field goals and 215 total points… made 64 extra points as a sophomore as team advanced to the IHSA Class 4A state quarterfinals… knocked home 72 extra points as team was the Class 4A State Runner-Up… team also made Class 4A playoffs during junior campaign… averaged 59.2 yards per kickoff during prep career… was also a standout soccer player scoring 13 goals during senior season…

Nile Hill (Defensive Back, 5-11, 165, Chicago, Ill./Chicago Marist HS) – Played for coach Ron Dawczak at Chicago Marist HS… helped lead team to an 11-2 record the IHSA Class 8A semifinals as a senior… finished season with 27 tackles, four interceptions and ten pass break-ups… earned first-team All-East Suburban Catholic Conference as a senior… was also a first-team All-Conference selection and honorable mention All-Area selection in basketball… as a junior had 33 tackles with two interceptions and three pass break-ups… helped team win conference championship and advance to the Class 8A state quarterfinals…

Eric Johnson (Running Back, 5-11, 200, Hammond, Ind./Morton HS) – Played for coach Sean Kinsey at Morton HS… helped team post a 9-3 record during senior season reaching the Indiana Class 4A Sectional Championship game… rushed for 1,043 yards and 12 touchdowns a senior posting five 100-plus yard rushing days… as a junior rushed for 1,153 yards and 16 touchdowns as team won Great Lakes Athletic Conference championship…

Jerit Medler (Offensive Line, 6-2, 245, Moweaqua, Ill./Central A&M HS) – Played for coach Brent Weakly at Central A&M HS… helped team advance to the IHSA Class 1A State quarterfinals, finishing season with 8-4 record… was a two-way standout earning first team All-Central Illinois Conference honors on both the offensive and defensive line… earned All-Area honors by the Herald & Review… anchored an offensive line that rushed for 2,179 yards on the season… on defense finished year with 76 tackles including 11 tackles for loss… will attend EIU on an Academic Scholarship…

Jonah O’Brien (Quarterback, 6-3, 195, Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett HS) – Played senior season for coach Matt Erlenbaugh at Bartlett HS… helped guide team to a 7-3 record and IHSA Class 8A playoff appearance… named first team All-Upstate Eight Conference selection as well as first team All-Area… honorable mention All-State selection… was 93-of-175 for 1,448 yards and 14 touchdowns during the season with three rushing touchdowns… began prep career in Kaukauna, Wis., starting several games as a sophomore before missing junior season due to injury… family relocated to Bartlett prior to senior year…

Tim Varga (Defensive Line, 6-3, 230, Elk Grove Village, Ill./Elk Grove Village HS) – Played for coach Miles Osei at Elk Grove Village HS… earned All-Area honors by the Daily Herald… played defensive line and offensive line… finished season with 13 tackles for loss and five pass break-ups at the line…

Isaiah Hill (Wide Receiver, 5-11, 180, R-So., Shorewood, Ill./Minooka HS/South Dakota State Univ.) – Transfer from South Dakota State where he was a two-year member of the team.. redshirted 2017 season and was named Scout Team Offensive Player of the Year… as a redshirt freshman in 2018 appeared in 11 games with time on both special teams and offense… averaged 21.8 yards per return as a kick returner seeing time early in the season at that spot… caught three passes in the FCS playoffs against Kennesaw State and North Dakota State… scored two rushing touchdowns in the FCS playoffs against Duquesne… HIGH SCHOOL: played for coach Paul Forsythe at Minooka Community HS… was a first team All-Southwest Prairie Conference selection as a senior… tallied more than 1,850 all-purpose yards with 16 touchdowns… had 965 receiving yards on 46 catches…

Eric Rooks (Wide Receiver, 6-3, 215, R-Fr., Chicago, Ill./De La Salle Institute/Univ. of Hawai’i) – Transfer from Hawai’i where he played in two games last season but will take redshirt season based on new NCAA four-game participation rule… will have four seasons of eligibility remaining at EIU… two appearances game against Navy and Utah State… had one reception for eight yards win over Navy… HIGH SCHOOL: played for coach Mike Boehm at De La Salle Institute… was a three-time All-Chicago Catholic League selection… finished career as school’s all-time leader with 118 receptions adding 1,200 yards and 18 touchdowns… played final prep season at The Taft School in Watertown, Conn… had 49 catches for 639 yards and eight touchdowns at Taft School… named first-team All-League and to the USA Today All-State team…

Chris Walker (Running Back, 6-1, 205, Grad., Lewisburg, Tenn./Marshall County HS/Cornell Univ.) – Graduate transfer from Cornell University after completing degree during spring… played four seasons with the Bears receiving a medical hardship waiver following freshman season… played in three games as a freshman with 11 carries for 53 yards including a 47-yard game against Harvard… was a first-team All-Patriot League selection as a sophomore ranking 42nd nationally in yards per carry (5.41)… finished second in the Ivy League in rushing posting three 100-yard rushing games… named Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week after a 178-yard, three touchdown game against Columbia… finished year with 655 yards… as a junior rushed for 282 yards and two touchdowns and ranked fourth on the team in receptions despite missing three and a half games due to injury… compiled 150 all-purpose yards against Harvard with 93 rushing… had 49 all-purpose yards and a touchdown in a win at Princeton… as a senior appeared in first two games before missing the remainder of the year… HIGH SCHOOL: played at Marshall County HS earning All-State honors… was District MVP after rushing for 1,271 yards and 23 touchdowns as a senior… also played on defense making 79 tackles with three interceptions… was a two-time first-team All-Area and All-Region selection… named team captain as a senior.