All-OVC Preseason Release |
NASHVILLE – Preseason predictions are out and expectations are not high for Eastern Illinois under first year head coach Dino Babers as the Panthers were selected 8th in the preseason poll released as part of the Ohio Valley Conference's Football Media Day in Nashville.
The Panthers did place two players on the preseason All-OVC squad with tight end
Von Wise and defensive end
Artavious Dowdell being recognized.
Wise has already been named to the College Football Performance Award Watch List for tight ends this season after earning second team All-OVC honors last year. He started ten games and was third on the team in receptions with 32 (10.9 yards per catch). He hauled in two touchdown passes on the season with a season high of five catches at Murray State.
Dowdell was a second team All-OVC selection at defensive end last year after leading the Panthers in sacks for the second straight season. His five sacks on the year ranked second in the OVC. Dowdell ended the season with 45 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, seven quarterback hurries and two pass break-ups.
EIU will open the regular season on Thursday, August 30 against in-state rival Southern Illinois. Kickoff is at 6:30 p.m. at O'Brien Field. Season tickets are on sale by calling 217-581-2106 or online at
www.eiupanthertickets.com The OVC opener for EIU is also at home on Saturday, Sept. 22 against Murray State at 6:30 p.m.
Murray State quarterback Casey Brockman was named the preseason OVC Offensive Player of the Year as the senior is on the preseason Walter Payton Award list. Blake Peiffer from Southeast Missouri was named the preseason OVC Defensive Player of the Year as the linebacker is on the preseason Buck Buchanan Award list.
Eastern Kentucky was selected to win the OVC title with the Colonels receiving 12 of 18 first place votes and 124 total points. Jacksonville State received the other six first place votes and 117 total points to place second in the preseason poll. Murray State was third with 85 points and Tennessee Tech fourth with 83 points. EKU, JSU and TTU were tri-champions of the OVC last season with EKU and TTU playing in the FCS playoffs.
Tennessee State was fifth in the poll with 69 points followed by UT Martin (67 points), Southeast Missouri (44 points), Eastern Illinois (42 points) and Austin Peay (17 points).
