CHARLESTON, Ill. – With just over a week remaining before players report for fall camp, Eastern Illinois head football coach Bob Spoo has announced some positional changes on his staff for the 2007 season as the Panthers look to repeat at OVC champs.

 

Changes announced by Spoo earlier this week include the promotion of defensive coordinator Roc Bellantoni to assistant head coach, while Mike Lynch will now serve as the Panthers recruiting coordinator, Jeff Hoover will serve as the team's academic coordinator and special teams coach Justin Lustig will also coach running backs this season.

 

Bellantoni enters his seventh year on the Panthers staff and has coached the last two Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Players of the Year in Clint Sellers (2006) and Donald Thomas (2007).  Bellantoni's defensive unit ranked first in the nation with 36 turnovers gained.

 

Lynch is entering his third season at Eastern Illinois where he currently serves as the Panthers wide receivers coach.  Last season Lynch helped coach All-American Micah Rucker as he finished with nearly a 1,000 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns.

 

Hoover joined the Panthers staff in March of 2007 as the new offensive line coach.  He was previously the offensive coordinator at Portland State helping the Vikings finish with a 7-4 record last year.  In May of 2007, Hoover also added run game coordinator to his coaching duties.

 

Lustig is in his second year on the Panthers staff and while he helped coach running backs last season in Coach Spoo's absence he has officially taken over that role this season.  His kick return unit last season ranked 18th nationally while the Panthers running game was also ranked 18th nationally producing a 1,000 yard rusher for the third straight season.

 

Eastern Illinois will report for fall camp on Friday, August 3with media day scheduled for Monday, August 6 at 1:30 p.m. at O'Brien Stadium.  The Panthers were selected to win the Ohio Valley Conference championship in the preseason poll released at the OVC Media Day last Tuesday.  EIU will get an immediate test in conference as they open the season at home on August 30 against Tennessee Tech at 6 p.m.