Quick trivia question for fans of Eastern Illinois Panther Athletics.
What do Dirk Androff and
Dylan Chatman have in common?
Androff a former 6'7" power forward for the Panthers basketball team and Chatman a former 6'1" guard for the Panthers basketball team.
The answer actually comes in the form of a different sport as Androff and Chatman are the last two EIU players to start a game as both a member of the men's basketball team and as a member of the football team.
Androff played for the Panthers back in the early 1980's starting during the 1983 season and then signing a free agent contract with the New York Jets. He was cut early in camp and returned to EIU to play basketball averaging 12.1 points per game his senior year.
Chatman was part of the Panthers most recent basketball teams starting two seasons for head coach
Jay Spoonhour before being talked in to joining the football team by special teams and defensive backs coach
Tony Gilbert. Chatman averaged 17.1 points per game in the Panthers two postseason games in the CollegeInsiders.com Tournament last year.
"Coach Gilbert came to one of our basketball games and saw me playing defense and said I should come out for football," Chatman said. "I thought he was joking about it, but as soon as basketball ended he came and asked me again. I figured I would give it a shot since I was not quite ready for the real world."
Chatman earned his degree from EIU in psychology in May and competed four years as a basketball player first for two years at Southwestern Illinois College and then two seasons at EIU. He had one semester of eligibility left so it was worth the gamble.
"When I first came out for football in the spring I didn't expect to play at all. I was somewhere around fifth on the depth chart at my position. I was basically trying to make the team in the spring. When I did make the team I still had a lot of work to do and a lot of players to go through in order to get on the field."
His hard work paid off and in the first game of the 2015 season at Western Illinois Chatman found himself on the special teams unit and as a back-up defensive back. He finished the game with four tackles and one interception. Not earth shaking numbers, but enough to give Chatman a taste and something to remember from his football debut.
"I try to go out and play hard on every play but on that pass at Western the quarterback threw the ball up and in my mind I just said 'No he didn't just do that'. When I picked it off everything else just went blank."
Prior to the start of the season veteran EIU broadcaster Mike Bradd (who does both football and basketball games) summarized one of the biggest differences for Chatman between the two sports he was playing. Bradd said 'In basketball when the guy with the ball goes by you they put two points up on the board, when the guy in football with the ball goes by you the band plays the fight song.'
While that antidote may well be true, Chatman has looked at the game from a different point of view – a defensive point of view if you will.
"The biggest difference for me was in football you get to rest more with breaks between plays, but the reps that you do get, you have to be more focused because you never know when they can hit you for a big play. For me I approach it mostly that you get to foul somebody on every play. When they run at you, you get to foul them to put it in basketball terms."
The transition for athletes from one sport to another is not all that uncommon. A number football players at the FBS and FCS level run track as a second sport and in recent years EIU has had several athletes play multiple sports. Most recently Cameron Berra was a starter for both the EIU football and baseball teams. A few years ago Ryan Voss went from starting for the EIU football team to serving as a practice player for the basketball team.
What makes Chatman's story even more unique is that fact that unlike many two-sport athletes he didn't play varsity football in high school. Instead Chatman focused on honing his basketball skills.
"I played one down of varsity football in my high school career. I quit playing after my sophomore year to focus on basketball. It's been six years since I had dressed out for football. When I came out in the spring my footwork was bad because I hadn't played in so many years. Thankfully I was able to carry over some of my defensive skills from basketball and that helped me recover."
Chatman's story book tale continued in week two of the Panthers season as he went from not only making the travel squad and getting on the field; to earning a start against Big Ten Conference member Northwestern.
"I was pretty nervous for that game at Northwestern but once it started you have to regain your focus. Football gives you a lot to think about so you have to be tuned in. In basketball on defense you can freelance with the system most of the time."
The Belleville, Ill., native has gone from fifth on the depth chart in April to earning a starting spot in week two of the season. Chatman was not always sure how well that would be accepted but having been part of the building process for the Panthers basketball program, he knew what being in a championship caliber locker room was all about.
"They accepted me in the defensive backs group. I didn't really expect that, especially when I started to get some playing time I thought those relationships might change. Those guys have a lot more playing experience than me so I still ask a lot of questions and just play hard. In the locker room that group of guys gets along and it's just wild."
The Panthers open Ohio Valley Conference play in October at Austin Peay and Chatman would like to see this season last as long as possible before the real world unfolds.
