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CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois head football coach Kim Dameron has completed his coaching staff for the 2018 season with the addition of former Panther Adam Gristick as EIU's new linebacker coach.
 
Gristick joins the Panthers staff after working at Syracuse on the staff of former EIU head coach Dino Babers.  Gristick joined the Syracuse staff in 2016 as a defensive quality control coach and worked as a graduate assistant on the defensive side of the ball for the 2017 season and 2018 spring football.
 
A native of Orefield, Pennsylvania, Gristick was a member of EIU's football team from 2010-14 playing for head coaches Bob Spoo, Dino Babers and Kim Dameron.  He started at linebacker on the Panthers OVC Championship teams in 2012 and 2013.  In 2014 he was a team captain and second on the team in tackles with 80 as a senior.   He finished his EIU career with 191 tackles, 20 tackles for loss and three interceptions.
 
Following graduation from EIU in the spring of 2015, Gristick began his coaching career as a defensive quality control coach at Missouri State.
 
Eastern Illinois opens the 2018 season on Sept. 1 at Arkansas.  It was announced on Thursday that the game will be televised on the SEC Network with a 3 p.m. kickoff.  EIU was 6-5 last season posting the program's third straight winning season. 
 
Season tickets for the 2018 season are now on sale by calling 217-581-2106.