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Previous O'Brien Field 50 Year Sections
Post Season Games
Standout Secondary Players

This year marks the 50th Anniversary for O'Brien Field as the Panthers began competition at the renovated complex for the 1970 season.

With no football on the docket for the fall of 2020, every Wednesday this fall we bring you some memorable moments, players and teams to cap the Golden Anniversary. 

The location for the current football and track field was in place prior to the 1970 season and referenced as Lincoln Field.  The current grandstand and press box were constructed for that year replacing smaller sideline bleachers converting the space into a true college football and track facility.

The first football game played at the newly dubbed location was on Sept. 12, 1970 with a 28-18 loss to regional rival Indiana State.  The Panthers would get their first win the following week with a 19-14 win over Milwaukee on Sept. 19.
 
This week we take a look at some of the great Panthers that played in the trenches as offensive linemen at O'Brien Field.  The list includes players that earned All-America honors or were drafted/signed by NFL teams.
 
EIU has had four players earn first team All-America honors as members of the offensive line during the Panthers time at O'Brien Field.
 
Ted Petersen… Petersen was named a first team All-America selection in 1976 at center.  Petersen was then selected in the fourth round of the 1977 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Petersen would go on to play nine seasons in the NFL spending time with the Steelers, Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts.  Petersen won a pair of Super Bowl titles with the Steelers.
 
Bob Norris… Norris was named a first team All-America selection in 1982 at offensive guard.  The Panthers posted an 11-1-1 record for the year reaching the FCS playoff quarterfinals.  The Panthers averaged 375.6 yards per game for the season averaging 23.3 points per game.
 
Kevin Hill… Hill was named a first team All-America selection in 2002 at offensive guard.  The Panthers posted an 8-4 record advancing to a third straight FCS playoff appearance.  EIU averaged 452.6 yards per game for the season averaging 35.3 points per game.
 
Collin Seibert… Seibert was named a first team All-America selection in both 2013and 2014 at offensive guard.  He was named to the FCS All-Decade team at offensive guard.  During the 2013 season EIU posted a 12-2 record reaching the FCS playoff quarterfinals.  EIU averaged 589.5 yards per game for the season and 48.2 points per game.  During the 2014 season EIU averaged 480.1 yards per game and 31.3 points per game.  
 

 
EIU has had ten players selected in the NFL draft or signed as NFL Free Agents as members of the Panthers offensive line.

Tom Pettigrew… Pettigrew was drafted in the 8th round of the 1980 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams.  The offensive tackle did not appear in any NFL games in his career.
 
Dave Popp… Popp was drafted in the 7th round of the 1989 NFL Draft by the New York Giants.  The offensive tackle did not appear in any NFL games in his career but was part of the Giants practice squad.
 
Brad Fichtel… Fichtel was drafted in the 7th round of the 1993 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams.  The center appeared in one game with the Rams during his career.
 
Otis Hudson… Hudson was drafted in the 5th round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.  The offensive tackle did not appear in any NFL games in his career but was part of the Bengals practice squad.
 
Jack Lafferty… Lafferty signed a free agent contract with the Seattle Seahawks in 1980.  The center did not appear in any NFL games in his career.
 
Chris Geile… Watson was signed as a free agent guard by the Detroit Lions in 1987.  He would play in three games with the team including making one start.
 
Duane Conway… Conway signed a free agent contract with the Indianapolis Colts in 1995.  The offensive lineman did not appear in any NFL games in his career.
 
Pascal Matla… Matla signed a free agent contract with the New Orleans Saints in 2006.  Matla, a center, would sign on to play in NFL Europe and competed during the 2007 season with the Amsterdam Admirals.
 
Chris Campbell… Campbell signed a free agent contract with the Green Bay Packers in 2010.  The offensive tackle did not appear in any NFL games in his career but was a member of the Packers practice squad.
 
Mike Garrity… Garrity signed a free agent contract with the Chicago Bears in 2012.  The offensive tackle did not appear in any NFL games in his career.
 
Cameron Brosseau… Brousseau, a native of Canada, was selected in the fourth round of the 1991 Canadian Football League Draft by the Edmonton Eskimos.  He would then be traded to the Toronto Argonauts and played one season. 
 


The players listed below are additional EIU offensive linemen that earned other All-American honors (second team, third team, honorable mention, Freshman).
 
Scott Gilleland (1981, honorable mention at center)
Alvin McMurray (1983, 3rd team at tackle)
Chris Anderson (1995, 3rd team at center)
Chris Dunkle (1997, 3rd team at center)
Ryan Shuff (1998, 3rd team at guard)
Jon Rueter (2006, 2nd team at guard)
Drew Cairo-Gross (2007, honorable mention at center)
Anthony Rubican (2007, honorable mention at tackle)
Chaz Millard (2007, honorable mention at guard / 2008, honorable mention at guard / 2009, 3rd team at center)
Eliki Tanuvasa (2018, Freshman All-American at center)
Chad Strickland (2019, Freshman All-American at tackle)


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