Signing Day Quotes On Each Player (by Position Coach)
VIDEO CLIPS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS PER PLAY VIA TWITTER @EIU_FB
Eastern Illinois football opened the early signing period on Wednesday (Dec. 21) adding 16 players to the Panthers roster with a mixture of high school and collegiate players.
"We are thrilled to have an outstanding group of talented student-athletes signed in this first signing period. Our coaching staff has done an amazing job identifying and connecting with this phenomenal group and we can't wait for them to get to campus! This group will undoubtedly have an amazing impact both on and off the field. We couldn't be more excited about them joining our FAMILY! The future of EIU Football is bright,: said EIU head coach Chris Wilkerson
Listed below are bios on each player that joined the Panthers roster on Wednesday.
HIGH SCHOOL SIGNEES
Akin Adigun (Safety, 6-2, 175, Little Elm, Texas/Lone Star HS) – Played safety for coach Jeff Rayburn at Lone Star High School… as a senior was a first team All-District 6-5A Division I selection… finished season with 67 tackles including two interceptions and two forced fumbles… team posted a 9-3 record during both junior and senior seasons advancing to second round of state playoffs both years… also lettered in track…
Matthew Allen (Offensive Line, 6-9, 265, Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais HS) – Played tight end for coach Mike Kohl at Bradley-Bourbonnais High School… helped team post a 5-5 record advancing to the IHSA Class 7A state playoffs… had ten receptions for 108 yards... earned South West Suburban Conference honors… Academic All-State… also lettered in basketball… father Scott played football at University of Illinois…
Nic DiSanto (Offensive Line, 6-4, 310, Wyandotte, Mich./Gabriel Richard HS) – Played offensive and defensive line for coach Dionte Allen at Gabriel Richard High School… twice named a All-Detroit Catholic selection… first team All-Area… blocked for an offensive unit that averaged 33 points per game… team posted a 7-4 record advancing to the second round of the Michigan Division 8 state playoffs…
Blainey Dowling (Quarterback, 6-2, 185, Chicago, Ill./Chicago Mount Carmel HS) – Played quarterback for coach Jordan Lynch at Chicago Mount Carmel High School… led team to the IHSA Class 7A State Championship posting a 14-0 record… was 205-of-290 for the season passing for 3,030 yards… added five rushing touchdowns… named Chicago Catholic League Tony Lawless MVP winner… first team All-Chicago Catholic League… named Player of the Year by Illinois Max Preps and Daily Southtown… a finalist for the Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year… earned first team All-State honors… rated a two-star recruit by Rivals.com…
Panayiotis Mihalopoulos (Offensive Line, 6-2, 310, Chicago, Ill./Loyola Academy) – Played offensive line for coach John Holecek at Loyola Academy… was an All-Chicago Catholic League selection blocking for an offense that averaged 387 yards per game and 41.5 points per game… as a senior helped lead team to a 13-1 record and IHSA Class 8A State Championship… during junior season team posted a 12-1 record…
Isaiah Richardson (Athlete, 6-5, 195, Suwanee, Ga./Collins Hill HS) – Played wide receiver and linebacker for coach Lenny Gregory at Collins Hill High School… had 13 receptions for 162 yards as a senior… led team with five touchdown receptions averaging 12.6 yards per catch… on defense had 30 tackles with four sacks and two pass break-ups… as a junior helped lead team to a Georgia Class 7A State Championship as team posted a 15-0 record during the season… team would then play in the Geico State Champions National Bowl Series losing to Graham-Kapowsin HS from Washington… had one touchdown reception during the season… rated a two-star recruit by Rivals.com…
Peyton Wilkerson (Defensive Line, 6-1, 215, Mokena, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central HS) – Played defensive line for coach Jeremy Cordell at Lincoln-Way Central High School… was a starter during senior year finishing season with seven tackles for loss… rated a two-star recruit by Rivals.com… son of EIU head coach Chris Wilkerson… father Chris (football) and mother Sharna (softball) both played at Eastern Illinois…
Makhi Wilson (Safety, 6-0, 185, Bettendorf, Iowa/Pleasant Valley HS) – Played running back and safety for coach Rusty VanWetzinga at Pleasant Valley High School… helped team post a 10-1 record… earned first team All-State honors as a safety… as a versatile athlete rushed for 596 yards with three interceptions and a kickoff return for touchdown… lettered in track advancing to the Iowa State Championships in the 100 dash and 110 meter hurdles… grew up as a member of a military family with father active in the US Army…
Jordan "Jroy" Woods (Wide Receiver, 6-2, 180, Hammond, Ind./Hammond Central HS) – Played wide receiver and safety for coach Adam Hudak at Hammond Central High School… as a senior had 22 receptions for 402 yards with four touchdowns… helped lead team to an 8-3 record advancing to the second round of the Indiana Class 5A state playoffs… versatile athlete that added 785 yards rushing and 501 yards passing as a senior… also lettered in basketball earning All-Area honors…
TRANSFERS SIGNEES
Marcus Edwards (Corner Back, 5-11, 180, Bay City, Texas/Bay City HS/Cisco College) – Was one-year member of the Cisco College football team… during the 2022 season made nine starts finishing year with 51 tackles with one tackle for loss… had 11 pass break-ups as a corner… began collegiate career at Houston Baptist University (now Houston Christian Univ.) and did not play in any games during two seasons… was an honorable mention All-State selection at defensive back playing at Bay City High School… had six interceptions as a senior including three in one game… was an academic All-District selection…
Tienne Fridge (Corner Back, 6-2, 200, Sacramento, Calif./Elk Grove HS/Sacramento City College.) – Was a two-year member of the Sacramento City College football team… played in eight games during the 2022 season finishing year with 18 tackles including thee tackles for loss… added two interceptions, seven pass break-ups and a forced fumble… named Northern California Football Association National Division All-Valley League… had 13 tackles during the 2021 season with two interceptions and one pass break-up… was a standout defensive back at Elk Grove High School… as a senior had 41 tackles with ten pass break-ups earning All-Conference honors…
Terrance Gipson (Athlete, 6-0, 185, Kingwood, Texas/Westfield HS/East Los Angeles College) – Was a one-year member of the East Los Angeles College football program… played quarterback during the 2022 season appearing in eight games… passed for 1,776 yards and 18 touchdowns while rushing for 401 yards and eight touchdowns… rushed for a season high 103 yards against Long Beach College… passed for a season high 295 yards against Saddleback College… began college career at SMU going 6-for-6 for 86 yards passing while rushing for 56 yards and one touchdown in limited action… played one season at Blinn College before time at East LA College… played at Westfield HS missing a portion of senior year due to injury… was a three-star recruit by 247sports.com and Rivals.com… named preseason All-Greater Houston in 2018 before injury… passed for 2,000 yards and rushed for 500 yards as a junior with 26 touchdowns… led team to 11-1 record with Regional Semifinal appearance…
Noah Howard (Offensive Line, 6-4, 340, Clinton, Iowa/Clinton HS/Iowa Central College) – Was a two-year member of the Iowa Central College football team… starter in 2022 helping team post a 7-4 record including a win in the Game One Bowl over Trinity Valley CC… offense averaged 482 yards of total offense per game and 38 points per game… was a standout offensive lineman at Clinton High School… earned All-Conference honors…
Jatarian "JJ" Hudson (Linebacker, 6-1, 220, Philadelphia, Miss./Philadelphia HS/East Mississippi CC) – Was a two-year member of the East Mississippi CC football team… during the 2022 season finished year with 46 tackles including five tackles for loss… added two forced fumbles and a pass break-up… team posted an 8-3 record winning the MACCC Championship… as a freshman in 2021 made three tackles with primary time on special teams… team posted a 9-1 record losing in the MACCC semifinals after winning North Division regular season title… lettered in football and basketball at Philadelphia HS… as a senior helped team post a 12-2 record advancing to the quarterfinals of the Mississippi Class 2A playoffs… was a second team MAC Class 2A All-State selection as a senior…
Eli Mirza (Wide Receiver, 5-11, 190, Carmichael, Calif./Monterey Trail HS/Sierra College) – Was a two-year member of the Sierra College football team… during the 2022 season hauled in 74 receptions for 929 yards with ten touchdowns… had two games with ten receptions… had four games with more than 100 yards receiving with a high of 145 yards against Butte College… had multiple touchdown receptions in four games… named first team All-California Region I at wide receiver and named Northern California Football Association National Division All-NorCal League… during the 2021 season had 41 receptions for 533 yards and seven touchdowns… lettered in football and basketball at Monterey Trail High School… as a senior averaged 17 yards per reception on a team that finished season 12-1…
Torris Robinson (Offensive Line, 6-5, 325, Olive Branch, Miss./Southhaven HS/Coahoma CC) – Was a three-year member of Coahoma CC football team… appeared in eight games during the 2022 season… played in three games in 2020 season and two games during the 2021 campaign… blocked for an offensive unit that averaged 379 yards of total offense per game and 26 points per game… was a multi-year starter for coach John Stevenson at Southhaven HS…
