2023 Roster Addition Quotes From Position Coaches
2022 December Signing Day Release
With the start of the 2023 spring semester Eastern Illinois head football coach Chris Wilkerson has announced the addition of 13 players that have joined the Panthers program for the spring semester. Mixed in the group are two veteran FCS running backs along with several key junior college additions on the defensive side of the ball. Included in the group is the No. 1 rated NJCAA safety as rated by 247Sports.
These 13 players join a group of 16 players at EIU added in the December signing period. That class was a mixture of high school and college transfers, some of the college transfers now arriving on campus for spring practice. EIU is set to have spring practice in late March through April. The 2023 season will kickoff on August 31, a Thursday night game at Indiana State.
Listed below are bios on the incoming 13 players...
Alex Alteus (Defensive Line, 6-1, 220, Morehead City, NC/West Carteret HS/Stetson Univ.) – Was a three-year member of the Stetson University football program… in 2022 played in nine games earning honorable mention All-Pioneer Football League honors… finished season with 37 tackles including 10 tackles for loss and three sacks… had a season high three tackles for loss against Louisiana Christian with a 2.5 tackle for loss game against Princeton… added two forced fumbles and one interception… during 2021 season played in nine games finishing year with 23 tackles including 2.5 tackles for loss… saw action in one game during the spring 2021 season… was a multiple time PFC Academic Honor Roll selection… began career at UNC Pembroke for two seasons… redshirted 2018 season before playing in eight games in 2019… credited with one tackle on defense and one punt return for 24 yards… attended spring semester of 2020 as student at East Carolina University… attended West Carteret HS… earned Blue-Grey All-America accolades after posting 64 tackles with seven tackles for loss as a senior… added four sacks, two interceptions and three fumble recoveries… had 86 tackles as a junior twice earning All-County and All-Conference honors…
Brennan Anderson (Offensive Line, 6-4, 330, Dallas Center, Iowa/Dallas Center-Grimes HS/Iowa Western CC) - Was a two-year member of the Iowa Western CC football program helping them win the NJCAA National Championship in 2022… blocked for an offensive unit that averaged 31.3 points per game with 354.8 yards per game of total offense (200.8 rushing yards per game)… in 2021 blocked for an offensive unit that averaged 357.1 yards per game of total offense with 224.2 yards per game passing… team posted a 10-1 record losing in the NJCAA National Championship game… played football at Dallas Center-Grimes HS… helped team post a 9-2 record in 2019 advancing to the second round of the Iowa Class 3A playoffs…
Zed Asowata (Defensive Line, 6-3, 250, Spring, Texas/Cypress Ridge HS/Midwestern State Univ.) – Was a five-year member of the Midwestern State football team… during the 2022 season played in eight games with four starts… had 16 tackles with two tackles for loss… was an honorable mention All-Lone Star Conference selection starting ten games at defensive tackle… had 29 tackles with 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks… ranked 29th in NCAA Division II with three forced fumbles… played in three games in 2020 COVID season with eight tackles and 3.5 sacks… played in 11 games in 2019 with two starts at defensive end… had 30 tackles with four tackles for loss and one sack… redshirted 2018 season… multiple time Lone Star Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll selection… was a two-year starter at Cypress Ridge HS… earned first-team All-District 17-6A honors making 36 tackles with six tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks as a senior… helped t4eam to a state quarterfinal appearance and 11-3 record as a junior… earned academic All-District honors…
Zac Cowan (Long Snapper, 6-4, 225, Nephi, Utah/Juab HS/Rochester Community Tech College) – Was a two-year member of the Rochester Community Tech College football team… appeared in five games as a freshman… appeared in eight games in 2022 as long snapper… special teams unit made six field goals and 23 extra points… played football at Juab High School at the quarterback position… passed for 1,793 yards and 17 touchdowns as a senior…
Kevin Daniels (Running Back, 6-2, 225, Glendale, Ariz./Glendale HS/Northern Arizona Univ.) – Was a three-year member of the Northern Arizona University football program…. was a preseason All-Big Sky Conference selection in 2022 by Phil Steele and Bluebloods… appeared in just the first three games during the season rushing for 113 yards during two starts at running back with a high of 54 yards against North Dakota… in 2021 rushed for 1,146 yards becoming NAU's first 1,000 yard rusher since 2015 and ranking 10th on the NAU single season rushing list… earned Freshman All-American honors and was the Phil Steele Big Sky Freshman of the Year… was a two-time Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week and second team All-Big Sky selection… 1,146 yards ranked sixth in the FCS with 114.6 yards per game ranking third…. Ended season with a five-touchdown, 280 effort against Cal Poly earning FCS National Performer of the Week honors… had longest touchdown run in program history of 90 yards against Cal Poly… in spring of 2021 played in all five games rushing for 24 yards on 11 carries… attended Glendale HS rushing for 4,926 yards with a 8.1 yards per carry average… had 89 career rushing touchdowns with three 1,000-yard rushing seasons… had 25 career games with 100-plus yards… as a senior rushed for 1,517 yards and 29 touchdowns after a 1,935 yards and 38 touchdown campaign as a junior… added 120 receptions for 2,227 yards and 23 touchdowns in prep career… two-time 4A Black Canyon Region Player of the Year, 4A All-Conference first team and All-4A Black Canyon Region… also earned All-5A Union Region honors as a wide receiver and quarterback in 2016 & 2017… named All-Arizona honorable mention as a junior…
Juwon Farri (Running Back, 5-10, 205, Germantown, Md./Northwest HS/Monmouth Univ.) - Was a five-year member of the Monmouth University football program… rushed for 2,845 yards with 28 touchdowns in four year career at Monmouth… in 2022 opened season as a preseason second team All-American, preseason CAA All-Conference honorable mention and on the Walter Payton Award Watch List… appeared in 11 games in 2022 rushing for 236 yards with two touchdowns… had a season-high 55 yards on 11 carries against Fordham… in 2021 was a first team All-Big South Conference selection at running back rushing for 705 yards and eight touchdowns… had a season 156 yards in win over Fordham with 139 yards and two touchdowns in win over Gardner-Webb… added 111 yards and a touchdown against Campbell… in spring of 2021 was Big South Conference Offensive Player of the Year rushing for 520 yards on 104 carries and 10 touchdowns in four games… was a second team All-American by both STATS Perform and AFCA after leading NCAA in points per game at 15.0… rushed for a season-high 179 yards and two touchdowns against Kennesaw State… had 98 yards and a touchdown in FCS playoff game against Sam Houston State… did not compete in 2019 using redshirt season… in 2018 as a freshman was a Jerry Rice Award Watch List Finalist and the ECAC Rookie of the Year… played in all 11 games rushing for 1,024 yards and eight touchdowns… was a first team All-Big South Conference selection and was once named the STATS FCS National Freshman of the Week following a 239 yard and two touchdown game against Campbell… had 111 yards on 13 carries in collegiate debut against Eastern Michigan… attended Northwest HS… was a first team All-Montgomery County selection… as a senior rushed for 1,136 yards with 14 touchdowns… helped lead team to 9-3 record… added 10 receptions for 172 yards and two touchdowns… was a second team All-MET selection as a kick returner…
Adonis Forest Jr. (Safety, 6-4, 210, Union City, Calif./Moreau Catholic HS/Contra Costa College) – Played the 2022 season at Contra Costa College making 13 tackles before missing part of season due to injury… rated as the No. 1 junior college safety in the class by 247Sports… began junior college career attending City College of San Francisco before one season at Laney College… played football at Moreau Catholic HS… helped team post 8-4 record during senior season… earned All-Conference honors…
D'zjon Hal (Safety, 6-1, 180, Henderson, Nev./Green Valley HS/Ventura College) – Played two seasons at Ventura College… during the 2022 season appeared in nine games… made 43 tackles with a high of nine tackles against Riverside CC in the CCCAA Southern Regional Championship… had two interceptions and three pass break-ups… in 2021 played in six games missing a late portion of the season due to injury… made 12 tackles including four in a return appearance against Riverside CC in the CCCAA Southern Regional Championship… had one interception… played high school football at Green Valley HS… during 2019 junior season had 29 tackles with two interceptions and four pass break-ups…
Pierce Holley (Quarterback, 6-2, 215, Arvada, Colo./Lakewood HS/Georgetown Univ.) – Was a four-year member of the Georgetown University football team… started 11 games during the 2022 season passing for 2,882 yards and 18 touchdowns earning second team All-Patriot League honors… was 292-for-442 for a 66 completion percentage… set school single season record for pass attempts and passing yards… had three 300-yard passing games during the season with a 358 yard game against Colgate… added 300-yard games against Fordham (322) and Columbia (317)… had six games with multiple touchdown passes with a high of four against Fordham… played in six games during the 2021 season passing for 1,260 yards with three touchdowns… added two rushing touchdowns… played in one game during the 2019 season before Georgetown did not participate during the 2020 COVID season… was a two-year team captain at Lakewood HS starting as a senior… set school single season record for passing yards with 3,186 yards and touchdown passes with 28 as a senior… also ran for nine rushing touchdowns as a senior… finished career with 5,027 passing yards and 44 passing touchdowns… was an All-Conference performer in basketball and starter on lacrosse team…
Nicholas Oliveira-Chace (Defensive Line, 6-3, 250, Cambridge, Mass./Cambridge Rindge and Latin School/Franklin Pierce Univ.) – Was a two-year member of the Franklin Pierce Univ. football team… appeared in ten games during the 2022 season making 51 tackles with seven tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks… added one forced fumble… played in seven games during the 2021 season finishing year with 27 tackles, one sack and one tackle for loss… earned Northeast-10 Academic Honor Roll… was a two-star recruit playing defensive line at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School… also lettered in rugby and track…
Sebastian Pares (Offensive Line, 6-6, 290, Joliet, Ill./Wheaton Academy/Univ. of Sioux Falls) – Was a four-year member of the University of Sioux Falls football team… appeared in 21 games on the offensive line over the past two seasons helping team post back-to-back 8-3 seasons… offense averaged 424 yards of total offense per game and 32.8 points per game… redshirted during the 2019 season and team did not play during the 2020 COVID season… lettered in football, basketball and baseball at Wheaton Academy… played left tackle, tight end, defensive end while handling long snapping duties… had 68 tackles, 5.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss on defense with two blocked field goals and a blocked punt… on offense had 80 pancake blocks and four receptions for 30 yards…
Jack Pilson (Linebacker, 6-0, 210, Mattoon, Ill./Mattoon HS/Lehigh Univ.) – Was a two-year member of the Lehigh University football team… played in ten games during the 2019 season primarily on special teams making one tackle… Lehigh did not compete during the 2020 COVID season… attended Lake Land College during 2022 fall… played for coach Troy Johnson at Mattoon HS… was an All-Apollo Conference selection on offense and defense… named Wabash Valley All-Area as a senior… also lettered in track & field… father Jamie and brother Jared both played football at Eastern Illinois…
Drew Wilder (Offensive Line, 6-3, 320, Williamsburg, Va./Jamestown HS/Iowa Western CC) - Was a one-year member of the Iowa Western CC football program helping them win the NJCAA National Championship in 2022… blocked for an offensive unit that averaged 31.3 points per game with 354.8 yards per game of total offense (200.8 rushing yards per game)… began career at the US Naval Academy redshirting 2021 season with the Navy football program… played football at Jamestown HS as a four-sport athlete lettering in football, lacrosse, wrestling and basketball… was a two-time All-District and All-Conference selection in football… father Bobby played football at Maine and served as the head coach at Old Dominion from 2007-19 restarting the Monarchs program and leading them from FCS to FBS and a 2016 Bahamas Bowl victory…
