Tweet #LOYALandTRUE

Eastern Illinois football head coach Chris Wilkerson has completed his coaching staff for the 2023 season with the addition to Maurice Fleming as the Panthers new cornerbacks coach.
 
Fleming, who has experience on an NFL roster as a defensive back, comes to Eastern Illinois after spending last season as a defensive graduate assistant coach on the staff at Houston.  The Cougars posted an 8-5 record winning the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl over Louisiana.
 
A Chicago native that prepped at Curie Metropolitan HS, Fleming began his collegiate playing career at Iowa before finishing at West Virginia.  He would sign as an undrafted free agent with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in May of 2017 and spent parts of that season on injured reserve and the practice squad.  He would end his NFL career in December of 2018.
 
He played professionally in 2019 in the Canadian Football League with the Ottawa Redblacks and later in the Indoor Football League with the Louisville Xtreme. 
 
He earned his bachelor's degree from Iowa in 2016 playing three years for the Hawkeyes making Bowl Game appearances in 2013 (Outback), 2014 (TaxSlayer) and 2015.  In his final year Iowa posted a 12-2 record, 8-0 in the Big Ten as they played in the Rose Bowl.  He played his final season at West Virginia in 2016 for current Houston head coach Dana Holgorsen.  The Mountaineers went 10-3 that season with a 7-2 Big 12 record and Russell Athletic Bowl Game appearance. 
 
"We are thrilled to welcome Maurice Fleming to the Eastern Illinois football staff. Coach Fleming played at Iowa, West Virginia and for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers prior to joining the coaching ranks at the University of Houston. He's done a great job managing the defensive backs in Houston, and he's been around some great football minds. He's competed at the highest-level of football, and he'll provide excellent leadership in our cornerbacks room. I'm excited to see our corners develop under his guidance. Please welcome Maurice Fleming to the EIU family."
 
EIU is currently in the middle of its spring practice with the Spring Game set for April 22 with an 11 a.m. kickoff at O'Brien Field.  
 
EIU is set to open the 2023 season on August 31 at Indiana State before a Sept. 9 game at Bowling Green.  EIU's home opener will be against Illinois State in the Mid-America Classic on Sept. 16.  That will be the first of five home games this fall for EIU.  Additional home dates include McNeese on Sept. 23, UT Martin on Oct. 7 for Homecoming, Bryant on Oct. 21 and Tennessee State on Nov. 11.   Season ticket renewals will begin later this spring.