Tweet #WinTheMoment

The Big South OVC Football Association released its players to watch for the upcoming 2024 season on the offensive side of the ball with five Eastern Illinois players representing the Panthers in various position groups.
 
Pierce Holley, MJ Flowers, Eli Mirza, Anthony Manaves and Sebastian Pares were all listed as preseason players to watch for their position groups.  
 
The Big South/OVC will release the defense preseason players to watch on Tuesday with the league's virtual football media day set for Wednesday along with the preseason predicted order of finish.
 
EIU was 8-3 last season and ranked No. 24 in the final FCS coaches poll.  EIU has already been ranked in two preseason publication Top 25 rankings for the upcoming season which begins August 29 at Illinois.
 
Holley was a second team All-Big South/OVC selection last season at quarterback.  He passed for 2,741 yards which ranked 15th in the FCS for regular season contests.  He added 17 touchdowns through the air while rushing for four touchdowns.
 
Flowers was a first team All-Big South/OVC selection at running back as he finished as the runner-up for the Jerry Rice Award presented to the nation's top freshman.  He rushed for 854 yards and added 35 receptions for 192 yards.  Flowers led the Panthers with eight touchdowns, all on the ground.
 
Mirza was a first team All-Big South/OVC selection at wide receiver last season.  He hauled in 61 passes for 721 yards, both stats that ranked first on the EIU team.  He finished the season ranked 22nd in the FCS in receptions and 39th in receiving yards.  Mirza had three touchdown receptions while adding one rushing touchdown.
 
Manaves made ten starts at tight end last season appearing in all 11 games during the 2023 campaign.  He caught 14 passes for 106 yards with one touchdown. 
 
Pares was a second team All-Big South/OVC selection on the offensive line last season starting at both the left and right guard position during the season.  He helped anchor an offensive line that ranked 25th in the FCS in passing offensive last season and third overall in the Big South/OVC in total offense.