Eastern Illinois football opens the 2024 season on August 29 at Illinois, the first of two games this season against Big Ten Conference schools.
The Panthers enter the 2024 season with a veteran unit of safeties to patrol the defensive backfield as EIU's defense ranked second in the FCS in turnovers gained last season.
"I have been extremely pleased with the safeties so far this camp. We return five guys from the 2023 roster four of them have playing experience in the OVC/Big-South," said EIU safeties coach
Andrew Strobel. "We were also able to recruit a couple of transfers as well as two freshmen that will provide us with both experience and much-needed depth. This safety group is extremely deep, and I look forward to watching them develop over the season."
The safety group is led by veterans
Mark Aitken and
Kaelin Drakeford who have both been starters at the safety position over the past three seasons.
Collin Tyson and
Zay Gentry also return with experience on the EIU roster from last season at the safety position. The group of four players combined for 75 tackles, five pass break-ups, one interception, 4.5 tackles for loss, 2 fumble recoveries and one forced fumble.
"
Mark Aitken and
Kaelin Drakeford are two returners from last season that are both leaders on and off the field," added Strobel. "Over the last 8 months that have continued to take the next step and build off last year's success.
Zay Gentry is another guy that has had an outstanding camp so far and looks to have a great senior year."
Adding to the Panthers depth at the position are the addition of transfers
Akili Hubbard from Kansas and
Ryan Kilburg from Western Michigan.
The remainder of the safeties room consists of talented freshmen and redshirt freshmen with
Akin Adigun (R-Fr),
Josh Brown (Fr) and
Dillon Conway (Fr).
