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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 some big shoes to fill at both corners including replacing All-American Russell Dandy who led the FCS in passes defended last season.
 
The replacement has taken place in two parts with players from the transfer portal and position adjustments on the defensive side of the ball.
 
"I'm excited to bring in a new group of young men to compete for the starting jobs, especially after losing two starters from the previous year," said corners coach Maurice Fleming.  "This season we continue to build brick by brick in our cornerback room and there's not a better way to do it without bringing in experience, size and speed."
 
The additional experience comes through the transfer portal with Kaleb Lyons and Moses Alexander.  Lyons was listed as a defensive back to watch in the preseason Big South/OVC Football Association after leading the FCS in interceptions last season at Morehead State which earned him FCS All-America honors.  Alexander is a transfer from Houston where he saw time in eight games during the Cougars first season in the Big 12 Conference.  Kiwaun Davis is an additional pick-up from the transfer portal who began his career at Washington State before transferring for the spring to Northern Illinois and then EIU.
 
The internal transition was with NiJhay Burt who played in all 11 games last season as an additional safety but will move over to battle for playing time at corner this fall.  Burt had 16 tackles with three interceptions last season including a 67-yard touchdown return in the opener at Indiana State. 
 
"Kaleb Lyons is a part of those 3 pillars bringing field experience to our unit. He's intelligent on and off the field looking to compete for one of those starting jobs," added Fleming.  "This fall camp has been unique from a competition standpoint by bringing in NiJhay Burt, Kiwaun Davis, and Moses Alexander. Those four men understand what we're trying to accomplish with the help of Russell Dandy leaving his jersey in a better place. "
 
The mixture of the corners position includes players with previous EIU playing experience in Christopher Sharp (R-Fr), Henry Woods Jr (R-Jr) and Makhi Wilson (R-Fr) and a host of freshmen in Isaiah Houi, and Allen Brown III.