Eastern Illinois football opened spring practice on Tuesday with the first of 15 scheduled practices at O'Brien Field that will culminate with the Spring Game on Saturday, April 26.
The Spring Game is scheduled for an 11 a.m. start time with a EIU Fund Run 5K set to take place prior and participants and community encouraged to stay for the Spring Game afterwards. Information on the 5K list below.
Heading into spring practice, EIU head coach
Chris Wilkerson is encouraged for what he sees as 15 opportunities to get better on and off the field.
"I am extremely excited to see how all the hard work our players have dedicated to their winter training translates onto the field in a football setting this spring. We have 15 great opportunities for development, technique, and instruction within our program," said Wilkerson. We are growing as a team, and we need to continue to build upon that in all areas. I am pleased to see the progress that our returners have made, and I am eager to see the potential of our newest additions."
Wilkerson enters his fourth season leading the Panthers with the team ranked No. 24 in the final FCS poll two years ago and listed as one of the first four teams left out of the 2023 FCS playoff field.
Check back on EIUPanthers.com from April 7-11 as we preview each position group for the spring season.
EIU will open the season on Thursday, August 28 with a home night game against Dayton. The regular season ends on Nov. 22 against national power Alabama. Season ticket information and ticket availability for the road game at Alabama will be available in the upcoming weeks.
