Follow this week (April 7-11) for Eastern Illinois Football Spring Position Previews with EIU Spring Game set for Saturday, April 26 at 11 a.m. at O'Brien Field.
 
April 7 – Quarterbacks (Click To Read)
April 7 – Safeties (Click To Read)
April 8 – Running Backs (Click To Read)
April 8 - Linebackers
 
Eastern Illinois linebackers corps played through adversity last year but despite some of those hardships still managed to produce the top two tacklers on last year's defensive team.
 
Gone to graduation is the team's leading tackler Anthony Shockey with his 100 stops.  Returning as the veteran in the linebacker room is Pheonix Porter who ranked second on the team with 68 tackles.
 
First-year linebackers coach Rodman Noel will have a relatively clean slate to work with in terms of players as the Panthers work through spring practice.
 
"I am thrilled for the opportunity here at Eastern Illinois to coach the linebackers. They have been working hard this winter and have been eager to learn. I look forward to coaching each player and finding out their strengths and areas of improvement. I am excited to see the development and strides these young men will have in the next coming months," said Noel.
 
Following Porter are four returning players and two junior college transfers.
 
Steven Arteaga (Palomar CC) and Noah Williams (Dodge City CC) both joined the EIU program at the winter break as junior college transfers.
 
Jesse Garza returns for his third season with the Panthers but has missed most of the previous two seasons due to injury.
 
Jordyn Stewart played in two games on special teams last fall as a true freshman before taking the NCAA redshirt season under participation rules.  Caden Telleson did not appear in any games last season using a redshirt season.