Eiu Football History Football Eiu Eiu Football History
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53 EIU FOOTBALL HISTORY THE BEGINNING Illinois as the lone score came when EIU's punter stepped #EIUBLEEDBLUE FOOTBALL EASTERN ILLINOIS PANTHER Football at Eastern Illinois has also been a passion of back of the endzone line on a punt. The only other blemish the EIU student body along with the surrounding community on the record was a 0-0 tie with Bradley. dating back almost as long as the University has been in existence. EIU'S FIRST ALL-AMERICAN While it may not have been a priority when the campus EIU opened the 1940's with admitted its first student body in the fall of 1899, football another solid season as the Panthers quickly became one of the first extra curricular activities went 6-1-1 under the direction on campus. Three weeks into that opening semester, the of senior quarterback Bill Glenn. athletic association was formed, and 45 days after the first Glenn earned second team Little doors opened EIU played its initial intercollegiate game. All-American honors that year as he Oits Campbell, the university's auditor of accounting, completed a then school record 65.1 was named the first head coach and EIU played its early percent of his passes. Glenn would games on a field located where the current Student Services go on to play two years with the Building resides. EIU played a team from neighboring Chicago Bears to become the first Oakland in its first game and later played a game in EIU player associated with a National Effingham against Austin College. EIU lost both contests. Football League team. THE CORN BOWL SQUAD The 1948 version of EIU football coached by Maynard (Pat) O'Brien appeared to be off to a slow start following a 1- 1 showing in the first two games. However, EIU righted the #RUNWITHUS ship to win six of its next seven contests including wins over in-state rivals Northern Illinois, Illinois State and Southern Illinois. Those wins landed EIU in the second annual Corn Bowl played on Thanksgiving Day in Bloomington, Illinois as EIU won the Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title. EIU would lose their only bowl game appearance to Illinois Wesleyan by a score of 6-0. Initial Football Team in front of Old Main, 1899 LEAN TIMES IN CHARLESTON Following EIU's 1948 appearance in the Corn Bowl, THE FIRST COACH EIU had only three winning seasons over the next 30 years Until 1911 volunteer faculty coached the team. That and only one of them came after 1951. During that 30-year year Charles Lantz from Harrisburg, Penn., was hired as span, EIU witnessed the break-up of the IIAC conference the school's first athletic/physical education staff member. as many Illinois schools moved to offering scholarships Lantz would coach football for 24 seasons during his 42 while EIU did not. Despite not having a winning season on year stay on the Charleston campus. the field, EIU did produce several players who went on to During his tenure Lantz was undefeated at home professional careers. Included in that lot was Ray Fisher, during his first eight seasons which included a 104-0 rout of who was an original member of the 1960 Dallas Cowboys Pana, the Panthers most lopsided victory. His 1928 team expansion franchise. became the last undefeated squad in school history with a In 1969, EIU moved into a renovated Lincoln Field 7-0-1 record that earned a share of the Little 19 Conference and offered athletic scholarships for the first time. Though title. the end of year records remained on the losing side, on the Also during that time period, internationally known field performances increased as Nate Anderson became folk singer Burl Ives was a two-way lineman on the team. the first 1,000 yard running back in EIU history with back- The Panthers also had their only fatality in an athletic event to-back 1,200-plus yard performances in 1972 and 1973. come in 1915 when Paul Root was injured on a hard tackle Anderson would earn All-American honors both seasons against Illinois State. He played one more down, collapsed becoming the first EIU player in more than 32 years to earn on the field and later died at the hospital of a broken neck. that honor. The early 1970's also produced two long time NFL THE UNCROSSED GOAL LINE products as center Ted Petersen was drafted by the Lantz's 1930 team may have been one of the best Pittsburgh Steelers and played on two Super Championship defensive units in school history as the were known as teams. Jeff Gossett also earned recognition at EIU going the "uncrossed goal line club." EIU was 6-1-1 that season on to a 16-year career in the NFL that included one Pro and did not allow an opponent to score a touchdown the Bowl appearance with the Oakland Raiders. entire season. The only loss was a 2-0 setback to Southern WWW.EIUPANTHERS.COM 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2013 OHIO VALLEY CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS EIU FOOTBALL HISTORY MUDRA SAVES PANTHER FOOTBALL THE BOB SPOO ERA Amid grumbling from students and faculty alike, EIU President While Mudra and Molde combined to win 77 games in nine Gilbert Fite withstood the pressure to disband football and decided seasons, no other coach has become more recognized with EIU one more coach would be given a chance to salvage EIU football. football than recent head coach Bob Spoo. Spoo took over the Athletic director Mike Mullally was able to convince Darrell coaching reigns following the 1986 season and guided EIU football Mudra to come out of his two-year retirement after being fired at to 144 wins, ten post-season appearances and numerous All- Florida State in 1975. Mudra had performed miracles at other American selections. universities and was intrigued to take one more challenge. With a philosophy based on a solid run game and sound kicking Mudra's first order of business was to hire a 25-year- game, Spoo's program churned out 12 1,000 yard rushers under old offensive wizard and EIU alumnus, Mike Shanahan as his his watch. The Panthers also churned out several NFL products offensive coordinator. Bringing in some junior college transfers and including former Green Bay Packers defensive lineman John convincing the returning players they could win, EIU went from 1-10 Jurkovic, Buffalo Bills defensive back Chris Watson and current in 1977 to 12-2 in 1978 capturing the NCAA Division II National Dallas Cowboys pro bowl Championship. quarterback Tony Romo. The 1978 season started at Spoo helped guide 4-0 and following back-to- the Panthers into a back losses to Youngstown new conference as EIU State and Akron, the became a member of the Panthers would not lose Ohio Valley Conference again. EIU won the national in 1996. Since joining championship over Delaware the OVC Panther football 10-9 as Mudra was tabbed has won more than 60 "Dr. Victory" by the Chicago percent of its games Tribune for curing a patient with seven post-season that appeared to be terminal. appearances as a Included in the Mudra member of the league.. Years were the rushing EIU athletes of Poke Cobb, the pass have also excelled as Poke Cobb rushed for 1,609 yards catching of James Warring members of the OVC as a senior in 1979 and defense of Pete Catan with Tony Romo winning and Randy Melvin. Mudra three-straight Offensive Player of the Year awards (2000-02) that would leave EIU after five seasons with a 47-15-1 record that also culminated in the winning of the 2002 Walter Payton Award. Other included a national runner-up finish in 1980 as they were ranked EIU players of the year have been Nick Ricks, Clint Sellers and No. 1 in the nation all season, losing only to Cal Poly in the title Donald Thomas as OVC Defenders of the Year while Vincent Webb game. took home top OVC Offensive honors in 2006. Following his retirement as EIU head coach, Bob Spoo was I-AA CALLING inducted into the Ohio Valley Conference Hall of Fame on June 1, Following two National Championship game 2012. appearances in three years at the NCAA Division II level, EIU made the jump along with fellow members of the FAST BREAK FOOTBALL Mid-Continent Conference to the NCAA I-AA level in 1981. The The Dino Babers era at EIU began December 9, 2011 as the Panthers faltered in their first season but rebounded with a 10-0-1 former EIU assistant coach was named the 22nd head coach in the regular season in 1982 that saw EIU climb to No. 5 in the rankings. history of the program. Babers led the Panthers to their sixth Ohio The Panthers would advance to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Valley Conference title during his first season becoming the fourth I-AA playoffs that season in the first of 12 NCAA Division I playoff EIU coach to take a team to the FCS playoffs. Wide receiver Erik appearances. Lora set the FCS single season record with 136 pass receptions. In 2013 EIU posted a 12-2 record climbing to No. 2 in the national INTO THE GATEWAY rankings as quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo won the Walter Payton Darrell Mudra moved on from EIU in 1982, but his successor, Al Award. Along the way the Panthers offense broke nearly every Molde was equal to the task. Molde developed an early version of school and Ohio Valley Conference offensive record scoring 48.2 the run-and-shoot and had Sean Payton as the perfect quarterback points per game while averaging 589.5 yards per contest.