[music plays]
>>Rameen Karbassioon: Production for Panther Sports Talk is brought
to you in part by: Johnson's Automotive Service is a proud supporter
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your automotive repair and maintenance needs. Johnson's Automotive Service: keeping your
life running. Welcome to another edition of Panther Sports
Talk on WEIU, I'm Rameen Karbassioon. On this season finale, we focus on now former
Eastern Illinois Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo
and his Journey to Pro Football. Garoppolo became the highest drafted Panther
to the NFL in program history when the New England Patriots selected him in the second
round of the 2014 NFL Draft. From his record breaking senior season in
2013, to winning the Walter Payton Award, and everything in between leading up to the
NFL Draft, here are some of the best moments from this past season for Garoppolo as he
led the Panthers to an OVC Championship for a second year in a row. >>Mike Bradd:
First and
10, Garoppolo. He's going deep, got Gober behind it... He's got it at the 30, 20! Keiondre Gober on his way for the touchdown! Steps up, now going to throw it deep in the
end zone. Drake, got it! Touchdown, Eastern Illinois! There's the snap. Here comes the blitz. Jimmy's going to throw it deep down the middle. Lora's out there... Got it! And he's on his way! Garoppolo burns the blitz! Touchdown, Eastern Illinois! He's going to throw into the end zone, and... Touchdown! Erik Lora, I'm not sure
how he got that through
that window to get him. Garoppolo to throw, four-man run. Pump fake, throwing the bomb. Going for Lora! Touchdown, Eastern Illinois! There's the snap, Jimmy looking to throw to
the right side for Lora... Touchdown, Eastern Illinois! Looking, throwing the bomb. Going for Gober, back of the end zone! Touchdown, Eastern Illinois! Gober on the back corner behind two defenders. Jimmy Garoppolo sets the record for Eastern
Illinois and the Ohio Valley Conference with his 86th ca
reer touchdown pass. Fake handoff. Garoppolo sets up, launching it down the right
sideline. Gober got it at the 15, 10, 15. Touchdown, Keiondre Gober! [Panther Fight Song plays]
Garoppolo out of the gun. Fake handoff. Back, pressure up the middle. Now he's going to dodge a man. Throws, he throws deep right for Lora. Leaping grab at the goal line... Touchdown, Eastern Illinois! Three wide outs left. Garoppolo back, looking to the left. Throwing the fade into the corner for Lora. Leaping catch, an
d... Touchdown, Eastern Illinois! Garoppolo back, a lot of time. Throwing it deep. Got Drake out there... Got it! 40, 30, Adam Drake going all the way! Touchdown, Eastern Illinois! They blitzed Garoppolo. He's back, steps up. He's throwing the bomb. Got Gober out there! Got it! 20, 15, steps out of a tackle! It's a touchdown for Eastern Illinois! Garoppolo put Gober 61 yards on the third
play from scrimmage. Back to pass, Garoppolo looking. Throwing deep. Wide open, Jeff LePak! Touchdown, Easter
n Illinois! There's the snap. Garoppolo back, pump fake. Throwing the fade, left corner. Lora's got it! Touchdown, Eastern Illinois! Garoppolo back, stands in the pocket. Guns it deep middle. Caught, touchdown! Erik Lora with the catch at the two-yard line
and goes in standing up. Second and seven at the 10. Pops to Little, heading to the right. He wants to throw a pass. Throwing back to Garoppolo on the left sideline,
and he caught it at the goal line! Touchdown! There's a penalty flag! Jimmy G
aroppolo might have just caught his
first touchdown pass! He's going crazy down there on the near sideline! Little the only running back. Garoppolo, two-step drop, throwing the fade. Going for Drake, corner of the end zone. Touchdown, Eastern Illinois! That's just a teardrop right into the arms
of Adam Drake between two defenders. [yelling]
Third and 11, Garoppolo back to pass. Throwing it deep, left sideline. Got Adam Drake out there... Got it! Touchdown, Eastern Illinois! Second down, nine to
go. Two wide outs right. Garoppolo, shotgun snap. Fake handoff. Jimmy back, firing the slant. Caught! Touchdown, Erik Lora! He pulled it in at the three, and goes in
for the touchdown! >>Jack Ashmore:
Just a quick slant, and the ball was delivered right on the number 8 of Lora's jersey. Perfect pass by Garoppolo, on a string. No defending that, and the Panthers have another
score. >>Mike Bradd:
10:40 to go, second quarter. 16-0, Eastern Illinois. Third and goal. Garoppolo back, pump fake. In tro
uble, rolling to the right. Jimmy looking into the end zone. Rolling out to the right. Throws over the middle! Touchdown, Jeff LePak! Great job by Garoppolo to find LePak while
he was scrambling out of the pocket! >>Jimmy Garoppolo:
Hey, number one, baby! [cheering]
>>Mike Bradd: Empty backfield for Garoppolo, third down. Jimmy's back, in the pocket. Throwing over the middle! Touchdown, Erik Lora, back of the end zone! Garoppolo looks to pass. Now rolls out to his right. Steps up, looking deep.
Now he's going to launch it deep. Got a man wide open in the end zone... Touchdown! Jeff LePak running wide open in the back right
corner of the end zone! They lost LePak somehow, and Garoppolo waited
long enough to get him open, and then threw about a 50-yard strike into the back corner. [cheering]
>>Rameen Karbassioon: And Garoppolo's EIU career came to an end
in the FCS Quarterfinals on that snowy December night at O'Brien Field. Garoppolo sits atop several career passing
records in Panther F
ootball history, passing Panther Greats, Sean Payton and Tony Romo. In Garoppolo's final two seasons at EIU, he
passed for just under 8900 yards and 84 touchdowns. And the record breaking 2013 season by the
Panther Signal Caller lead to several accolades: OVC Player of the Year, first team All-American,
just to name a few. And three days after his last game in Panther
Blue, Garoppolo became the second Panther to win the Walter Payton Award, which is awarded
to the top player in the FCS. >>Announ
cer:
The 2013 Walter Payton Award for the most outstanding player in the FCS, that is quarterback,
Eastern Illinois, Jim Garoppolo. >>Jimmy Garoppolo:
There's so many people to thank, you know. Firstly, I'd like to thank my parents, Tony
and Denise right here, for everything that they've done for me throughout my entire football
career. I mean, I wouldn't be here today without them. And you know, them and my brothers back home,
I've got three brothers, and you know, all of them have always insti
lled in me to stay
grounded throughout life, stay humble, and just be the best person you could be. Because, I mean, that's all you could ask
for in the end. Next, you know, I'd like to thank my la familia,
my ohana, and that's my teammates back in Charleston, Illinois. Love each and every one of them like they
were a brother to me. And you know, from the hogs, and the dogs,
and the air unit, and everyone in between, all the players, I mean, I wouldn't be standing
here right now if it wasn't for
all the hard work and dedication that we put into this
season as a team. And you know, I thank them for that. Next, I'd like to thank my former coaches,
Coach Spoo and Coach Wittke, who can't be here, and our athletic director, Miss Burke
right here, fro giving me the opportunity to play football here at Eastern Illinois. You know, they've taught me a lot on and off
the field, and these past four years at Eastern have really been the best years of my life. I mean, this is the best decision I've
ever
made coming to Eastern, and I couldn't be happier. Next, I'd like to give a special thanks to
Coach Babers, my head coach, and Coach Gilbert, my offensive coordinator and quarterback coach,
and along with the rest of our coaching staff at Charleston, Illinois. You know, they've done so much for me, I can't
put it into words. The knowledge that they've shared with me
in both life and football is something that I will carry with me for the rest of my life,
because, you know, in the words of
Coach Babers, knowledge is power. So, as long as you've got that, you've got
something going. And lastly, you know, I'd like to thank the
fans and everyone, all of Panther Nation. The support they've given our team the last
four years has been nothing but amazing. They've been with us through the rough 2-9
season my freshman year and sophomore year, all the way to the good times like these that,
you know, I get to share with them when I get back to town. And you know, this past season has flown
by,
and I really, it's been nothing short of amazing. These memories I have from all of Eastern,
everything here, our run at the playoffs, it's something I'll carry with me for the
rest of my life. And I'd like to thank the committee for everything. This award means a lot, and I really feel
honored to be receiving it tonight. And I feel truly blessed. So, thank you, everyone. Go Panthers! [applause]
Well, first off, I have to pick an agent. That's the first step in all this. And you know, my par
ents have done a great
job this whole season of dealing with all the agents and leaving it to me at the very
end to make a decision. I mean, they've taken so many distractions
away from me, it's unbelievable. And so, after I pick an agent, then it will
go to they have a plan for me already set up, that they have a calendar set up for me
and everything. So, I'll just go on that. And then, I got the East West Shrine game
coming up in early January. I'll go to that for a week. And then, it's pretty
much just straight training
for the combine after that. Then, hopefully I'll get an invite to the
combine, perform well there. And then, it's just on with everything else,
the Pro Days and all that stuff. All this is still just a dream. I mean, I've still got to put in the hard
work this off-season, and get noticed by the right people in the NFL, and perform well
at the combine and Pro Day. And it's a process, and this is just the beginning
of it, but it's going to happen fast these next couple
months. >>Rameen Karbassioon:
The first stop on this plan for Garoppolo was to train and polish his skills prior to
the East West Shrine Game. Garoppolo spent time in California training
with Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL Quarterback, Ty Detmer. Next was the East West Shrine game, where
he was the Offensive MVP. And then came the Senior Bowl, where Garoppolo
was a last second invite. Two solid performances in back to back weeks
at the East West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl was then fo
llowed by the NFL Scouting
Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he was one of 19 quarterbacks to show off for
NFL coaches and general managers. After the combine, Garoppolo took part in
the EIU Pro Day held at Northwestern University. Here are some highlights of these events starting
with the East West Shrine Game. >>Announcer:
And Jimmy Garoppolo, the quarterback out of Eastern Illinois, voted the best player in
FCS this past season. There we see the quick, compact delivery. I like that a wh
ole lot. Active feet, and the ball comes out very quickly. Six touchdowns against Northern, and that's
a pretty touch pass to his teammate. And those two know each other pretty well. Erik Lora the last two seasons, and I know
we have a flag down, but Erik Lora the last two seasons 259 catches. Garoppolo to the end zone again, and there's
Matt Hazel. Touchdown! The quick fake, and how about that ball. Nice job, Jimmy Garoppolo. Jimmy Garoppolo, he was fantastic this last
fall, he was enticing las
t week at the East West Shrine game, and here he is first and
10 at the 48, going into the air right away. Athletic throw to his left, can't throw it
any better! And that was a nice little snapshot of Jimmy
Garoppolo. Got the shoulders around through a strike. 12-yard gain. And Garoppolo, guys, I mean this is the moment. And he's just carrying right over from the
East West. And you love the footwork he has in the pocket,
but also the ability to get outside, square his shoulders, and deliver the
ball accurately. ... Together, as soon as he decides where
it's going, that quick, compact delivery like that right there allows it to go... Now, here's Eastern's Illinois Panther, Jimmy
Garoppolo. Quick release, athletic kid. I thought he helped himself maybe as much
as anybody in the draft in the two-week period by playing in the East West game and the Senior
Bowl. He went from kind of a mid to late guy, to
a potential second or third round draft pick. Footwork and quick release. And if a kid
has that, you can build with
that; it's the foundation. Put your chin on your shoulder and locate
the ball so you don't lose speed. There's an Eastern Illinois Rutger's connection
right there. Don't have to put a lot of velocity on this. This is one, like you said, Mike, where you're
setting it to the outside. Your'e not really looking for the guy to catch
it and turn up. It's more we're trying to get 12 yards on
the sideline. [no dialogue]
What's this whole experience like for you, this Pro Day
experience? >>Jimmy Garoppolo:
You know, it's exciting. I'm having fun with it. I get to come out here, sling it around with
some of the best receivers. I mean, one of my receivers is here, Erik
Lora, so we're going to go out there, sling it around, you know, and hopefully impress
some scouts. It's been hectic. My parents, they're loving it, though. My brothers, all their friends are really
staying with me and just keeping up to date on everything. So, they're having fun with it. My mom's learn
ing more and more football as
we go along. She didn't know too much, but she's catching
on. So, you know, they're having fun with it just
like I am. And that's just what you've got to do, I mean,
you've got to enjoy the process. We have a short script, I mean it's not too
many throws. But you know, after that we're going to ask
the scouts if they have anything that they want to see. You know, I'm here to impress them, do whatever
they want to see. >>Reporter:
What has Ty Detmer taught you, as we
ll? >>Jimmy Garoppolo:
What has he taught me? >>Reporter:
Yeah, what did you learn most from him coming into this? >>Jimmy Garoppolo:
You know, just the little things. How blitzes are connected with the front,
stuff like that. I mean, the ins and outs of the game really
that are connected to the NFL game, opposed to the college game. I mean, there's such a huge learning curve
that I have to go through, and you know, I'm excited about learning it. And I love football, love learning it, and
you kn
ow, I want to become a master of it really. >>Announcer:
Has it gone to your head here? Now, all of a sudden people are finding you. >>Jimmy Garoppolo:
No, I mean, you know, my family does a great job of keeping me grounded. >>Announcer:
The combine, how was it? >>Jimmy Garoppolo:
It was exciting. You know, I had a fun time there. It was a rough four days, I mean, a little
sleep deprived and everything. But you know, I got to meet a bunch of cool
people, learned a bunch of stuff, and I enjoyed t
he whole experience really. >>Announcer:
Is it more mental or physical at the combine? >>Jimmy Garoppolo:
You know, it's really a little bit of both. You really have to have some mental toughness
to get through the four days, you know. Just, I mean, they try to do everything to
throw you off so that you don't perform your best. But you know, it's our job as athletes to,
you know, fight against that really. >>Announcer:
What criticisms have you heard? >>Jimmy Garoppolo:
You know, everyone critici
zes the small school, where I come from. I mean, that's just something that will be
tagged with me for the rest of my life. I'm from a small school. I'm proud of that. And you know, it's just me going out there,
proving that it doesn't matter where you come from; we're all professionals now. >>Announcer:
Can it be a good thing that you're unknown, up until this point? Where, we pick at some of these guys because
we've seen them, like Manziel or Tebow. >>Jimmy Garoppolo:
Coming from Eastern Illin
ois, we didn't get as much exposure as some of those guys did. So, you know, throughout the whole all-star
games and the combine, Pro Day, I've gotten probably more exposure in the last two months
than I have the whole season. Every player has their own story. So, you know, I'm just trying to run with
it. >>Announcer:
Payton wasn't drafted, Romo wasn't drafted. Why should you draft Garoppolo? >>Jimmy Garoppolo:
The times change. The FCS and FBS comparison is getting closer
and closer every year.
>>Announcer:
How come I hear about all these other quarterbacks? I keep hearing Carr, Manziel, and Bridgewater,
and Bortles. And we'll get the Italian Stallion in the
second round, third round. Have you heard that? >>Jimmy Garoppolo:
You know, I've heard rumors, but you know, it's all hearsay. You never know what teams are really thinking,
and what they're trying to tell other people. And you know, at the end of the day, who knows? The Draft is a strange thing. You never know what's going to ha
ppen. >>Announcer:
There he is right there, Jimmy Garoppolo. >>Jimmy Garoppolo:
Geez. >>Announcer:
But you are, your'e the underdog. You're the unknown guy. No one's talking about you, but you're starting
to get a lot of momentum. You're starting to get a lot of people that
are on your wagon now. Are you confident that your'e as good or better
than all these others? >>Jimmy Garoppolo:
Oh yeah. I've been the underdog my whole life. And I mean, it's just something that I've
loved living with. I lo
ve having that tag with me. Love, I mean, especially being from Eastern
Illinois, everyone saying your'e a small school, you're never going to beat San Diego State. All that, all that talk before the season. And then, you go out there and do it. There's nothing better than that, proving
someone wrong. I mean, that's what I live for. >>Announcer:
You know, you look at how you've gotten better in the last year, the last three years, it's
really startling. You can be the greatest story of this draf
t. >>Jimmy Garoppolo:
I'm excited, bottom line. My whole family gets to come with me out there. I mean, it's a very unique opportunity. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. So, you know, whether I go first, second,
third, whatever it may be, I mean, I'm a very quick learner. So, it's almost one of those things that,
whatever situation I go into, you know, I'm going to make the best of it. >>Announcer:
There's too many teams looking for quarterbacks when we get to that second round for him not
to be a viable option for somebody. >>Dino Babers:
I watched Jimmy Garoppolo throw five passes at Eastern Illinois University. And the first thing out of my mouth was, somebody
screwed up big time. Because, he should have been at an FBS school. Jimmy Garoppolo would have been the starter
at Texas A&M, Jimmy Garoppolo would have been the starter at the University of Arizona. Jimmy Garoppolo is a big time quarterback. And everybody's going to figure it out really,
really quick how good this young
man is. This guy is going to be a starting quarterback
in the National Football League. And you can put the top five quarterbacks
on the football field, you can take their jerseys off, have them start throwing footballs
around, and I bet you they get really confused with which one was the FBS and which one was
the FCS guy. The guy can play. He's intelligent, he's sharp, he's got one
of the fastest releases I've probably seen, maybe only second to Dan Marino. The well laid out plan was executed b
y Garoppolo,
and now NFL teams and national media knew what Jimmy Garoppolo was all about. The calendar changed to May, and the NFL Draft
was finally here. Garoppolo was one of a record 31 invitees
to the Draft in New York City. The Arlington Heights, Illinois native was
about to hear his name called with his parents and brothers alongside him. From Eastern Illinois to Pro Football. On September 25, 2010, Jimmy Garoppolo took
over as the starting quarterback of the Panthers. And on May 9, 2014 h
e became one of the newest
members of the National Football League. >>Jimmy Garoppolo:
I wanted to play early. I didn't know I was going to play my true
freshman year, but I mean, that was definitely an emphasis. I mean, some of the other schools had QBs
that were a little younger, and they were starting. So, I mean, yeah it definitely influenced
me in the recruiting process. >>Roy Wittke:
When he came in, we expected him to compete for the starting job as a true freshman. He ended up starting t
he final eight games,
he showed that he had some of the physical skills and some of the abilities we thought
he had. >>Mike Bradd:
Six-man rush, he's throwing deep. Got a man out there. Ricks got it! 15, 10, 5! Touchdown, Eastern Illinois! >>Jimmy Garoppolo:
Going into the season, I was on a travel squad. I kind of figured if we were struggling, the
quarterback wasn't doing very well, I mean, there might be a chance that I would get in. But I didn't think it would come by the fourth
game. >>Roy
Wittke:
A little more athletic than the guys that maybe we had or had gotten used to having. I don't think there's any question his greatest
strength is his quickness, and his unique ability to throw the football very quickly. >>Jimmy Garoppolo:
I constantly would be learning, I mean, just learning everything about the position, everything
about the sport, about defenses. There's always more that can be learned. I mean, the quarterback position, there's
no end to learning. >>Roy Wittke:
he's got
a bright future ahead of him, and again, he'll be the first one to tell you
he hasn't reached the point where he would like to or he can. >>Dino Babers:
The one aspect of this team that's impressed me is our quarterback, JG. We affectionately call him JG. Our quarterback is somebody that can lead
us to where we need to be. His skills are exceptional. And what we have to do as an offense and a
defense is put an offense around him to let his skill sets be shown, and put a defense
around him that
can get the ball back so he can again go on the field and show everybody
what those skill sets are. >>Jimmy Garoppolo:
The main goal that we're trying to achieve this year as the 2012 Panthers, we're trying
to make a run at the playoffs and win an OVC championship. And if the stats come along and the records
come along with it, I mean, I'd be more than happy to accept them. But we're looking at winning an OVC championship
before that. >>Mike Bradd:
This is the kind of throw that you need to be a
ble to make on Sundays. I mean, Jimmy really puts a lot on this throw. >>Jack Ashmore:
He just drilled it in, going into the wind. That's the kind of pass that you need to make,
and can't throw it any better than that. In my mind, I think of myself as my own guy. I mena, I'm Jimmy Garoppolo. It's not like I'm the predecessor of Tony
Romo or something like that, or Sean Payton. But to be compared to them, it really is an
honor. I mean, their jerseys are hanging up on the
wall out there for a reas
on. It's not like they're just a couple of guys
who came through here. I mean, they've left their mark on Eastern,
and you know, that's just what I'm trying to do. I'm just trying to leave a legacy here that
one day I could look back on and be proud of, and maybe tell my kids, be like, yeah,
I was a quarterback at Eastern when we won the OVC championship, won the national championship,
and what not. So, you know, I'm just trying to build my
own legacy, the Jimmy Garoppolo legacy. Number one, bab
y. >>Rich Moser:
What can you tell us about the experience so far? How's it going? >>Jimmy Garoppolo:
Oh, it's been a busy week. Very hectic, but you know, enjoyed every bit
of it. First time in New York, so you know, me and
the family have just been enjoying every little bit of it. >>Rich Moser:
So Denise, for you, how's the experience? >>Denise Garoppolo:
It's great. It's our first time here, and we're just enjoying
it and enjoying the moment. It's just quite the experience. >>Rich Moser:
Now,
I know you liked the other night, Jimmy, but kind of thoughts on, anything you've heard
today form your agent, or...? >>Jimmy Garoppolo:
My agent? >>Rich Moser:
Yeah. >>Jimmy Garoppolo:
You know, he told me just to, I mean, we've been saying it a lot, but just enjoy it. I mean, this is a crazy thing, and you never
know where someone's going to go, trade up, trade down. And you know, everything could get thrown
off with one pick. So, it's one of those things you kind of have
to sit back and let
the chips fall where they may. >>Announcer:
From Eastern Illinois University, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. [no dialogue]
And welcome to the 2014 NFL Draft. Jimmy Garoppolo still in the green room in
Radio City Music Hall. When will we hear his name called? >>Patriots Introducer:
With the 67th pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, your New England and my New England Patriots
select Jimmy Garoppolo, quarterback, Eastern Illinois. >>Announcer:
Well, there's the moment backstage in the green room for Jimmy Ga
roppolo. And guys, on so many levels this is a very
interesting pick. He's an interesting quarterback. Makes every throw, good arms, smart. But the feet and the quick release are what
stand out to me for Jimmy Garoppolo. I like this pick because he's a developmental
quarterback. He shows some trace that you could forecast
as being wow, this guy could be really good. >>Jimmy Garoppolo:
I was just ecstatic about it, just the opportunity to go there and play for such a successful
organization like
that. I men, it's a real opportunity, and I'm looking
forward to getting to work. >>Announcer:
How much interaction have you had with Tom Brady leading up to this process? >>Jimmy Garoppolo:
Not much, not much. I'm looking forward to get to meet him. I've been looking up to him since I was a
little kid, since I started playing quarterback. So, it's a great opportunity for me. >>Announcer:
Your favorite player is Tom Brady. You're going to be learning from him. Does it get any better than that? >
>Jimmy Garoppolo:
You know, I can't imagine a better situation. You know, it's a dream scenario, you know,
a great opportunity, great organization to be able to play for. So, you know, I'm excited to get to work. >>Announcer:
I hate to break it to you, but you're probably not going to be starting any time soon, but
I'm sure your'e fine with that. >>Jimmy Garoppolo:
You know, we'll make it work. You know, I'm going to go to work everyday
as if I'm the starter, and you know, do my best. It was unb
elievable. I was sitting with my older brother Tony and
my agent Steve, and it's one of those experiences you don't know how it's going to feel until
you're actually there. I mean, you try to prepare for it and everything
but, I mean, that moment it was, I was speechless for a second, I'm not going to lie to you. So, you know, it's a very awesome scenario
to go into. You know, it was unbelievable. Sitting in the green room and everything,
people started to leave one by one. And we got down to I
think it was three or
four guys left, and you know, me and my brother walked out of the green room for a minute
just to get some air. It's hot back there, so a Massachusetts phone
number called me, and I don't know, I kind of lost my sense of thought for a second. And I couldn't have pictured it going any
better than that. >>Rich Moser:
Now, what does it mean to be a guy to come from Eastern Illinois? What does that do for you, and do for the
program down the road? >>Jimmy Garoppolo:
Yeah, I mea
n, you know, Eastern's done so much for me. Coaches, going all the way back to Coach Spoo
and Coach Wittke, and Coach Babers came in, you know. I don't know, it's one of those things that
I want to give back as much as I can. So, you know, they've helped me so much, that
I want to give back and help them. And you know, all this TV exposure and everything
is probably helping the program a little bit. [no dialogue]
>>Rameen Karbassioon: Jimmy Garoppolo joins Tony Romo and Sean Payton
as former Eas
tern Illinois quarterbacks currently in the NFL. Garoppolo is the fourteenth Panther to be
drafted in EIU's history, the fourth quarterback, and again, the highest drafted player from
Eastern Illinois to the NFL. Garoppolo's number one target from the past
two seasons, wide receiver Erik Lora, will get a crack at the next level as well, as
he signed on as a free agent following the Draft. And that will do it for another season of
Panther Sports Talk, right here on WEIU. We'll see you in August a
s we get ready for
another season of Eastern Illinois Panther Football. Thanks for watching. Production for Panther Sports Talk is brought
to you in part by: Johnson's Automotive Service is a proud supporter
of Panther Sports on WEIU. Johnson's is a complete car facility for all
your automotive repair and maintenance needs. Johnson's Automotive Service: keeping your
life running. [music plays]
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