With the first game of the 2011 Panther football season only a slightly more than a week away, fans are looking to see a different, more improved team take the field this season. Last year’s Panthers finished with a record of 2-9. Those two wins both came against Ohio Valley Conference opponents, where the team finished with a record of 2-6.

Leading the team this season will be sophomore quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who took over the starting job as a freshman from Brandon Large. Garoppolo started the final eight games of the season for the Panthers, finishing with 1,639 yards, 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

A big factor in Garoppolo’s offense will be the passing game, where he will be missing junior wide receiver Erik Lora, who will miss the 2011 season after having hip surgery.

Lora had the second most receiving yards of any Panther last season with 478. Only junior Chris Wright had more with 557.

With Lora’s absence, Wright will be a much larger factor in the Panther passing offense, along with red-shirt senior team captain Lorence Ricks.

Lora said his injury hurts the team’s experience, especially on the offensive side of the ball, but that he was confident in the rest of the Panther receiving corps, both younger and veteran players.

Lora spoke highly of the team’s young quarterback, saying he has risen to the challenge of stepping into the leadership role.

“Jimmy Garoppolo has stepped up and been a leader,” Lora said of Garoppolo’s pre-season efforts.

Garoppolo has had an impressive pre-season, throwing for 24 yards and two touchdowns in the team’s Aug. 18 scrimmage.

After losing both Jimmy Potempa and Mon Williams, Jake Walker will most likely assume the role as the team’s starting running back. The Toledo transfer appeared in 10 games last season and finished with 180 rushing yards.

On the defensive side of the ball, Corey Leman, red-shirt senior team captain will look to fill the shoes as the Panther’s premier defensive standout. Leman was second in total tackles only to the team’s leader, linebacker Nick Nasti.

Last year’s Eastern defense allowed a total of 4,235 total yards of offense against opponents last season.

The Panthers open their season on Thursday Sept. 1 against Illinois State in what will be the 100th game of the Mid-America Classic rivalry between the two teams.

In head coach Bob Spoo’s final season at Eastern before retiring, the Panthers will also play Big Ten foe Northwestern and Southern Illinois in non-conference games.

Dominic Renzetti can be reached at 581-7944

or dcrenzetti@eiu.edu