Eastern’s tight ends coach Cole Hoover is in his first season with the Panthers’ football program.

After playing for the Panthers throughout his college career, Hoover returned to his alma mater after working as an assistant coach at Western Illinois.

Hoover answered questions ranging from how it feels to coach for a program that his father, Jeff Hoover, also coached at and how the community of Charleston feels like a home to him:

Q: When did you first start playing football?

A: “My first year of tackle football was in fifth grade. I always played flag everywhere we moved around. I was always around football with my dad being a football coach.”

Q: What coach are you giving the aux to?

A: “Probably coach Tino [Smith] or coach [Andrew] Brady. We all play similar music in the mornings when we get here.”

Q: Why did you choose to come to Eastern to play football?

A: “The people did a really good job of making it feel like home. I graduated from Charleston High School. After my dad passed away, Eastern supported me through that, and I felt like I had some unfinished business for a place that got me through that hard time. I felt like I needed to give back to the school in a way, so that was important for me to have that opportunity to stay here and get those things accomplished.”

Q: How did Eastern help you with your dad’s passing?

A: “My dad coached here from ’07 to ’09, and the support they gave my mom and my family spoke volumes, just getting me through and making me feel like I wasn’t alone. The players on the team would still communicate with me and would pick me up for lunch and dinner. I got to see how close a team can be and how it becomes family. I had experiences with that in other places where my dad coached, but I never felt it until I was here. I always associated EIU with being family, so it was cool to stay here.”

Q: Do you think the Earth is round or flat?

A: “The Earth is round. I have some conspiracy theories, but the Earth being flat is not one of them.”

Q: What conspiracy theories do you have?

A: “I’m a very big aliens are real [and] Bigfoot is real. I whole heartedly believe aliens are real, and I will die on that hill.”

Q: What was your favorite memory over the summer?

A: “Getting married over the past summer and watching a lot TV with my wife and not doing much at home.”

Q: Did you meet your wife at Eastern?

A: “Yes. We had class together and I sat behind her during my sophomore year and bugged her until she went on a date with me to Dairy Queen. We met in Buzzard Hall. I met her in special ed[ucation] 3100. I’d bug her for homework or notes, and then we went on our first date to Dairy Queen.”

Q: How do you feel this tight end is doing so far?

A: “I’m incredibly proud of them. I think they have responded to a lot of adversity with a new coach in not the normal time. I know a couple of them had multiple coaches up to this point. To be consistent in their preparation and how hard they work, as a coach, I couldn’t be prouder of them.”

Q: Do you have any controversial hot takes?

A: “I’m a big LeBron [James] is the G.O.A.T. over [Michael] Jordan. LeBron wins more. I understand the championship debate, but Jordan only got to six finals. In terms of overall winning, LeBron has gotten to more finals, therefore he wins more. If you want to go off of just championships, [Bill] Russell is the G.O.A.T., not Jordan. If it’s off basketball play, LeBron is the G.O.A.T.”

Q: What did you major in at Eastern?

A: “I was an early childhood special education major. I was going to teach grade school special ed, and it was going to be great.”

Q: Why did you choose early childhood special education as your major?

A: “It’s what I wanted to do since forever. I was always very involved in Special Olympics. I saw it as a way of helping people, and it was my way to teach and help people who others think can’t do anything and to show them wrong.”

Q: Do you have any secret talents?

A: “I am the best Mario Kart player that has ever walked Earth, and I will die on that hill as well.”

Q: How did COVID-19 affect you?

A: “COVID-19 canceled my senior year of football, so that wasn’t fun. It was interesting to see the things I would spend time on because I got out of my routine.”

Q: How does it feel to play and graduate from Eastern to come back to be a coach at your alma mater?

A: “It’s really cool. I never thought I’d be in this situation to have this opportunity with a mentor in Coach [Chris] Wilkerson who’s done the same thing; played here, coached here, and now he’s the head coach running the program. You feel great pride in working for and working at a place like EIU and working for a guy like Chris Wilkerson.”

Zaria Flippin can be reached at 581-2812 or at zhflippin@eiu.edu.