Over the past two seasons, Eastern Illinois linebacker Anthony Shockey has been limited to five games by injury. This fall, he’s hoping to make a big impact on the Panthers’ defense. (Photo by Sandy King, EIUPanthers.com)
By Barry Bottino
Over the past two seasons, Anthony Shockey relied more on his voice than his body.
“Instead of being a physical leader, I had to be more vocal and play my part,” he said. “It made me a lot hungrier and a lot more ambitious to get back out there as soon as I can.”
After playing in the first 18 games of his Eastern Illinois career at linebacker and on special teams, Shockey has seen time in only five games since then.
“I’ve been in a battle with injuries, from shoulder to hamstring to low back,” said Shockey, who played at Glenbard East High School in suburban Lombard. “You name it, I’ve had it. My journey has been kind of a roller coaster.”
As EIU enters its second week of training camp, Shockey is in position to make a big impact on a Panthers defense that lost its top two tacklers from last season via the transfer portal.
Back to normal
Shockey missed the entire 2021 season because of surgery on his left shoulder. Last fall, the redshirt junior played in just five games as a backup linebacker and on special teams.
During the team’s spring game in April, he was an active participant in the Blue team’s 39-28 victory at O’Brien Field.
“Being able to tackle live, roll around out there and fall on the turf gave me the confidence that I’m good,” he said. “It’s about letting loose and not hesitating because of (past) injuries. I’m feeling more like myself these days.”
Shockey likely will take over at middle linebacker, where Colin Bohanek (now at Southern Illinois) collected 73 tackles last season while earning second-team All-Ohio Valley Conference recognition.
“The game has started to slow down a lot for me,” Shockey said. “My role is to let the game come to me and lead the guys around me.”
Goals for 2023
Two players who have had the biggest impact on Shockey during his time in Charleston were fellow linebackers Joe Caputo and Jason Johnson.
“Coming in as a freshman, Joe was a redshirt senior and he really spent time with me and showed me his tricks of understanding the position.”
Johnson, who is now starring at FBS Central Florida, came in with Shockey in the same recruiting class.
“He’s such a quiet guy,” Shockey said of Johnson, who was named this week to the Bronko Nagurski Award Watch List, which is given to the best defensive player in FBS. “He was very consistent. Obviously, it’s working out well for him.”
While Shockey said the team’s goal is to win the OVC, his personal aim is to help the team on the field all season long.
“I gotta be healthy, and I’ll take care of the rest,” he said. “That’s my No. 1 goal. I try to get in the training room and make my body feel as young as it can feel.”
News and notes: During its 2-9 season a year ago, Eastern lost four games by seven points or fewer. … The Panthers were a team of streaks last fall, starting 0-3, winning two games in a row, then ending the season on six-game losing streak. … Shockey is on the third jersey number of his career. He started with No. 47 before switching to 23 during the COVID season. He’s now wearing No. 5, which he wore in high school. Why No. 5? “I didn’t have a reason (in high school). But now that I look back on why I wear No. 5, I have two older brothers, a younger brother and two younger sisters. I want to wear them on my chest and my back at all times.”
Barry Bottino is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin and a 19-year veteran of three Illinois newspapers. He has covered college athletics since 1995.
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