Eastern Illinois mid-year transfer Cole LaCrue led Broomfield (Colo.) High School to a state championship and was named Colorado’s 4A player of the year as a senior. (Photo by DenverPost.com)
By Dan Verdun
Cole LaCrue hoped to receive jersey No. 18 after arriving on the Eastern Illinois campus following his transfer from the University of Wisconsin.
It just wasn’t possible.
Upon talking with the EIU staff, LaCrue learned that Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton had worn the number as a record-setting Panther quarterback in the mid-1980s. The university retired the number in 2010.
“I’ve been (No.) 18 since I first put pads on when I was about seven years old up through high school,” LaCrue said.
Instead, the Colorado native will wear No. 3, the jersey worn by Pierce Holley, EIU’s starting quarterback the past two seasons. Holley is also from Colorado.
“It’s funny how that worked out,” LaCrue said. “My family has a long history with No. 3. I’m excited to start a new chapter.”
Holley threw for 5,866 yards and 36 touchdowns in his EIU career. He was named the All-Big South/Ohio Valley Football Association second-team quarterback after leading the Panthers to an 8-3 season in 2023.
LaCrue, one of 16 mid-year transfers joining head coach Chris Wilkerson’s Panthers, has met Holley. The duo, separated by four years in age, shared occasional group QB trainings in their home state.
Listed at 6-foot-1 and 204 pounds, LaCrue starred in both football and baseball at Broomfield (Colo.) High School. Holley, who transferred to EIU from FCS Georgetown in 2022, played at Lakewood High School in the Centennial State.
LaCrue spent the last two seasons at Wisconsin, redshirting in 2023 while not seeing any game action this past fall. The redshirt sophomore has three years of eligibility remaining.
FBS programs North Texas, James Madison and Washington State expressed interest in his transfer, LaCrue said.
When the EIU coaching staff reached out and described the Panthers’ situation, LaCrue made his decision.
“I thought, ‘How cool would it be to turn around a program (that won three games last season) and turn them into winners and make a run at the playoffs?’” he said.
LaCrue joins an Eastern roster featuring only two quarterbacks – redshirt sophomore Blainey Dowling and redshirt junior Kevin Conway – who have taken snaps at the college level.
Dowling, who led Chicago Mt. Carmel to a state championship his senior year, appeared in four games last season as Holley’s backup. The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder completed 8 of 16 passes for 69 yards with an interception last fall.
Conway, who played quarterback and safety during his time at Providence Catholic High School in New Lenox, has appeared in two games at EIU.
LaCrue was rated a three-star recruit by Rivals, 247 Sports and ESPN out of high school. He passed for 57 touchdowns and more than 6,000 yards in three seasons as a prep athlete. The Colorado 4A player of the year passed for 2,647 yards and 26 touchdowns as a senior. He threw just six interceptions that state title-winning season. He also rushed for 808 yards and 20 touchdowns.
“I’m bringing a winner. I’m a competitor,” said LaCrue, who was the catcher on a state championship baseball team his junior season. “I want to be the guy that takes this program on a run.”
He’s now familiar with the tradition of All-American quarterbacks at EIU.
“Obviously there’s competition in the quarterback room, but in my eyes I’m trying to be Jimmy Garoppolo. I’m trying to be Tony Romo. I’m trying to be Sean Payton in any way that I can. That’s the goal I have for myself.”
Prep Panthers
EIU announced a two-player February high school signing class Wednesday. In December, the Panthers added 10 prep players in the early signing period.
Prairie State Pigskin asked veteran Illinois recruiting analyst “Edgy” Tim O’Halloran to identify and share his thoughts on the top prep signee the Panthers have brought aboard.
O’Halloran, who has covered Illinois high school recruiting since the mid-1990s, chose linebacker Jett Reese from DePaul College Prep as the top in-state EIU recruit. Reese was a December signee.
“Reese was easily one of the more impressive inside linebackers I saw live in 2024,” O’Halloran said of the 6-foot-2, 220-pounder. “Reese was a key leader on the Rams’ Class 4A state championship team. Reese has advanced physical tools and in many ways is already college ready.”
Reese served as a team captain for the IHSA Class 4A state champions. He finished his senior season with 66 tackles, two for loss, and a sack. Reese was credited with five tackles in the state championship game.
“Reese has impressive strength, speed and instincts and could easily play inside linebacker for the Panthers or anywhere on the defensive line if needed. Reese’s overall skills and versatility no question make him a much more valuable addition than people think and he is one of three or four high school names I really like for EIU.”
EIU Mid-Year Signees
Name (Position(s), Height, Weight, Hometown, School)
Jerry Addo-Boateng (CB, 6-0, 175, Sanford, Fla./Orangewood Christian HS/Defiance College)
Steven Arteaga (LB, 5-11, 220, JR, Murrieta, Calif./Vista Murrieta HS/Palomar CC)
James Collins (DL, 6-2, 262, RS-JR, Mesquite, Texas/Mesquite Horn HS/College of the Sequoias
Knowledge Davis (DL, 6-2, 257, R-SO, Humble, Texas/Atascocita HS/Tyler JC)
Cole LaCrue (QB, 6-1, 204, R-SO, Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield HS/University of Wisconsin)
Jesse Lajes (RB, 5-10, 202, R-JR, Fremont, Calif./American HS/San Jose City College)
Jihad McCall (SAF, 6-0, 200, R-SR, Jersey City, NJ/Hoboken HS/Morehead State University)
Jefferson McKinnon (LS, 6-0, 220, R-FR, Copley, Ohio/Revere HS/Marist College)
Mason Miller (P, 5-11, 180, R-SR, Avon, Ind./Avon HS/Marian University)
Kefa Pereira (DL, 6-0, 285, R-JR, San Antonio, Texas/Veterans Memorial HS/Monterey Peninsula College)
Dante Thompson (OL, 6-1, 320, R-SR, Montgomery Village, Md./Quince Orchard HS/Robert Morris (PA) Univ.)
Jack Tremblay (WR, 6-0, 185, R-JR, Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East HS/Central Michigan Univ.)
Nick Vecchiarelli (SAF, 6-0, 210, SR, Howell, NJ/Howell HS/Marist College)
Noah Williams (LB, 5-10, 196, R-JR, Dallas, Texas/Princeton HS/Dodge City CC)
Brandon Worsley (SAF, 5-11, 202, JR, San Marcos, Calif./Mission Hills HS/San Diego Mesa College)
Jordan Yandila (OL, 6-4, 295, R-SO, Snohomish, Wash./Glacier Peak HS/Adams State University)
EIU February Prep Signees
Name (Position(s), Height, Weight, Hometown, School)
Cale Kimbro (LB, 6-1, 205, Mattoon, Ill./Mattoon HS)
Brock VanDeveer (LB, 6-1, 210, Mahomet, Ill./Mahomet-Seymour HS)
Dan Verdun is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin. He has written four books: NIU Huskies Football, EIU Panthers Football, ISU Redbirds Football and SIU Salukis Football.
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