Jihad McCall has known Eastern Illinois defensive coordinator Andrew Strobel since being recruited to Morehead State out of high school. (Photo by Barry Bottino, PrairieStatePigskin.com)
Editor’s note: This is the second of a four-part series.
By Barry Bottino
For most of Jihad McCall’s college football career, Andrew Strobel has been his defensive coordinator.
McCall, whose career began at Morehead State, spent four seasons with Strobel at Morehead before the coach left for Eastern Illinois.
This fall, the two are back together again and McCall has more duties than just playing free safety as a graduate transfer. He’s also coaching teammates on the finer points of the defense with Strobel, who was elevated to EIU defensive coordinator earlier this year.
“Ever since the spring, guys have been coming up to me and asking questions,” said McCall, who hails from Jersey City, N.J. “We’ve been watching film together and I’ve explained to guys what they should do in this situation or what they could’ve done better.”
McCall is among four Fresh Faces for 2025 at Eastern Illinois as selected by Prairie State Pigskin. This series highlights new or returning players stepping into bigger roles at every Illinois FCS program.
McCall’s five seasons at Morehead included 41 games played, nine interceptions and 123 total tackles.
When he entered the transfer portal, the 6-foot, 205-pound McCall first contacted Strobel to ask if he knew any coaches looking for an experienced safety. Strobel, whose defense lost several safeties from last year’s team, said he would get back to his former player in a few days. He did so with a welcome offer to play at EIU.
“I knew if I got an offer from Eastern, I’d want to play for Coach Strobel,” he said. “Everyone I talked to said, ‘Go to Eastern. That would be the best thing for you.’”
McCall’s gain is also a plus for the Panthers, who open the season Aug. 28 at home against FCS non-scholarship Dayton.
“It’s not very often that you get to find a sixth-year senior that’s played as much football as he has and played four years in the system that we run,” Strobel said. “All those years of experience add up, and it’s extremely valuable in the meeting room, on the practice field and obviously on game day as well.”
Here are EIU’s other Fresh Faces to watch this season:
Trevon Piggee, DL
A redshirt sophomore from St. Louis, Piggee is a returnee in a D-line group that graduated nine players and lost one to the portal.
“I’ve been in this program for three years now,” Piggee said during fall camp. “I see my role as a leader.”
The 6-3, 315-pound Piggee will add bulk in the middle of the new-look line, which is seeking to help the Panthers improve on ranking seventh in the nine-team Ohio Valley-Big South Conference Football Association last season in total defense and rushing defense.
Charles Kellom, RB
With the loss of leading rusher M.J. Flowers to FBS Connecticut via the transfer portal, Kellom adds experience at the position.
He played in 24 games over three seasons at FBS Akron. Last season was his best with 352 yards in a backup role. Kellom’s 2024 effort included 27 receptions out of the backfield and a career-best 104 rushing yards against Kent State.
Kellom had a touchdown via the run and the catch last season, and he had a highlight play in camp when he ran around right end and sprinted away from the defense for a score of 60-plus yards.
Kwan Johnson, OL
A redshirt freshman from Eisenhower High School in Chicago’s south suburbs, Johnson has impressed coaches with his fall camp performance in only his second season in the program.
The 6-5, 310-pound Johnson, who plays tackle, did not see game action a season ago for the Panthers. He was part of a high school team that made the IHSA playoffs three years in a row during his career.
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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