Kamu Grugier-Hill focuses on getting his Panthers a playoff spot

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COURTESY EASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY
Kamu Grugier-Hill.

Kamu Grugier-Hill has too much on the line to worry about playing his final home game.

The Eastern Illinois senior linebacker has a chance to get back into the FCS playoffs with a win over Eastern Kentucky on Saturday in Charleston, Ill.

The Panthers are 6-4 overall but 6-1 in the Ohio Valley Conference. A win over the Colonels would wrap up a second-place finish in conference and strengthen the Panthers’ case for an at-large berth to the FCS playoffs.

Grugier-Hill, a 2012 Kamehameha Schools graduate, has played in the playoffs twice, reaching the quarterfinals as a sophomore.

The Panthers won their first playoff game in 24 years that season with current New England backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo the starter and former Leilehua state champion QB Andrew Manley as the backup.

Grugier-Hill and high school teammate Pono Choy were plucked out of Hawaii by then Panthers coach Dino Babers, who is now at Bowling Green.

Both started playing right away before Choy was lost to a season-ending injury after only two games.

Grugier-Hill started one of the 12 games he appeared in as a freshman and played in all 14 games as a sophomore.

It wasn’t until his junior season that Grugier-Hill really started to make a name for himself. He led the team with 97 tackles, ranking 10th in the OVC, and was named to the all-conference first team.

He has continued that success this season despite missing last week’s win over UT-Martin. He’s currently ranked 12th in the FCS with 141⁄2 tackles for loss and is tied for the team lead with 51⁄2 sacks. He’s also racked up 62 tackles, giving him 229 in his career.

Eastern Illinois’ only loss in conference play is to Jacksonville State, which is ranked No. 1 in both the FCS media and coaches polls.

The Panthers are receiving votes in both polls. The Colonels, who play the Panthers on Saturday at 8 a.m Hawaii time on ESPN3, are ranked No. 23 in the media poll.

Sophomore offensive lineman Louis Vailopa also represents Hawaii at EIU after graduating from Saint Louis in 2014. The 6-foot-3, 310-pound sophomore has started every game at center this season after playing right guard last year. He hasn’t missed a game in his two years with the Panthers and has started 19 straight.

Grugier-Hill was one of 32 linebackers in the FCS earlier this month named to the College Football Performance Award watch list. He was named the OVC defensive player of the week on Oct. 25 after recording eight tackles with three for a loss, a sack and an interception in a 51-20 win over Tennessee Tech.

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