It’s been very clear over the past three years at Eastern that the word team is spelled T-O-N-Y.

Panthers quarterback Tony Romo is the only player to win three consecutive Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year awards. He also holds the OVC career and single season records for touchdown passes. He has led Eastern to back-to-back OVC championships and playoff appearances.

“We have been very grateful that he has been with us,” Eastern head coach Bob Spoo said.

Unfortunately, history may repeat itself to prevent Romo from receiving the Walter Payton Award.

In 2001, Romo emerged as one of the best quarterbacks in I-AA and increased the possibility of being selected as a finalists after throwing for 2,068 yards, 21 touchdown passes and only six interceptions. However, a heartbreaking loss to Northern Iowa at O’Brien Stadium in the first round of the playoffs dropped him to tenth place in the Payton Award voting last year.

In 2002, Romo was the leading candidate for the award and started off the season by throwing for 319 yards and two touchdowns against I-A Hawaii. Romo increased his case for the award by capping the Homecoming game with a 8-yard touchdown run to bring the Panthers from behind to win.

“Playing for Eastern was a great chapter in my life,” Romo said in a previous interview.

However, Eastern’s star quarterback has begun to look mortal.

A loss at Murray State, where Romo threw two interceptions, and another disappointing 48-9 loss in the first round of the playoffs, this time at Western Illinois, left Romo with a sour taste in his mouth.

“It just hit me that I would

SEE ROMO u Page 7A

never play for Eastern again,” Romo said.

Romo completed 237-of-363 passes for a career high 2,950 yards this season. Not bad for an athlete that was more well-known for his talents on the hardwood than the football field in high school.

Romo came out of Burlington H.S. (Burlington, Wis.) as a established basketball player and golfer, but decided to accept a scholarship to play football for Eastern.

“I didn’t know what kind of player he would be when he got here, but he has worked hard to get where he has been,” Spoo said.

Romo brought the Panthers back from deficits in two key games over Eastern Kentucky and at Southeast Missouri this year.

At O’Brien Stadium, Romo led a 75-yard drive that took 43 seconds to keep his undefeated streak at O’Brien Stadium intact. In Cape Girardaeu, Mo. Romo led the Panthers to 23 unanswered points to get a key road win to wipe away an early 21-7 deficit.

“It is very warranted that he has been picked as one of the finalists,” Spoo said. “I’m glad he is in that mix because I certainly think he deserves that.”

When Romo shows up for the I-AA College Football Awards Banquet in Chattanooga, Tenn., it will be his last official act as a Eastern athlete and will immediately turn his eyes to the professional level.

Romo is planning on attending a workout session in Florida with former NFL wide receiver Don Bebbe and then will attend an all-star bowl game in the Sunshine state as well.

“I’ll be preparing with strength coaches that work with Olympic athletes,” Romo said.

Romo has hinted that he would like to be selected in the first three rounds of the NFL draft next April.

“I think the scouts like my performances against Hawaii and Kansas State,” Romo said.

“I think he is going to have an opportunity somewhere and somehow,” Spoo said. “I think he has the prerequisite for a team to give him a go.”