EIU running back aims for childhood dream

EIU running back aims for childhood dream Categories: Football EIU running back aims for childhood dream JD Golden, Sports Reporter • October 11, 2026 Eastern Illinois redshirt senior running back Charles Kellom runs in a touchdown during EIU football’s 42-35 loss to Indiana State at O’Brien Field on Sept. 12, 2026. (Jacksen Adkins) Long before Charles Kellom was running through Division I defenses, building real estate in the end zone, or setting his sights on the next level, there was simply a Cincinnati kid who’d found his first love. Kellom started playing football around four years old, unknowingly taking up the sport that would come to define his future. Though the pro dreams would eventually come, at the time, there were no NFL dreams attached. No Division I scholarships, no mandatory practices and workouts, and no expectations of the game becoming his life’s work. There was only the game itself – and a kid who loved playing it. This love would be carried in his heart from the starting marks of the Saint Xavier High School tracks to the turf of the gridiron those tracks helped prepare for. Through the transition from the slot to the backfield, that love would expand from something he indulged to something he pursued. But a love of the game didn’t always demand reciprocated feelings. After his four years at Saint Xavier, Kellom was determined to continue his athletic journey at the collegiate level in Akron. Here the reality of college football began to present a whole new set of challenges. Now in a place where the opportunities weren’t what dreamers would typically envision, the seemingly straight path began to wind. Left only to pick up scraps with low snap counts and minimal carries, Kellom’s journey had hit a crossroads. Kellom was forced to reckon with a reality that vastly differed from the future he’d envisioned for himself. Despite the setbacks and uncertainty, the dream remained the same, even if the path towards it no longer was. Instead of allowing the early adversity to dictate the direction of his dream, Kellom kept rushing forward. The more work he put in, the more reps he ran in practice, and the more nights he spent in the gym, led to more snaps on the field and more opportunities to follow elsewhere. This journey would bring him to EIU, where the adjustment period had seemingly hit a reset. This time, an even bigger adjustment. Kellom was further from home, had a new program to navigate, a new system to learn and new expectations to meet. Yet once again, he remained determined to exceed them. “He’s easily one of the hardest workers on the team, if not the hardest worker on the team. He’s trusted in the plan and stays ready to execute when his number is called,” said EIU redshirt junior quarterback Cole LaCrue. Kellom’s path thus far has not always followed a straight line. The commitment may change, the scenery may change, the expectations certainly do, yet his reason for continuing remains. “I just love the game, you know. You’ve got to really love this sport if you’re going to do it at a high level. Even with the time commitment and what it demands of you, when you really love it, you wouldn’t want to do anything else,” said Kellom. For Kellom, love is perseverance, and perseverance has never meant pretending the road is easy but continuing to move forward even when it becomes uncertain. Luckily for him, he has not walked this path alone. Behind every practice, every carry, and every yard towards victory or defeat is a support system that has remained an even greater constant than the sport itself. Kellom’s family has always been an abiding presence in his football journey, making the long trips to watch his games in person, becoming the embodiment of elation in his triumphs and the shoulders of comfort through tribulation, showing the kind of love that cannot be measured by yards on a stats sheet. “They do everything for me,” Kellom said. “They come to every game, they’re my biggest supporters, and like, truthfully, I couldn’t do it without them, man. They’re my ride or dies.” Kellom’s familial bond and support system have extended far beyond the reaches of bloodline and into the locker room, where the countless snaps competing with one another have transformed their alliance into a brotherhood. “To really go out there and play for your brothers, knowing they’ve got your back no matter what, it really makes you play harder and really play for each other,” Kellom said. From Kellom’s perspective, he’s chasing this journey alongside his teammates and playing for goals even bigger than his own. “He’s one of the guys people can ask questions to, learn from. And most importantly, be themselves with,” LaCrue said. “He’s constantly pushing guys to be better. If you’re a competitor, you should see him and strive to be at his level or exceed him.” Though often the quarterback and looked upon as the head of the offense, LaCrue has watched Kellom embrace and excel in the responsibilities that come with being one of the team’s leaders, even as Kellom enters the final stages of his collegiate career. “It allows me an opportunity to have a guy who can take some of the load off my plate. Whether that team leadership or even down to a certain play. It allows me to have the utmost confidence in another person and trust that he’s going to get the job done no matter what.” Eastern Illinois senior running back Charles Kellom (center) flaps his arms in celebration after one of his three touchdowns during EIU football’s 28-14 win over Murray State University at Roy Stewart Stadium on the Murray State campus on Aug. 27, 2026. (Jacksen Adkins) To his teammates, Kellom is not simply the back to hand the ball to, or the offensive engine he’s become to begin the season. He is a leader, someone they can turn to learn from, laugh with, and remain motivated to fight alongside. While the stat sheets show that the yards belong to him, Kellom understands that the journey belongs to everyone who has helped him gain them. Kellom is now approaching the final stretch of his collegiate journey, leaving no mystery about what he wants the next step to be. “The plan is to go to the league. That’s my one goal and that’s what I’m focused on.  So no matter what, I’m going to make it happen,” Kellom said. The NFL is the preferred destination and the culmination of everything Charles has been working towards since the first time he’d laced his cleats. The practices, the games, the heroism, the heartbreak, the setbacks, the transitions, the early mornings and the countless hours spent becoming a better player have all moved him another yard closer to this dream. For over two decades, he has continued his rush towards the future. With his final collegiate season underway, each yard carries him closer to a picture he has spent years painting carefully. And while he cannot yet foresee where each yard may lead, Kellom remains devoted to the things that have carried him this far. His circle of support persists. The yards ahead remain. And the love of the game endures. “Dominate. I want to dominate and keep going because, really, I believe there’s nothing on or off the field that can stop me,” Kellom said. As the Panthers get set to begin Ohio Valley Conference play, Kellom currently sits in the top five in the conference in rushing yards and touchdowns. JD Golden can be reached at [email protected]. View Story Comments 1 Like This Story Share on Facebook Share on X Email this Story Print this Story Leave a Comment Tags: charles kellom EIU football More to Discover More in Football CHS football loses to Apollo Conference champion EIU football resets ahead of OVC play Shorthanded Trojans fall on senior night to Taylorville Takeaways: EIU football's 42-7 loss to No. 2 South Dakota State Mt. Zion scores 42 points in 2nd quarter, beats Charleston 63-14 Panthers cap non-conference play at No. 2 South Dakota State About the Contributors JD Golden, Sports Reporter JD Golden is a sophomore sports media relations major and can be reached at [email protected]. Jacksen Adkins, Assistant Photo Editor Jacksen Adkins is a senior journalism major and can be reached at [email protected].