Eastern Illinois will start spring football practices under new head coach Dino Babers on Tuesday.

The university said in a news release the Panthers will have 15 practices between Tuesday and the April 28 spring game. That includes scrimmages on April 14 and 21.

The spring game will be at 6 p.m. at O'Brien Field in Charleston.

Babers was hired in December to replace longtime Panther head coach Bob Spoo, who retired after a 2-9 season. He had been at Eastern since 1987.

The Panthers open the regular season Aug. 30 at home against Southern Illinois.