FIU football finds a ‘gift’ in top wide receiver Eric Rivers

Eric Rivers – who leads FIU in catches, receiving yards and total touchdowns -- wouldn’t even be on this roster had it not been for a personal situation as well as some good intel from Panthers coach Mike MacIntyre.

Rivers, a 5-11, 175-pound wide receiver from Chattanooga, Tennessee, was a walk-on at the University of Memphis, spending two seasons there (2021, 2022), mostly as a backup cornerback and special-teams player.

He got into six games in 2021, making two tackles, and he missed all of 2022 due to a shoulder injury. On Dec. 5, 2022, Rivers submitted his name into the transfer portal, and, 16 days later, he signed with MacIntyre, who by then had become FIU’s coach.

Once Rivers decided to transfer, he called MacIntyre and said: “Coach, would you be interested in having me come there?”

MacIntyre replied: “I’d love for you to come.”

Added MacIntyre: “He walked on for that first semester. We saw how good he was, and we put him on scholarship.”

The intel known by MacIntyre is about Rivers’ athleticism. In high school (McCallie), Rivers was an all-state star in basketball, football and track. He actually gave up football – briefly – to focus on basketball, returning after missing the season opener.

As a senior, he led McCallie to a football state title, playing receiver, running back, cornerback and kick returner.

“He was a really good defensive back at Memphis,” MacIntyre said. “But I thought he’d be a great receiver.”

MacIntyre wasn’t wrong.

In 2023, Rivers’ first year as a collegiate receiver, he caught 32 passes for 370 yards, an 11.6 average and three touchdowns.

This season, in eight games, he has 32 receptions for 581 yards, a 18.2 average and five TDs.

He will try to add to those totals on Tuesday when FIU (2-6, 1-3) plays host to New Mexico State (2-5, 1-3) in a Conference USA game. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.

As for the personal situation, Rivers wanted to come to FIU because of his prior relationship with MacIntyre but also because he had a girlfriend in Miami. And while they are no longer a couple, they have a son together, Eli, who was born in February of 2023.

“I want to be around him, help him grow up and raise him,” Rivers said. “He motivates me because I want to be somebody he looks up to.”

Rivers said Eli can already catch.

“He scores touchdowns,” Rivers said with a smile.

As for Rivers’ ability, he said his “ball skills” are what attracted MacIntyre.

“Even when I played DB at Memphis, I was always running to the ball and making plays,” Rivers said. “(MacIntyre knew) I played primarily receiver in high school.

“It’s always good to have someone who believes in you (such as MacIntyre). Having that just gives me more confidence.”

MacIntyre said, in essence, that it’s easy to have confidence in Rivers.

“We’re really excited to have Eric at FIU,” MacIntyre said. “He keeps improving as a receiver. He’s growing into the position. He has all the tools to be excellent, and we expect him to continue to make big plays.

“He has been a gift for us.”

THIS AND THAT

▪ Panthers safety JoJo Evans said he will now wear a mouthpiece.

Evans said he hadn’t been wearing one because of the demands of his position. As a safety, he is required to yell out calls to his teammates on the field, and that’s tough to do, Evans said, with a mouthpiece.

But without that mouthpiece, Evans chipped a tooth in FIU’s Oct. 16 loss to Texas-El Paso.

Added Evans: “I’m wearing my mouthpiece from now on.”