#14 Eastern Washington University "Eagles" versus Washington State University "Cougars" Saturday, Sept. 3 • 5 p.m. Pacific Martin Stadium (35,117) • Pullman, Washington
TV:	Nationally on Pac-12 Networks (J.B. Long/Glenn Parker/Jill Savage)
Webcast:	http://pac-12.com/football/event/2016/09/04/eastern-washington-washington-state
Radio:	700-AM ESPN in Spokane. Larry Weir returns for his 26th season calling the play-by-play, with analysis handled by Paul Sorensen and Keith Osso providing sideline reports. Broadcasts begin one hour prior to kickoff and include an expanded post-game show.
Internet Radio:	http://www.700espn.com or http://www.tunein.com
Radio iPhone App:	Search for "700 ESPN" and download app. An app is also available for tunein radio.
Live Stats:	http://www.wsucougars.com/news/2015/8/19/210276807.aspx
Weekly Coaches Show:	Starting Sept. 5, Mondays at 6 p.m. at the "Impulse Club" at Northern Quest Resort & Casino, with video highlights and commentary by head coach Beau Baldwin at 5:30 p.m. (no live show at NQ on Oct. 17; plus no video or show on Nov. 21) . . .  700-AM ESPN, www.700espn.com & via iphone app. (search for "Spokane Radio" and download app). Note: There is a show only on Aug. 29th.
Watch Parties:	Consult EWU social media outlets for details the Friday before games. Those who may carry EWU games include "Epic" at Northern Quest Casino and Resort in Airway Heights and the Swinging Doors in Spokane.

The anticipation for this one started four years ago.
 
The 14th-ranked Eastern Washington University football team opens its 2016 season at Washington State University of the Pacific-12 Conference in a rematch of a game played at Martin Stadium in Pullman, Wash., four years ago. Kickoff Saturday (Sept. 3) is 5 p.m. Pacific time in a game televised live nationally on the Pac-12 Networks.
 
Fans can also listen to the game on 700-AM ESPN and via the web at www.700espn.com, with pre-game coverage starting one hour prior to kickoff and the broadcasts featuring an expanded post-game show.
 
Eastern was edged by the Cougars 24-20 on Sept. 8, 2012, in front of a sold-out crowd of 33,598. Despite the proximity  of the two schools, Eastern is 0-3 all-time versus Washington State, having not played the Cougars in a varsity game in more than 100 years from 1908 to 2012.
 
This year's contest will match one of the top NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) programs in the nation, against a rising power in the Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Washington State finished 9-4 overall and 6-3 in 2015, but what made the season most memorable was how they started and ended it. After losing 24-17 to Portland State to open the season, the Cougars ended the year with a 20-14 victory over Miami in the Sun Bowl.
 
"They aren't just a Pac-12 opponent -- to me they are a Pac-12 opponent that's going to win a lot of Pac-12 games," said Eastern head coach Beau Baldwin. "So it's going to be a huge challenge for us."
 
Eastern has fared well in previous meetings with the Pac-12 Conference, including a 49-46 victory over 25th-ranked Oregon State in 2013 in only the fourth victory by a FCS team over a ranked FBS foe. The Eagles also suffered close defeats to Washington (59-52 in 2014 and 30-27 in 2011).
 
The Eagles are now 9-24 all-time versus members of FBS, with three victories in the last 17 tries – two of them against Idaho. Eastern beat the Vandals 20-3 on Aug. 30, 2012 – the week before playing the Cougars – and 8-5 in 2003.
 
Including a 61-42 loss at Oregon to open the 2015 season, reigning FCS Offensive Player of the Year Cooper Kupp has also performed exceptionally well in previous games versus the Pac-12. He has caught 28 passes for 510 yards and eight touchdowns – including Autzen Stadium records of 15 catches for 246 yards against Oregon (9/5/15).
 
Baldwin, entering his ninth season at the helm and 13th overall at EWU, has a team ranked 14th in the STATS preseason poll and 17th by the coaches. The Eagles are ranked as high as ninth in preseason magazine polls. The Eagles return 53 total letterwinners and 14 starters from last year's team which finished 6-5 overall and 5-3 in the Big Sky Conference. The Eagles have advanced to NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs in eight of the last 12 years.
 
Eastern's 2015 season ended with a 6-5 record overall, with the Eagles losing their first two, winning their next six and then dropping their final three contests of the year. For the 18th time in 20 seasons the Eagles finished with a winning record, but for just the second time in seven seasons, the Eagles failed to qualify for the FCS Playoffs.
 
In 2017, Eastern is scheduled to visit Texas Tech (9/2/17) and host NDSU (9/16/17), and EWU has also previously announced agreements to play in 2018 at Washington State (9/15/18) and in 2019 at Washington (8/31/19).
 
 

Records/Milestone Watch

 
Kupp Two TDs from FCS Record With More on the Horizon
 
The career totals for Eastern's Cooper Kupp are approaching FCS all-time marks. He has 311 catches (84 away), for 4,764 yards (486 away) and 56 touchdowns (two away) entering the 2016 campaign.
 
Through his junior season, Kupp has established eight Big Sky Conference records, as well as 18 school marks and seven NCAA Football Championships records. His 122.4 average reception yards per game is currently a FCS career record, while his other six FCS records were set during his freshman season.
 
 In just three years, he already ranks second in FCS history in touchdown catches (56, two behind the record of 58 set by New Hampshire's David Ball from 2003-06), second in reception yards (4,764, 486 behind the record of 5,250 set by Elon's Terrell Hudgins from 2006-09) and fourth in receptions (311, 84 behind the record of 395 set by Elon's Terrell Hudgins from 2006-09).
 
In his career, Kupp has 311 catches on 4,764 yards in 39 games while also scoring 56 career touchdowns. He is also averaging 122.4 reception yards per game, 15.3 yards per catch and 7.97 catches per game.
 
 
 

Team Game Notes

 
Beau Baldwin Faces Leach for Third Time, Starting With Debut in '08
 
For the third time, head coach Beau Baldwin and the Eagles must face a Mike Leach-coached team. Leach was hired by WSU in 2012, but was also head coach at Texas Tech University when Eastern opened the 2008 season in Lubbock, Texas. That game was also the debut in the EWU head coaching career for Baldwin. With quarterback Graham Harrell and wide receiver Michael Crabtree operating with superb efficiency, the Red Raiders came away with a 49-24 victory, piling up 536 of its 639 yards of offense through the air.
 
Before Leach took over in 2012, Washington State was previously coached by Paul Wulff, who was 53-40 with three NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Playoff berths as Eastern's head coach for eight seasons (2000-2007). But he was let go by WSU after compiling a 9-40 record in four seasons, including a 4-8 mark in 2011. Wulff spent a total of 15 seasons at EWU as a coach and is now an assistant coach at Sacramento State, whose head coach is former Eastern assistant Jody Sears.
 
 
Wave the (Eagle) Flag
 
Thanks in part to a pair of former Eagle football players, the main street of Colfax, Wash., will have an influx of Eastern Washington University flags in recognition of Eastern's trip to Pullman to open the college football season Sept. 3 at Martin Stadium. Posting of the EWU flags is a project which has been advanced by Colfax police chief Rick McNannay. His son, Tyler McNannay, who was a kicker for the Colfax Bulldogs, was a kicker for EWU the past three years before graduating from Eastern. Former Eagle long snapper Cory Alcantar, who recently joined the Colfax Police Department, has been working with EWU to get the flags and poles transported and posted along Main. The Eastern flags are expected to be displayed equally with those of Washington State University.
 
 
Eagles Ranked 14th by STATS & 17th by Coaches
 
It's a long, long road to Frisco, Texas, for the title game in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, and the Eagles will get a first-hand look at least five of the teams with a legitimate chance of making it there. Eastern has been ranked 14th by STATS and 17th by the coaches in preseason top 25 polls announced Aug. 8.
 
Five of EWU's 2016 opponents are ranked, including a pair of non-conference opponents ranked in the top five and three other Big Sky Conference foes among the top 18. Those games come after the team's opener at Washington State of the Pacific 12 Conference on Sept. 3 versus a Cougars team that won a bowl game a year ago. Missouri Valley Conference foes North Dakota State and Northern Iowa are ranked first and fifth respectively, in both polls. The Bison are the five-time defending FCS champions, and the Eagles play in Fargo, N.D., on Sept. 10. North Dakota State will enter that game 1-0 and most likely remain top ranked after a 24-17 overtime win over Charleston Southern on Aug. 27 in the FCS Kickoff. The following week on Sept. 17, Eastern hosts the Panthers in the first-ever meeting between the two teams in Cheney, Wash.
 
Perennial FCS powerhouse Montana is ranked just ahead of EWU at 13th in the STATS poll. Big Sky Conference favorite Northern Arizona is ranked 18th in both polls. Portland State, a surprise FCS Playoff team last season under EWU grad and first-year head coach Bruce Barnum, came in at 17th in the STATS rankings and were ranked 12th by the coaches.
 
North Dakota, which isn't on this year's schedule, was 19th and 21st, respectively, in the two polls. Southern Utah, another Big Sky member not on EWU's schedule, was unranked by STATS but is ranked 23rd by the coaches.
 
Eastern's challenging non-conference schedule sets the stage for an equally challenging league schedule which begins Sept. 24 at NAU, picked by both the coaches and media to win the title. The schedule also includes 2015 FCS Playoffs participants Montana (Oct. 29) and Portland State (Nov. 18).
 
Season ticket information is available at: http://www.goeags.com/tickets. Single game tickets for EWU's first three home games go on sale on Sept. 1 at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Ticket sales for the Montana and Idaho State games begin on Oct. 8 at 9 a.m.
 
 
National Magazines Rate Eagles as High as Ninth
 
Eastern ranked as high as ninth nationally in rankings released by a trio of preseason publications. Sporting News ranked EWU ninth, Lindy's had the Eagles slotted for 10th and Athlon Sports picked EWU 12th. A pair of websites, College Sports Madness and Hero Sports, rank EWU 10th and 13th, respectively, in their preseason polls. The Eagles were picked to finish third by the media and fourth by the coaches in the league.
 
 
Five Home Games Featured at Roos Field
 
Eastern plays five home games this season at Roos Field, highlighted by Eastern's annual showdown with Montana on Oct. 29 in Fan Black Out/Ag Day. Eastern's home schedule begins on Sept. 17 versus Northern Iowa for Fan Red Out/Welcome Back/Family Day. The Eagles also host UC Davis (Oct. 1) on Hall of Fame and Believe Day, Northern Colorado (Oct. 8) for Homecoming and Military & Veterans Appreciation Day and Idaho State (Nov. 12) for Senior Day.
 
 
Schedule Includes Non-Conference Trio With 31 Wins Last Season
 
With its three non-conference foes combining to win seven games in the postseason a year ago, Eastern begins its season on Sept. 3 at Sun Bowl champion Washington State. The Eagles then play at five-time NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Champion North Dakota State on Sept. 10 in the first of a home-and-home series against the Bison. Eastern, which won the national title in 2010 prior to NDSU's incredible run of five-straight, are scheduled to host the Bison on Sept. 16, 2017, in Cheney. The last team other than EWU or NDSU to win the national title came in 2009 when Villanova beat Montana 23-21 in Chattanooga, Tenn.
 
Eastern's 2016 home opener is versus Northern Iowa on Sept. 17, in a rematch of last year's 38-35 loss for EWU in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The Eagles will be looking for their first-ever win against the Panthers when they meet for the seventh time, but first in Cheney. Eastern knocked off NDSU 38-31 in overtime in the only previous meeting with the Bison on Dec. 11, 2010, in the FCS Playoffs.
 
Eastern's three non-conference foes combined to win 74 percent of their games overall last season (31-11), 72 percent in league play (18-7) and 88 percent in the postseason (7-1). Eastern's 2015 schedule, which featured 2014 national runner-up Oregon, included teams that won 68 percent of their games the year prior (68-36).
 
Washington State finished 9-4 overall and 6-3 in the Pac-12 Conference in 2015, but what made the season most memorable was how they started and ended it. After losing 24-17 to Portland State to open the season, the Cougars ended the year with a 20-14 victory over Miami in the Sun Bowl.
 
North Dakota State dropped its 2015 opener to a Big Sky foe, 38-35 to Montana in Missoula. But the Bison followed with wins over Weber State (41-14) and North Dakota (34-9) on consecutive weeks, then won the Missouri Valley Football Conference title with a 7-1 mark. The team's lone loss in its last 14 games was to South Dakota (24-21), and NDSU roared through the playoffs to finish 13-2. The Bison out-scored opponents 130-36 in the playoffs, including a 37-6 win over Montana, a 23-13 victory over Northern Iowa and a championship game win over top-ranked Jacksonville State 37-10.
 
Besides its win over Eastern, Northern Iowa beat Cal Poly 34-20 prior to opening Missouri Valley Conference play with three setbacks to eventual playoff teams (Illinois State 21-13, North Dakota State 31-28 and Western Illinois 24-19). The Panthers followed with seven-straight wins, including playoff victories over Eastern Illinois (53-17) and Portland State (29-17). Northern Iowa finished 9-5 overall and 5-3 in the MVFC.
 
 
Eagles Face League Favorite to Open Big Sky Schedule
 
Eastern's Big Sky Conference schedule begins Sept. 24 at Northern Arizona, which soundly defeated EWU a year ago 52-30 in Cheney. Eastern will host UC Davis on Hall of Fame Day on Oct. 1, followed by another home game against Northern Colorado on Oct. 8. After a bye, Eastern will play at Montana State on Oct. 22 in a league game.
 
Montana, a perennial playoff participant and Big Sky title contender, will visit Cheney on Oct. 29. After a road game at Cal Poly on Nov. 5, the Eagles will have Senior Day on Nov. 12 against Idaho State. Easter closes the regular season Nov. 18 (Friday) at Portland State, which joined Montana as runner-up in the league last season and advanced to the playoffs.
 
Southern Utah, last year's league champion with a 7-1 mark and final 8-4 record, is not on EWU's 2016 schedule for the second-straight season. A year ago, Eastern started 0-2, won six-straight games and then finished with three losses to miss the playoffs. The Eagles were 6-5 overall and 5-3 in the Big Sky to finish in a four-way tie for fourth with NAU, North Dakota and Weber State.
 
 
Eagles Compile 40 Victories Overall and 27 Big Sky Wins in Last Four Years
 
Eastern, which has compiled a 40-14 record overall and 27-5 league mark in the last four years, lost 14 seniors to graduation from its 2015 team.
 
For a program that has made deep playoff runs in recent years and was looking for a Big Sky Conference championship "four-peat," a winning record wasn't exactly what the Eagles expected in 2015. But a hunger to return to national and league prominence in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision will be the off-season quest for the Eagles after they finished 6-5 overall and 5-3 in the league.
 
There were many positives, though, that other schools would hunger for – Eastern led FCS in passing offense with an average of 353.3 yards per game, and were eighth in total offense (478.5). In the last 12 seasons (2004-15), EWU has now ranked in the top 10 in passing 10 times and in total offense on eight occasions. It was the second time EWU has led FCS in passing, matching the 2011 squad, which also was 6-5.
 
The Eagles also finished with the school's 18th winning season in the last 20 years (1996-2015). That includes a current string of nine-straight (2007-15) and another stretch of seven straight (1999-2005), feats that hadn't been accomplished since the Red Reese era when Eastern had a string of 11-straight winning seasons from 1931-1941.
 
After falling to 0-2 on the season with difficult road losses and Oregon and Northern Iowa, the Eagles had their six-game winning streak and 5-0 league start stopped Nov. 7 in a rare home loss, falling 52-30 to surging Northern Arizona. At the time, Eastern was ranked a season-high fourth in FCS in the STATS Top 25 poll. The Eagles ended the regular season ranked 23rd – the 57th-consecutive time the Eagles have been ranked. The streak ended when EWU was unranked in the final poll.
 
Eastern returns 14 starters in 2016, plus the team's kicker, punter and long snapper. Five starters will return on offense, including three wide receivers (three-time All-American Cooper Kupp, Kendrick Bourne and Nic Sblendorio). Wide receiver Shaq Hill, a starter at wide receiver in 2014, is back as an injury redshirt after suffering a knee injury in EWU's opener against Oregon and missing the rest of the season. However, all five starting offensive linemen – plus two backups – were seniors in 2015.
 
All but two starters return to the Eagle defense. Defensive end Samson Ebukam will return for his senior season after receiving second-team All-Big Sky honors in both 2014 and 2015. Nose guard Matthew Sommer earned honorable mention All-Big Sky honors both of those seasons.
 
Other returning all-league selections include Kupp, a three-time first-team selection, and Bourne, a second-team choice in 2015 and honorable mention in 2014. Hill has been honored three times previously – third team wide receiver in 2014, honorable mention wide receiver in 2013 and honorable mention return specialist in 2012 when he also earned Freshman All-America honors.
 
 
Eastern Football Announces Hiring of Troy Taylor
 
Eastern head coach Beau Baldwin announced in February the hiring of Troy Taylor as quarterbacks coach & passing game coordinator.
 
Besides having seven years of high school head coaching experience, Taylor was an assistant coach at Cal from 1996-2000 and was a record-breaking quarterback for the Bears from 1995-96. He even served as a radio analyst at Cal from 2005-2011. Taylor is the former coach of current Washington quarterback Jake Browning, who set numerous national and state passing records while a Parade All-American at Folsom High School near Sacramento, Calif.
 
 "We're excited to have Troy within our program, and we're excited for what he brings," said Baldwin, who is also actively involved with the offense. "He's a coach I believe can fit really well into what we are already doing, but he can bring a lot of new ideas and freshness to improve upon the things we've previously accomplished. His teams have consistently performed at a high level for a long time."
 
Taylor himself was a standout high school quarterback, earning Sacramento Bee Player of the Year honors at Cordova High School in 1985. In 1989 at Cal, Taylor led the Pac-10 with an average of 253 total offensive yards per game. He finished his college career as Cal's all-time leading passer with 8,126 yards, a mark that was broken in 2015 by Jared Goff. He received his bachelor's degree in sociology in 1994, and received his master's degree in cross-cultural teaching from National University in Sacramento.
 
 
Eastern Grad Eti Ena Joins Eagle Football Coaching Staff
 
Eastern graduate and former Eagle student assistant coach Eti Ena was hired as Eastern's defensive front coordinator and defensive ends coach in January. Ena came to Eastern from Cal Poly where he coached the defensive line from 2013-15, and prior to that spent four seasons (2009-12) as defensive line coach at the University of Idaho.
 
"We're fortunate to be able to hire somebody who has such great coaching experience and success working at different universities on the West Coast," said Baldwin. "Not only is he experienced coaching defensive linemen, but he's also coached linebackers and has experience as a coordinator. He brings a wealth of knowledge to our program and will help greatly in our future growth."
 
Ena graduated from EWU in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in physical education after serving as a student assistant for three seasons from 2003-05 under then-head coach Paul Wulff. Baldwin was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Eastern during Ena's three seasons at EWU. In his first year at Eastern, Ena helped coach linebackers. In the last two – both resulting in Big Sky Conference titles for the Eagles -- he assisted along the defensive line.
 
"He has ties to Eastern, and he's passionate about that," added Baldwin. "A great fit like that can go a long way, whether it's in recruiting or re-connecting with former players and alumni. He has a great understanding of what we're all about here."
 
Ena played linebacker at Utah's Snow College and Walla Walla (Wash.) Community College before transferring to Eastern Washington. A shoulder injury prior to his junior year ended his playing career. He is a 1992 graduate of Inchelium (Wash.) High School and helped lead his team to the State 1B football title as a senior.
 
His cousin, Paul Ena, was a two-time All-Big Sky defensive end for EWU from 2009-12. Eti's uncle and Paul's father, Tali Ena, was a standout running back at Washington State University (1976-79) and went on to play for the Seattle Seahawks. His younger brother, Justin, played at BYU and played four years in the NFL after signing a free agent contract with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2002. Justin is now linebackers coach at the University of Utah. Another brother, Packy, is a high school coach at Kapolei High School in Hawaii and formerly played at Oregon State.
 
His name is pronounced "eh-tee" "en-nuh."
 
 
 

Player Game Notes

 
At Least Four Eagles Expected to Make Starting Debuts
 
At least four, and possibly five or six, Eastern players are expected to make their starting debuts this week when the Eagles play at Washington State. The lone starting debut expected to be made on defense is sophomore cornerback Josh Lewis, but Eastern has plenty more experience at that position. Nzuzi Webster (10 career starts), Victor Gamboa (21) and D'londo Tucker (1) have a collective 32 starts between them. Webster is listed as the other starter at cornerback.
 
On offense, three of the four new starters are along the offensive line where all five starters and two senior backups were lost from the 2015 team. Freshman redshirts Tristen Taylor (tackle) and Chris Schlichting (guard) make their debuts on the left side of Eastern's line, and sophomore Matt Meyer makes his debut at right guard. Right tackle Nick Ellison (4 career starts) and senior center Jerrod Jones (2) are the lone players on the offensive line with starting experience.
 
The other new starter could be sophomore quarterback Gage Gubrud, who attempted just 13 passes as a redshirt freshman last season. He was third-string a year ago, and is listed as the possible starter along with senior Jordan West (13 career starts) and Reilly Hennessey (2). Three running backs are also listed as possible starters at running back, including true freshman Antoine Custer Jr. and sophomore Sam McPherson. They would be making their first starts, while the third, senior Jabari Wilson, has 10 starts in his career.
 
Also, junior Albert Havili is expected to make his first career starter as a defensive end. He started twice in 2014 as a linebacker before a knee injury forced him to redshirt in the 2015 season. He set an EWU true freshman record with 61 tackles in 2013.
 
 
Three Eagles Started Their Careers as Cougars
 
Punter Jordan Dascalo, defensive back J.J. Njoku and offensive lineman Matt Meyer began their collegiate careers at Washington State. Dascalo was WSU's punter in 2014, ranking sixth in the Pac-12 with an average of 41.6 yards per punt. Njoku played in five games in 2012 on special teams, including action on one kickoff versus the Eagles. Meyer graduated from high school in 2013, grayshirted and then redshirted at WSU in 2014 before transferring to EWU.
 
 
Other Cougar Connections
 
Redshirt freshman defensive lineman Dylan Ledbetter will make his Eagle debut against the former team of his father, Mark Ledbetter. Mark played as a linebacker at Washington State and lettered from 1986-89. He won the Frank Butler award for "Cougar Spirit" in 1989. He played in the Aloha Bowl on Dec. 25, 1988 and had eight tackles with a sack.
 
Sophomore Cole Karstetter, EWU's starter at rover, has an older brother Jared, who played as a wide receiver at Washington State (2008-11). Jared appeared in 49 games for WSU, making 39 starts and finishing third in school history in career touchdown catches (19) and fourth in career receptions (166). He had 1,988 total receiving yards.
 
Tali Ena, the uncle of Eastern assistant coach, Eti Ena, was a standout running back at WSU (1976-79) and went on to play for the Seattle Seahawks.
 
 
Bruce, Ebukam, Wimberly and Hill Join Kupp and Zamora as co-Captains
 
Six players have been chosen as co-captains for the 2016 season, including a pair of returning captains in wide receiver Cooper Kupp and linebacker Miquiyah Zamora. The four new captains are safety Zach Bruce, defensive end Samson Ebukam, tight end Zach Wimberly and wide receiver Shaq Hill. Four of Eastern's six co-captains are from the state of Washington, including Bruce, a strong safety out of Spokane's University High School. Wimberly is from Tumwater High School, Kupp is from Davis High School in Yakima and Zamora is a graduate of Chiawana High School in Pasco. All four graduated in 2012. Ebukam is from Portland, Ore., and graduated in 2013 from David Douglas High School. Hill, who redshirted last season because of a knee injury, is a 2011 graduate of Brookside Christian High School in Stockton, Calif. All six of the team's co-captains have previously earned All-Big Sky Conference accolades, including four for Kupp and three for Hill. Ebukam has been honored twice, and Zamora, Bruce and Wimberly have been honored once each. That sextet has also combined for eight Big Sky All-Academic honors, with Kupp earning Academic All-America accolades each of the last two seasons.
 
 
The Question Is, Will There be Enough Balls in the Air?
 
Eastern has always had an arsenal of weapons offensively, but the greatest depth of all for the 2016 season comes at the wide receiver position where the Eagles have almost an embarrassment of riches. Back for the Eagles are three starting wide receivers (Cooper Kupp, Kendrick Bourne and Nic Sblendorio) who combined for 210 catches for 3,006 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2015. Wide receiver Shaq Hill, a starter at wide receiver in 2014, will return as an injury redshirt after suffering a knee injury in EWU's opener against Oregon and missing the rest of the season. Hill has caught 101 passes in his career for 1,661 yards and 15 touchdowns while averaging 16.4 yards per reception.
 
Kupp is a three-time first-team All-Big Sky selection, and Bourne was a second-team choice in 2015 and honorable mention in 2014. Hill has been honored three times previously – third team wide receiver in 2014, honorable mention wide receiver in 2013 and honorable mention return specialist in 2012 when he also earned Freshman All-America honors.
 
Besides that quartet, five other letterwinners are back, including junior Terence Grady with 25 catches for 281 yards and a pair of touchdowns in 2015. He's a candidate to redshirt because of the abundance of depth. Sophomore Nsimba Webster caught seven passes for 97 yards a year ago, then had a break-out spring with a team-leading 18 catches for 251 yards and four touchdowns in three spring scrimmages. Other receivers returning include sophomores Stu Stiles and Zach Eagle, with redshirt freshmen Dre' Sonte Dorton and Jayson Williams waiting in the wings for playing time.
 
 
 Eagles Incoming Freshman Class Includes Running Back Duo Expected to Play in Opener
 
A pair of running backs from Eastern's talented recruiting class of last year are expected to play in the opener against Washington State this week. Running backs Antoine Custer Jr. and Tamarick Pierce are expected to get carries at running back. Eastern may also dress offensive lineman D.J. Dyer, but the Eagles are hoping to redshirt him.
 
The other 15 true freshman on the roster are pegged for redshirts and duty on scout teams, including highly-touted quarterback Eric Barriere from La Habra (Calif.) High School. He accounted for 130 career touchdowns with 9,304 passing yards and 1,718 rushing yards in high school, and led the Highlanders to a collective 30-8 record and a perfect league record in three championship seasons.
 
Eastern has three freshman running backs in the program who combined for more than 12,000 rushing yards and 180 total touchdowns in their careers, as well as winning 85 percent of their games (105-18). They include Custer, a California two-time All-State selection out of powerhouse De La Salle High School, as well as Pierce, an All-State selection from Oakland, Calif., and Saint Mary's High School. The third running back is Jason Talley, an All-State running back from Oregon State 6A champion Jesuit High School. Talley's brother, Jordan, was a running back and linebacker for Eastern from 2011-14.
 
 
FCS Player of the Year/Walter Payton Award Winner Cooper Kupp is Also SWABS Athlete of the Year
 
Adding to his already vast list of awards from the 2015 season, wide receiver Cooper Kupp was selected as Amateur Athlete of the Year by the Inland Northwest Sportswriters and Broadcasters (SWABS), continuing the tradition established since the Eastern Washington University football program won a national championship in 2010.
 
In being honored by SWABS, Kupp won an award that has been selected since 1948, but won by only six Eastern athletes in the last 68 years. Four of them have come since 2010, and a total of 12 SWABS honors have been garnered by the Eagles in the last six seasons.
 
The senior-to-be earned the nickname "All-Galaxy" from one local TV station for the incredible amounts of records he has broken and awards he has received in his career as an Eagle. In all, the 2012 graduate of Davis High School in Yakima, Wash., has broken 33 NCAA (7), Big Sky Conference (8) and EWU (18) records thus far.
 
After breaking the league record with 114 catches in 2015, he became only the second wide receiver in 42 years to win the Big Sky Conference Offensive MVP Award. He followed that by being a consensus All-American for the third-straight year, and then won a trio of FCS Player of the Year honors, including STATS Offensive POY, FCS ADA Offensive POY and the coveted Walter Payton Award. He also won two national FCS Wide Receiver of the Year awards. He's also accomplished in the classroom, and was honored on the FCS Athletic Director's Association Academic All-Star team and was a first team Academic All-American.
 
 
Underclassmen Wimberly, Zamora and Kupp Honored as Team Players of the Year
 
The 14 Eagle seniors were the special guests, but underclassmen garnered most of the awards at Eastern's annual awards banquet on Jan. 28.
 
Zach Wimberly was the Special Teams Player of the Year, linebacker Miquiyah Zamora earned the honor on defense and wide receiver Cooper Kupp continued his accolade-filled season with POY honors on offense. All were juniors in the 2015 season and return to lead the Eagles in 2016.
 
A tight end and 2012 graduate of Tumwater (Wash.) High School, Wimberly had six tackles on special teams to go along with seven catches for 81 yards and two touchdowns. Zamora finished as EWU's leading tackler and eclipsed the 100-tackle mark for the second-straight year, finishing with 101. The 2012 graduate of Chiawana High School in Pasco, Wash., also had 2 1/2 sacks, three passes broken up and a forced fumble.
 
Kupp parlayed his success into three Player of the Year awards in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, including the coveted Walter Payton Award. He is a 2012 graduate of Davis High School in Yakima, Wash., and has been a consensus All-American in all three of his seasons at EWU.
 
In addition, safety Mitch Fettig was picked as the team's Freshman of the Year, and receiving Scout Team Players of the Year were Trevor Davis Jr. and tight end Jayce Gilder.
 
Fettig, a 2014 graduate of Olympia (Wash.) High School, started all nine games he played in 2015 and finished eighth on the team with 43 tackles with one interception and four passes broken up. Davis is a 2015 graduate of Tumwater (Wash.) High School and Gilder graduated the same year from Corvallis, Mont., HS.
 
In addition, senior tight end Jake Withnell was given the Pat Roberts Memorial Award for achieving academic and athletic excellence. Withnell, who has a 3.89 grade point average and set the school record by playing in 54 career games, is a 2011 graduate of South Salem (Ore.) High School.
 
Receiving team captains awards from the 2015 season were two seniors (All-America offensive guard Aaron Neary and safety Todd Raynes) and two juniors (Zamora and Kupp). In addition, former Eagle Tony Brooks was recognized as the 2015 recipient of the Tom Oswald award. Brooks was an All-Big Sky Conference receiver from 1990-93 and now resides in Tacoma.
 
 
 

More Cooper Kupp Notes

 
Cooper Kupp Continues to Collect Accolades as One to "Watch"
 
Not surprisingly, Cooper Kupp's name has found its way onto every NCAA Football Championship Subdivision preseason honor that exists. Further establishing himself as one of the most dominant players of all-time in the FCS and in the upcoming 2016 season, the Eastern Washington University senior wide receiver is one of 25 players named Aug. 3 to the STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year Watch List. Also on the watch list in 2015, Kupp had an incredible junior season with the Eagles to win the STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year honor in a close outcome with a pair of running backs. Three other offensive players from the Big Sky Conference made this year's watch list, including Northern Arizona quarterback Case Cookus and Lumberjack wide receiver Emmanuel Butler. North Dakota's John Santiago also made the squad.
 
* In 2016, Kupp could be the first wide receiver and just the fourth player overall in what will be the 54-year history of the Big Sky Conference to earn first team All-Big Sky honors four seasons. The others are Weber State's Trevyn Smith (RB 2006-09), Weber State's Scott Shields (Kicker 1995-97, Punter 1996, Strong Safety 1998) and Charvez Foger (RB 1985-88).
 
* In 2015, Kupp became only the second wide receiver in 42 years to win the Big Sky Conference Offensive MVP Award, and continued a long legacy of Eagles to win the award. Eastern players have now won the honor 11 times in the last 15 seasons, and 12 times overall.
 
* Kupp capped his 2015 season by being selected as the FCS Offensive Player of the Year by both STATS and the FCS Athletic Director's Association, and he was also presented the 2015 Walter Payton Award as selected by Mickey Charles LLC.  Kupp became only the second wide receiver in 42 years to win the Big Sky Conference Offensive MVP Award, and only the second receiver to ever win the Payton Award.
 
* Kupp and the Eagles will open the 2016 season Sept. 3 when they play at Washington State. In three career games against Pac-12 opponents (Oregon State 2013, Washington 2014, Oregon 2015), Kupp has caught 28 passes for 510 yards and eight touchdowns – including Autzen Stadium records of 15 catches for 246 yards against Oregon (9/5/15).
 
* He caught a league-record 114 passes in 2015, and announced on Nov. 30, 2016, his intention to return for his senior year rather than pursue professional opportunities a year early.
 
* But the numbers don't tell the whole story about the amazing abilities of the 2012 graduate of Davis High School in Yakima, Wash. He'll be the first to say that what he has already accomplished doesn't mean anything heading into the 2016 season in which he is picked to repeat as the best player in FCS. "You have to prove it, and I'll try to do the best I can day-in and day-out," said Kupp. "More importantly, as a team we want to win the league championship and compete for the national championship. I want to contribute to that."
 
* His average of 10.4 catches per game in 2015 was also a Big Sky record (sixth all-time in FCS), to go along with five career marks he set in just three seasons – all ending with first team All-Big Sky accolades. Kupp even passed for a pair of touchdowns in the 2015 season and had another via punt return, giving him 58 total touchdowns scored and 60 accounted for in his 39-game career (all as a starter).
 
* His career catches, yards and TDs are all Big Sky records, and he also established a new league record for average catches per game (7.97), which also ranks third in FCS history. Kupp has averaged a TD reception for every 5.6 catches so far in his career. He has scored at least once in 33 of 39 games he has played, with 22 performances of at least eight catches and 23 with at least 100 receiving yards.
 
* In June 2012, he concluded his fourth year working at the Manning Passing Academy as a college counselor/coach. While in high school he previously attended the camp, which is run by Archie Manning, the father of NFL quarterbacks Eli and Peyton Manning. Archie is a former New Orleans Saints teammate of Cooper's grandfather, Jake Kupp.
 
* Kupp has helped Eastern win 29 games overall and 20 in the Big Sky Conference in the past three seasons, with two outright Big Sky Conference championships and NCAA Football Championship Playoff berths his freshman and sophomore seasons. Eastern had a six-game winning streak in 2015, but finished the year with a three-game losing streak and final records of 6-5 and 5-3.
 
* Kupp's younger brother, Ketner, will be a sophomore linebacker for the Eagles this year. Ketner played in all 11 Eastern games as a true freshman in 2015, finishing with 19 tackles and an interception.
 
 
 

Series Notes

* The short 90-mile trek to Pullman, Wash., to face WSU will be just the second varsity meeting between the two schools in more than 100 years. Eastern lost to the Cougars in 1907 (46-0), 1908 (73-0) and 2012 (24-20), and were 8-10-1 from 1921-46 against WSU's junior varsity or freshman teams.
 
* Eastern's enters the WSU game 1-11 all-time versus current members of the Pac-12 Conference. Five of the games have been against in-state schools -- three games against Washington State and two narrow losses to Washington (30-27 in 2011 and 59-52 in 2014). Eastern's other games versus Pac-12 opponents have been against Oregon State (losses in 2000 and 2006, and a 49-46 win in 2013), Arizona State (2002), California (2009) and Oregon (2015). Eastern has also played recent Pac-12 newcomer Colorado (2008).
 
* Eastern was a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) for most of its history before becoming a member of FCS in 1984. But despite playing 27 games against NCAA Football Bowl Division members from 1983-2010 -- including four against the Pac-12 Conference -- the Eagles did not play Washington State or Washington during that time span. Eastern had never played Washington until a narrow, 30-27 loss to open the 2011 season.
 
 
Looking Back to 2012
 
In 2012 for the second-straight year, a pass in the end zone in the final seconds against a Pac-12 Conference opponent didn't result in an Eagle touchdown, and the Eagles fell to Washington State 24-20 Sept. 8, 2012, at Martin Stadium in Pullman, Wash.
 
A 12-play, 99 yard drive pulled Eastern to within three with 2:17 to play on the second of two Kyle Padron to Brandon Kaufman touchdown passes on the day. Eastern got the ball back with 1:29 left and converted a pair of fourth-down conversions, but Padron, who finished with 379 yards passing, had his final desperation pass batted away in the end zone. A year ago, in a 30-27 loss to Washington in Seattle, a similar pass intended for Kaufman was intercepted by the Huskies with 29 ticks left on the clock.
 
Eastern out-gained WSU in total offense 469-355, as a sell-out crowd of 33,598 witnessed the game. The game essentially came down to Eastern mistakes, and the ninth-ranked Eagles allowed the Cougars to take advantage. Included was a critical blocked extra point after EWU's final TD. With the game knotted in the second quarter, Eastern had two costly interceptions that both led to scores and gave WSU a 24-14 lead at halftime. Eventually, the turnover margin ended up tied at two apiece and both teams combined for 18 penalties for 173 yards. Eastern had 10 for 93.
 
Padron was troubled by a twisted ankle, but managed to complete 26-of-54 passes for 379 yards and two touchdowns. He completed passes to eight different receivers. Kaufman finished with five receptions for 142 yards. Padron's 93-yard TD to Kaufman in the first quarter knotted the score at seven, and it equaled the fourth-longest pass play in school history. Sophomore running Jordan Talley chipped in 71 yards on 14 carries.
 
Defensively, the Eagles pitched a shutout in the second half. Linebacker Cody McCarthy led Eastern with 11 tackles, and senior linebacker Zach Johnson had eight and forced a fumble. Safety Allen Brown had seven tackles and a fumble recovery, and cornerback T.J. Lee had six tackles and an interception. Eastern sophomore punter Jake Miller, who transferred from WSU, averaged 46.3 yards on seven punts, including a school-record 74-yard punt on his first effort of the day. He broke the previous record of 71 yards set in 2006 by Ryan Donckers.
 
 "We fought back and competed, and that's what I like to see," said Eastern head coach Beau Baldwin. "We put our defense in a couple of tough situations and we have to play with a little bit more rhythm on offense. But there was no lack of effort, lack of heart or lack of competitiveness."
 
 
 

Injury Report

 
Eastern enters the 2016 season mostly healthy, but is without a pair of defensive linemen. Nick Foerstel (knee) is out for the year because of an injury suffered the first week of spring practices, and Conner Baumann (ankle) is still recovering from an injury he suffered in the spring.
 
 
 

Quoting Beau Baldwin

 
On Washington State Since 2012: "They have (improved) in a lot of areas. There is a pretty long list where you can say 'they are better, they're better there and they do this better.' And you can see it. I compliment (Mike) Leach and his staff and what they have done and have built the last couple of years. You can see it with the guys that are signing with them in their recruiting, and you can see it with the product that's on the field.  So it's a challenge. To me when you put them on film and watch them you think, 'that's a bowl-type Pac-12 team we're watching.' And they did that last year, and there is no reason they couldn't be that again. I can look at them and say what kind of team I think they are, and to me they're a high-win team."
 
On Similarities of Offenses: "There are and there always have been. I know that there are some things that we do that are different than what coach (Mike) Leach has always done, but there are definitely a lot of similarities too. So there is going to be some of that recognition by the secondaries on both sides of the ball having seen some of the same type of things and formations. But at the end of the day you have to go play. Our offense and defense recognizes each other all day every day. At the end it still comes down to getting out there and see who is going to make more plays, who is going to break tackles and who is going to be mentally tough in those tough moments. There are similarities yes, but when it comes down to it, it will be less about scheme in my opinion and more about the guys and who is making the most plays when they count."
 
On Readiness of Freshman Running Backs: "We feel like they have come in here ready to go. And part of that is they got here in the summer and they did work. Had they just showed up in August they wouldn't be where they are now. So that was a mindset by them too, to do some things early to just get around the guys even when we weren't around as coaches. On top of that, coach Mac (Kiel McDonald) has done a great job of getting them ready. That's not easy and this offense is not necessarily easy for running backs in terms of being ready mentally. It's a challenge for those guys because they are in lot of spots -- they are not just back there behind the quarterback – they are all over the place. To me that says a lot about what coach Mac has done with those guys. And it says a lot about them and their desire to learn it and to be ready so that they can play fast. Because once you're thinking, you can't play at the speed you need to. But we've seen those guys play at that speed, which means they're not thinking that much. I'm just happy about that group in general, including our three returning backs and newcomer Dennis Merritt. We're a lot better right now, so that says a lot about where we've come in one year at that position."
 
On Conditioning: "It is hard for me to think of a year when I really thought that we were better conditioned, and the funny thing is we do no post-practice running. A lot of programs -- and not just us -- have gone that route, because you're working on getting all your running in during practice. You push the transitions in and out of drills and when you're playing with no huddle. I just think overall the tempo we've played at, especially on offense, drives everybody to get more plays in a 10-minute period. We have to line up quicker and there's just not as much rest time. So you're constantly moving and going and I think that's helped us be in a better place in terms of where we are wind-wise and shape-wise."
 
On Receivers: "I like the fact that we have a core of guys -- seven or eight receivers – who are all contributing at a high level. It's not like the burden is all going to be put on the shoulders of one or two guys. It may seem like that when people talk about Coop and K.B., but realistically we have a lot of guys spread out that can make a lot of plays. And that includes our tight ends. So you don't feel that burden on one or two guys."
 
On Cooper Kupp: "We're excited to not only get such an outstanding student-athlete like Cooper back for another year, but we are grateful to have such an amazing leader and presence in our locker room return for his senior season. He is one of the smartest and most mature student-athletes I've been around, and the best football player I've ever coached. And that's saying a lot. But it's true. He's hands-down the best all-around football player I've been lucky enough to be around."

On Playing Pac-12 Opponents: "We get excited about putting ourselves on that stage and in that challenging moment. It's a chance to do special things. It's going to be a challenge, but our program relishes that and will embrace it."
 
On Challenging Schedule: "It's exciting to play a tough schedule and put ourselves in some challenging situations. That's what our coaches and players love to do. I always wonder if it can get any more challenging than whatever we did last year or the year before, but this one might be the topper. But it's exciting at the same time. When I sit down with (athletic director) Bill Chaves and talk about the games we have the opportunity to play, we get excited about putting ourselves on that stage and in that challenging moment. It's a chance to do special things. To play a home-and-home with North Dakota State is huge, on top of playing Washington State and Northern Iowa again. It's going to be a challenge, but our program relishes that and will embrace it."
 
On Last Year's Big Sky Race: "It probably shook out in the end a little bit different than people thought it would. But you have to be ready knowing each week in this league is going to be a battle, and embrace the fact you are in a tough conference. We face a challenge each and every week."
 
 
 

Career Starts by Returning Players

 
Defense (142 starts by 17 players): Miquiyah Zamora 33, Samson Ebukam 24, Matthew Sommer 24, Victor Gamboa 21, Zach Bruce 11, Nzuzi Webster 10, Keenan Williams 9, Andre Lino 8, Mitch Fettig 8, Jake Hoffman 4, Cole Karstetter 3, Alek Kacmarcik 2, Albert Havili 2, Jay-Tee Tiuli 2, D'londo Tucker 1, Jonah Jordan 1, Conner Baumann 2 (one as a fullback).
 
Offense (123 starts by 13 players): Cooper Kupp 39, Kendrick Bourne 19, Zach Wimberly 13, Jordan West 13, Shaq Hill 12, Jabari Wilson 10, Nic Sblendorio 5, Nick Ellison 4, Jerrod Jones 2, Terence Grady 2, Reilly Hennessey 2, Nsimba Webster 1, Kaleb Levao 1 (as defensive lineman).
 
 
 

Season Outlook

 
An overview and outlooks on offense, defense and special teams are all available at:
http://goeags.com/archives.aspx?path=football