#4 Eastern Washington University "Eagles" versus UC Davis "Aggies" Saturday, Oct. 1 • 1:10 p.m. Pacific Roos Field (8,600) • Cheney, Washington
TV:	Live regionally on ROOT Sports Northwest and DirecTV Audience Network (channel 239) . . . announcers are Tom Glasgow/Jason Stiles/Jen Mueller . . . the game will also be shown on a delayed basis on ROOT Rocky Mountain and ROOT Southwest.
­­­Webcast:	None
Radio:	700-AM ESPN in Spokane. Larry Weir returns for his 26th season calling the play-by-play, with analysis handled by Paul Sorensen. 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://ewustats.com
Weekly Coaches Show:	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, http://www.700espn.com & via iphone app. (search for "Spokane Radio" and download app).
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, Borracho in downtown Spokane and the Swinging Doors in North Spokane.

The return to the roost – aka Roos Field on ROOT – means a lot this week.
 
On a day former Eagle and All-Pro NFL offensive tackle Michael Roos will be inducted into the Eastern Washington University Athletics Hall of Fame, the No. 4 Eagles will host their Big Sky Conference football home opener at the field that bears his name. It's also Believe Day for cancer awareness at "The Inferno."
 
Kickoff at Roos Field is 1:10 p.m. Pacific time in a game televised live regionally by ROOT Sports and via the DirecTV Audience Network (channel 239). 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.
 
The Eagles enter their game against the 1-3 Aggies on a roll, having improved to 3-1 despite playing the toughest preseason schedule in school history. The Eagles opened the season by beating Washington State of the Pacific-12 Conference (45-42), falling in overtime to top-ranked and five-time defending FCS champion North Dakota State (50-44) and beating 10th-ranked Northern Iowa (34-30). The Eagles then opened league play with a 50-35 victory against league favorite Northern Arizona.
 
"Regardless of what our record is, I like where our team is right now," said Eastern head coach Beau Baldwin of the big picture at this juncture of the season. "Whatever we were going to be after four games, the important thing was feeling good about our progress. You just have to be humble coming back from wins like that, and grind for our next opponent."
 
Eastern returns home for two games and a bye after playing three of its first four games on the road. While Eastern registered a victory over 26th-ranked NAU Sept. 24, UC Davis fell to Weber State 38-35 in their Big Sky opener. Eastern was picked to finish as high as third in the league, while UC Davis was picked 12th in the media poll and 13th by the coaches. Eastern has won all four previous meetings against the Aggies – 2005, 2007, 2012, 2014.
 
The Aggies entered their league opener at home versus Weber State playing three lopsided games, losing to Oregon 53-28, beating Southern Oregon 52-35 and falling to Wyoming 45-22. The average winning margin in their first three games was 21.7 points, while Eastern's first three were decided by an average of 4.3.
 
Eastern remained fourth in this week's STATS FCS Top 25 poll, and also held steady at fifth in the coaches poll. North Dakota State remains No. 1 in both polls. In the Athlon Power Rankings, the Eagles are second behind North Dakota State.
 
Saturday's Hall of Fame festivities includes the 16th induction ceremony/breakfast prior to the game, with inductees also honored at halftime. More information on the ceremony/breakfast and all of this year's inductees and past induction classes may be viewed at: http://goeags.com/hof.aspx

 
 
 

 
Records/Milestone Watch

 
Kupp is 107 from FCS Reception Yards Record, With TD Catches and Yards Exceeding FBS Records
 
Already the FCS leader in career touchdown receptions, Eastern's Cooper Kupp should break the FCS record for career receiving yards in the next two weeks when the Eagles play back-to-back home games. His total of 5,143 yards is 107 behind the record of 5,250 set by Elon's Terrell Hudgins from 2006-09. Kupp's 12-catch performance at Northern Arizona on Sept. 24 moved him into second on the all-time FCS receptions list (340, 55 behind the record of 395 set by Elon's Terrell Hudgins from 2006-09).
 
Kupp broke the FCS record for career TD catches with a three touchdown day at Washington State on Sept. 3, breaking the previous FCS record of 58 set by New Hampshire's David Ball from 2003-06. Now with 61 in his career, Kupp equaled and then exceeded the FBS record as well against North Dakota State on Sept. 10. He had his 60th early in the second quarter to tie the mark of 60 set by Jarett Dillard of Rice from 2005-08, then had his 61st later in the quarter. Kupp is well behind the NCAA Division II record is 78 set by Dallas Mall of Bentley from 2001-04 and the NCAA Division III record is 75 set by Scott Pingel of Westminster (Mo.) from 1996-99, but Kupp has also exceeded the NAIA record of 59 set by Alvin Ashley of Southwest State (Minn.) from 1990-93.
 
Kupp has also already exceeded the FBS record for reception yards, which is 5,005 set by Trevor Insley of Nevada from 1996-99. He has also surpassed the NCAA Division II record (4,983, Clarence Coleman, Ferris State, 1998-01), but is well behind the all-time marks in Division III (6,108, Scott Pingel, Westminster, 1996-99) and the NAIA (6,177, Chris George, Glenville State, 1991-94).
 
For catches, the FBS record is 387 held by Justin Hardy of East Carolina from 2011-14. Interestingly, Taylor Stubblefield and Kupp both graduated from Davis High School in Yakima, Wash., and Stubblefield once held the FBS record with 316 catches for Purdue from 2001-04. Additionally, Kupp is behind records at NCAA Division II (386, Justin Bernard, St. Anselm, 2010-14), Division III (463, Michael Zweifel, Wisconsin-River Falls/Dubuque, 2007-11) and NAIA (430, Chris George, Glenville State, 1991-94).
 
Kupp has now established eight FCS records, eight Big Sky Conference all-time marks and 18 school records. His 122.6 average reception yards per game is currently a FCS career record, while his other six FCS records were set during his freshman season. With 5,547 all-purpose yards, he is 387 yards from the EWU record of 5,934 set by Eric Kimble from 2002-05, a mark which ranks seventh in Big Sky history. The league record is 7,112, and the top receiver on the list is Fred Amey from Sacramento State with 6,343 from 2001-04.
 
 
With Just Four Starts Under His Belt, Gubrud Already Has Three of Top Eight Total Offense Performances
 
Sophomore quarterback Gage Gubrud is already writing some Eastern history after just four career starts, with three of the top eight single game total offense performances in school history. The sophomore's first two starts of his career yielded a school-record 551 yards of offense against Washington State on Sept. 3 (474 passing, 77 rushing), and the No. 4 mark with 499 against North Dakota State on Sept. 10 (450 passing, 49 rushing). He then had 487 against Northern Arizona on Sept. 24 to rank eighth (392 passing, 95 rushing). The other performances in the top eight are the previous record of 518 set by Vernon Adams at Oregon State on 8/31/13, 503 by teammate Jordan West on 9/26/15 at Sacramento State, 493 by Todd Bernett against Montana on 9/17/94, 492 by Adams versus Idaho State on 11/2/13 and 491 by Adams at Washington on 9/6/14.
 
 
Bourne Five Catches from Moving into Seventh in School History
 
With 163 career receptions for 2,401 yards and 21 touchdowns, senior Kendrick Bourne now ranks in the top 12 in all three categories in school history. His touchdowns ranks eighth, and his receptions are 12th, just two from moving into 11th (165, Greg Herd, 2009-12), three from ninth (166, Ashton Clark, 2010-13 & Bob Picard, 1968-72), four from eighth (167, Tony Brooks, 1990-93) and five from seventh (168, Kyler Randall, 2000-03). Bourne is now 10th in yards, just 43 from ninth (2,444, Tom Bassett, 1974-77) and 123 from eighth (2,524, Jason Anderson, 1991-94).
 
Teammate Shaq Hill has 122 career catches for 1,948 yards and 17 touchdowns. He is one TD from ranking 15th in school history, and he is 15 catches from the No. 21 position and 113 yards from ranking 18th in yards. In all, the quartet of Hill, Bourne, Cooper Kupp and Nic Sblendorio (28 games, 55 catches, 775 yards, 4 TD) have a combined 158 games worth of experience (85 starts) with 680 catches for 10,267 yards (15.1 per catch) and 103 touchdowns.
 
 
Shaq Hill Sets Career Kickoff Return Yardage Record
 
Wide receiver/kickoff returner Shaq Hill has broken the school record for career kickoff return yards, with a current total of 2,217 yards to pass the 2,176 of Craig Richardson from 1983-86. With 91 career returns, Hill previously broke Richardson's record of 80. Hill's average of 24.4 yards per return is currently eighth in school history, as he has had returns of 99, 93, 90 and 80 yards in his career (two of them for touchdowns). His 4,232 all-purpose yards are currently sixth in school history, and he needs only 143 to move into fifth (4,375, Lamont Brightful, 1998-01).
 
 
Ebukam Moves Into 13th in School History With 17 Sacks
 
Senior defensive end Samson Ebukam had a pair of sacks in EWU's season opener against Washington State and a half-sack against Northern Iowa, giving him 17 in his career to rank 13th in school history. He needs two to move his way into the top 10 on EWU's all-time lists. A 27-game starter in his EWU career, Ebukam has 139 tackles in his 43-game career. One of six Eagle co-captains for the 2016 season, he received second-team All-Big Sky honors in both 2014 and 2015.
 
 
With 288 Career Tackles, Zamora Now 12th in School History
 
With back-to-back double figures tackle performances against Northern Iowa and Northern Arizona, senior Miquiyah Zamora now has 288 career tackles, moving him into 10th in school history. The next player for him to catch is Dion Alexander with 313 from 1992-95.
 
Zamora had 14 tackles on Sept. 17 against Northern Iowa, and also had a sack, another tackle for loss, a pass broken up and a quarterback hurry to earn co-Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors. He was the first Eagle honored with that award since Ronnie Hamlin earned the honor twice in 2012. Zamora's 14 tackles against UNI was his seventh career double-figures tackle performance, and was two from his career high. Seven of his tackles came in the second half when EWU held UNI to a pair of field goals, 96 total yards (only nine in the third quarter) and forced five three-and-outs (including one ending with a missed field goal). Zamora's pass broken up was in the third quarter on third down and led to a punt, and his sack was on third down and forced UNI to kick a field goal to give them a short-lived 30-28 lead. The Panthers converted only one of their last 11 third downs, as the Eagles held Northern Iowa to 353 total yards of offense. It was Eastern's best defensive performance since it limited Montana to 347 in a 37-20 win over the Grizzlies in the FCS Playoffs on Dec. 6, 2014. The Eagles allowed three touchdowns in the first half, but held the Panthers to just a pair of field goals in their final eight possessions of the game. Although UNI quarterback Aaron Bailey had 101 yards rushing, the Eagles held Panther running back Tyvis Smith – and All-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection a year ago -- to 53 yards on 24 carries (2.2 per carry).
 
 
Dascalo is Among the Top Punters in School History
 
In his second year as an Eagle, junior Jordan Dascalo now punted 49 times as an Eagle for a 41.5 career average that currently ranks third in school history. He also is 4-of-6 in his EWU career kicking field goals, and has averaged 59.6 yards (4,235 total yards) in 71 career kickoffs with 28 touchbacks.
 
Dascalo, who punted as a freshman in 2014 for Washington State, earned Big Sky Conference Special Teams Player of the Week honors for his performance against his former team on Sept. 3. He averaged 55.3 yards on three punts, including one downed inside the Cougar 20-yard line. He also kicked a 48-yard field goal on the final play of the first half that started a decisive 17-0 scoring run by the Eagles in the 45-42 win. He also had seven kickoffs for a 57.0 average against WSU with one touchback. His 48-yarder equaled the 23rd-longest in school history and was the best in nearly seven years by an Eagle since Mike Jarrett booted a 49-yarder versus Idaho State on 10/3/09.  
 
"If I were to say there were five or six plays that were the biggest plays of the games, that field goal before halftime was one of the biggest plays of the game," said Eastern head coach Beau Baldwin. "For him to hit that was huge. He hit some good kickoffs and he had three good punts. He's become a player you can count on to do all three aspects of our kicking game – that's rare," Baldwin added. "You don't see many kickers/punters these days and it's usually more specialized. Granted, he's not our normal field goal kicker, but he has the strongest leg. So if we get outside a 40-yard field goal we start thinking about if this is Dascalo range."
 
 
 

Team Game Notes

 
Eagles Have Impressive 33-6 Big Sky Record Since 0-2 Start in 2011
 
The Eagles have won 33 of their last 39 Big Sky games since a 0-2 start in 2011. Eastern has won 23 of its last 27 league games, with the lone losses coming against Montana and Portland State in 2015 and Northern Arizona in both 2015 and 2014. An Oct. 25, 2014, loss at Northern Arizona snapped EWU's 14-game conference winning streak and a home loss against the Lumberjacks on Nov. 7, 2015, ended a streak of eight Big Sky wins in a row. Including non-conference victories (two versus MSU and one against Cal Poly) and a playoff win (Montana), the Eagles have won 27 of their last 31 versus conference foes.
 
 
Eagles Record 48th 50-Point Performance, With 11 Since 2012
 
The Eagles hit the 50-point mark for the 48th time in school history when they beat Northern Arizona 50-35 on Sept. 24, coming a year after their last (55-50 win over Montana State on 9/19/15). Eastern has had 11 50-point games in the last five seasons (including 2016), with one in 2015, six in 2014 and two each in 2013 and 2012. Eastern is now 45-3 in the 48 games they have scored at least 50 in school history. The lone losses were to Washington (59-52 in 2014), Idaho State (55-52 in 2003 in double overtime) and Weber State (63-59 in 1991, which at the time was the highest-scoring game in FCS/I-AA history). Eastern has a program high of four 50+ scoring games versus MSU, including meetings in 2004, 2013, 2014, and 2015. Eastern has scored 50 or more against Weber State and Idaho State on three occasions.
 
 
Eastern Continues to Lead FCS in Passing Offense
 
After four games, Eastern is the FCS leader in passing offense, with an average of 419.5 yards per game. The Eagles are also third in total offense (526.3), sixth in scoring offense (43.3), eighth in third down conversions (47.6 percent), ninth in completion percentage (.677) and ninth in passing efficiency (160.65).
 
 
Eastern Has First Turnover Margin Triumph in Seven Games
 
Eastern had its first turnover advantage of the season, coming against a Northern Arizona team which had just one fumble lost and no interceptions through three games this season. Eastern had a trio of interceptions by Zach Bruce, D'londo Tucker and Nzuzi Webster. The Eagles lost the turnover battle 3-1 to North Dakota State and 2-1 to UNI after tying 1-1 versus Washington State. It was Eastern's first turnover battle victory since winning 1-0 in a 14-13 win over Weber State on Oct. 31, 2015.
 
In eight-plus seasons (2008-present) under head coach Beau Baldwin, the Eagles are 42-1 when they've won the turnover battle, 18-5 when they've been tied and 16-25 when they've lost (total of 75-31). The last time EWU lost when it won the turnover battle came in the 2009 FCS Playoffs at Stephen F. Austin when EWU had two miscues and forced four in the 44-33 loss. Thus, EWU is 33-0 since 2010 when they've won the turnover battle, 15-4 when they've been tied and 14-18 when they've lost. That's a collective record of 62-22 (74 percent), with 18 of those 22 losses (82 percent) coming in games EWU has lost the turnover battle and 53 percent of EWU's wins coming when they've won the turnover battle (77 percent when including ties).
 
 
After Rally Versus UNI, Eagles Have Now Won 17 Games Since 2010 When Trailing or Tied in the Final Quarter
 
Eastern has now won 17 games since 2010 when trailing or tied in the fourth quarter, including one this season, two in the 2015 season and six during EWU's national championship season in 2010.
 
Facing deficits of 24-7 at halftime and 24-21 entering the final quarter, Eastern rallied for a 34-30 win over Northern Iowa on Sept. 17. After a 21-0 scoring run overcame the deficit and gave Eastern the lead early in the fourth quarter, the Eagles actually trailed 30-28 with 4:13 left. But the Eagles rallied behind the relief quarterbacking of Reilly Hennessey, and his 23-yard touchdown pass to Beau Byus with 43 seconds remaining capped an 11-play, 75 yard drive. That TD came on a fake when EWU elected against a 40-yard field goal attempt into the wind. Hennessey was 8-of-10 for 82 yards on the drive (there was one rush for two and two penalties against EWU for 10 yards). It was the first catch in the career for Byus, a fourth-string sophomore tight end and emergency offensive tackle who graduated in 2014 from nearby Central Valley High School in Spokane.
 
 
Former Tennessee Titan Michael Roos Among Former Greats to Be Inducted into Eastern Athletics Hall of Fame on Oct. 1
 
Featuring the induction of former Eagle and Tennessee Titan football player Michael Roos, registration is now available for the 16th induction ceremony/breakfast for the Eastern Washington University Athletics Hall of Fame on Oct. 1, 2016, at the EWU Special Events Pavilion (Reese Court) in Cheney, Wash.
 
The public is invited to attend and the cost is $20 per person. Guests must register via a link that is now available at http://goeags.com/hof.aspx. The breakfast begins at 8:30 a.m., and the ceremony starts at 9 a.m.
 
Inductees will also be honored at halftime of EWU's football game against UC Davis later that day at 1:05 p.m. at Roos Field. Eastern's volleyball team plays North Dakota the previous evening at 6 p.m. as part of Hall of Fame Weekend.
 
This year's class of inductees features a quartet of athletes with more than 40 years of championship success and groundbreaking achievements to their credit since attending college,
 
Former Eastern All-American Michael Roos (2000-04) will be inducted after a 10-year All-Pro career as an offensive tackle with the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League. Roos and his wife, Katherine, will also be presented the Eastern Hall of Fame Service and Contribution Award.
 
Also to be inducted is Ed Waters, who was a record-breaking point guard on the 1976-77 men's basketball team, which is also a 2016 inductee. The '76-77 squad had a historic 25-4 season under Hall of Fame Coach Jerry Krause, Hall of Fame player Ron Cox and Waters.
 
Trailblazer Becky Nelson-Clark (1968-71) is one of two track and field standouts to be inducted, having won the 1971 national championship in the high jump during a major growth stage of collegiate sports competition for women. Record-breaking 800-meter runner Steve Kiesel (1976-79) will also be inducted for his achievements on the track and his contributions as a coach, which includes a pair of state cross country titles at nearby Mead High School.
 
The more than 30-year legacy of the Eagle Athletic Association will also be honored as a recipient of the Service and Contribution Award. The families of 14 past presidents of the EAA have been invited back as special guests for the induction breakfast and ceremony.
 
Established in 1996, this year's inductees will bring the total number of individuals in the Hall of Fame to 78 and teams to 14, as well as 16 recipients of the Eastern Athletics Hall of Fame Service and Contribution Award. All of the inductees and induction classes may be viewed at: http://goeags.com/hof.aspx
 
 
50th Season at Roos/Woodward Field Begins With Victory
 
The 50th season of football at EWU's current stadium location featured a come-from-behind 34-30 win. Eastern's five-game home schedule is highlighted by Eastern's annual showdown with Montana on Oct. 29 in Fan Black Out/Ag 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. Less than 800 tickets remain for both the UC Davis and UNC games, and single-game tickets for the Montana and ISU games go on sale to the general public on Oct. 8 at 9 a.m.
 
The 2016 football season at Eastern Washington University marks the 50th season Eastern has played its football games at its current site in Cheney, Wash. But this is the seventh as "Roos Field," as a new red synthetic Sprinturf surface made its debut in 2010. Eastern finished a perfect 8-0 in its debut season at "The Inferno," including three playoff victories, and is 35-7 overall since the turf was installed. Eastern has a 148-62 record (70.5 per­cent) in 210 games at Roos Field since 1967, with the Eagles utilizing Joe Albi Stadium in Spokane as the school's main home field from 1983-89.
 
Eastern's next road game will be 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. Eastern 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. Montana and Portland State finished tied for second at 6-2 and joined SUU in the FCS Playoffs.
 
 
 
 

Player Game Notes

 
Gage Gubrud Remains NCAA Statistical Leader in Passing and Total Offense
 
A year after leading FCS in passing offense, the EWU offense led by first-year starting quarterback Gage Gubrud hasn't missed a beat. The 2014 graduate of McMinnville (Ore.) High School has passed for 1,430 yards, 12 touchdowns and a .669 completion percentage, and has also rushed for a team-leading 236 yards (4.6 per carry) and three more scores.
 
As a result, Gubrud is the FCS leader in total offense at 416.5 per game, passing yards, passing yards per game (357.5), and points responsible for (90), and is second in passing touchdowns, fourth in points responsible per game (23.0), 14th in passing efficiency (157.9) and 15th in completion percentage (.667).
 
Teammate Cooper Kupp missed 1 1/2 games with a shoulder injury, but is still second in receiving yards per game (126.3), third in receptions per game (9.7) and fourth in receiving touchdowns (5). Senior Kendrick Bourne is sixth in receptions per game (7.8) and sixth in receiving yards per game (118.0).
 
 
Third Career Interception Sparks Eastern Defense Versus NAU
 
Senior safety Zach Bruce had a key first-half interception he returned 50 yards to get the Eagle defense on track for another impressive day in a 50-35 win at Northern Arizona. He finished with a team-high 14 tackles, equaling his career high in the process. His interception -- Northern Arizona's first of the season – came on a fourth down play from the EWU 1-yard line. He returned his third career interception 50 yards to midfield, and the Eagles followed with a 50-yard drive to take a 19-7 lead.
 
Eastern's defense allowed 491 total yards, but registered a trio of three-and-outs and intercepted three passes against one of the top offenses in FCS. One week earlier, the Eagle defense had six total three-and-outs (one on a missed field goal attempt) and allowed Northern Iowa to convert just one of its last 11 third down conversion attempts in a 34-30 Eagle win. The Eagles held NAU to 6-of-17 on third down, a year after the Lumberjacks converted 13-of-19 in a 52-30 triumph over EWU.
 
A former walk-on, Bruce now has 155 tackles, three interceptions and five passes broken up in his 40-game career (14 as a starter).
 
 
Webster Twins Both Have Big Plays for Eagles
 
Both halves of the Webster tandem had big plays in Eastern's 50-35 victory at Northern Arizona, including a career-best 55-yard kickoff return by Nsimba Webster to set-up EWU's go-ahead score. In a first half that featured five lead changes, Roldan Alcobendas followed the long return by kicking a 44-yard field goal to give EWU a 22-21 advantage and the lead for good at intermission. Eastern then scored the first 14 points of the second half on drives of 70 and 72 yards to open a 36-21 advantage and never trailed again.
 
Nsimba also caught a pass for 11 yards, and has a 26.0 average in five returns this season to rank 21st in FCS. He is averaging 22.6 yards on 37 career returns, with his previous long return of 47 yards coming as a redshirt freshman versus Cal Poly. Coupled with a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown one game earlier by teammate Antoine Custer Jr., the Eagles are ranked 20th in FCS in kickoff returns with a 24.79 average per return.
 
His brother Nzuzi Webster helped clinch the victory with a fourth-quarter interception. It was his first of the season and second of his career, and he added five tackles versus the Lumberjacks.
 
 
Hennessey Relieves Gubrud & Helps Eagle to Victory
 
Sophomore quarterback Reilly Hennessey relieved starter Gage Gubrud in the third quarter on Sept. 17 against UNI and had three touchdown passes, including a game-winning 23-yard strike to sophomore tight end Beau Byus to cap an 11-play, 75 yard drive. That TD came on a fake when EWU elected against a 40-yard field goal attempt into the wind. Hennessey was 8-of-10 for 82 yards on the drive (there was one rush for two and two penalties against EWU for 10 yards). In the final 24 minutes of the game, he completed 21-of-28 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns in the 34-30 win. He entered the game with 9:07 left in the third quarter and the Eagles trailing 24-14, and also had TD passes of 37 yards to Kendrick Bourne and 7 yards to Stu Stiles. A year ago, he and Jordan West combined for a school-record 526 yards passing versus the Panthers. He was 13-of-18 for 177 yards and a touchdown in 2015 versus UNI before departing the game with an ankle sprain that kept him out of the next six games.
 
 
First Career Kickoff Return a Memorable One for Antoine Custer Jr.
 
Trailing Northern Iowa by 17 at halftime on Sept. 17, true freshman Antoine Custer Jr. returned the second-half kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown in EWU's come-from-behind 34-30 win over Northern Iowa. As a result, he was selected as Big Sky Conference Special Teams Player of the Week.
 
His TD return was the first by an Eagle since teammate Shaq Hill had a 90-yarder against Portland State on Nov. 21, 2014. Hill actually provided three blocks down the sideline during Custer's TD return. It was Custer's first kickoff return as an Eagle, and his only one to date for the Eagles. He started at running back in Eastern's opener against Washington State, and scored the first touchdown of the season for the Eagles on a pass from Gage Gubrud. So far this season he has rushed 24 times for a net of 39 yards and two touchdowns, and has caught nine passes for 57 yards and a score.
 
In the last 20+ seasons (1996-2016), Eastern has returned 36 total kicks for touchdowns while allowing just 17. Until North Dakota State had one in the FCS Playoffs in 2010, Eastern had not allowed a kickoff return for a touchdown in more than 10 years (599 total returns).
 
 
With Eight Catches for 169 Yards and a TD, Stu Steals the Show With Kupp Out
 
Sophomore Stu Stiles easily had his best game as an Eagle, finishing with eight catches for 169 yards and a touchdown in Eastern's 50-44 overtime loss to North Dakota Sate on Sept. 10. He eclipsed his previous highs of three catches for 30 yards last season against Sacramento State. In fact, the 2014 graduate of Mt. Spokane (Wash.) High School entered the NDSU game with no catches on the season and just seven for 70 yards in his career.
 
He saw more action than usual when senior Cooper Kupp was lost for the second half with a shoulder injury. His breakthrough performance was similar to that of Nic Sblendorio a year before when he had 10 catches for 158 yards against Northern Iowa when Kupp missed the second half with a hip pointer. Stiles made his first career start in place of Kupp against Northern Iowa on Sept. 17 and had seven catches for 54 yards and a TD.
 
 
Starting Debuts for Ketner Kupp and Kurt Calhoun Come Versus Five-Time Defending Champions
 
They came into the game with a combined 43 tackles in their careers, but Ketner Kupp and Kurt Calhoun came out of it with a great deal of admiration and respect. The sophomore linebackers were forced to start their first games of their careers against top-ranked and five-time defending FCS champion North Dakota State on Oct. 10 because of a pair of injuries to EWU's starters. Senior middle linebacker Miquiyah Zamora missed the game because of a hamstring injury suffered in practice during the week, while strong-side linebacker Alek Kacmarcik was held out because of a concussion suffered versus Washington State.
 
Kupp, brother of Eastern senior receiver Cooper Kupp, finished with eight tackles, having entered the game with just 20 after playing as a true freshman in 2015. Calhoun, a walk-on whose brother Tim was a tight end for the Eagles (2002-06), had 13. He entered the game with just 23 in his career, with five in EWU's opener against Washington State. Ketner Kupp is a 2015 graduate of Davis High School in Yakima, Wash., and Calhoun graduated the year before from Zillah (Wash.) HS.
 
 
Kupp Adds National Player of the Week Accolades from STATS to Heisman Candidate Recognition by Fox Sports
 
With a record-breaking performance and stirring victory over Washington State in his first game since deciding to return to Eastern Washington University for his senior football season, Cooper Kupp was selected as the STATS National Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 5. He earned the same honor from College Sports Madness, which also selected him as its Big Sky Conference player of the week as well.
 
Judging from the damage he's inflicted on Pacific-12 Conference defenses in four seasons now, it's no secret that the senior wide receiver Cooper Kupp is among the best receivers in college football at any level. In a column by Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports on Sept. 4, Kupp was regarded as one of five Heisman candidates after the first full week of the college football season. He joined Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett, Houston quarterback Greg Ward, Stanford running back/returner Christian McCaffrey and Georgia running back Nick Chubb on his list.
 
Even Eastern head coach Beau Baldwin is at a loss for words over the accomplishments of Kupp, who has been dubbed by the media as All-Galaxy and Superman. "Twelve catches, 206, three touchdowns versus a Pac-12 team – Cooper Kupp, that's what he did. Enough said."
 
All Kupp has done to warrant the success is score 11 touchdowns receiving in four games versus the Pac-12 on a total of 40 catches for 716 yards. That's an average of 17.9 yards per catch and a TD every 3.6 grabs against the four Pac-12 schools in the Pacific Northwest – Washington State, Washington, Oregon and Oregon State.
 
In EWU's 45-42 win over WSU on Sept. 3, Kupp had 12 catches for 206 yards and three touchdowns, as the three-time All-America receiver broke the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision record. He left that game with 59 and has a current total of 61 touchdown receptions. He also completed a pass for 22 yards against the Cougars, and rushed twice for 29 yards.
 
"Today, the best player on the field was Cooper Kupp," said Washington State head coach Mike Leach, whose team had nine victories and won a bowl game in 2015.

It was the pass that caught the eye of Baldwin on the stat sheet after the thrilling win over the Cougars, a performance that wouldn't have happened had Kupp elected to pursue professional opportunities instead.
 
"It means way more than any record or any statistic, and obviously, those are off the charts," said Baldwin of the return of Kupp. "But what I first saw on the stat sheet was 1-of-1 again throwing the ball, so he found a way to do that too."
 
"I joke with our staff that No. 10 is probably more mature than most of us," continued Baldwin on what the return of the 2012 graduate of Davis High School in Yakima, Wash., means to his program. "And I mean that with how he handles things, and how he brings that maturity level and discipline to our team. As a coach, that's what you want in your locker room – that type of culture and character that Cooper carries."
 
Last season, Kupp set Autzen Stadium records of 15 catches for 246 yards against Oregon, including three TD grabs. The year before that he caught eight passes for 145 yards and three touchdowns against Washington -- the former team his grandfather, Jake Kupp, played for before becoming a Hall of Fame offensive lineman for the New Orleans Saints.
 
As a redshirt freshman in 2013, in his first collegiate game, Kupp caught five passes for 119 yards and two scores against OSU. The Eagles upset the 25th-ranked Beavers 49-46, becoming just the fourth FCS team to beat a ranked squad from the NCAA Football Bowl Championship Subdivision.
 
"It's definitely special, but I knew this would be a special year," added Kupp of his fourth and final appearance versus a Pac-12 opponent. "The last eight months in the offseason was completely worth coming back – that was the time we were grinding. To go through what we did with those guys made it worth it. We're starting the fun part of the season knowing that my wife (Anna) and I made the best decision of my life. It's special to get that first win in the way we envisioned."
 
 
Gage Gubrud Also Honored Nationally and as Big Sky Player of the Week After Sensational Starting Debut
 
It takes a heady player to knock Vernon Adams Jr. out of the Eastern Washington University football record book. And in his first start to boot.
 
Sophomore Gage Gubrud was selected as the Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 5 after accounting for six touchdowns in a 45-42 victory Sept. 3 over Washington State of the Pacific-12 Conference. On Sept. 6, he received honors from College Football Performance Awards as its FCS National Performer of the Week.
 
Gubrud (pronounced "Goo-Brood") was one of six Eagles – five on offense – making the first starts of their careers, and he completed 34-of-40 passes for 474 yards and five touchdowns. He also rushed for 77 yards and another score. His 551 yards of total offense broke the previous school record of 518 set by Vernon Adams Jr. against Oregon State in 2013 when he passed for 411 and rushed for 107.
 
Gubrud's passing total was the fourth-best in school history, ranking only behind Adams (475 vs. Washington on 9/6/14), Todd Bernett (486 versus Montana on 9/17/94) and teammate Jordan West (school-record 491 versus Sacramento State on 9/26/15). One game later, in a 50-44 overtime loss to North Dakota State, he finished with 499 yards of total offense to rank as the third-most in school history, including the No. 11 passing performance with 450 yards.
 
The steady progression of the 2014 graduate of McMinnville (Ore.) High School has been witnessed firsthand by EWU team personnel. But 32,952 fans at Martin Stadium in Pullman, Wash., and a national television audience got their first glimpse of his talent and poise.
 
"He didn't get scared or wide-eyed in the moment, and I've seen that before in a lot of great quarterbacks," said Eastern head coach Beau Baldwin. "I've called Vernon Adams the best quarterback to play here and he ended up in a couple of those moments – you can be nervous, and Vernon admitted he had a couple of moments like that early in his career. But Gage was composed, with the exception of his touchdown run when he kind of freaked out and didn't know whether to dive or run it in. He kind of lost it for a second. But outside of that, he played the game like there weren't 32,000 fans and it wasn't loud. He was able to slow down and just play football."
 
"He didn't play perfect – nobody played perfect and I didn't coach perfect," Baldwin said after the game. "You're always searching for that, but he went out there with confidence and attacked it. I think that helps you a lot when you settle down and don't pay attention to everything else that's going on."
 
Gubrud's 30 completions were the ninth-most in school history. He had a passing efficiency rating in the game of 220.79, with West owning that record of 313.5 versus Montana State on 9/19/15 when he was 21-of-24 for 410 yards and six touchdowns.
 
Gubrud helped three-time All-America receiver Cooper Kupp put up some staggering numbers against the Cougars too, finishing with 12 catches for 206 yards and three touchdowns. In the process, Kupp broke the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision record for career TD receptions with his 57th, 58th and 59th versus WSU.
 
"The first thing I looked at was Gage throwing only six incomplete passes," Kupp said of his first glance at the stat sheet from the Cougar game. "For Gage to put a game together like that here in his first game starting is special. He ran when he could, got out of stuff to buy himself time and made the throws."
 
As a redshirt freshman in 2015, Gubrud held for kicks all season, then made his Eagle debut as a quarterback at Montana (11/14/15). He completed 7-of-13 passes for 66 yards and an interception, and also had 18 net rushing yards and a touchdown. He was also called on as EWU's rugby-style punter during the year.
 
 
Six Eagles Make Starting Debuts in Opener Versus Washington State
 
Six Eastern players made their starting debuts against Washington State. The lone starting debut on defense was made by sophomore cornerback Josh Lewis. 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) made their debuts on the left side of Eastern's line, and sophomore Matt Meyer made his debut at right guard. The other new starter was sophomore quarterback Gage Gubrud, who attempted just 13 passes as a redshirt freshman in 2015. True freshman Antoine Custer Jr. started for the first time in his career, and he and Gubrud hooked up on a 14-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter that was the initial TD of the 2016 season and of their careers. Junior Albert Havili made his first career start as a defensive end and finished with six tackles versus the Cougars. He started twice in 2014 as a linebacker before a knee injury forced him to redshirt in the 2015 season. His injury occurred in the first padded practice in spring of 2015 right after he moved from linebacker to defensive end. He set an EWU true freshman record with 61 tackles in 2013.
 
 
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 in 2015 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.
 
 
 Incoming Freshman Class for Eagles Includes Running Back Duo Seeing Significant Action
 
A pair of running backs from Eastern's talented recruiting class played in the opener against Washington State on Sept. 3 when Antoine Custer Jr. and Tamarick Pierce received carries at running back. Custer started and had the first EWU touchdown of the season on a 14-yard reception, and rushed once for no gain. Pierce did not get a carry, but carried four times for 18 yards the next week at North Dakota State. Custer was a California two-time All-State selection out of powerhouse De La Salle High School, and Pierce was an All-State selection from Oakland, Calif., and Saint Mary's High School. Custer rushed for 4,429 yards (103.0 per game and 10.3 per carry) and scored 66 total touchdowns while helping his team compile a 41-2 record in three seasons, with a pair of state titles and a runner-up finish. He finished with 5,965 all-purpose yards in his career, and scored 53 touchdowns rushing, four receiving and nine on returns and recoveries. Pierce rushed for 3,342 yards (8.8 per carry) in his career with 35 rushing touchdowns, caught 44 passes for 424 yards and eight more scores, and scored 47 total TDs in three seasons.
 
Offensive lineman D.J. Dyer made his Eagle debut against Northern Arizona on Sept. 24 when injuries to Eagle offensive linemen forced him to burn his redshirt. 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.
 
 
 

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 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.
 
* 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. Including his 2016 totals, he has scored 63 total touchdowns and has accounted for 65 in his 42-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 (8.09), which also ranks second 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 35 of 42 games he has played, with 24 performances of at least eight catches and 25 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 31 games overall and 21 in the Big Sky Conference in the past three-plus 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, is 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. He made his starting debut against top-ranked and five-time defending champion North Dakota State on Sept. 10, 2016, and finished with eight tackles.
 
 
 

Series Notes

 
* The Eagles and Aggies have faced each other just four times before, including the notorious "Fog Bowl" in the first meeting in 2005. That 24-7 game at fog-shrouded Roos Field (then Woodward Field) featured near-zero visibility from the pressbox. It also helped clinch the Big Sky Conference co-championship with Montana and Montana State, and clinch EWU the automatic berth in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs (then known as I-AA). The Bobcats upset Montana 16-6 in Bozeman that same day, opening the door for the Eagles to garner its second-straight league title and playoff berth. The Eagles found out the outcome of the MSU-UM game in the second quarter, then rested many of its starters in the second half. In the other meetings, Eastern won in Cheney in 2007 by a 41-31 score, and then prevailed 31-28 in a Big Sky Conference game in 2012. In 2014, Eastern won at UC Davis 37-14.
 
 
Looking Back
 
* In 2014, it wasn't easy – and sometimes excruciating – but Eastern got by UC Davis 37-14 in its first-ever game in Davis., Calif., on Sept. 27 at Aggie Stadium. The victory came in EWU's Big Sky Conference opener as the defending league champions. The Eagles scored the first three times they had the ball in the third quarter, after having only three possessions total in the first half. As a result, the Eagles turned a 9-7 halftime lead into a 30-7 advantage late in the third quarter. Quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. led the way with 298 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns. Eastern out-gained UC Davis in total offense 475-260. In the pivotal third quarter, EWU had a 203-11 advantage until a 70-yard pass play by the Aggies on the final play of the period. Mario Brown, starting in place of injured starter Quincy Forte (shoulder), rushed for 78 yards on 13 carries and scored a touchdown. His 45-yard run led to his own 6-yard TD rush to give the Eagles a 30-7 lead. He also returned three kickoffs for 64 yards and a caught a pass for five, giving him a game-high 147 all-purpose yards. Wide receiver Nic Sblendorio made the first start of his career and had one catch, and defensive end Samson Ebukam had a pair of sacks and three total tackles for the Eagles. His first sack led to a punt that helped lead to an EWU field goal that gave the Eagles the lead for good. His second sack slowed a drive with UC Davis at its own 44-yard line with a minute left in the first half.
 
* In 2012, the Eagles were out-scored 22-0 in the second quarter, regained the lead in the fourth quarter then blocked a field goal in the final minute to preserve a 31-28 victory. The Aggies were poised to pull off the upset with a long drive on their final possession, but Eastern's David Gaylord blocked a 52-yard field goal attempt by Brady Stuart with 46 seconds left to preserve the Eagle win and keep Eastern's Big Sky Conference championship hopes alive. Eastern led early 14-3 and had a 141-31 advantage in total offense. But over the next 18 1/2 minutes, UC Davis converted four of five third downs and rolled up 247 yards of offense to take a 25-14 lead at halftime. In that same time span, Eastern had only 37 yards of offense and only one first down, and had to punt on its final three possessions. Eastern quarterbacks Vernon Adams Jr. and Kyle Padron combined to complete 19-of-31 passes for 242 yards and a touchdown, but the Eagles were out-gained in total offense 435-361. Adams scored the go-ahead points for Eastern with a 9-yard run with 8:13 left in the game. Redshirt freshman safety Jordan Tonani had seven tackles, an interception and a pass broken up.
 
* In 2007, Eastern had 478 yards of offense and two interceptions on defense that led to second-half touchdowns to defeat UC Davis 41-31 on Sept. 15. The two teams combined for nearly 1,000 yards of offense as UC Davis finished with 517. However, a third-quarter interception by sophomore Kevin Hatch and a fourth-quarter interception by freshman redshirt Lonnie Hosley turned out to be the biggest plays of the game for the Eagles. Eastern trailed early 14-6, but roared back behind three rushing touchdowns by junior Dale Morris. Morris had 85 yards rushing on 17 carries, and Alexis Alexander added 122 yards and a touchdown, also on 17 carries. Eastern also had a good day through the air as sophomore quarterback Matt Nichols completed 25-of-42 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns. Fellow sophomores Aaron Boyce (9-107), Brynsen Brown (7-82) and Tony Davis (5-35) combined for 21 receptions for 224 yards.
 
* In the 2005 meeting, Eastern scored four-straight times in the first half and went on to defeat UC-Davis 24-7. Eastern quarterback Erik Meyer, who would go on to win the Payton Award, left the game for good late in the second quarter after completing 11-of-19 passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns. Plus, he had a 67-yard run on his only carry of the game that set-up an Eagle score. All-America wide receiver Eric Kimble also left the game before halftime after finishing with five catches for 61 yards and a touchdown. Eastern punted on its first possession, then scored touchdowns on drives of 45, 80 and 78 yards. UC Davis scored its only touchdown on a 50-yard interception return by Nolan De Graff in the third quarter. Eastern finished with 329 yards of total offense, while UC Davis finished with 308.
 
 
 

Recent Game Recap

 
The fourth-ranked Eagles opened a 19-7 lead in the first half and leads of 36-21 and 50-28 in the second half to defeat Big Sky Conference favorite and No. 26 Northern Arizona 50-35 Sept. 24 at the Walkup Skydome in Flagstaff, Ariz. The victory snapped a two-game losing streak against the Lumberjacks, who at one point in 2015 had handed the Eagles their only two losses in a 24-game span. Because EWU didn't play NAU in 2012 and 2013, it was the first Eagle win over the Lumberjacks since 2011. Even more importantly, the Eagles had three interceptions to win the turnover battle 3-0 against a team that had no interceptions and just one fumble lost entering the game. The win avenged a heartbreaking 28-27 loss to the Lumberjacks the last time they met in Flagstaff. Sophomore quarterback Gage Gubrud had 487 yards of total offense – his third game of the season with at least that many and the eighth-most in school history – and directed the Eagles on touchdown drives of 64, 62, 50, 70, 72, 76 and 43 yards. He passed for 392 yards and two scores, and rushed for another 95 yards and a TD. Senior Cooper Kupp returned after missing 1 1/2 games with a shoulder injury and caught 12 passes for 111 yards. It was his 25th performance of at least 100 receiving yards in 42 career games. Senior Shaq Hill caught five passes for 74 yards and had a 39-yard touchdown catch from Gubrud in the first quarter. Senior Kendrick Bourne had a key 40-yard reception late in the second quarter – the sixth play of his career at least that long – and finished with six catches for 100 yards. It was his eighth 100-yard career game, and third in a row. Defensively, senior safety Zach Bruce had a key first-half interception he returned 50 yards to set up an Eagle touchdown and early 19-7 lead. He finished with a team-high 14 tackles, equaling his career high. Senior Miquiyah Zamora had 10 tackles – his seventh performance in double figures in his career. Sophomore Alek Kacmarcik, who missed two games with a concussion, had seven. Albert Havili finished with eight stops and Samson Ebukam and Ketner Kupp each had seven. The Eagles finished with 540 yards of offense to 491 for NAU. Eastern had 392 through the air and 148 on the ground, compared to 322 and 169 for the Lumberjacks, respectively. Entering the game, the two teams combined to average 649 passing yards per game, 1,033 yards of total offense and 76 points. The first half alone featured five lead changes, with EWU's Roldan Alcobendas kicking a 43-yard field goal to give EWU a 22-21 advantage at intermission. That came after a career-best 55-yard kickoff return by Nsimba Webster. Eastern then scored the first 14 points of the second half on drives of 70 and 72 yards to open a 36-21 advantage. Ahead just 36-28, Eastern's defense had a key third down stop late in the third quarter to force a Lumberjack punt. Eastern then faced a third-and-long of its own, but Gubrud completed a 40-yard pass to Bourne that led to a 10-play, 76-yard drive to give EWU a 43-28 lead with 14:20 to play. A total of 57 of the 60 players EWU traveled with to NAU played. In the first quarter alone, 53 saw action.
 
 
 

Injury Report

 
* Eastern had three injured players return to action versus NAU, but EWU played without senior starting center Jerrod Jones (knee), cornerback Victor Gamboa (concussion) and offensive lineman Will Gram (concussion), while defensive end Keenan Williams (ankle) missed his second-straight game. As a result of the injury to Jones against Northern Iowa, sophomore Spencer Blackburn made the first start of his career at center against Northern Arizona on Sept. 24, and true freshman D.J. Dyer saw his first action as an Eagle that game as a backup center. Also making his starting debut was Jayce Gilder as a second tight end to start the game.
 
* Injured players returning to action versus NAU included a trio of starters -- wide receiver Cooper Kupp (shoulder), nose tackle Matthew Sommer (knee) and linebacker Alek Kacmarcik (concussion). Kupp missed 1 1/2 games, Kacmarcik missed two and Sommer saw his first action of the season versus NAU. As a result of the injury to Kupp versus North Dakota State, sophomore Stu Stiles made the first start of his career versus UNI, as did rover J.J. Njoku, who was replacing Cole Karstetter, out for the season with a ruptured Achilles.
 
* Against North Dakota State on Sept. 10 Eastern played without its two starting linebackers, senior Miquiyah Zamora (hamstring) and Kacmarcik, and nose guard Matthew Sommer (knee) missed his second-straight game. Against NDSU, Kupp and sophomore rover Cole Karstetter (ruptured Achilles) were lost in the second half with injuries, as was starting offensive guard Chris Schlichting (shoulder). Karstetter, a 2014 graduate of Spokane's Ferris High School, was lost for the season and underwent surgery after making the fifth start of his career against the Bison. Schlichting returned to start versus Northern Iowa.
 
* Previously, defensive end Nick Foerstel (knee) is out for the year because of an injury suffered the first week of spring practices, and defensive end Conner Baumann (foot) is still recovering from an injury he suffered in the spring.
 
 
 

Quoting Beau Baldwin

 
On UC Davis: "They are very stout up front as a defense – their defensive line and linebacker group do a great job. UC Davis will give us a lot of challenging looks up front and you can't get a bead on exactly what they are going to do. And they have very good players, so they're solid defensively. Offensively, they are continuing to do what coach (Ron) Gould has built and established. But to me, they've become more of a threat to come from behind by throwing the ball and spreading you out. They are more dynamic than they ever have been at wide receiver in my opinion. Even when they are down like they were to Weber, they can come back on you. It's never over and they are explosive. It will be a challenge."
 
On Involvement with the Community Cancer Fund: "It's huge to be a part of fighting cancer and you want to be a part of it. But when it's local through the Community Cancer Fund and includes people and the fight against cancer in the greater Spokane area, it just makes it that much more special to be a part of. I just appreciate all the hard work that is being done. We're just a small part, but we're happy to be involved in any way we can help."
 
On Hall of Fame Induction of Former Eagle Michael Roos: "I'm obviously excited to see him inducted into the Hall of Fame this weekend. He needed to go in as soon as possible for what he has done for Eastern Washington University. And it's not just because of what he did in giving back to Eastern, but it's for what he did as a player here and at Tennessee, and even more so for just the kind of person he is. He gave back a half-million dollars to this university, and he did it kind of earlier in his career too. Football never lasts and he committed to that early. Without it, I'm not sure where we would be. Since 2010 we've had lots of success on the field, and have been able to practice there late in the year instead of going out back where we don't have lights and the field gets torn up because it is grass. And we recruit to the red turf at the Inferno. But forget all of that – more importantly he comes back to support us. Even while he was playing, he would be back at least one game a year. He would take his bye week during a busy NFL season and what does he do?  . . . he comes back to come to an Eastern game. His wife Kat, his family and his circle of friends are unique in an incredible way."
 
On Opening Difficult Schedule 3-1: "You play tough opponents and in tough environments to help you during the season. Sometimes you worry if you are going to be emotionally and physically out of gas early in the year, and can be concerned about not getting players reps from a substitute standpoint. But if you can come out of a schedule like this relatively healthy, it's a benefit. I love the challenge of it and our players love having those opportunities. If you don't put yourself in those situations, you never have those opportunities to do special things at Washington State, the Fargodome or at Northern Arizona."
 
On NAU Victory: "From start to finish, we played a lot of great football. They (NAU) are a great team, so we knew it was going to be a battle and it was going to be close. This is a hard place to win. For our players to find that wind and that guts in the second half to win games, that's because of our work ethic in the off-season. It's a mental and physical approach, and our players really got after it. Especially in the second half, we were playing great team football."
 
On Playing 53 Players of 60 on Trip in First Quarter (57 total): "We want to see all the players who made the trip to see action. That's why we've built this depth, and we trust all these players. It will pay dividends down the road. Not just with them getting reps and us getting better, but also taking reps off starters during a long season. And an 11-game season is a long season, and if you are fortunate to earn more, it keeps extending. You have to have a lot of players in that locker room who are ready to go. Our coaches did a really good job of mixing those players in early."
 
On Cooper Kupp & Gage Gubrud: "It's always nice having No. 10 out there – there is no doubt about it. And Gage has still only had four starts, and he's played three road games and one home game against the No. 10 team in the country. He is going to go through some pains, but I like how he's progressing and I like where he is."
 
On Defense: "The defense got some stops against a great offense at Northern Arizona. They have a great quarterback, and I hate to see a player get injured like he did. I wish the best for Case and his return. They have great skill guys and do a good job up front. So it was great for our defense to win the turnover battle, because they don't turn the ball over very much. To win the turnover battle was a big goal for us and our guys went and got it."
 
On Narrow Loss at North Dakota State: "I'm just proud of our players, and I'm not caught up in the end result with how I feel about how these guys came in here and battled. It was a game either team could have won and came down to the wire. Give them credit, they found a way to win. From a broad perspective in how we competed, our attitude and our effort, I loved how it felt the entire game. I know we got down 10, but we never rolled over. We kept fighting and threw punches on both sides of the ball. We got some key stops late and made some big plays to score some key points."
 
On Five New Starters on Offensive Line Versus WSU: "Based on offensive numbers and what people saw, I thought they answered a lot of questions. It's especially tough on an offensive line on the road when it's tougher to hear and you have to go with silent counts. They did their work humbly and they were hungry. They respected the crew that was here last year, but they want to start something and grow together as an offense line. They are going to have to continue to grow because there are going to be plenty of mistakes to correct. Whether we won that game by three or lost that game by seven, all the plays you study are all the same. Sometimes we get caught up with end result, but sometimes he comes down to one play here or there in the result. Yet the other 100-plus plays have to be evaluated. But I really believe, like I said about Gage, they didn't come in worried or nervous. They had the mindset that we belong, and they took that approach and attitude."
 
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 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 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."
 
 
 

Career Starts by Returning Players

 
Defense (209 starts by 21 players): Miquiyah Zamora 36, Samson Ebukam 28, Matthew Sommer 24, Victor Gamboa 21, Zach Bruce 14, Nzuzi Webster 14, Andre Lino 12, Mitch Fettig 12, Keenan Williams 9, Jay-Tee Tiuli 6, Albert Havili 6, Cole Karstetter 5, Jake Hoffman 5, Alek Kacmarcik 4, Josh Lewis 4, Ketner Kupp 2, J.J. Njoku 2, Kurt Calhoun 1, D'londo Tucker 1, Jonah Jordan 1, Conner Baumann 2 (one as a fullback).
 
Offense (167 starts by 21 players): Cooper Kupp 42, Kendrick Bourne 23, Zach Wimberly 17, Shaq Hill 15, Jordan West 13, Jabari Wilson 12, Nick Ellison 8, Nic Sblendorio 5, Jerrod Jones 5, Gage Gubrud 4, Tristen Taylor 4, Chris Schlichting 4, Matt Meyer 4, Terence Grady 2, Reilly Hennessey 2, Stu Stiles 1, Antoine Custer Jr. 2, Jayce Gilder 1, Spencer Blackburn 1, Nsimba Webster 1, Kaleb Levao 1 (as defensive lineman).