­­­­#6 Ranked Eastern Washington Univ. "Eagles" versus Cal Poly "Mustangs"  Saturday, September 22 • 1:05 p.m. Pacific Roos Field (8,600) • Cheney, Wash.
TV:	Regionally on SWX
Webcast:	WatchBigSky.com and PlutoTV Channel 234
Radio:	700-AM ESPN and 105.3-FM in the Spokane/Cheney area, as well as KTEL 1490-AM & 99.7-FM in Walla Walla.  Larry Weir returns for his 28th season calling the play-by-play, with analysis handled by Paul Sorensen for the 16th year. Broadcasts begin one hour prior to kickoff and include an expanded post-game show.
Internet Radio:	https://tunein.com/radio/Eastern-Washington-Eagles-Sports-Network-s273711/
Radio Mobile Phone App:	Via tunein radio.
Live Stats:	http://ewustats.com
Weekly Coaches Show:	Mondays through Oct. 1 at David's Pizza in downtown Spokane (Northern Quest Resort & Casino starting Oct. 8). Shows are at 6 p.m. via 700-AM ESPN, 105.3-FM & tunein radio, with video highlights and commentary by head coach Aaron Best at 5:30 p.m.
Watch Parties:	Consult EWU social media outlets for details the Friday before games. Those who may carry EWU games include "Epic" at Northern Quest in Airway Heights, and Borracho, David's Pizza and the Swinging Doors in Spokane.

If the Eastern Washington University football team is going to "Leave No Doubt" this season, it all starts this Saturday (Sept. 22) at Roos Field.
 
In a 180-degree turn from what the Eagles faced last week, the sixth-ranked Eagles host Cal Poly in the Big Sky Conference opener for both schools at 1:05 p.m. at "The Inferno" on Hall of Fame Day and Believe Day for Cancer Awareness at EWU.
 
The game will be televised live regionally on SWX. Fans can also listen to the game on 700-AM ESPN, 105.3-FM, via the web at tunein.com and via mobile phone app, with pre-game coverage starting one hour prior to kickoff.
 
After allowing 524 passing yards to Washington State in a 59-24 loss to the Pac-12 Conference foe last Saturday, Eastern now plays the option attack of Cal Poly. The Mustangs rolled up 420 rushing yards in a 44-15 victory over Brown from the Ivy League last Friday. By percentages, the "Air Raid" offense of Washington State had 93 percent of its 565 yards of total offense through the air against EWU, while Cal Poly had 84 percent of its 499 yards of offense on the ground versus Brown.
 
"Every game you can learn from," said head coach Aaron Best after his team dropped to 2-1 with the setback at WSU. "We have to tighten the screws, but it's a different type of football team we're going to play this week – it's the exact opposite of Washington State. It's certainly a 180-degree turn, so we'll have to get the bad taste from the WSU game washed out of our mouths right away."
 
Cal Poly picked up its first win in three tries this season in the 29-point victory over Brown, in which running back Joe Protheroe rushed for 228 yards and three touchdowns. The Mustangs were 1-10 a year ago and 1-7 in the league, and this year opened with a 49-3 road loss at North Dakota State and a 24-17 home setback to Weber State – both nationally-ranked and playoff teams from a year ago.
 
The Eagles have been impressive – if not dominant – in the league in the last 11 years, winning 80 percent of their games (70-18) and five titles. In that span, Eastern has had no league finish below 5-3 and five of them have included 7-1 or 8-0 records.
 
Eastern is 7-2 all-time versus Cal Poly – 4-0 at home -- with a five-game winning streak in the series. The Eagles have won 46 of their last 54 Big Sky games since a 0-2 start in 2011 (85 percent). Including four non-conference victories (one versus Cal Poly) and a playoff win, the Eagles are 51-8 (86 percent) since the 0-2 start in 2011.
 
However, the Mustangs have an option attack not seen by the Eagle defense on a regular basis, and that has given EWU fits in the past. In fact, the last time the two teams met in Cheney in 2015, the Eagles needed overtime and a failed 2-point conversion by Cal Poly to prevail 42-41 in a game in which Eastern trailed by 15 in the fourth quarter. Cal Poly had 503 rushing yards in that game, including 121 on 30 carries by Protheroe. A year later in San Luis Obispo in a 42-21 Eastern victory, he had 116 of the team's 372 yards rushing as a team.
 
The Eagles are ranked third in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision with an average of 542.0 yards per game – 300.7 passing and 241.3 rushing. But the Mustangs counter with the 24th-best rushing offense in FCS, averaging 230.0 per game. Protheroe is 19th in rushing, averaging 115.0 per game. The Cal Poly defense is also formidable, allowing just 165.7 passing yards per game to rank 21st in FCS, while ranking 15th in team passing efficiency defense (100.05) and 55th in scoring defense (29.3).
 
Eastern won its first two games by a combined 50 points – 58-13 over Central Washington and 31-26 one week later at Northern Arizona. While Eastern was picked by both the coaches and media to win the league title, Cal Poly was picked to finish 10th and 11th, respectively.
 
Despite the loss to Washington State, the Eagles pretty much held steady in this week's FCS polls. Eastern dropped one spot to sixth in the American Football Coaches Association Top 25 poll and remains sixth in the STATS poll of sportswriters, broadcasters and sports information directors. Washington State, now 3-0, received 35 votes this week in the Coaches Poll to rank 32nd in FBS, plus received two votes in the Associated Press poll.
 
Now 2-1 in 2018, Eastern closed the 2017 season with a 7-4 record overall and was 6-2 in the Big Sky Conference in the first season under head coach Aaron Best. Last season was the 11th-straight season the Eagles have finished 5-3 or better in the Big Sky, with an 11th-straight winning season and 20th in the last 22 years. But winning a 10th Big Sky title and making a 13th appearance in the FCS Playoffs is the quest for the 2018 Eagles, who are hungry to make that happen.
 
 
Links to EWU Football Information
 
A complete Season Outlook of Eagle Football: http://goeags.com/news/2018/8/2/football-season-outlook-eastern-working-out-kinks-after-base-built-in-2017.aspx?path=football
A .pdf version of the 2018 EWU Football Fact Book & Archives: http://goeags.com/sports/2016/1/8/FB_Other%20Links-Archives.aspx
More Information on the Eastern Football Team: http://goeags.com/index.aspx?path=football
 
 
 
 

Game Notes

 
Big Numbers When Eagles-Mustangs Meet
 
Eastern has won all five meetings since 2011 against the Mustangs, including all four Big Sky Conference match-ups since Cal Poly joined the league in 2012. In the past five meetings, Eastern has averaged 41.2 points compared to 30.4 points for the Mustangs, however, those combined 71.6 points per game only scratches the surface.
 
The Mustangs have averaged 371.6 rushing yards in those five meetings, representing 80 percent of the team's average total offense of 465.2 per game. Eastern, however, has come out victorious in all five thanks to an offense that has generated an average of 491.4 yards of offense per game.
 
 
Eastern Picked by Both Coaches and Media to Win Title
 
The Eagles are hoping a return to No. 1 in the preseason polls means a return to No. 1 in November and beyond. Eastern was picked to win the 2018 league title by both the coaches and media as the picks were released July 16 at the Big Sky Conference Football Kickoff in Spokane.
 
It's the first time since 2014 the Eagles have been picked No. 1 in both, and in 2015 EWU was selected first by the media. In 2016 the Eagles were fourth by the coaches and third by the media, and last year Eastern was second in both. In 2013, EWU was second in both as well.
 
Since winning the league and NCAA Division I titles in 2010, Eastern has won Big Sky championships in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016. With 28 seniors and 17 starters returning, plus the team's starting kicker and long snapper, the Eagles are poised to return to the top slot again.
 
The Eagles received six first-place votes and 134 total points by the media, and had 27 first-place tallies and 651 total votes by the coaches. Weber State was second in both polls, receiving a trio of No. 1 votes and 124 overall by the coaches, and the media giving the Wildcats 19 first-place votes and 636 points overall.
 
A year ago, Eastern finished 7-4 overall and 6-2 in the league under first-year head coach Aaron Best, but the Eagles were passed over for the FCS Playoffs. Co-champion Weber State went on to advance to the semifinals of the playoffs, while NAU bowed out in the first round. Southern Utah, which was picked sixth by the coaches and fifth by the media in this year's poll, was also the co-champion last season and received a first-round bye before falling to WSU in the quarterfinals.
 
 
Eagles Now 45-10 on The Red Turf, Including 35-6 in the Regular Season
 
After winning its opener in 2018, Eastern is now 45-10 overall at Roos Field since 2010. Eastern has lost just six regular season games at "The Inferno" – 35-6 (85.4 percent), plus are 10-4 in playoff games. The only regular season losses at home for EWU since then are to conference foes Montana State (2011), Portland State (2011 and 2015) and Northern Arizona (2015), as well as North Dakota State and Weber State (2017).
 
The stadium has been known as "Roos Field" since 2010 when a new red synthetic Sprinturf surface made its debut. Eastern finished a perfect 8-0 in its debut season at "The Inferno," including three playoff victories. Eastern has won 81.8 percent of its games since the red turf was installed in 2010 – including a 4-0 record versus rival Montana.
 
The North Dakota State game on Sept. 9, 2017, was the 50th at Roos Field since the red turf surface was installed in 2010. In 2016, Eastern finished 7-1 in the 50th season of football at EWU's current stadium location, which opened in 1967. Eastern has a 158-65 record (70.9 percent) in 223 games at Roos Field (formerly Woodward Field) since 1967, with the Eagles utilizing Joe Albi Stadium in Spokane as the school's main home field from 1983-89.
 
 
Eagles Remain Ranked Sixth by STATS and Drop One Spot to Sixth by Coaches
 
Eastern will enter this week's game ranked sixth in the both the STATS poll of sportswriters, broadcasters and sports information directors and the American Football Coaches Association Top 25 poll for NCAA Football Championship Subdivision teams. Despite losing 59-24 at Washington State, Eastern fell just one spot in the AFCA poll and remained sixth by STATS. Also ranked nationally from the Big Sky Conference are Weber State (7 STATS/8 AFCA), Montana (19/20), UC Davis (21/25) and North Dakota (22/NR). Eastern pulled out a 31-26 victory on Sept. 8 at Northern Arizona, which at the time was ranked 18th by STATS and 20th by the AFCA.
 
If the preseason polls are any indication, EWU and Weber State are on a collision course toward a Big Sky Conference title showdown in Ogden, Utah. Eastern and Weber State meet on Oct. 13, and that game has been picked by STATS as the most important Big Sky game of the season on its list of Pivotal FCS Conference Games in 2018.  The Eagles were seventh and the Wildcats were eighth in the AFCA poll, and WSU was one slot better than EWU in the STATS preseason poll (8th/9th). Eastern is picked to win the Big Sky Conference title by the league's head coaches and media, and Weber State was EWU's only 2018 opponent ranked in the top 25 in the AFCA poll 
 
Previously, Eastern ranked as high as fourth nationally in rankings released by a trio of preseason publications. Hero Sports pegged the Eagles as the No. 4 team in FCS, ranking behind defending champion NDSU, JMU and Kennesaw State. Eastern was sixth in the Athlon Sports rankings, and is the top-ranked Big Sky team in both polls. Eastern was 14th in the Street & Smith's top 25.
 
 
Eagles Have Averaged Nearly 250 Yards on the Ground in Last Five Games
 
With senior Sam McPherson and a veteran offensive line leading the way, the Eagles have had a 100-yard rusher in four of their last five games dating back to 2017, and have averaged 249.8 yards with eight total touchdowns in those five games.
 
The Eagles had a respectable 141 versus Washington State on Sept. 15, with McPherson finishing with 65 and Tamarick Pierce adding 67 on just six carries. Eastern had 248 against Northern Arizona on Sept. 8, including 161 on 22 carries by McPherson and 80 yards by quarterback Gage Gubrud. One game earlier against Central Washington, McPherson had 185 yards on just 15 carries and Dennis Merritt added 75 as the Eagles finished with 328 as a team. It was the most rushing yards EWU has had in its last 147 games dating back to a 331-yard performance in a 47-22 win over Idaho State on Sept. 25, 2004.
 
"When you start getting rushing yards like that, it's not just first and second level blocking, but it's third level blocking," explained head coach Aaron Best. "Receivers don't just catch balls here, they block downfield too. If we can be as balanced as we were against Central, we can continue to be a successful offensive unit."
 
Eastern finished with 677 yards of offense (349 passing) against Central and had 570 versus NAU (322 passing). Last year, Eastern ended the season with 728 yards against Portland State (440 passing/228 rushing) and one game before that had 376 against North Dakota (132 passing/244 rushing). McPherson had 118 yards on eight carries on just one half of action against UND, with Antoine Custer Jr. contributing another 70 on 19 carries. Custer, who has yet to play in 2018, had 177 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries against PSU to end the season.
 
Eastern's offensive line boasts a starting five with 103 starts between them, including 28 each by Tristen Taylor and Chris Schlichting; 25 by Spencer Blackburn; 15 by Jack Hunter and 7 by Kaleb Levao.
 
 
Sixth-Year Senior Roldan Alcobendas on Verge of Career Kick Scoring Record
 
Sixth-year senior kicker Roldan Alcobendas is nearing the school record for career kick scoring record after entering the year as one of 34 placekickers nationwide to be named to the watch list for the 2018 Fred Mitchell Award. The recipient of the Fred Mitchell Award will be chosen at the end of the year based on excellence on the football field and in the community.
 
In his 32-game career, Alcobendas has scored 224 points to rank third in school history in points kicking. He is only seven points from No. 2 (Troy Griggs, 231, 1998-01) and 12 from the record (Mike Jarrett, 236, 2008-11). He has also established EWU career records for extra points made (155) and attempted (161), breaking the previous records held by Mike Jarrett (2009-11) with 143 makes and 150 attempts. Alcobendas has made 23-of-34 field goals in his career to rank seventh in school history for both field goal attempts and made. In his career, he has 107 kickoffs for a 57.4 average (6,143 total yards) with 17 touchbacks.
 
Thus far in 2018, Alcobendas is 3-of-3 kicking field goals (one of 23 players in FCS to be perfect on the season) and has converted on 14-of-15 extra points to currently have 23 points on the season. He made a 47-yard field goal versus Central Washington and then had a 40-yarder at Northern Arizona. He made a 37-yarder against Washington State, but later had a 44-yarder wiped out because of a holding penalty and the Eagles punted instead. He is also EWU's punter this season, and after a puntless opener he had a 45.6 average on five punts with a long of 60 versus the Lumberjacks. He followed that by punting four times for a 42.2 average versus WSU, giving him a 44.1 average on nine punts for the season. His average ranks third in the league, and he would rank 13th in FCS if he had enough punts to qualify (he would need 11).
 
 As a bonus for his past suffering, the 2013 graduate of Camas (Wash.) High School received a sixth year to complete four years of eligibility because of injuries that cost him a pair of seasons. Alcobendas had to sit out both the 2013 and 2015 seasons because of knee injuries. He finished the 2016 season 9-of-15 kicking field goals and made 73-of-74 extra points. He made his last 63 extra points in a row in 2016 to shatter the previous season record of 47. His 73 total extra points made in 2016 were one behind the Big Sky Conference record of 74 set by former Eagle Kevin Miller in 2013. He also averaged 54.6 yards on 44 kickoffs with seven touchbacks.
 
He missed his first extra point attempt of the game against UC Davis on Oct. 7, 2017, ending his school-record string of consecutive career extra points made at 85. In the 2017 season, he made 46-of-47 extra point attempts and 10-of-14 field goals. He also handled kickoff duties much of the season, and averaged 59.8 yards on 39 kicks in 2017 with seven touchbacks.
 
Returning to the venue he suffered a season-ending knee injury in 2014, Alcobendas made field goals of 48 and 31 yards and had a career-high 11 total points in EWU's 41-17 victory over Montana State in 2016 to earn Big Sky Conference Special Teams Player of the Week honors. His 48-yarder was the best of his career, and equals the 23rd-longest in school history. He also had a 31-yarder blocked and made all five of his extra point attempts to account for 11 of EWU's points. In addition, he averaged 64.0 yards in three kickoffs, including one touchback.
 
 
Fast Starts Yield Two Wins
 
Eastern's first two wins of the season were highlighted by fast starts against both Northern Arizona and Central Washington in leading from start to finish.
 
Against NAU on Sept. 8, EWU scored two touchdowns just 4:45 into the game on only nine plays. Eastern's defense opened the game with a three-and-out, then the Eagles scored on a four-play, 53-yard drive capped by a 4-yard touchdown pass from Gage Gubrud to Jayce Gilder. After an interception by D'londo Tucker, EWU scored again on a five-play, 82-yard drive that included a 62-yard TD from Gubrud to Nsimba Webster.
 
One game earlier versus Central Washington, Eastern needed just 12 offensive plays to take a 20-0 lead just 10:49 into the contest. The Eagles out-gained CWU 187-50 in those 12 plays (15.6 per play) as Gubrud completed nine of his first 10 passes for 172 yards and a pair of scores. After scoring on the first offensive play of the game (following a 20-yard return by Calin Criner off a short kickoff), Eastern scored the next two times it had the ball as well.
 
 
Eagle Now Third in FCS in Total Offense
 
A week after leading the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision in total offense, Eastern has slipped to third with an average of 542.0 yards per game. The Eagles are 16th in passing (300.7) and 20th in rushing (241.3), leading to an average of 37.7 points per game to rank 15th. The Eagles are also ninth in third down conversions (50.0 percent), while allowing only three sacks to rank 21st nationally.
 
Individually, Eastern's Gage Gubrud leads FCS with 12 passing touchdowns and 72 total points accounted for, and is sixth in total offense (325.0), 10th in passing efficiency (173.2) and 12th in passing (296.7). Receiver Nsimba Webster is seventh in receiving yards (144.7 per game), 27th in catches (6.3 per game) and seventh in TD receptions (four). Running back Sam McPherson is 12th in rushing (139.3) and punt returner Zach Eagle is 23rd (8.6 per return), helping EWU rank 41st as a team (10.6).
 
 
Eastern Has 35 Players With Combined 430 Career Starts
 
Eastern's experience is not questioned, with 35 total players with a total of 430 games of starting experience – 215 on both sides of the ball. Thus far in 2018, Eastern has had one new starter on each side of the ball – Jim Townsend at defensive end and Andrew Boston at wide receiver, with both making their starting debuts versus Central Washington in EWU's opener. Senior Nick Foerstel made his first start at Washington State at defensive end.
 
The Eagles entered the season with 32 total players returning with a total of 364 games of starting experience (182 on each side), including 15 on defense and 17 on offense. Of the players lost from the 2017 team, four had at least 20 starts. They collectively had 128 starts, including 98 on defense and 26 on offense.
 
Current Starts on Defense (215 starts by 17 players): Mitch Fettig 36, Nzuzi Webster 26, Josh Lewis 24, Keenan Williams 21, Cole Karstetter 17, Ketner Kupp 16, Jay-Tee Tiuli 14, Kurt Calhoun 14, Dylan Ledbetter 11, D'londo Tucker 11, Jonah Jordan 7, Tysen Prunty 7, Jack Sendelbach 4, Jim Townsend 3, Conner Baumann 2 (including 1 as a fullback), Nick Foerstel 1, Anfernee Gurley 1.
 
Current Starts on Offense (215 starts by 18 players): Tristen Taylor 28, Chris Schlichting 28, Gage Gubrud 26, Spencer Blackburn 25, Matt Meyer 16, Antoine Custer Jr. 16, Nsimba Webster 15, Jack Hunter 15, Zach Eagle 11, Jayce Gilder 6, Terence Grady 7, Kaleb Levao 7 (including 1 as defensive lineman), Jayson Williams 3, Henderson Belk 3, Sam McPherson 4, Andrew Boston 3, Johnny Edwards IV 1, Eric Barriere 1.
 
 
Four Eagles Make NFL Rosters, Two as Starters With Rams
 
Four former Eagles were in uniform when the NFL regular season began in September, including a pair of starters with the Los Angeles Rams.
 
Cooper Kupp is a starting receiver for the Rams after bursting onto the scene last year with 62 catches for 869 yards and five touchdowns to earn All-Rookie honors by the Pro Football Writers Association. Ebukam is a starter at outside linebacker after finishing with 31 tackles, a pair of sacks and a forced fumble in 16 games (two as a starter).
 
Kendrick Bourne, also a rookie last year, is a backup wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers and had his first regular season touchdown in the NFL on Sept. 16, 2018. He had 16 receptions for 257 yards as a rookie, all coming in the last eight games of the season. Veteran running back Taiwan Jones remains on the Buffalo Bills roster as he enters his eighth season in the NFL.
 
Aaron Neary had spent his rookie season with the Rams, even starting once at center in the regular season, but was cut at the end of training camp in 2018. He was then with the Cleveland Browns for less than a week until being released before the team's regular season opener, then was picked back up by the Rams for their practice squad.
 
Veteran Jake Rodgers, who last played for EWU in 2014, was released by the Pittsburgh Steelers, and rookie Albert Havili was released by the Bills after starting the preseason with the San Diego Chargers.
 
With Kupp, Ebukam, Bourne and Neary, Eastern had four rookies play in the regular season in the NFL in 2017 – certainly extremely rare if not unprecedented by a FCS school. As NFL 53-man rosters were announced, STATS reported there were 157 players from 71 different FCS schools on regular season rosters, but Eastern is the only Big Sky school with more than two. Eastern has the sixth-most in FCS, trailing only Harvard (8), North Dakota State (6), James Madison (6), Illinois State (6) and Delaware (6).
 
Eastern also has five Eagles active in the Canadian Football League, including quarterbacks Bo Levi Mitchell (Calgary), Matt Nichols (Winnipeg) and Vernon Adams Jr. (Montreal). Linebacker J.C. Sherritt (Edmonton) and T.J. Lee III (British Columbia) are also active in the league, but released in 2018 were Victor Gamboa (Ottawa), Shaq Hill (Edmonton), Cassidy Curtis (British Columbia) and Tevin McDonald (British Columbia).
 
 
Hall of Fame Class Includes Football Players Rick Worman and Jeff Ogden
 
Featuring former football players Rick Worman and Jeff Ogden, the 18th class of the Eastern Washington University Athletics Hall of Fame will be inducted on Sept. 22, as six former Eastern greats and the 1998 and 1998 EWU volleyball teams will be honored that day at Reese Court in Cheney, Wash.
 
The class of inductees will be recognized at the breakfast ceremony at 8 a.m. on Sept. 22 at Reese Court in Cheney, and the public is invited to attend at a cost of $20 per person. Guests may register via a link that is available at http://goeags.com/HOF. Inductees will also be honored at halftime of EWU's football game against Cal Poly later that day (kickoff is 1:05 p.m.).
 
Those to be enshrined include football players Rick Worman and Jeff Ogden, men's basketball player Alvin Snow, volleyball player Kim Maxwell-Dempsey and track and field standout Kurt Kraemer as individual members of this year's class of inductees. The 1998 and 1999 volleyball teams Maxwell-Dempsey played on will also be inducted, and former Eastern basketball player and long-time collegiate coach/administrator Richard Hannan will receive the Hall of Fame Service and Contribution Award.
 
Established in 1996, the Hall of Fame will consist of 88 individuals and 17 teams after the addition of the 2018 class. In addition, there will be 20 individuals and one organization honored as 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.
 
A transfer from Fresno State, Worman played in 1984 and 1985 for the Eagles, and helped the team to 16 victories in two seasons. As a senior, he led EWU to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Football Championship Playoffs (then I-AA), beating Idaho 42-38 in the first round. He set 10 school records, including the record for single season passing yards (2,842) which stood for 16 years. Worman went on to play and coach in the Canadian Football League.
 
Ogden was a pole vaulter in junior college before walking on to the Eagle program. He developed into a I-AA All-America selection and first team Academic All-American in 1997. He caught 57 passes in 1997 for school records at the time of 1,148 yards and 13 touchdowns as Eastern finished with a 12-2 record, won the outright Big Sky Conference title and advanced to the I-AA "Final Four." He closed his career with 84 receptions for 1,632 yards, 13 touchdowns and an average of 19.4 yards per reception, which stood as a school record for two years. He went on to play five years in the NFL starting with the Dallas Cowboys where he made the team as a rookie wide receiver/return specialist in 1998 as a non-drafted free agent.
 
Bringing an incredible competitive fire and drive with him from Franklin High School in Seattle, Wash., Snow was Eastern's first basketball All-American at the NCAA Division I level – and the school's first Big Sky Conference MVP in the sport. He helped Eastern win 69 games with a NIT appearance in 2003 followed by the school's first Big Sky Conference Tournament title and NCAA Tournament berth in 2004. He had 1,396 points, 212 steals and 318 assists in 118 games as an Eagle and was one of just 17 players in league history (now 20) to win first team All-Big Sky honors three seasons. He was the league's MVP in 2004 when he earned honorable mention All-America honors, and was also the league's 2002 Defensive Player of the Year. He played professionally for more than 10 years, and he works in Seattle is a player representative for Worldwide Sports Management.
 
Kraemer was a four-time Big Sky Conference Champion while competing from 1999-2003 for the Eagles. His career culminated in All-America honors in the triple jump in 2003 to become just the second EWU track and field athlete to accomplish that feat in the school's NCAA Division I history. Just prior to that, he was the "'Field" Athlete of the Meet at the Big Sky Conference Championships when he recorded titles in the triple jump and long jump, and was fourth in the high jump. His top career mark in the triple jump was 53-5 1/2 indoors, which still ranks third all-time in league history and is a school record. His career best indoors in the long jump (24-7 1/4) also still stands as a school record. In all, Kraemer had 19 top-six finishes at Big Sky competitions, including 11 times in the top three to earn All-Big Sky honors (seven indoors, four outdoors). He scored 71 points indoors, which is still a school record and at the time ranked third in conference history. He was also honored seven times on Big Sky Conference All-Academic teams.
 
Formerly from Calgary, Alberta, Maxwell-Dempsey played for the Eagles from 1996-99 and capped her career by being honored as a first team All-Big Sky Conference selection and as a two-time member of the Academic All-District VIII team. She was EWU's recipient of the Big Sky Scholar-Athlete Award after finishing her career with 3,475 assists to rank in the top 15 in league history. Maxwell helped Eastern to a 72-20 record overall and 38-10 Big Sky Conference record, including a co-Big Sky title in 1997 and NCAA Tournament appearances in 1998 and 1999.
 
The 1998 team finished 24-6 and was led by the record-breaking exploits of two-time Big Sky Player of the Year Kim Exner. The Eagles were an impressive 10-1 in non-conference play and 13-3 in the Big Sky Conference standings to finish second. Eastern lost in the Big Sky title match, but still advanced to the NCAA Tournament where the Eagles fell 3-1 to Notre Dame. The Eagles started a streak of 29-straight home victories that season which didn't come to an end until the 2001 season.
 
In 1999, a hot stretch of 16 victories in a 17-match span and two wins after the conference tournament helped Eastern secure a second-straight at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles were 12-4 in the Big Sky Conference season, and finished the year 24-8 after it was swept by UCLA in the NCAA tourney.
 
Previously, Exner was inducted into the Eastern Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007 along with the team's head coach Pamela Parks. In 2014, multi-sport standout Janelle Ruen was inducted after starting her EWU volleyball career with the 1999 squad. Parks concluded her Eastern career as head coach in 1999, finishing with a 291-256 record in 18 seasons. Also inducted into the Inland Northwest Hall of Fame, Parks retired as an administrator in the EWU athletic department at the conclusion of the 2017-18 school year after 40 years at Eastern.
 
A native of Spokane and North Central High School, Hannan played for W.B. "Red" Reese at Eastern in 1960 and 1961 before receiving his bachelor's and master's degrees in 1963 and 1969, respectively. He went on to spend nearly 50 years as a collegiate coach and administrator, much of it in the Inland Northwest. His stops included Columbia Basin College, Lewis-Clark State, Weber State and Southwest Texas State, then concluded his career as commissioner of the Great Northwest Conference for more than 10 years. While at Lewis-Clark State in nearby Lewiston, Idaho, Hannan won 212 games in 15 seasons as basketball coach, including five seasons with 18 or more wins and a school-record 21 victories in 1985-86. As an administrator, he played a critical role in bringing the NAIA World Series to Lewiston and helped keep the championship baseball tournament there for eight-straight tournaments (1984-1991).
 
The Service and Contribution award was created in 2007 to recognize extraordinary achievements and contributions by individuals with a past association with the Eastern athletic department. This award, selected by the Eastern Athletics Hall of Fame Executive Committee, seeks to honor individuals who have contributed not only to EWU, but to other outside endeavors such as education, community service and coaching.
 
 
First Meeting with Vandals in Cheney Since 1994 is One of Eight League Matchups
 
The return of Idaho to the Big Sky Conference and a rare meeting with the Vandals in Cheney on Oct. 27 is among the highlights of EWU's league schedule in 2018.
 
The University of Idaho re-joined the Big Sky in football in 2018, and EWU will play the Vandals on Oct. 27, in the first meeting between the two schools since 2012 when Eastern won in Moscow 20-3. The last time the former league rivals met in a Big Sky game was in 1995 when the Vandals prevailed 37-10 and the last time they met in Cheney was 1994.
 
After finishing 5-3 in league play a year ago en route to an overall 7-4 finish, Eastern's eight Big Sky Conference foes this coming season combined for a 45-59 record overall and, including Idaho in the Sun Belt, were 34-48 in league play in 2017. Eastern will play back-to-back games in October versus the 2017 Big Sky co-champions, Southern Utah and Weber State, who were a collective 20-6 overall and 14-2 in the Big Sky.
 
Eastern opens league play Sept. 22 at home versus Cal Poly (1-10/1-7 Big Sky) on Hall of Fame Day at EWU. The Eagles then go on the road to play at Montana State (5-6/5-3) in Bozeman in a game televised live regionally by ROOT Sports. Eastern has won the last five meetings versus Cal Poly with a 7-2 all-time record, and are 31-10 all-time versus the Bobcats with a six-game winning streak.
 
The schedule gets significantly tougher when EWU hosts Southern Utah (9-3/7-1) on Oct. 6 on ROOT Sports and then travels to Ogden, Utah, to play FCS Playoffs semifinalist Weber State (11-3/7-1) on Oct. 13. The Eagles are 6-3 all-time versus the Thunderbirds, but lost 46-28 a year ago in Cedar City, Utah. Weber State defeated EWU the week after that 28-20 in Cheney, to snap EWU's five-game winning streak in the series. Eastern is 19-15 all-time versus the Wildcats.
 
After an open date in the schedule on Oct. 20, Eastern will once again be on ROOT Sports on Sept. 27 in the renewal of a regional rivalry. Idaho (4-8/3-5 Sun Belt) visits Cheney. Eastern hosted Idaho at Albi Stadium in Spokane six times (1999, 1997, 1990, 1988, 1986, 1984) with a pair of wins, and have played in Cheney just three times (1994, 1992, 1942) with no wins versus the Vandals. The Eagles trail in the all-time series 15-6, but have won three of the last five.
 
The Eagles close the regular season with two of their last three on the road – Nov. 3 at Northern Colorado (3-7/2-6) and Nov. 16 at Portland State (0-11/0-8) – sandwiched around Senior Day at home against UC Davis (5-6/3-5). The Eagles are 11-1 all-time versus the Bears with a 10-game winning streak, and are a perfect 6-0 versus UC Davis. Eastern is 19-20-1 against Portland State, but have won the last two, five of the last six and seven of the last nine versus the Vikings.
 
The Eagles actually played a ninth Big Sky foe when EWU started a home-and-home series with Northern Arizona on Sept. 8. Eastern won 31-26, and the return game will come two years later in Cheney, Wash., on Sept. 19, 2020. The two teams didn't play in 2017, and NAU finished 7-5 overall and 6-2 in the league.
 
Eastern now has a 21-12 all-time series lead against NAU, with Eastern winning 50-35 in Flagstaff on Sept. 24, 2016, in a meeting between the fourth-ranked Eagles and the 26th-ranked Lumberjacks. Eastern was also ranked fourth when the two teams met on Nov. 7, 2015, in Cheney, but EWU was defeated 52-30 to end its six-game winning streak. The last time EWU and NAU played in a non-conference game came in 1986 – the year before the Eagles joined the league.
 
Non-conference Big Sky matchups such as the Eagles versus Lumberjacks showdown can actually be used in a tiebreaker situation at the end of the year. The first tiebreaker, head-to-head competition, applies to not only league games, but non-conference games played between conference members. The second tiebreaker is record against common conference opponents, then record against common non-conference opponents. Sagarin ratings will be used as the final tiebreaker, or, in the unlikely event of a tie, a coin toss.
 
 
 
 
 

Series History

 
* Eastern is 7-2 overall and has a five-game winning streak in the series, with the home team winning six of the nine games. The Eagles are 4-0 against Cal Poly all-time at Roos Field and 3-2 in San Luis Obispo. Eastern won handily 42-21 in San Luis Obispo in the last meeting in 2016, but in 2015 the seventh-ranked Eagles needed to rally from a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter to prevail 42-41 in overtime.
 
* Eastern beat the Mustangs 61-7 in the first-ever NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (then known as I-AA) game for Cal Poly to open the 1994 season. That game was also the head coaching debut of former Eagle head coach Mike Kramer. Eastern was blasted 52-35 in San Luis Obispo to end the 1995 season, but two years later the Eagles finished 12-2 and advanced to the semifinals of the FCS Playoffs. Eastern defeated the Mustangs in Cheney by a 38-21 score in 2004, when Cal Poly entered the game ranked 11th nationally and EWU was 21st. The Eagles eventually received an at-large playoff berth in 2004 while the Mustangs stayed home with a 9-2 mark. Eastern lost at Cal Poly 40-35 in 2005 in a game matching the 11th-ranked Eagles and the 18th-ranked Mustangs. In 2011, the Eagles scored on four consecutive plays (two touchdowns and two conversions) in the second and third overtimes as the Eagles prevailed 53-51 in San Luis Obispo. The 2012 game was also a match-up of nationally-ranked teams, with No. 7 Eastern prevailing 34-17 over the 16th-ranked Mustangs.
 
Looking Back . . . #3 Eastern Washington 42, #14 Cal Poly 21
 
It was never easy, but the Eastern offense and defense came through again and the third-ranked Eagles defeated 14th-ranked Cal Poly 42-21 in a key Big Sky Conference showdown Nov. 5, 2016, at Alex G. Spanos Stadium in San Luis Obispo, Calif.  Eastern's defense allowed the Mustangs to rush for 386 yards, on par with the 370.3 yards per game Cal Poly averaged entering the game to lead the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision. But EWU also came up with two turnovers – both resulting in touchdowns -- to help EWU open a 35-14 lead in the third quarter. The defense also came up with a pair of big fourth down stops, including a key one at the EWU 7-yard line with 7:50 to play and EWU clinging to a 14-point lead. Wide receiver Cooper Kupp passed for two touchdowns in the third quarter alone, and added a TD reception in the fourth quarter to clinch the win. Shaq Hill and Kendrick Bourne combined for five touchdowns receiving to lead the Eagle offense. Eastern finished with 513 yards of offense, including 397 by quarterback Gage Gubrud who passed for 357 and rushed for another 40. The first half for EWU's offense included an interception, a dropped touchdown pass, a field goal attempt that clanked off the upright and big losses on a bad snap and a bad pitch. But Eastern still led at halftime 21-14 thanks to touchdown drives of 93, 59 and 52 yards. Eastern then scored on an eight-play, 79-yard drive to open the second half. The final play of the drive was a 28-yard touchdown pass from Kupp to Hill to give the Eagles a 28-14 lead. Eastern's defense came up big on Cal Poly's first two possession of the second half, forcing a three-and-out before J.J. Njoku recovered an errant lateral by the Mustangs. Eastern followed with a 28-yard scoring drive, capped by the second touchdown pass of the night from Kupp to Hill, this time for 10 yards to put EWU up 35-14. Although Cal Poly converted four of its first five tries on fourth down, the sixth attempt was a huge stop by the defense with 7:50 to play at the EWU 7-yard line. Cal Poly quarterback Dano Graves was pressured by Dylan Donohue, then tackled by Miquiyah Zamora, Jonah Jordan and Njoku a full four yards short of a first down. Kupp had 11 catches for 154 yards and a touchdown and Gubrud completed 27-of-37 passes for 357 yards and four touchdowns. Bourne caught four passes for 78 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and Hill had three touchdown receptions, and finished with seven catches for 93 yards. Running back Antoine Custer Jr. had 145 all-purpose yards as he rushed nine times for 64 yards, caught three passes for 39 yards and had an additional 42 yards on two kickoff returns. Safety Mitch Fettig had a team-high 10 tackles and a pass broken up, and senior safety Zach Bruce added eight tackles. Zamora and Njoku each had seven tackles, and Njoku had a key fumble recovery. Senior defensive end Samson Ebukam and defensive lineman J.T. Tiuli each had six stops.
 
 
Looking Back Further . . . #7 Eastern Washington 42, Cal Poly 41 (overtime)
 
The seventh-ranked Eagles rallied from a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter to score 22 unanswered points in the final 5:11 of regulation and in overtime to top Cal Poly and the top rushing offense in the nation 42-41 in a Big Sky Conference showdown Oct. 10, 2015, in Cheney, Wash. Eastern scored on its first play of overtime and kicked an extra point, then the Mustangs scored. But Eastern's Nzuzi Webster recovered a Cal Poly fumble on the two-point conversion attempt, putting a sour note on a huge day for the Mustangs that included 503 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground on 89 carries. Although out-gained 519-370 in total offense in the game, Eastern had 145 of its yards on its final three possessions of the game, including drives of 85 and 55 yards to force overtime. Despite sustained winds of 17-22 miles per hour throughout the game, quarterback Jordan West passed for 224 yards and four touchdowns, including a pair to Kendrick Bourne. On a third-and-6 play with EWU trailing by six, Conner Bauman and Andre Lino combined on a key stop that led to a shanked 22-yard Cal Poly punt. Eastern followed with a seven-play, 55-yard drive that was capped by a 16-yard touchdown pass from West to Nic Sblendorio to pull EWU within 35-33. Late-game two-point conversions turned out to be the difference, with Eastern needing a pass from West to Terry Jackson II to knot the game at 35 with 57 seconds remaining and send the game into overtime. That came after EWU's first missed try was nullified by a Cal Poly holding penalty. West, who entered the game leading FCS in passing efficiency (201.6) and passing yards per game (385.8), finished 27-of-35 for 224 yards and four touchdowns. He completed his first eight attempts, but then just seven of his next 13 attempts as EWU punted on five of its next six possessions. But he completed 12 of his last 14 passes to end the game. Bourne finished with a career-high 10 catches for 84 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including a 25-yard TD in overtime and six catches in the fourth quarter. Jabari Wilson had 103 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 25 carries. Senior linebacker Miquiyah Zamora and senior safety Todd Raynes both had 14 tackles for the Eagles. Baumann had 11 to establish a new career high in his first defensive career start. Cal Poly averaged 5.7 yards per rush, finishing with 503 yards and six touchdowns on 89 carries. The option-oriented Mustangs went into the game leading FCS in rushing with an average of 363.8 yards per game. Quarterback Chris Brown finished with 173 yards on the ground, and the Mustangs finished an impressive 9-of-17 on third down and 4-of-5 on fourth down.
 
* In the 2013 meeting in California, the Eagle defense held the nation's top rushing team to three points through the first three quarters and Cooper Kupp set a pair of FCS receiving records, as the Eagles bested the option offense of Cal Poly 35-22 on Nov. 16, 2013, in San Luis Obispo, Calif. In a victory that wrapped up the league title for the Eagles, Eastern out-gained Cal Poly 486-437 in the game, including 415-146 in the middle two quarters. After a 44-yard drive for a game-opening field goal, in their next six possessions, the Mustangs managed no drive of longer than six plays or 54 yards. Meanwhile, EWU took a 35-3 lead. Kupp caught eight passes for 139 yards and a pair of touchdowns as he equaled the FCS record for most consecutive games with a TD catch of 11 and broke the FCS record for receiving yards by a freshman. Vernon Adams completed 14-of-21 for 224 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but left the game with a shoulder injury suffered on a third-quarter TD pass. Senior Anthony Vitto replaced him and completed 14-of-21 passes for 127 yards and a TD. Ronnie Hamlin led the Eagles with 10 tackles, and senior Bo Schuetzle had the first two interceptions of his career to go along with a pair of tackles. The triple-option attack of Cal Poly went into the game averaging 308.6 rushing yards per game to lead FCS, and finished with 313.
 
* In Cheney in 2012, Eastern came up with big drives on offense and big stops on defense, and the seventh-ranked Eagles rolled past 16th-ranked Cal Poly 34-17 at Roos Field. Vernon Adams led the Eagles with 288 yards passing and 68 on the ground, as the Eagles finished with 542 as a team. He completed 19-of-29 passes and had three touchdown tosses, and Eastern's scoring drives in the game were of 81, 66, 74, 69, 41 and 83 yards. Eastern had its second-best rushing effort of the season with 254 yards, with sophomore Quincy Forte finishing with 83 and junior Demitrius Bronson adding 82 and a score. Senior Nicholas Edwards had a team-leading five catches for 55 yards. Defensively, the Eagles allowed the vaunted Cal Poly triple-option attack to rush for 251 yards and finish with 411 yards total. The Mustangs were at one point in the game 9-of-13 on third down, but converted just one of its last five. The Eagles forced Cal Poly to punt five times, and also had a 3-1 advantage in turnovers forced. Senior defensive end Paul Ena had a team-high nine tackles.
 
* In the 2011 thriller, a touchdown pass by wide receiver Greg Herd sparked Eastern Washington to scores on four consecutive plays (two touchdowns and two conversions) in the second and third overtimes as the Eagles prevailed 53-51 at Alex G. Spanos Stadium. Coming on what appeared to be a designed reverse, Herd's 25-yard TD toss to fellow wide receiver Nicholas Edwards helped send the game into a third overtime. After a game-tying point after conversion by Mike Jarrett, Bo Levi Mitchell passed 25 yards to Herd on the very next play for the go-ahead score to begin the third OT. Mitchell then scrambled his way into the end zone for the all-important two-point conversion. Cal Poly scored on the next possession, but Alden Gibbs broke up a pass on the two-point conversion to preserve Eastern's victory. A trade of field goals – including a school-record 15th on the season by Jarrett – opened the overtime. Eastern sent the game into overtime with a 10-play, 80-yard drive to score with 1:51 to play on a 22-yard pass play from Mitchell to his older brother Cory Mitchell, who finished the game with a career-high seven catches for 132 yards. Eastern couldn't stop Cal Poly from running the ball and the Mustangs couldn't stop the Eagle passing game. The Mustangs rushed for 405 yards on 95 carries and scored three-straight touchdowns late in the game to rally from a 28-14 deficit. Eastern, which passed for 461 yards in the game, converted 8-of-10 third downs in building a 28-14 lead in the third quarter. But three-straight empty possessions helped the Mustangs rally with scoring drives of 71, 80 and 77 yards. Mitchell completed 34-of-50 passes for 436 yards and five touchdowns, and Edwards caught 10 passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns. Six Eagles had double figures in tackles, as Cal Poly had 107 total offensive plays compared to 73 for the Eagles. Linebacker Grant Williams finished with a career-high 19 tackles (seventh in school history), and linebacker Ronnie Hamlin had a career-high 16. Linebacker Tyler Washburn had 12 and Allen Brown had 10.
 
* In a 2004 game in Cheney, Erik Meyer passed for 417 yards and four touchdowns, and Eric Kimble caught nine passes for 151 yards and three of the scores to help the 21st-ranked Eagles upset 11th-ranked Cal Poly 38-21. Eastern handed the Mustangs their second-straight loss after a 7-0 start that had them ranked fifth in the country two weeks earlier. The performance by Meyer was then the fifth-best in school history as he finished with 431 yards of offense despite getting sacked six times. He completed 21-of-32 passes with one interception, and scrambled for 48 yards of gains while getting sacked for 34 yards of losses. Eastern piled-up a season-high 573 yards of total offense as it had 417 passing and 156 rushing. Defensively, Eastern held Cal Poly to 343 yards of offense, including just two yards rushing.
 
 
 
 

Recent Game Recap

 
Eastern Can't Overcome Early Deficit and Fall to Cougars
 
 
The No. 6/5 Eastern Washington University football team fell behind by an early 28-3 score, but rallied to within 11 on two occasions in the third quarter before suffering a 59-24 loss to Washington State Sept. 15 at Martin Stadium in Pullman, Wash. Eastern had just 84 yards on its first 27 plays – including one on a 42-yard reception by Nsimba Webster – but rallied behind the arm of Gage Gubrud. He engineered touchdown drives that resulted in TD passes to Andrew Boston, Zach Eagle and Dennis Merritt to cut the lead to 11 on pair of occasions. But a penalty that took three points off the board for the Eagles in a situation where they would have cut into the lead even more proved to be a dagger. Washington State then out-scored EWU 24-0 in the fourth quarter. Turnovers though, were Eastern's demise as three interceptions and a fumble led to 24 WSU points. Washington State had a kickoff return of 100 yards and scoring drives of 99 and 98 yards as the Cougars out-gained EWU 565-372 in total offense. Eastern hadn't trailed all season, but EWU managed only one first down and 19 total yards on its first three possessions to fall behind 14-0. Eastern's Roldan Alcobendas kicked a 37-yard field goal to cap an 11-play, 45-yard drive that cut the lead to 10, but the Cougars extended the lead to 28-3 at halftime. Eastern then narrowed the lead to 35-24 in the third quarter and received a much-needed stop on defense to seize momentum. Eastern then drove 43 yards to the WSU 26-yard line when Alcobendas made it a one-possession game with a 44-yard field goal. But a holding penalty nullified the score and Eastern punted instead. Washington State then followed with the last 24 points of the game. Gubrud completed 14-of-36 passes for 231 yards, three touchdowns and interceptions. Senior Zach Eagle and redshirt freshman Andrew Boston each had four catches and a touchdown for the Eagles, with Eagle finishing with a career-high 73 yards and Boston gaining 47. Webster finished with a pair of receptions for 46 yards and Dennis Merritt had a 44-yard TD reception. Junior running back Tamarick Pierce led EWU with 67 yards rushing on just six carries and senior running back Sam McPherson finished with 65 yards on 16 carries. Defensively, senior cornerback Josh Lewis broke-up four passes and also finished with four tackles. Senior linebacker Ketner Kupp had a team-high seven tackles, including a pair for loss, and senior cornerback Nzuzi Webster chipped in six tackles and broke-up a pass. Redshirt freshman Mitchell Johnson recorded a pair of quarterback sacks, giving him a team-high three for the season. Sixth-year senior kicker Roldan Alcobendas kicked a field goal and converted three extra points to finish with six total points. That gives him 224 in his career to remain third in school history, just seven from second and 12 from the school record of 236. He also punted four times for a 42.4 average and a long of 54.
.
 
 

Other 2018 Team Notes

 
EWU Plays in 400th Game as FCS Member
 
The Washington State game on Sept. 15 was Eastern's 400th game as a member of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, dating back to 1984 when EWU became a member of that classification (then known as I-AA). The Eagles have won 60.0 percent of those 400 games in 34+ seasons, with a 239-159-2 record.
 
 
Eastern is 26-14 Since 2010 Versus Ranked Opponents
 
Eastern beat a ranked NCAA Football Championship Subdivision opponent for the first time since 2016 when the Eagles beat Northern Arizona 31-26 on Sept. 8. Northern Arizona had entered the game ranked 18th in the STATS Top 25 poll, and the win snapped a three-game losing streak in games versus ranked foes. The last win came over No. 12 Richmond 38-0 on Dec. 10, 2016, in the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs.
 
The Eagles have now played 123 games against ranked teams in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision since becoming a member of that classification in 1983 (then known as I-AA). Eastern is 55-68 (.447 in those games, including a 17-42 mark (.288) versus top 10 foes. Since 2010, though, the Eagles are 26-14 overall (.650) and 8-7 (.533 versus top 10 teams.
 
In 2017, Weber State was the second ranked FCS foe Eastern played that year and the first in Big Sky Conference play. Prior to beating EWU 28-20, Weber State was ranked 19th in the STATS Top 25 poll, and 14th by the coaches. Eastern was 11th in both at the time. Earlier, Eastern lost 40-13 to second-ranked North Dakota State (the Eagles were ranked seventh).
 
Eastern was 6-2 against ranked teams in 2016, having lost to top-ranked North Dakota State by a 50-44 score in overtime and then falling 40-38 to 13th-ranked Youngstown State in the semifinals of the FCS Playoffs. Eastern defeated Northern Iowa, ranked 10th at the time, by a 34-30 score on Sept. 17, beat No. 25 Northern Arizona 50-35 on Sept. 24, defeated No. 16 Montana 35-16 on Oct. 29 and knocked off No. 14 Cal Poly 42-21 on Nov. 5. In the playoffs, EWU beat No. 14 Central Arkansas 31-14 on Dec. 3 and was victorious over No. 12 Richmond 38-0 on Dec. 10.
 
Overall, EWU has faced the No. 1 team in FCS nine times, winning twice (35-31 in 2004 over Southern Illinois in the FCS Playoffs and 30-21 in 2002 over Montana at Albi Stadium in Spokane, Wash.
 
 
Superlatives Galore in Convincing 58-13 Opener, Including Most Rushing Yards Since 2004
 
Both as a team and individually, there were plenty of superlatives from Eastern's season-opening 58-13 victory over Central Washington on Sept. 1, when EWU doubled-up the Wildcats in total offense (677-321). The Eagles finished with 349 yards through the air and 328 rushing.
 
The yardage total were the fifth-most yards of offense in EWU history, and Eastern's 58 points scored ranks tied for 17th and was most in the all-time series with Central. For the game, Eastern averaged 10.7 yards per play compared to 4.4 for the Wildcats. It was also the most rushing yards EWU has had in its last 147 games dating back to a 331-yard performance in a 47-22 win over Idaho State on Sept. 25, 2004.
 
Eastern has had 17 50-point games in the last 6+ seasons (including three in 2017 and one thus far in 2018), with one in 2015, six in 2014, three in 2017 and two each in 2013 and 2012. Eastern is now 53-3 in the 56 games they have scored at least 50 in school history.
 
Here were the individual milestones from the avalanche of points and yards:
 
* Sixth-year senior kicker Roldan Alcobendas made a 47-yard field goal – the second-longest in his career – and finished with 10 total points. His seven extra points in eight attempts helped him establish career records in both of those categories. Alcobendas is also EWU's new punter, but EWU didn't punt after scoring on nine of 12 possessions and fumbling on three of them.
 
* Senior quarterback Gage Gubrud completed 82.3 percent of his passes (19-of-23) to finish with 337 yards with no interceptions and five touchdown passes. His completion percentage was close to the record of 90.5 percent (19-of-21) set by Erik Meyer in 2004, and Gubrud also averaged 14.2 yards per attempt and 17.2 per completion. Those records, respectively, are 18.0 set by Meyer in 2004 and 26.0 set by Vernon Adams Jr. in 2012.
 
* Senior wide receiver Nsimba Webster had 10 catches for a career-high 212 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He scored on receptions of 50 and 15 yards, as he had the 16th 200-yard performance in school history to rank ninth overall.
 
* Senior running back Sam McPherson had 185 yard rushing on 15 carries (12.3 per carry), scoring on a 13-yard run. His yardage total ranks 39th in school history and was the most since Jabari Wilson had 188 versus Montana State in 2015. The record for average per rush in a game is 16.3 set by Mike MacKenzie in 1997.
 
* Junior Dennis Merritt added 75 yards on 10 carries, and had a long of 46 and a 10-yard touchdown run.
 
 
Walter Payton Watch List Includes Two-Time Finalist Gage Gubrud
 
Already a two-time finalist, quarterback Gage Gubrud once again starts the season as a bona fide candidate for the highest honor in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision. The senior from McMinnville, Ore., was among 25 players nationally and five from the Big Sky Conference selected Aug. 1 to the Watch List for the Walter Payton Award to be presented by STATS at the end of the 2018 season to the top offensive player in FCS. One day earlier, Gubrud was a third team choice on the STATS FCS Preseason All-America squad.
 
The other three players in the Big Sky selected to the Watch List include quarterbacks Case Cookus (Northern Arizona), and Jake Maier (UC Davis), as well as wide receiver Keelan Doss (UC Davis). Doss is the reigning Big Sky Conference Offensive MVP, an honor Gubrud shared with former Eagle wide receiver Cooper Kupp in 2016. Doss was also the preseason choice to repeat as MVP in 2018.
 
Later in August, Gubrud was announced as one of 36 players in the nation to be on the Watch List for the FCS National Performer of the Year selected at the end of the year by College Football Performance Awards.
 
As a first-year starter in 2016, Gubrud earned FCS Player of the Year honors from the Football Club of Columbus and shared Big Sky Conference MVP honors with four-time All-America wide receiver Cooper Kupp. Gubrud was third in the voting for the Walter Payton Award and was selected to six FCS All-America teams after leading EWU to a 12-2 record and perfect 8-0 Big Sky Conference record.
 
His record-breaking season included the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision record for passing yards with 5,160. In all, he broke three FCS records, seven Big Sky Conference marks and 19 EWU records. He finished with 48 touchdown passes and a Big Sky record of 5,766 yards of total offense, and was also the team's leading rusher with 606 yards and five more scores.
 
In 2017, Gubrud earned second team All-Big Sky honors from the league's head coaches. He was the College Sports Madness FCS Offensive Player of the Week for the second-straight week after directing EWU's fourth-quarter rally in a 41-38 win at UC Davis (10/7/17), one week after a win versus Sacramento State (9/30/17).
 
He also won his third-straight Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Week honor for his performance against Sac State – the sixth time overall in his career he has been honored and the first Eagle to win it three consecutive weeks.
 
Gubrud was second in FCS in total offense per game (357.8), and was fourth in passing yards per game (334.2), third in FCS in points responsible for per game (19.4), fourth in completions per game (26.1) and 13th in total passing touchdowns (26).
 
 
Eagle Trio Honored on Preseason FCS All-America Team; 10 Receive All-Big Sky Honors
 
Eastern Washington University senior football players Gage Gubrud, Jay-Tee Tiuli and Spencer Blackburn have been selected by Phil Steele FCS Magazine as preseason All-Americans, joining seven other Eagles on the Phil Steele preseason All-Big Sky squad.
 
Gubrud was selected to the second team, and is a highly-honored quarterback who graduated from McMinnville (Ore.) High School in 2014. Named to the third team, Tiuli was an injury redshirt last season, and is from Seattle and a 2014 graduate of Federal Way (Wash.) High School. Blackburn, a fourth team pick, is a center from Bellingham, Wash., and graduated from Meridian High School, also in 2014.
 
Gubrud was also among 15 players from the Big Sky Conference honored July 31 on the STATS NCAA Football Championship Preseason All-America squad. The 2016 FCS All-American was a third team choice among the group of 98 players honored nationally representing 56 teams and 13 conferences. Eastern head coach Aaron Best already knows he has one of the best field generals in FCS, but he also likes the supporting cast Gubrud has this season.
 
"I think having nine starters back on offense really helps," said Best, whose team lost just a starter at wide receiver and another at offensive tackle from last year's team. "I tell our team that just because you have guys back doesn't mean you're going to be better. One would assume that's the case, but just because you're older doesn't mean your better. That's what I challenge Gage with."
 
Besides the All-America honor, Tiuli was picked as one of 50 players to the 2018 Watch List for the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award. The Award is presented annually to the most outstanding Polynesian college football player that epitomizes great ability and integrity. The Watch List is composed of 50 players from 34 different schools, with Tiuli the lone representative from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision. The winner will be announced on Dec. 14, and prior to that five finalists will be unveiled on Dec. 5.
 
On the Phil Steele preseason All-Big Sky team, Gubrud, Tiuli and Blackburn all earned a spot on the first team. Named to the second team were junior running back Antoine Custer Jr., junior offensive lineman Tristen Taylor, senior safety Mitch Fettig, junior kick returner Dre' Sonte Dorton and senior long snapper Curtis Billen. On the third team were senior receiver Nsimba Webster and senior cornerback Josh Lewis.
 
Earlier in the summer Gubrud was selected by Athlon Sports as the lone quarterback on its 27-player preseason All-America team. He was also a third team preseason All-America selection by Hero Sports, and joined Tiuli and Custer as preseason All-Big Sky selections. 
 
 
Sam McPherson Among 169 Nominees Nationally for AFCA Good Works Team
 
Eastern Washington University senior running back Sam McPherson was among 169 football players nationally who were announced by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) as nominees for the 2018 Allstate Insurance AFCA Good Works Team^®. The student-athletes who are nominated for this award not only demonstrate a unique dedication to community service and desire to make a positive impact on the lives around them, but they also show tremendous perseverance as well as the ability to overcome personal struggles and come out victorious against all odds.  
 
McPherson was among 99 players nominated in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA. There were 70 nominees at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level.
 
"Sam is true reflection of what we identify, recruit and expect from out of an EKG (Eastern Kind of Guy)," said Eagle head coach Aaron Best. "Sam is a good player but an even better person. His off-field commitments are an example for all."
 
A 2016 graduate of Bothell (Wash.) High School, McPherson served on Eastern Washington University's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) in 2016-2017 and 2017-2018. SAAC exists to create a safe environment for discussion of all aspects of the student-athlete's life. They strive to better their community with community service, event organization, and leadership. As leaders, they hope to promote open communication between student-athletes, students, and staff.
 
Academically, McPherson is an Academic All-America candidate and has been selected to the 2015, 2016, and 2017 Big Sky Conference All-Academic team. An interdisciplinary studies major, he has a 3.75 grade point average thus far at EWU and hopes to go into the aerospace industry.
 
While at Bothell High School, McPherson was a first-team 4A All-State selection by the Associated Press as both a running back and defensive back. He was named by the Seattle Times as a "Red Chip" selection as one of the top 18 prospects in the state of Washington.
 
 
Five Seniors Selected as Co-Captains for the 2018 Season
 
On a team chock full of veterans, seniors Gage Gubrud, Spencer Blackburn, Sam McPherson, Mitch Fettig and Ketner Kupp have been selected by their teammates as Eastern football captains for the 2018 season. The five seniors are among the 28 seniors playing under second-year head coach Aaron Best.
 
Gubrud is a 2014 graduate of McMinnville (Ore.) High School and was a captain in 2017 as well. The other four are products from the state of Washington -- Blackburn is a 2014 graduate of Meridian HS in Bellingham, Wash.; McPherson graduated in 2015 from Bothell HS; Fettig graduated in 2014 from Olympia HS; and Kupp graduated from Davis HS in Yakima, Wash., in 2015.
 
 
NCAA Passes Legislation to Allow True Freshmen to Play Four Games and Still Redshirt
 
The days of four years of eligibility are a thing of the past – now it's 4 1/2. The NCAA Division I Council passed a proposal in June of 2018 that will allow players to participate in any four games in a season and still use a redshirt that year. The change, not retroactive, took effect in 2018.
 
Eagle head coach Aaron Best said he and his coaching staff will make decisions on a game-by-game basis on which, if any, of the team's 23 true freshmen will play. The team will allow selected "Eagle-Shirts" to suit up and possibly play, but the No. 1 focus will be on making sure those players are physically and mentally ready to play Division I football. In Eastern's first two games, Tre Weed was the only true freshman among the 65 players who saw action. On Sept. 15, tight end Aiden Nellor saw action on special teams.
 
 
Eagles Have Impressive 46-8 Big Sky Record Since 0-2 Start in 2011
 
The Eagles have won 46 of their last 54 Big Sky games since a 0-2 start in 2011. At one point the Eagles had won 44 of 50 league games, and the only Big Sky school which has come close to that in the 55-year history of the league was Montana, which won 50 of 55 games from 1995-2002 and 46 of 51 from 2003-2009.
 
Including four non-conference victories (two versus MSU, and one each against Cal Poly and Northern Arizona) and a playoff win (Montana), the Eagles have won 41 of their last 47 versus conference foes, and are 51-8 since the 0-2 start in 2011. Including three wins at the end of the 2009 season, Eastern has a 57-11 record in league games since then.
 
What's perhaps most impressive is Eastern's ability to consistently win on the road. Until losing at Southern Utah last October, the Eagles had won their previous road game versus all 13 other league members, as well a 2012 road victory at Idaho, which will join the league in 2018.
 
 
Eagles Set School Record with 10,000+ Fans Per Game
 
The Eagles set a school record with an average of 10,123 fans per game in 2017 (50,617 in five games), besting the previous record of 9,577 set in five home games in 2015. Eastern's 2016 average attendance was 8,435 (67,477 in eight home games). Eastern had its fifth-most fans in school history against MSU (11,301), No. 8 against Sacramento State (10,917), No. 17 versus North Dakota State (10,231) and No. 23 against Weber State (9,451). Eastern had 8,717 fans at their home finale versus Portland State, ranking 32nd and giving EWU 25 consecutive sell-outs and 37 total in school history (crowds of 8,600 or more). The Eagles extended that to 26 versus Central Washington with 8,658 fans in EWU's 2018 opener.
 
 
Eagles Continue Stretch of Success in FCS Statistics in Passing and Total Offense
 
In EWU's last 14 seasons (2004-2017), EWU has ranked in the top 10 in passing 12 times, total offense on 10 occasions and scoring five times. In school history, EWU has won two FCS titles for total offense (2001, 1997), as well as three passing offense titles (2016, 2015, 2011) and two for scoring offense (2014, 2001).
 
In the 2017 season, Eastern was eighth in FCS in passing (320.5 per game) and fifth in total offense (476.7), and was also 14th in scoring (34.5) and 11th in third down conversions (46.1 percent).
 
Quarterback Gage Gubrud was second in FCS in total offense per game (357.8), and was fourth in passing yards per game (334.2), third in FCS in points responsible for per game (19.4), fourth in completions per game (26.1) and 13th in total passing touchdowns (26). In 2016 he led FCS in both passing and total offense (368.6 and 411.0, respectively).
 
Nsimba Webster was 36th in receptions (5.4, total of 59) and 68th in yards (63.0, total of 693). Running back Antoine Custer Jr. had 177 yards rushing and three touchdowns in his last game of the season versus Portland State, and finished 42nd in FCS and fifth in the Big Sky with an average of 70.5 yards per game (776 total). His 10 rushing touchdowns ranked him 25th in FCS and third in the league.
 
Gubrud's average of 334.2 passing yards per game is the fourth-best single season performance in school history, and his 357.8 average per game of total offense is fifth. His 32 total touchdowns responsible for (26 passing, five rushing, one receiving) is eighth.
 
In addition, EWU's special teams were ranked high in FCS statistics in 2017. Dre' Sonte Dorton, who entered his junior season with the fourth-best career average all-time at EWU (26.7), ranked ninth in FCS with in 2017 with an average of 27.4 on 22 returns. The team was ninth in FCS at 24.3 per return in 2017.
 
In other national statistics in 2017, Eastern was 16th in net punting (38.24), allowing just 3.50 yards by opponents on punt returns in 2017 to rank seventh nationally. Punter Jordan Dascalo led the Big Sky and was 14th in FCS in average per punt (42.6). Thanks to a career-long 33-yard return in EWU's final game of the season against Portland State, junior Zach Eagle ranked 31st in FCS with an average of 6.8 yards per punt return.
 
Safety Mitch Fettig averaged 8.4 tackles per game (total of 92) to rank 61st nationally and ninth in the Big Sky. With three fumble recoveries, sophomore Jack Sendelbach ranked ninth in FCS. Senior defensive end Albert Havili was 46th in FCS and fifth in the league in sacks with an average of 0.64 per game (seven total), and the team averaged 2.55 per game (total of 28) to rank 28th in FCS.
 
 
Eastern Now 41-0 Since 2010 When Winning the TO Battle
 
In the last 10+ seasons (2008-18), the Eagles are now 50-1 when they've won the turnover battle, 22-6 when they've been tied and 21-30 when they've lost (total of 93-37). 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 41-0 since 2010 when they've won the turnover battle, 20-5 when they've been tied and 19-23 when they've lost. That's a collective record of 80-28 (74.1 percent), with 22 of those 28 losses (79 percent) coming in games EWU has lost the turnover battle and 51 percent of EWU's wins coming when they've won the turnover battle (76 percent when including ties).
 
Eastern opened the 2018 season by losing the turnover battle against Central Washington 3-1, but winning on the scoreboard 58-13. The Eagles were tied 1-1 against NAU in turnovers, but prevailed 31-26. Washington State scored 24 points on four Eastern turnovers, with the Eagles failing to register a takeaway.
 
In 2017, EWU was 3-0 when it won the turnover battle, 3-3 when it lost and 1-1 when it was tied. Eastern finished the 2017 season at minus 10 turnovers for the season, ranking EWU 105th out of 123 FCS schools in turnover margin (-0.91 per game), 90th in turnovers lost (23) and 105th in turnovers gained (13).
 
 
Eagles Have Now Won 23 Games Since 2010 When Trailing or Tied in Fourth Quarter
 
Eastern has now won 23 games since 2010 when trailing or tied in the fourth quarter, including two in the 2017 season, two in 2016 and 2015, one in 2014, two in 2013, six in 2012, two in 2011 and six during EWU's national championship season in 2010
 
Three of the 23 comebacks have been against Montana, including Eagle victories in 2017 (48-41), 2012 (32-26) and 2010 (36-27). In the 2017 season, No. 11 Eastern trailed 24-6 at halftime but scored 42 points in the second half to stun the Grizzlies. In the second half, Eastern scored on touchdowns on five of its six possessions after intermission, and had a dominating 259-68 yardage advantage in the third quarter. After knotting the game at 27 and 34, Eastern took the lead for good on a tie-breaking 3-yard TD pass from Gage Gubrud to Nic Sblendorio with 6:53 left. Eastern expanded it to 48-34 on a 10-yard TD run by Antoine Custer Jr. with 2:12 to play. The defense did its part by recording three key stops in the fourth quarter Gubrud broke his own school record with a 549-yard passing performance, finishing with four touchdowns through the air and one on the ground. His 560 yards of offense were also a record, as he eclipsed his own previous records of 520 passing and 551 total yards. The 549 team passing yards were also a school record, breaking the previous mark of 526 set in 2015 versus Northern Iowa.
 
At UC Davis on Oct. 7, No. 10 Eastern rallied from an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter by scoring 21 points in the period and went on to win a heart-stopping 41-38 victory over the Aggies at Davis, Calif. Gubrud engineered scoring drives of 71, 55 and 75 yards in the final quarter, and finished with six touchdown passes and 452 yards passing. He passed 6 yards to Sblendorio for a game-winning TD with 1:37 to play, followed by a missed 49-yard field goal by the Aggies that could have knotted the game. Gubrud passed for 452 yards and six touchdowns in the win.
 
 
Eagles Continue November Excellence
 
The month of November has long been a successful month for Eastern, and they continued that in 2017. Since 2004, EWU has lost just seven regular season games in November (Weber State in 2017; NAU, Portland State and Montana in 2015; Sac State and Weber State in 2006; and Cal Poly in 2005), with an overall record of 32-7.
 
In November and beyond since 2004, the Eagles are now 45-15, including a 13-8 record in the FCS Playoffs. Since 2010, Eastern is 30-8 overall in November and beyond, with the lone setbacks coming in 2017 to Weber State; 2016 to Youngstown State in the semifinals of the FCS Playoffs; 2015 to Portland State, Montana and Northern Arizona; 2014 to Illinois State in the playoff quarterfinals; 2013 to Towson in the playoff semifinals; and 2012 to Sam Houston State in the playoff semifinals. Until losing to Northern Arizona on Nov. 7, 2015, Eastern had won its last 19 regular season games in November, dating back to a 15-13 loss to Sacramento State on Nov. 1, 2008.
 
 
 

2018 Player Notes

 
Total of 64 Players Play in Opener, Including Debuts by 16
 
A total of 64 Eagles played in EWU's opener versus Central Washington, including 16 players making their debuts in an Eastern uniform. Of the newbies, redshirt freshman Andrew Boston received the first start of his career in his first game, and finished with one catch for 10 yards. He is from Puyallup, Wash., and is a 2017 graduate of Emerald Ridge High School. Tre Weed was the only true freshman to see action for the Eagles, and he ended up returning four punts for 43 yards with a long of 22.
 
 
78 Percent of EWU's Roster are Players from Washington
 
The Eagles have 105 players in their program, and 82 of them – 78 percent – are from the state of Washington. Eastern's coaching staff is Washington-based as well, with eight of the team's 11 full-time coaches (73 percent) hailing from the Evergreen State. Head coach Aaron Best is a 1996 graduate of Curtis High School in Tacoma, Wash., and shares the same alma mater with Brian Strandley (1990) and Jay Dumas (1992).
 
 
10 of 13 Eagles Selected to 2017 All-Big Sky Team Return, Plus Two From 2016
 
The Eagles had 13 players honored on the All-Big Sky Conference team in 2017, but even more noteworthy is the number 10. That's the number of selections returning for the 2018 campaign, as only a trio of seniors were on the list of Eagles selected by the league's head coaches for yearly honors in the Big Sky.
 
However, one of them, special teams standout Anfernee Gurley, will redshirt the 2018 season after suffering a knee injury in preseason practices. He went on to earn first team Freshman All-America honors from Hero Sports in 2017.
 
Four of six second team selections return, including quarterback Gage Gubrud, who was also one of 25 finalists for the Walter Payton Award presented by STATS to the top offensive player in FCS. The other second team selections back are center Spencer Blackburn, running back Antoine Custer Jr., and kickoff return specialist Dre' Sonte Dorton. Custer also earned honorable mention honors on the sophomore All-America team as chosen by Hero Sports.
 
All six of EWU's third team or honorable mention selections are back, including wide receiver Nsimba Webster, safety Mitch Fettig and Gurley on the third team. Running back Sam McPherson, cornerback Josh Lewis, and sophomore offensive guard Tristen Taylor received honorable mention and are back. In addition, Jay-Tee Tiuli returns after earning first team All-Big Sky honors in 2016 before having to redshirt in 2017 after an early-season injury.
 
Also on the 2016 All-Big Sky squad was third team cornerback Nzuzi Webster, thus giving EWU 12 players who have previously won all-league accolades. Blackburn also earned second team honors in 2016, and Fettig and Taylor were both honorable mention that season.
 
Blackburn, with 25 starts and 27 games played in his career, is among several of the returning All-Conference performers with extensive experience as starters in the Eagle program. Most notably, Fettig has started 36 of the 37 games he's played. He has 248 tackles to rank 17th in school history, five interceptions and 12 passes broken up in his career.
 
McPherson has played in 32 career games (four as a starter), and has career totals of 1,067 on the ground, 463 receiving and 1,692 all-purpose yards. He's even a perfect 3-of-3 passing for 77 yards and touchdowns on all three passes.
 
Kupp has started 16 of the 36 career games he's played, and has 172 career tackles with three sacks after finishing with 66 stops in eight games as a junior. He is the younger brother of four-time EWU FCS All-American Cooper Kupp, who now plays for the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL.
 
Tiuli has started 14 of the 39 games he has played in his career, and has had 84 total tackles with 8 1/2 sacks, three quarterback hurries and two passes deflected. Prior to the 2017 season, he earned third team preseason All-America honors from STATS.
 
In Custer's 24-game career (16 as a starter), he has 1,192 yards on the ground, 463 receiving and 499 on kickoff returns for a total of 2,154 all-purpose yards (89.8 per game). His career 23.8 average returning kickoffs ranked 11th in school history entering the 2018 season.
 
2017 All-Big Sky Selections Returning in 2018
Second Team -- #Quarterback - 8 - Gage Gubrud - 6-2 - 205 - Jr. - 3L* - McMinnville, Ore. (McMinnville HS '14)
Second Team -- Running Back - 28 - Antoine Custer Jr. - 5-9 - 190 - So. - 2L - Berkeley, Calif. (De La Salle '16)
Second Team -- ~Center - 75 - Spencer Blackburn - 6-2 - 285 - Jr. - 2L * - Bellingham, Wash. (Meridian HS '14)
Second Team -- Return Specialist - 87 - Dre' Sonte Dorton - 5-10 - 185 - So. – 1L* - Pasco, Wash. (Chiawana HS '15)
Third Team -- Wide Receiver - 5 - Nsimba Webster - 5-10 - 180 - Jr. - 3L* - Antioch, Calif. (Deer Valley HS '14)
Third Team -- ^Safety - 13 - Mitch Fettig - 6-1 - 200 - Jr. - 3L* - Olympia, Wash. (Olympia HS '14)
Third Team -- Special Teams - 34 - Anfernee Gurley - DB - 5-10 - 180 - Fr. – 1L - Everett, Wash. (Archbishop Murphy HS '17)
Honorable Mention -- ^Offensive Guard - 65 - Tristen Taylor - 6-6 - 315 - So. - 2L * - Stockton, Calif. (Stagg HS '15)
Honorable Mention -- Running Back - 20 - Sam McPherson - 5-10 - 200 - Jr. - 2L - Bothell, Wash. (Bothell 'HS '15)
Honorable Mention -- Cornerback - 1 - Josh Lewis - 6-0 - 190 - Jr. - 2L* - Lakewood, Wash. (Steilacoom HS '14)

• Jay-Tee Tiuli (first team) and Nzuzi Webster (third team) were honored in 2016.

#Big Sky MVP & First Team All-Big Sky in 2016. ~Second Team All-Big Sky in 2016. ^Honorable mention All-Big Sky in 2016. *Has used redshirt year.
 
 
Gubrud Earns Honors in First Two Weeks of the Season
 
Senior quarterback Gage Gubrud was honored for a pair of 300-yard passing performances in the first two weeks of the season.
 
He had 402 yards of total offense – 322 passing and 80 rushing – in EWU's nail-biting 31-26 victory over Northern Arizona on Sept. 8. He completed 18-of-33 passes and had four touchdowns and no interceptions, as he finished with his 13th game with at least 400 yards of total offense and his 18th with at least 300 passing. He helped Eastern finish with 570 yards of total offense. That enabled him to win Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors from the league for the seventh time in his career, and he also earned the same honor from College Sports Madness.
 
One week earlier versus Central Washington in a 58-13 win on Sept. 1, an 82.3 percent passing performance helped the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision All-American receive FCS Performer of the Week honors by College Football Performance Awards.  He completed 19-of-23 passes, finishing with 337 yards with no interceptions and five touchdown passes. It was part of a 677-yard onslaught by the Eagle offense – fifth-best in school history.
 
Gubrud went over the 10,000-yard mark in his career for total offense against NAU and now has a current total of 10,416. He is now just 526 from moving into third in EWU history and 12th all-time in the Big Sky. Gubrud also has 86 touchdown passes in his 30-game career to move into third in school history past Erik Meyer (2002-05) with 84.
 
After three games, Gubrud already has 975 yards of total offense -- 890 through the air and 85 on the ground. He's completed 55.4 percent of his passes (51-of-92) and has a 173.2 passing efficiency rating. He leads FCS with 12 passing touchdowns and 72 total points accounted for, and is sixth in total offense (325.0), 10th in passing efficiency (173.2) and 12th in passing (296.7).
 
"Gage led us and will continue to lead us, and we'll ride him as long as we can," Best said after the Central win. "He had a cast of characters who played really well around him, but you are only as good as your quarterback no matter what offense you run."
 
Gubrud's completion percentage versus CWU was close to the record of 90.5 percent (19-of-21) set by Erik Meyer in 2004, and Gubrud also averaged 14.2 yards per attempt and 17.2 per completion. Those records, respectively, are 18.0 set by Meyer in 2004 and 26.0 set by Vernon Adams Jr. in 2012. The first play offensive play of the game started the avalanche for the Eagles when Gubrud found Webster for a 50-yard touchdown pass. Eastern scored 20 points on its first 12 plays in the game, and out-gained CWU 187-50 in those 12 plays (15.6 per play). Gubrud completed nine of his first 10 passes in that stretch for 172 yards and a pair of scores.
 
"It's not about stats – they help tell the story but the story can have different angles," said Eastern head coach Aaron Best. "His path from 2016 to 2017 was different, but now he is as senior quarterback in a pass-first offense. I'm excited to see what he's going to do this year. We are going to give him the ball and go win games."
 
Gubrud has played in just 30 career games, but he's still making his mark in a hurry on EWU's career leaders list and soon will make his mark on the Big Sky Conference leaders list as well. He's moved up to No. 4 in school history in career passing yards with 9,458, ranking only behind 10,000-yard passers Matt Nichols (12,616), Vernon Adams Jr. (10,438) and Erik Meyer (10,261). He is also fourth in total offense with 10,416 yards, ranking behind Nichols (13,308), Adams (11,670) and Meyer (10,942). Gubrud is 1,241 passing yards from making it onto the top 10 in Big Sky history, and is only 526 from the total offense mark of Meyer which ranks 13th in the 55-year history of the league.
 
After setting three FCS, seven Big Sky marks and 18 school records in the 2016 season, Gubrud now seeks to maintain a pair of career marks. Now 19-7 in 26 games as a starter, he remains the Eastern career leader in passing yards per game (315.3) and total offense per game (347.2), and is third in completion percentage (.643).  He is also third in efficiency rating (157.1), fourth in touchdown passes (86), third in completions (705) and second in attempts (1,097).
 
Gubrud now has a school-record 10 400-yard passing performances in his career, three more than Adams with seven. He has had back-to-back-to-back 400-yard performances on three occasions, and Adams, Jordan West and Matt Nichols are the only other quarterbacks in EWU history to have accomplished that feat two games in a row. Gubrud's 18 300-yard passing performances rank only behind Nichols (19) and Adams (20).
 
Gubrud owns the school record with 13 performances of at least 400 yards of total offense and six with at least 500. He owns eight of the top 10 single game total offense performances in school history (1-2-3-4-6-7-8-10), plus the Nos. 14, 20 and 29 performances. He owns nine of the top 19 passing performances (1-2-4-7-13-15-16-18-19), plus Nos. 23, 40 and 45.
 
During Eastern's five-game winning streak from Sept. 16 to Oct. 14 in 2017, Gubrud had 2,071 passing yards (414.2 average per game) while completing 69 percent of his passes. He passed for 19 touchdowns and accounted for another four (three rushing, one receiving). In his best five-game stretch in 2016, he completed 69 percent of his passes for 2,160 yards (432.0 average) and 20 touchdowns in five victories from Sept. 24 to Oct. 29.
 
In addition, he had an impressive string of 222 passes without an interception in 2016, going four full games in 2016 from Sept. 24 to Oct. 22 without a pick. He had what was then a school-record 551 yards of total offense in the first start of his career, a 45-42 season-opening victory over Washington State of the Pac-12 Conference.
 
 
One Webster on a Roll, Another Ranked Sixth in School History
 
The Webster twins are making their mark in Eastern history through their junior seasons.
 
With 25 passes broken up in his career, senior cornerback Nzuzi Webster is ranked sixth in school history, tied with T.J. Lee III (2010-13). In his 41-game career (26 as a starter), he has 146 total tackles and a pair of interceptions. In the 2017 season, he had 31 tackles and seven passes broken up.
 
His twin brother Nsimba Webster, a senior wide receiver, opened the 2018 season in blazing fashion with 10 catches, two touchdowns and a career-best 212 yards to rank as the ninth-most in school history. He followed that victory over Central Washington with two more touchdowns on seven catches for 176 yards in a win over nationally-ranked Northern Arizona.
 
In his 32-game career (15 as a starter), he has caught 91 passes for 1,288 yards and 11 touchdowns, and should eventually approach Eastern's career leaders lists in several categories. He had a touchdown catch in five-straight games in 2017 from Sept. 30 to Nov. 4, and for the season he caught 59 passes for 693 yards and five scores.
 
The twins are from Antioch, Calif., and were 2014 graduates of Deer Valley High School where they helped the Wolverines to an 11-2 record and semifinal appearance in the 2013 CIF Division I North Coast Section Playoffs. They lost to eventual champion De La Salle 57-27, whose roster included future Eagle Antoine Custer Jr. (who rushed for 1,141 yards and 14 TDs as his team's Sophomore of the Year). Nsimba passed and ran for 50 touchdowns as a senior and Nzuzi contributed greatly on offense, defense and special teams. Former Eagle and current Buffalo Bill Taiwan Jones ('07) also attended Deer Valley High School.
 
 
Custer Has Most Rushing Yards for an Eagle in 29 Games, Then Tops It
 
Although he has yet to play in 2018, junior running back Antoine Custer Jr. finished his sophomore season with 776 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, to go along with 21 receptions for 276 yards and two more scores. In his 24-game career (16 as a starter), he has 1,192 yards on the ground, 463 receiving and 499 on kickoff returns for a total of 2,154 all-purpose yards (89.8 per game). His career 23.8 average returning kickoffs is currently 11th in school history.
 
Custer had what was then a career-best 147 rushing yards and two touchdowns in EWU's 31-19 victory over Montana State on Oct. 14, 2017. It eclipsed the 141 he had as a true freshman in 2016 against Idaho State, and were the most for an Eagle in 29 games since Jabari Wilson had 188 versus Montana State early in the 2015 season. Custer then ended the year with a career-high 177-yard effort with three touchdowns on 24 carries against Portland State on Nov. 18, scoring on runs of 6, 28 and 27 yards.
 
As a true freshman in 2016, he finished his debut season with 977 all-purpose yards and a pair of Big Sky Conference Player of the Week accolades for his kickoff returning prowess. He averaged 26.7 yards on 14 kickoff returns with a touchdown. Custer started at running back in six games, including Eastern's opener against Washington State, and scored the first touchdown of the season for the Eagles on a pass from Gage Gubrud.
 
 
Hometown Product Has 119 Tackles and Seven Sacks in Career
 
Senior defensive end Keenan Williams finished the 2017 season with 55 tackles to rank fourth on the team and first among EWU defensive linemen. He also had four sacks and a pair of quarterback hurries to go along a fumble recovery. In his 35-game career (21 as a starter), he has 120 tackles with seven sacks.
 
Williams had an October stretch in 2017 in which he had 31 tackles in three games, including the first two double-figure performances of his career. He finished with nine tackles, a key fumble recovery in the fourth quarter and a quarterback hurry in EWU's 31-19 win over Montana State on Oct. 14. His recovery came with 8:52 to play in the game, and the Eagles turned that into a game-clinching 13-play, 78-yard TD drive that took 5:43 off the clock. The hurry for Williams came on a second down play on MSU's last possession of the game, a possession which ended with an interception by EWU's Victor Gamboa with 2:01 remaining.
 
Eastern held the Bobcats to 353 yards of total offense, including 218 rushing and 135 passing. Bobcat quarterback Chris Murray had a 54-yard touchdown run, but finished with only 88 rushing yards and 135 through the air. Thus, outside his long run, he averaged only 4.7 yards per play. Murray, the Big Sky Conference Freshman of the Year in 2016, entered the game with a team-leading 543 yards (108.6 per game to lead the league) and three touchdowns, and had passed for another 646 and eight scores. The Bobcats entered 10th in FCS in rushing, averaging 250.6 yards per game.
 
The performance by Williams – a 2015 graduate of Cheney, Wash., High School -- came after back-to-back weeks in which he had a career highs for tackles with 12 (UC Davis) and 10 (Sacramento State).
 
 
Filling Middle Linebacker Role, Sendelbach Receives Pair of Honors
 
Junior Jack Sendelbach was Eastern's super-sub in 2017, filling in for a starter four times in 2017 and finishing with 49 tackles for the season with two sacks. He now has 65 tackles in his 25-game career.
 
He earned a pair of Big Sky Conference Player of the Week honors after helping lead EWU's sterling defensive effort in a 21-14 victory over North Dakota on Nov. 11, 2017. He was the official Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week, and earned the same honor from College Sports Madness after his double-figure tackle performance against UND. The 2015 graduate of Blanchet High School in Seattle finished with 11 tackles and recovered a key fumble in the win. He was credited with a half-sack, and his fumble recovery came with 13:21 left in the game at the EWU 1-yard line and the Eagles clinging to a 21-7 lead. Five of his tackles came in the second quarter when EWU outscored UND 14-0 and had a dominating 191-29 advantage in total offense.
 
Sendelbach was replacing suspended starting middle linebacker Kurt Calhoun in the lineup, and earlier in the 2017 season had started three games as an injury replacement for Ketner Kupp at strong-side linebacker. With three fumble recoveries in 2017, Sendelbach ranked ninth in FCS.
 
 
Barriere Wins First Start of Career Versus UND
 
Sophomore Eric Barriere was thrown to the fire during his redshirt freshman season when he made the first start of his career against North Dakota on Nov. 11, 2017, and led the Eagles to a 21-14 win. The 2016 graduate of La Habra (Calif.) High School was as a replacement for starter Gage Gubrud, who was serving a one-game team suspension for violation of team rules.
 
Barriere had 185 yards of total offense, had a touchdown pass and scored once on the ground on a fourth down play to end the first half. He completed 13-of-23 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown, and rushed 15 times for 55 yards. He was sacked only once and had no turnovers. He rushed for a pair of first downs, and passed for another eight. Barriere helped Eastern to a turnoverless game, but had to recover his own fumble late in the game that was followed by a key 67-yard punt by Jordan Dascalo that was downed at the UND 3-yard line. Had Barriere not recovered the fumble, UND would have taken over at the EWU 31 trailing just 21-14.
 
By contrast, Vernon Adams Jr. – a former Eagle who Barriere draws comparisons to – had 75 yards passing (7-of-12) and 62 rushing (five carries) in his starting debut in 2012 at Weber State in a 32-26 victory. Adams missed most of the second half with cramping, and rushed for five first downs and passed for four. Before the UND game, Barriere had appeared in three games in 2017 and was 1-of-2 for 13 yards and an interception, all coming against Texas Tech on Sept. 2.
 
 
 

More Aaron Best Comments

 
On Keys to WSU Loss: "Our team played really hard, and that's a mark of a team that cares about each other. We just didn't make enough plays and it's unfortunate we got in the situation where we got behind early. We dug out midway through the game, but one of the momentum changers was the field goal that went through but we got called for holding. I was proud of our bunch and always will be – I have a ton of love for those guys. They played their tails off and the coaches coached their tails off, we were just on the wrong side of the coin."
 
On Outcome of Game: "Obviously it's not the outcome we wanted or prepared for. You play every game and prepare every game to win every game. That was a really good football team which really spreads the wealth on offense and has fast and athletic players on defense. They got in our face a little bit more that we thought we would see based on film from the last two weeks. They challenged us on the offensive side of the ball."
 
On Cougars: "They did a great job – we almost had to play perfect in certain situations. At times early on we played a little tight and didn't play loose enough, and we weren't very productive in the first two or three series. In the second and third quarter we had some dynamic plays and got back in it. We talked this week that it would come back to some chunk plays and maybe a special teams play that would change momentum. We had a couple of good pooch punts inside the 5, but both times they went the length of the field."
 
On Need to Play Well Versus FBS Competition: "There was some good – there always is – but when you are playing a really good football team at this level on the road, you have to play really well. We'll get back and look at the film, but we didn't play well enough and they made more plays than us. They were more efficient on offense and they were more efficient on defense at times more than us. And they were certainly more efficient on special teams."
 
On Defense Versus Cougars: "Our first-half defensive production wasn't very good. We were giving up big yardage on first down which then allowed them on second down to have their way with their play-calling options. We got real excited for pinning them deep a couple of times and making them go the distance, so kudos to their offense for going the length of the field twice."
 
On Tempo Offense Against WSU: "It's hard to tempo if you're unproductive on first down. We got ourselves in situations early where we were second-and-long, and that hurt us and didn't allow us to play at our tempo. In the second and third quarters we hit our stride a little bit. The running game is always going to be tough no matter who you face, but especially against players a little bigger, taller and more athletic. It's not an excuse, it's the truth. But we had enough runs where it allowed to help our passing game."
 
On Northern Arizona Win: "This was a game against a playoff team from last year, and we got a win on their home field, in a playoff-like atmosphere, all in a non-league game against a non-league opponent. Our team did a great job stopping the two-point play late (to hold onto a five-point lead). We prepared for 7,000 feet and we had a 94-yard run by Sam McPherson to put the game on ice. We're really proud that we played dogfight football against a great opponent. And the last two minutes we buckled down and made enough plays. We used and needed all of our players. Whatever their role was, we told them to do as well in that role as they could and not be complacent in your role. These games are going to come down to the fourth quarter as they should. It's exciting for us as coaches, for fans and for people to ask questions about the decisions that are made in opportunistic moments."
 
On New Redshirt Rule for True Freshmen: "We as a coaching staff wrote down a ton of ideas before we even got the 2018 class on campus. We put those in the blender, and we talked about it. Now it's just a matter of determining who is capable of doing it on Saturdays in a winnable fashion. It's not a tryout, that's what we have to understand. We have great players, we have good players, and we have guys that could potentially fill the good or great roles. We are not just going to throw out the balls – it's not a PE class in the sense that everybody gets a chance to see how good they are in a game of kickball. We are not going to put something on the special teams plate of coach (Heath) Pulver, where a player is not trusted in a one-play sequence. It's not going to be, 'Hey let's get them some reps, and see how it goes.' If they have earned the reps they will get the reps. There is also the question that if they have earned the reps to play in four games, then what decision are we going to make for game five? That could even come in our ninth game of the season the way the rule works. That's where I think the decision-making takes place. By no means are we going to put a player on the field that's not going to be capable of doing what a non-first year player can do. We will try identify three or four guys that could be Eagle-Shirts and we'll have the redshirt in our minds. When you become an Eagle-Shirt, you will suit up that week but not necessarily play. They will have the opportunity to play if the coaches decide to put that player in. Then, three weeks after that they could be a redshirt, and the fifth week could be an Eagle-Shirt again. Every Sunday we're going to sit as a staff and see who the Eagle-Shirt candidates are. We'll ask ourselves who do we see suiting up -- whether it be home or away – and want to see on that roster while we work it out as the week progresses. Number one, the new redshirt rule not really a try out. Number two, it's not only the first four games. Number three, if we see that they have earned the right to play in the fifth game we will look into it when the time comes."
 
On Defense: "A lot of people have asked how much we are going to lean on the defense. I've always rooted on the defense secretly -- a team's best friend is a running game and a defense. We're certainly going to lean on those guys and we have a lot of experienced players back. We are putting them in positions situationally to allow them to make plays, rather than trying to make them make plays. We're allowing guys to play a little freer and a little faster, and hopefully that leads to a lot more plays being made."
 
On Gage Gubrud and Veteran Leadership: "Here's some coach-speak again, but the best teams are player-led.  You can only do so much as a coach. It's more of the players keeping other players accountable, and watching our p's and q's while making sure we are communicating on and off the field. Gage is just one of those guys. I will say that over the years, and I have been here a long time, most offenses are not really rah-rah types of outfits. Usually if you want that on one side of the ball, you want it on the defensive side of the ball, because those guys are go-getters. Five of the 11 on offense want to conserve their energy, and that's from tackle to tackle. They don't want to spend a ton of energy, because then they can't zone block, or pull, or run pass pro on third downs. So, five of the 11 players really aren't looking forward to spending their energy to rally the troops. So, we do lean on the quarterbacks, the Sam McPherson's, the Antoine Custer's, the Terence Grady's, and the Zach Eagle's of the group that have been there and done that. It is noticeable and it's very nice to see as a coach, because nothing's forced and nothing is scripted. We don't slip a note in Gage's pocket and say, 'Hey, go talk to the guys and get this figured out.'"
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