The struggle of spring was to fill positions for two teams for a game.
 
But the Eastern Washington University football team thinks it has found a way, and senior All-America center Spencer Blackburn will lead the Red and junior quarterback Eric Barriere will lead the White in the annual Red-White Game on Saturday (April 27) at Roos Field in Cheney, Wash.
 
The game begins at 12:05 p.m. Pacific time and there is no admission charged to attend. It will also be broadcast regionally by SWX, and precedes the 38th Annual Orland Killin Dinner, Dance and Auction which begins at 4:30 p.m. (the deadline to purchase tickets is noon on April 23).
 
After losing 25 seniors to graduation and about 20 players sitting out the spring to nurse injuries or because of post-surgery rehabilitation, depth was thin this spring. Offensive line and defensive line were of particular concern as the list of available players was drafted.
 
"Ultimately, every year there are a couple of positions where we are at the threshold," said Eastern head coach/draft commissioner Aaron Best. "At this point, if we're working with the personnel we have now going into Saturday, we'll continue with the house rules we've used the last two years."
 
Best has added a twist to this year's game – turnovers gained will give the squads an extra three points on the scoreboard. Thus, a pick-six will turn into a pick-nine. The tweak just adds to the atmosphere of competition between teammates.
 
"I always think it's best to have a game at the end of the spring instead of a glorified scrimmage or just another practice," said Best. "It gets players to play next to other teammates, and gives our coaches a chance to call games. I'm just out there to watch, and to poke and prod a little bit along the way."
 
Red won the coin toss for Monday's (April 22) draft of players, and Blackburn was the first pick overall in the choice made by team captains Tysen Prunty, Tamarick Pierce, Jack Sendelbach and Trevor Davis Jr. Blackburn had been the top draft choice the last two years when teams felt it was necessary to draft him first to block against All-America nose tackle Jay-Tee Tiuli.
 
"I guess he's proved his mettle over time," said Best. "He's back-to-back-to-back so that's a pretty cool deal. He's on the top of most lists, not just on the field but off the field too. Kudos to him for a third time in a row."
 
The White then chose offensive tackle Tristen Taylor as its first pick, and later also secured offensive guard Kaleb Levao and Barriere. The white captains are Calin Criner, Dylan Ledbetter and Jayce Gilder. Captains for both squads will not play in the scrimmage.
 
Besides Blackburn, other returning All-Big Sky Conference selections going to the Red were offensive tackle Chris Schlichting, running back Antoine Custer Jr. and defensive end Mitchell Johnson. The White has Levao, Barriere and Taylor as its returning all-league selections, while Ledbetter and safety Anfernee Gurley will not play.
 
The Eagles will practice Tuesday, Thursday and Friday prior to the Red-White Game.
 
"We'll designate more small chunks of time in practices for the Red-White aspects, but not big chunks," explained Best. "We'll want to control what the teams are practicing in terms of cover and return units, or offensive and defensive teams."
 
In two spring scrimmages thus far, Barriere has completed 63.3 percent of his passes for 294 yards and three touchdowns. He has been the quarterback for five of the eight touchdowns the offense has scored. The defense, however, has forced five turnovers, has stopped the offense on downs 16 times, had a safety and has allowed the offense to make 2-of-4 field goal attempts in the other 26 possessions in the scrimmages.
 
Thus, the offense has scored just 29 percent of the time against an Eagle defense that led the Big Sky Conference is scoring defense a year ago in league play at 16.9 points per game.
 
In those two scrimmages, the offense has run 154 plays and generated 782 yards (5.1 per play), including 83 rushes for 228 yards (2.7 per carry) and four touchdowns. But take away quick-whistle sacks and rushing losses on bad snaps, and the offense has rushed 63 times for 355 yards (5.6 per carry). Eastern's offense, which set a school record by averaging 6.62 yards per carry a year ago, has also passed for 554 yards and four more TDs in the pair of scrimmages with a mixed bag of weather.
 
Senior Dennis Merritt has led the running attack with 109 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries (9.1 per carry), and Custer has averaged 5.8 yards in the five times he's carried (29 yards). Sophomore Andrew Boston and junior Johnny Edwards IV each have six catches, but redshirt freshman Anthony Stell Jr. and junior Talolo Limu-Jones lead in reception yards with 130 and 125, respectively.
 
Junior linebacker Chris Ojoh has paced the defense with 11 tackles, and also has a sack and fumble recovery. Redshirt freshman Joshua Jerome has nine stops, with three sacks, a forced fumble and a recovery, while senior defensive end Jim Townsend has a trio of sacks and a forced fumble.
 
Junior Rudolph Mataia Jr. also has nine tackles with three sacks, and sophomore cornerback Ira Branch and junior Tamir Hill have each broke-up three passes, with Hill also having eight tackles.
 
Junior kicker Andre Slyter has converted on 2-of-4 field goal attempts, and has also made all seven of his extra point attempts.
 
 

Two-Scrimmage Statistics Leaders

 
Rushing: Dennis Merritt 12-109 2td, Micah Smith 21-50, Isaiah Lewis 9-34 2td, Antoine Custer Jr. 5-29, Gunner Talkington 8-28, Michael Taras 3-12, Simon Burkett 8-3, Eric Barriere 14-minus-22, Team 3-minus-15, Totals 83-228 4 td (63-355 not including quick-whistle sacks and bad snaps)
 
Passing: Eric Barriere 19-of-30-294 3 td, 1 int., Gunner Talkington 8-of-20-172 1 td, 2 int., Simon Burkett 5-of-12-60, Michael Taras 2-of-9-28, Totals 34-of-71-554 4 td, 3 int.
 
Receiving: Andrew Boston 6-36, Johnny Edwards IV 6-70, Talolo Limu-Jones 5-125, Anthony Stell Jr. 4-130 1td, Trent Harris 4-67, Jayson Williams  3-65 1td, Antoine Custer Jr. 2-42 1td, Dylan Ingram 1-12, Dennis Merritt 1-8, Freddie Roberson 1-2 1td, Micah Smith 1-minus-3, Totals 34-554.
 
Tackles Leaders:
Chris Ojoh 11, Dean Sise 9, Rudolph Mataia Jr. 9, Joshua Jerome 9, Tamir Hill 8, Mitchell Johnson 7, Cale Lindsay 7, Anthany Smith 6, Darnell Hogan 6, Ty Graham 6, Jim Townsend 5, Darnell Hogan 5, Keshaun King 5, Keith Moore 4, Justin Patterson 4, Hunter Klinge 4, John Nascimento 4, Andrew Katzenberger 4, Emmanuel Osuoha 3, Darien Sampson 3, Ira Branch 3,
 
Interceptions:  Andrew Katzenberger, Keshaun King (td), Darrien Sampson.
 
Passes Broken Up: Ira Branch 3, Tamir Hill 3, Emmanuel Osuoha 1, Joshua Jerome 1, Cal Lindsay 1, Rodolph Mataia Jr. 1, Darrien Sampson.
 
Sacks: Jim Townsend 3, Rudolph Mataia Jr. 3, Joshua Jerome 3, Mitchell Johnson 2, Cale Lindsay 1 1/2, Zion Fa'aopega 1, Justin Patterson 1, Chris Ojoh 1, Darnell Hogan 1/2.
 
Forced Fumble: Jim Townsend, Joshua Jerome.
 
Fumble Recovery: Chris Ojoh, Joshua Jerome.
 
Field Goals: Andre Slyter 2 (makes of 35 and 47 yards; misses of 44 and 46 yards; also 5-of-5 on extra point attempts)
 
 

Scrimmage Statistics 4/20/19

 
Scoring Plays 
Antoine Custer Jr. 25 pass from Eric Barriere (Andre Slyter kick)
Jayson Williams 39 pass from Barriere (Slyter kick)
Isaiah Lewis 5 run (Jackson Clemensen kick)
FG Slyter 47
Freddie Roberson 2 pass from Gunner Talkington (Slyter kick)
 
Rushing: Micah Smith 13-36, Antoine Custer Jr. 1-25, Dennis Merritt 4-20, Gunner Talkington 4-10, Simon Burkett  4-10, Isaiah Lewis 4-2, Michael Taras 1-minus 5, Eric Barriere 7-minus-19, Team  1-minus-7, Totals 39-72 (29-153 not including eight quick-whistle sacks and bad snaps)
 
Passing: Eric Barriere 11-of-16 165, Gunner Talkington 7-of-14 138, Simon Burkett 2-of-7 30, Michael Taras 2-of-6 28, Totals 22-of-43-361.

Receiving: Johnny Edwards IV 5-60, Trent Harris 4-67, Talolo Limu-Jones 3-87, Andrew Boston 3-17, Anthony Stell Jr. 2-44, Jayson Williams 1-39, Antoine Custer Jr. 1-25, Dylan Ingram 1-12, Dennis Merrritt 1-8, Freddie Roberson 1-2, Totals 22-.
 
Tackles Leaders:
Chris Ojoh 7, Tamir Hill 6, Jim Townsend 4, Cale Lindsay 4, Anthany Smith 4, Joshua Jerome 4, Keshaun King 4, Hunter Klinge 4, John Nascimento 4, Rudolph Mataia Jr. 3, Darnell Hogan 3, Emmanuel Osuoha 3,  .
 
Interceptions: None.
 
Passes Broken Up: Ira Branch 2, Tamir Hill 2, Emmanuel Osuoha 1, Joshua Jerome 1, Cal Lindsay 1, Rodolph Mataia Jr. 1.
 
Sacks: Jim Townsend 3, Cal Lindsay 1, Rudolph Mataia Jr. 1, Joshua Jerome 1, Zion Fa'aopega 1, Justin Patterson 1.
 
Forced Fumble: Jim Townsend.
 
Fumble Recovery: Chris Ojoh.
 

 
Scrimmage Statistics 4/13/19

 
Scoring Plays 
Isaiah Lewis 6 run (Andre Slyter kick)
Keshaun King 25 interception return for TD
Dennis Merritt 22 run (Slyter kick)
Merritt 36 run (Jackson Clemensen kick)
FG Slyter 35
Anthony Stell Jr. 52 pass from Eric Barriere (Clemensen kick)
 
Rushing: Dennis Merritt 8-89, Isaiah Lewis 5-32, Micah Smith 8-14, Gunner Talkington 4-18, Michael Taras 2-17, Antoine Custer Jr. 3-4, Eric Barriere 7-minus-3, Simon Burkett 4-minus-7, Team 2-minus-8, Totals 43-156 (33-202 not including quick-whistle sacks and bad snaps)
 
Passing: Eric Barriere 8-of-14-129 1 int., Gunner Talkington 1-of-6-34 2 int., Simon Burkett 3-of-5-30, Michael Taras 0-of-3, Totals 12-of-28-193 3 int.
 
Receiving: Andrew Boston  3-19, Anthony Stell Jr. 2-86, Jayson Williams  2-26, Talolo Limu-Jones 2-38, Antoine Custer Jr. 1-17, Johnny Edwards IV 1-10, Micah Smith 1-minus-3, Totals 12-193. .
 
Tackles Leaders:
Dean Sise 7, Rudolph Mataia Jr. 6, Mitchell Johnson 6, Joshua Jerome 5, Chris Ojoh 4, Keith Moore 4, Ty Graham 3, Cale Lindsay 3, Darnell Hogan 3, Justin Patterson 3.
 
Interceptions:  Andrew Katzenberger, Keshaun King, Darrien Sampson.
 
Passes Broken Up: Darrien Sampson, Ira Branch, Tamir Hill.
 
Sacks: Joshua Jerome 2, Rudolph Mataia Jr. 2, Mitchell Johnson 2, Chris Ojoh 1, Darnell Hogan 1/2, Cale Lindsay 1/2.
 
Forced Fumble: Joshua Jerome.
 
Fumble Recovery: Joshua Jerome.
 
 

Remaining Spring Practice Schedule

 
The Eagles will spread 15 practices and scrimmages over the course of 26 days. Practices take place various days through April 27. Subject to change, most practices are scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. (3 p.m. on April 19 and 26). All practices are scheduled to take place at Roos Field. Scrimmages also take place on the red Sprinturf surface at the "Inferno" in Cheney, Wash. Remaining media interviews take place on April 23 (3:05 p.m.), as well as after scrimmages.
 
April 23 - Practice, 3:30 p.m.
April 25 – Practice, 3:30 p.m.
April 26 – Practice, 3 p.m.
April 27 – Red-White Spring Game, Noon, Roos Field (televised live regionally by SWX)

• Lil' EKG Day is after the game

 
 

More About the 2019 Eagles

 
Despite missing nine players near the end of the season who had begun the season as starters – six on defense and three on offense -- the Eagles finished 12-3 overall and 7-1 in the Big Sky Conference to share the league title with Weber State and UC Davis. The Eagles won their last four games of the regular season, then won on three home games in the NCAA Football Championship Playoffs before falling to North Dakota State 38-24 in the title game in Frisco.
 
The veteran-laden team in 2018 will see significant changes in 2019 – from both a player and coach standpoint. Besides 48 returning letterwinners, Eastern will also have a large group of as many as 21 redshirt freshmen on hand this spring competing for repetitions. Eight of those players saw action in 2018 as part of the new NCAA rule allowing freshman to play in as many as four games and still redshirt. Dean Sise, a transfer from Navy, also redshirted in 2018 and will be a sophomore for the Eagles next fall.
 
The Eagles will have back four full-time starters on defense (DT Dylan Ledbetter, DE Jim Townsend, LB Chris Ojoh, S Dehonta Hayes), plus three others who received starts and significant playing time (S Tysen Prunty, S Calin Criner, Rover Kedrick Johnson). Offensively, five starters return (QB Eric Barriere, WR Andrew Boston, C Spencer Blackburn, G Kaleb Levao, T Chris Schlichting).
 
After having only 12 seniors in 2016 and 14 in 2017, Eastern had 27 on its 2018 roster. However, two of those 27 -- All-Big Sky offensive linemen Spencer Blackburn and Kaleb Levao -- were granted a sixth year by the NCAA to complete four years of eligibility because of seasons lost because of injuries. Both will enter the 2019 season with 39 games worth of experience, and Blackburn has started 37-straight games and Levao has started 18.
 
Thus, Eastern's 25 lost seniors included 18 four-year letterwinners and another five who earned three. Combined, those 25 players had a total of 1,006 games played and 441 starts. Injuries to numerous Eagles helped give so many players opportunities to play and start.
 
A total of 23 All-Big Sky Conference honors were won by Eastern players in the 2018 season, including five on the first team. Six Eagles went on to win FCS All-America honors, with senior Roldan Alcobendas winning the Fred Mitchell Award as the top placekicker in the nation. Blackburn won second team All-America honors, while Barriere was honored as a sophomore All-American and Boston and defensive end Mitchell Johnson earned freshman All-America accolades.
 
A 22-year veteran of the Eagle program, Best himself was FCS Coach of the Year in a fan vote conducted by Hero Sports, and was the Big Sky Conference co-Coach of the Year. In two years at the helm, he has compiled a 19-7 record overall (73.1 percent) and 13-3 mark in the league (81.3 percent). Both percentages currently rank as the best in school history, just ahead of the Beau Baldwin with an 85-32 overall mark (72.6 percent) in nine seasons from 2008-16, and a 58-14 league record (80.6 percent).
 
 

38th Annual Killin Dinner/Dance/Auction is April 27 at EWU

 
Tickets are now on sale for the 38th Annual Killin Dinner, Dance and Auction on April 27 at Eastern Washington University.
 
Tickets are $100 per individual and $700 for a table of eight. More information and a registration link to order tickets.is available via: http://goeags.com/killin. The registration deadline is Tuesday, April 23, at noon.
 
Killin takes place at the EWU Sports and Recreation Center. The event starts with a social hour and auction at 4:30 p.m., followed by the dinner (6 p.m.), program/presentations/live auction (7 p.m.) and dancing (8 p.m.). The event follows the annual Red-White Spring Football Game on April 27 at noon at Roos Field in Cheney, Wash.
 
Net proceeds benefit areas of greatest need within Eastern Athletics, with last year's event raising more than $117,000. The event is named in honor of Orland Killin, who, along with his wife Bernice, helped create the event. Killin was a man immensely dedicated to academics and the integrity of Eastern Washington University, serving as professor, faculty athletic representative and faculty president. He was an Eastern football letter winner in 1941-42.
 
There is no admission charged for the Red-White Game, which will also be televised regionally by SWX.
 
Last year's event was the first featuring new Eastern Washington University Associate Vice President/Director of Athletics Lynn Hickey. Hickey gave a passionate plea for additional funding for scholarships prior to the live auction portion of the event. Besides a "paddle-raise" for scholarships, there were about a dozen live auction items and about a 100 silent auction items.