More on Eric Barriere's Season as a Walter Payton Award Finalist

After leading the Eastern Washington University football team to a 9-2 overall record and putting up video game numbers in the process, Eagle quarterback Eric Barriere is the Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Year. The selection was unanimous amongst Big Sky head coaches, and it's Barriere's second-consecutive Player of the Year award.
 
Barriere was picked as the league's preseason MVP, and he did not disappoint, leading the nation with 40 touchdown passes and ranking second in total offense (406.0) and passing yards (385.6) per game.
 
The Inglewood, Calif., native joins the likes of Cooper Kupp (2015, 16), Vernon Adams Jr. (2013, 14), and Erik Meyer (2004, 05) to win consecutive Big Sky Player of the Year awards for Eastern Washington. In 2016, quarterback Gage Gubrud and Kupp became the first teammates to earn co-MVP honors. In 2015, Kupp became only the second wide receiver in 42 years to win the honor. Ten of EWU's MVP awards have been quarterbacks, including Gubrud, Vernon Adams (2014 & 2013), Bo Levi Mitchell (2011), Matt Nichols (2009 and 2007), Erik Meyer (2005 and 2004) Josh Blankenship (2002) and Harry Leons (1997), as well as running backs Jesse Chatman (2001) and Taiwan Jones (2010).
 
It was just announced yesterday that Barriere is one of 25 finalists for the Stats Perform Walter Payton Award after finishing runner-up last season and fifth in voting as a junior.
 
In recent weeks, he has re-written the Big Sky Conference and EWU record books, breaking a trio of major records. He established two major career records during his performance versus UC Davis on Nov. 13 that included a 34-of-54 passing performance for 411 yards and three touchdowns, plus another 42 yards on the ground. His 10th career passing performance of 400+ yards and his 16th with 400 yards of total offense earned him ROOT Sports Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Week for a record sixth time this season, and 12th time overall in his illustrious career.
 
With 49 total games of experience, he is 29-11 in 40 career games as a starter (16-2 at home), with 12,996 passing yards, 115 touchdown passes, 1,587 yards rushing and 14,583 total yards of offense as an Eagle.

Barriere has had 29 performances of at least 300 yards of total offense and 21 with at least 300 yards passing in his 49 games as an Eagle. He has had 16 with at least 400 yards of total offense and 10 with at least 400 passing, including school records of 600 yards passing (No. 8 in FCS history & No. 5 in BSC history), 577 yards of total offense, seven touchdown passes and eight TD's responsible for versus Idaho on Oct. 16, 2021. He now owns four of the top five passing performances in school history, and four of the top six performances for total offense.
 
In his career he has completed 62.3 percent of his passes (940-of-1509), good for 12,996 yards, 115 touchdowns and 27 interceptions, and has rushed 364 times for 1,587 yards and 21 more TDs (a school-record total of 136 touchdowns accounted for). He had a passing efficiency rating of 146.9 as a sophomore, 151.6 in 2019 and 176.2 thus far in 2021 for a 155.1 mark in his career to currently rank fourth in school history. His touchdown passes, passing yardage and 14,583 yards of offense are all school and Big Sky records, and his attempts and completions are No. 2 in school history (behind Matt Nichols with 996 completions and 1,608 attempts from 2006-09.
 
Barriere is a preseason All-America selection and on watch lists for two end-of-season player of the year awards in FCS. Twelve times in his career he has won Big Sky Conference Player of the Week honors (six in 2021, three in 2020-21, twice in 2019, once in 2018). He has received accolades as National FCS Player of the Week for his performances in three different games, including a pair from Stats Perform.
 
Barriere will guide the Eagles through the first round of the FCS Playoffs on Saturday, Nov. 27 when EWU hosts Northern Iowa at Roos Field. Kickoff is set for 1:03 p.m. on ESPN+ or on 700-AM ESPN. Tickets are currently on sale for season ticket holders with general public sales opening on Wednesday, Nov. 24 at noon.