EWU Game Notes

REMINDER: The EWU Coaches Show airs tonight from the Roos Field press box at 6 p.m. Pacific time. Tonight's show will not have live attendance, but can be heard on 700-AM ESPN & 103.5 FM in Cheney along with The Varsity Network App. Larry Weir and Paul Sorensen will serve as the hosts, with head coach Aaron Best, defensive end Mitchell Johnson, and quarterback Gunner Talkington as guests.

Up for the challenge.
    The Eastern Washington University football team will face its first of two Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams this season on Saturday, Sept. 10 when it heads to the University of Oregon to face the Ducks in Eugene, Ore., at Autzen Stadium. Kickoff is officially set for 5:44 p.m. Pacific time on the Pac-12 Networks. The contest will also be broadcast on 700-AM ESPN and 105.3-FM in the Spokane/Cheney area. Larry Weir returns for his 32nd season calling the play-by-play, with analysis handled by Paul Sorensen for the 20th season. Broadcasts begin one hour prior to kickoff and include an expanded post-game show.
    The Eagles are 1-0 after opening the season with a win at home over Ohio Valley Conference member, Tennessee State, by a score of 36-29 at Roos Field on Sept. 3. Redshirt senior quarterback, Gunner Talkington, made his official debut as the signal caller and threw for 348 yards and five touchdown passes. He completed 29 of his 46 pass attempts and did not throw an interception. He also led the team with 60 rushing yards for a total of 408 yards of offense. With the game tied 29-29, Talkington orchestrated an 11-play, 75-yard game-winning drive that ended in a 13-yard strike to Efton Chism III. For his efforts, Talkington was awarded with his first career Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Week nod.
    Oregon is 0-1 after a 49-3 loss at No. 3 Georgia on Sept. 3 and Saturday will be its home opener. The Eagles will look to pick up a win over an FBS foe for the second-straight season after a 35-33 double overtime victory to open the season last year at UNLV. This will be the second all-time meeting between Eastern Washington and Oregon, with EWU falling 61-42 on Sept. 5, 2015. Eastern is now 11-27 all-time versus Football Bowl Subdivision teams and have won four of its last 11 games versus FBS foes. Against Pac-12 opponents, EWU is 2-11 with the lone wins being upset victories against No. 25 Oregon State in 2013 and over Washington State in 2016.
    At the time of this release, FBS top-25 rankings have not been posted, but Eastern is ranked No. 12 by Stats Perform and Oregon was No. 11. Against ranked opponents, Eastern is 62-75 overall and 1-7 versus ranked opponents from the FBS.
    Eastern is coming off one of the most successful seasons in program history and its 15th Football Subdivision Championship playoff berth. Gone is 2021 Walter Payton Award winner and All-America quarterback, Eric Barriere, along with fellow All-Americans Tristen Taylor and Talolo Limu-Jones, but what's back is a group of players who learned under their tutelage and are ready to emerge.
    Eastern Washington lost 10 starters from the 2021 squad that finished the year 10-3 (6-2 in league play). The Eagles did not lose a regular season game on the road, a feat that hadn't been done since 1967, and won their first seven games for the program's best start the FCS level. Starters lost include six on offense and four on defense along with 18 total letterwinners. Back are 12 starters (five offense, seven defense, plus three kickers, a punter and snapper) and 47 letterwinners.
    Headlining the cast of returners are eight players who have previously earned All-Big Sky Conference honors, with five being honored following the 2021 season. Among the five are wide receivers Freddie Roberson and Efton Chism III, guard Wyatt Musser, and defensive line members Joshua Jerome and Mitchell Johnson. Safeties Anthany Smith and Tre Weed, along with kicker Seth Harrison, earned honors in 2020-21.
    Eastern enters the Fall season with a total of 31 players returning with 285 games of starting experience, including 16 players on defense with 181 starts and 15 on offense with 104 starts.
    And the Eagles will enter it as one of the top 25 teams in FCS as well. In the preseason rankings released in June by Athlon Sports, the Eagles ranked No. 15. In the HERO Sports preseason poll released in May, Eastern came in at No. 18. Eastern closed the 2021 season seventh in the Stats Perform NCAA Football Championship Subdivision top 25 poll, and EWU was ninth by the coaches.
    Most recently, Eastern was picked to finish sixth by both the coaches      and the media in the Big Sky preseason poll. It was also ranked No. 13 in the Stats Perform poll and No. 12 by the AFCA.
    Consistency has been a cornerstone of EWU football, and the Eagles have cemented an 18-year run of winning the league title and/or advancing to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs at least every other year. Eastern has achieved that feat ever since its last back-back-empty seasons in 2002 and 2003. Eastern has led the nation in total yards of offense per game twice in the last three years (2021, 554.5 and 2019, 524.8).
    In 2018, Eastern secured its 10th Big Sky title. Three years later, the Eagles secured their 15th appearance in the FCS Playoffs in what is now 38 years as a member of the FCS (formerly I-AA). Since 2010 when EWU won the NCAA Division I title, the Eagles have won league titles six times (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018) and advanced to the playoffs all six of those seasons plus in 2020-21 and 2021.
    While the Eagles were making their 15th appearance overall in the FCS Playoffs in the 2021 season, sixth-year head coach Aaron Best made his 12th as an EWU player or coach. In six years at the helm, Best owns an overall record of 42-17, including 30-8 in Big Sky play.
    From 2004 to 2009 Eastern advanced to the playoffs four times (2004, 2005, 2007, 2009), and won the league title twice (2004, 2005). Eastern has three other playoff berths in school history (1985, 1992, 1997) and two other titles (1992, 1997), and has only had two multi-year stretches in which they accomplished neither. Those were both six-year stretches from between 1986-1991 and 1998-2003.
    The Eagles have been impressive – if not dominant – in the league in the last 16 years (2007-2022), winning 80 percent of their games (99-25) and six 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.
    After the Eagles play at Oregon, they will have an early bye week. After the bye, the National Champion runner-up's in Montana State visit Cheney on Sept. 24, and it's on to Florida after that. Big Sky play includes road games at Weber State, Cal Poly, Idaho and Montana with home matchups against Sacramento State for Homecoming, Portland State, and Northern Colorado for the regular season finale.
    The COVID-19 pandemic may have caused headaches and the need for adaptation, but it did allow 11 seniors to participate in a sixth Fall. Among them is quarterback Gunner Talkington who has been tabbed the starter by head coach Aaron Best following Fall Camp.
 
Game Notes
 
Eagles 11-27 Versus FBS Members
Since the early 1980's when it began the move to become a member of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (in 1984), Eastern is now 11-27 all-time versus Football Bowl Subdivision teams. Eastern has won four of its last 11 games versus FBS foes, with the most recent victory coming in the 2021 season when EWU won at UNLV by a 35-33 score in double overtime. In the 2016 season, Eastern recorded a 45-42 victory at Washington State. Between those two victories, EWU lost at Texas Tech in 2017 (56-10), at Washington State in 2018 (59-24) and at Washington in 2019 (47-14).
Against current Pac-12 Conference members, EWU is now 2-11 (2-13 including losses to Washington State in 1907 and 1908) with a 49-46 upset of 25th-ranked Oregon State in 2013 and a 45-42 win over Washington State in 2016. A 35-17 win over Connecticut on Sept. 8, 2001, snapped a five-game losing streak versus FBS foes, then a 20-3 win at Idaho in 2012 snapped a 10-game skid. Here are EWU's upcoming games versus FBS opponents:
2022 - at Oregon (9/3/22)
2022 - at Florida (10/1/22) . . . re-scheduled from 2020
2023 - at Fresno State (9/9/23)
2024 - at Nevada (9/21/24)
2025 - at Boise State (9/6/25)
2026 - at Washington (date either 9/5, 9/12 or 9/19)
2028 - at Washington (date either 9/2, 9/9 or 9/16)
 
Talkington Shines in Win Over Tennessee State
    Eastern Washington University football player Gunner Talkington has been named the Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Week after a stellar performance in a win over Tennessee State on Saturday, the league announced on Sept. 5.
    It's the first player of the week nod for Talkington in his six-year career with the Eagles. Additionally, an Eastern Washington quarterback has claimed seven out of the last 13 Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week awards. Eric Barriere set a Big Sky record with six last season and went on the win the Walter Payton Award.
    Talkington, who made his second career start but the first since being officially named EWU's starting quarterback, guided the Eagles to a season-opening 36-29 victory over Tennessee State at Roos Field on Sept. 3.
    The redshirt senior entered the game with five career touchdown passes and equaled that in one contest. He threw for 348 yards and led the team with 60 rushing yards, amassing 408 yards of total offense. Talkington completed 29 of his 46 pass attempts (63%) and did not throw an interception. Dating back to Oct. 12, 2019, Talkington has thrown 50-straight completions without an interception.
    With the game tied 29-29 with just under seven minutes to go, Talkington orchestrated an 11-play, 75-yard drive that took 3:53 off the clock and ended with a 13-yard strike to Efton Chism III for the game's winning touchdown.
    Nationally, Talkington ranked third in total offense (408.0) in the FCS after the first week. He is currently ranked fourth in completions per game (29), fifth in passing touchdowns (5), seven in points responsible for (32), and eighth in passing yards per game (348).
    The Battle Ground, Wash., native joined the Eagles in 2017 and patiently played backup to All-American quarterbacks, Gage Gubrud and Eric Barriere, before earning the starting spot in his sixth season with the Eagles. He has played in 39 games for Eastern Washington, also appearing as a holder on special teams, and has completed 61 of his 110 career pass attempts for 713 yards and 10 touchdowns. He has added another 81 yards on the ground.
 
Eastern Now 67-1 Since 2010 When Winning the TO Battle
    In the last 14+ seasons (2008-2022), the Eagles are now 76-2 when they've won the turnover battle, 25-9 when they've been tied and 26-37 when they've lost (total of 126-48).
    However, Eastern's nearly 12-year, 63-game streak of winning the game when they won the turnover battle came to a halt on Nov. 6, 2021, versus Montana State when MSU had two turnovers to EWU's none. The last time EWU had lost a game 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 now 67-1 since 2010 when they've won the turnover battle, 22-9 when they've been tied and 24-30 when they've lost.
So far this season, EWU has won the turnover battle versus Tennessee State (3-1) with two forced fumbles and two recoveries, plus an interception by Tre Weed to end the game.
    In 2021, EWU won the turnover battle versus Central Washington (2-0), Western Illinois (1-0), Southern Utah (1-0), Northern Colorado (2-1), Idaho (3-0), Montana State (2-0), UC Davis (2-0), Portland State (2-0) and Northern Iowa (3-1), and lost to UNLV (3-2) and Weber State (3-2). The Eagles were tied versus Montana (2-2) on Oct. 2 but lost (0-2) on Dec. 3.
    In 2020-21, EWU opened the year by falling to Idaho 28-21 after losing the turnover battle 2-1. Eastern beat Northern Arizona 45-13 on March 6, but also lost the turnover battle in that one, 3-0. Eastern beat Idaho State by both score (46-42) and the turnover battle (3-2). Eastern won the turnover battle 2-1 against Cal Poly on March 27, but lost 1-0 at UC Davis in a 32-22 victory on April 3. The Eagles closed the regular season by registered two four-quarter interceptions – the only turnovers of the game – in a 38-31 win over Idaho on April 10. In the FCS Playoffs, the lone turnover was an Eagle interception on offense as North Dakota State won the turnover battle 1-0.
 
Eastern is 33-21 Since 2010 Versus Ranked Opponents
    Including EWU's games on Oct. 2 versus fourth-ranked Montana, Nov. 6 against fourth-ranked Montana State and Nov. 13 against No. 6 UC Davis, Eastern has now won 61 percent of its games (33-21) versus ranked teams since 2010. Eastern is 62-75 (.453) in 137 games overall against ranked teams since becoming a member of that classification in 1983 (then known as I-AA). Since 1983, Eastern is 1-7 versus ranked FBS foes, and a loss to Washington (ranked 13th by the media and 12th by the coaches) in 2019 was the eighth such foe EWU has faced.
    Eastern's 2021 games versus Montana twice, Montana State and UC Davis gives EWU 68 occasions Eastern has faced a team ranked in the top 10 in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (STATS). Eastern is 12-12 versus top 10 foes since 2010, including a 7-5 mark in the regular season and 5-7 in the playoffs. Eastern is 21-47 in the 68 games all-time versus top 10 opponents. The Eagles are 10-37 all-time versus top 5 opponents (5-9 since 2010), including 2-8 versus No. 1 (0-2 since 2010).
    Overall, EWU has faced the No. 1 team in FCS 10 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. One of the losses was in 2016 in Fargo, N.D., when North Dakota State beat No. 8 Eastern 50-44 in overtime. The following season, EWU was ranked seventh and lost 40-13 to second-ranked NDSU in Cheney. Eastern lost a third time to the top-ranked Bison by a 38-24 score on Jan. 5, 2019, in the NCAA Division I Championship Game.
 
EWU Has Won Last Eight Regular Season Games on the Road as Streak of at Least One Road Win Extended to 53 Seasons and Two Road Wins Now at 28 Seasons
    Eastern ended the 2021 regular season with an eight-game regular season winning streak on the road, including a 38-20 win at UC Davis on Nov. 13 and 42-28 triumph at Portland State on Nov. 20. Eastern finished with its first unbeaten regular season road record since 1967 when the then-Savages were also 6-0.
    Eastern is now 6-0 thus far on the road in 2021 and won the last two regular season road games in the 2020-21 winter/spring season. The streak dates back to a 28-21 loss at Idaho on Feb. 27, and the lone blemish away from home since then was a 42-20 setback at North Dakota State in the first round of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs.
    A victory at UNLV extended EWU's current streak seasons with at least one road win to 53. That streak now includes all 38 seasons Eastern has been a member of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA). The last time Eastern was winless on the road was 1969 when the then-Savages were 0-4 away from home and finished 4-5 on the season.
    Two weeks later at Western Illinois, Eastern extended its streak of seasons with at least two road wins to 28. Eastern has had at least two road wins in all but six seasons (1974, 1975, 1976, 1988, 1989, 1994) since 1969, including a current streak of 28-straight seasons with at least a pair.
 
Eagles Continue Big Sky Success With Impressive Consistency
    Consistency has been a cornerstone of EWU Football, and the Eagles have cemented an 18-year run of winning the league title and/or advancing to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs at least every other year. Since 2004, Eastern has advanced to the playoffs and/or won the league title at least every other year, and hasn't had back-back-empty seasons since 2002 and 2003.
    Since 2010 when EWU won the NCAA Division I title, the Eagles have won league titles six times (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018) and advanced to the playoffs all six of those seasons. From 2004 to 2009 Eastern advanced to the playoffs four times (2004, 2005, 2007, 2009), and won the league title twice (2004, 2005). Eastern has five other playoff berths in school history (1985, 1992, 1997, 2020/21, 2021) and two other titles (1992, 1997), and has only had two multi-year stretches in which they accomplished neither. Those were both six-year stretches from between 1986-1991 and 1998-2003.
 
Eagles Were One From Record of 50-Point Games in 2021
    In 2021, Eastern had at least 50 points in five games, which was the second most in a single season. The school record is six (2018, 2014).
    In EWU's last 18 games, Eastern has recorded its top five first-half scoring outputs in the school's 38-year history in FCS. Most recently, the Eagles scored 43 points versus Idaho in a 71-21 romp, and 43 one week earlier at Northern Colorado in a 63-17 victory. In 2021 EWU recorded the top two performances with 55 against Western Illinois and 46 versus Central Washington. Those games broke the previous record of 45 set versus Cal Poly on March 27, 2021, during EWU's abbreviated 2020-21 winter/spring schedule.
    Eastern's 29 points in the first quarter versus Idaho are the most points in a first quarter (fifth overall for any quarter), eclipsing the 28 Eastern scored earlier this season against Western Illinois and Central Washington and on five other occasions.
    Four times in 2021 -- plus the Cal Poly game on 3/27/21 -- Eastern has topped the 62-point mark, including a Roos Field record of 71 against Idaho, 63 versus both UNC and CWU, and 62 at WIU. Those represent five of the top 19 performances in school history (12 as a member of FCS). Of EWU's games of 62 points or more, head coach Aaron Best has had eight of those as head coach – and has been a part of all 12 as a member of FCS. Of the 71 games in school history with over 50 points (record of 68-3), Aaron Best has been the head coach in 16 of those.
 
Five Eagles Made Their Starting Debuts Against Tennessee State
    Five Eagles, including a trio of transfers, made their first career starts for the Eagles today. On the defensive side, linebackers Derek Tommasini and Jaren Banks made their first starts in an Eagle uniform. Tommasini transferred in from Idaho and had seven tackles today. Banks, a Rice transfer, ended with seven as well.
    On the offensive side, Seth Carnahan who also transferred from Idaho, started at right tackle. Brenden River, a sophomore, earned the start at right guard. Justice Jackson started at running back and was second on the team with 23 rushing yards.
    Current Starts on Defense (192 starts by 18 players): Mitchell Johnson 31, Tre Weed 29, Darrien Sampson 24, Joshua Jerome 21, Debore'ae McClain 14, Matthew Brown 12, Anthany Smith 12, Marlon Jones Jr. 10, Ely Doyle 10, Jacob Newsom 7, Brock Harrison 7, Keshaun King 4, Caleb Davis 4, Demetrius Crosby Jr. 3, Cage Schenck 1, Ahmani Williams 1, Derek Tommasini 1, Jaren Banks 1.
    Current Starts on Offense (115 starts by 18 players): Wyatt Musser 21, Freddie Roberson 20, Wyatt Hansen 19,  Dylan Ingram 16, Efton Chism III 10, Matthew Hewa Baddege 5, Anthony Stell Jr. 4, Blake Gobel 3, Luke Dahlgren 3, Jakobie James 3, Andrei Leonardi 2, Brad Godwin 2, Robert Mason III 1, Nolan Ulm 1, Gunner Talkington 2, Brenden Rivera 1, Seth Carnahan 1, Justice Jackson 1
 
Preseason Notes
 
    Chism, Jerome, Represent Eastern Washington on Preseason All-Big Sky Team
    Two Eastern Washington University football players in Efton Chism III and Joshua Jerome have been selected to the All-Big Sky Preseason team, as announced as part of the Big Sky Conference Kickoff in Spokane (July 25).
    The duo both hail from Monroe, Wash., and graduated from Monroe High School, with Jerome graduating in 2018 and Chism in 2020. They each earned All-Big Sky third team honors last year as well as earning All-America honors from HERO Sports.
     UC Davis' Ulonzo Gilliam Jr. earned the Big Sky's Preseason Offensive MVP nod, while Montana's Patrick O'Connell earned the same on the defensive side.
     Chism, a sophomore wide receiver, has appeared in 20 games for the Eagles, making nine starts. He currently holds an average of 4.00 receptions per game, which is tied for eighth in school history. He has caught 80 passes for a total of 1,002 yards and 10 touchdowns.
     He played in all 13 games for the Eagles in 2021, making seven starts. He caught 80 passes for 735 yards (12.9 per reception), which puts him over the 1,000-yard mark for his career. Chism led the team in receiving touchdowns with a total of nine, which was tied for second in the Big Sky Conference.
     Jerome, a redshirt junior defensive tackle, has played in 35 career games (20 as a starter), and has 143 tackles with 11 1/2 sacks, nine quarterback hurries, a pass broken up, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Jerome was in the opposing offense's backfield all season long in 2021, leading EWU in sacks (seven) and tackles for loss (13 1/2). He racked up 61 total tackles, six quarterback hurries, a fumble recovery, and he forced three fumbles.
     More on Efton Chism III: Chism has appeared in 20 games for the Eagles, making nine starts. He currently holds an average of 4.00 receptions per game, which is tied for eighth in school history. He has caught 80 passes for a total of 1,002 yards and 10 touchdowns.
     More on Joshua Jerome: He has played 35 career games (20 as a starter), and has 143 tackles with 11 1/2 sacks, nine quarterback hurries, a pass broken up, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
 
Eagles Are Well Represented on Phil Steele Preseason Teams
    Long snapper Cody Clements represents Eastern Washington on the FCS Preseason All-American team, earning third team honors at his position. He was also selected to the second team on the preseason All-Big Sky special teams list.
    On the preseason All-Big Sky team, wide receiver Freddie Roberson was Eastern's lone representative on the first team for offense. Joining him on offense were second team selections Efton Chism III at wide receiver and Wyatt Musser on the offensive line. Fellow offensive lineman, Wyatt Hansen, rounds things out on the offensive side on the third team.
    The Eagles had three selections on the defensive side, led by a pair of defensive linemen in Mitchell Johnson and Joshua Jerome on the first team. Anthany Smith was selected to the third team as a defensive back.
Along with Clements, Nick Kokich landed on the special teams list as well, earning third team honors as a punter.
 
Eastern Washington University, Southeastern Louisiana University, Football Announce Home-And-Home
  Two Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) programs in Eastern Washington University and Southeastern Louisiana University will face off in 2023 and 2024, the schools jointly announced on Thursday (June 30).
    The Eagles will host the Lions on Sept. 16, 2023 in Cheney, Wash., at Roos Field before making the return trip to Hammond, La., on Sept. 14, 2024 at Strawberry Stadium. It will be the first all-time meeting between the foes, and EWU owns a 6-7 overall record against Southland Conference opponents.
    "The ability to agree upon a home and home matchup with an upper echelon FCS program such as Southeastern Louisiana is something we look for annually," said head coach Aaron Best. "Engaging in tougher non-conference games at the FCS level will undoubtedly better prepare our program for the rigors of our Big Sky Conference schedule."
     Like Eastern Washington, SLU advanced to the second round of the FCS Playoffs in 2021, and the squads also boast the two most recent Walter Payton Award winners. SLU's Cole Kelley won in 2020-21 and Eric Barriere was awarded in 2021. Both finished runner-up to each other in the year that they did not win.
     The Lions made their fourth trip to the postseason in 2021 and the third to the second round, finishing 9-4 overall and 6-2 in conference play. Eastern Washington made its 15th appearance, finishing the season 10-3 overall and tied for third in the Big Sky Conference with a 6-2 record. The squads are currently both ranked in the Athlon Sports and HERO Sports Preseason Top-25 polls. EWU is ranked No. 15 in Athlon Sports and No. 20 in HERO Sports, while SLU comes in at No. 19 and No. 20, respectively.
     "We've been taking steps each season as our program grows to compete consistently on the national level and to continue that growth, we have to compete against quality FCS opponents. Eastern Washington is consistently in the national championship picture, which is where we want to be," added Southeastern's head coach Frank Scelfo. "We're excited for this home-and-home series and an opportunity to test ourselves against an elite FCS program."
     This completes the 2023 schedule for the Eagles, which can be found below. Eastern Washington has also secured a 2025 matchup with Boise State in Boise, Idaho.
 
Four Eagles Named Co-Captains for the 2022 Season
    Four Eastern Washington University football players have been selected by their teammates as co-captains for the 2022 season, head coach Aaron Best has announced this afternoon (June 9).
    Defensive end Mitchell Johnson, wide receiver Freddie Roberson, defensive back Anthany Smith and quarterback Gunner Talkington will all step into co-captain roles for the first time in their respective careers.
     The quartet has a combined 144 total games worth of experience at Eastern Washington, including 61 total starts. Johnson, Smith and Talkington all enter their redshirt senior seasons at EWU, while Roberson is listed as a redshirt junior.
     Last month, Smith was chosen to become the next Eagle to continue the more than 10-year history of wearing EWU's No. 4 legacy jersey that symbolizes the defensive player who most embodies the characteristics of defense at Eastern: grit, toughness, effort, leadership and academic success.
     Smith hails from Everett, Wash., where he graduated from Mariner High School in 2017. He has 109 career tackles, two interceptions and four passes broken up in 30 games (11 as a starter). He earned All-Big Sky Conference first team honors following the unique 2020-21 Spring season after leading the team with 44 tackles in six games.
     Johnson earned All-Big Sky first team honors in 2020-21 and was selected to the third team in 2021. The West Linn, Ore., native has 148 tackles in his 47-game career (30 as a starter). He has 26 1/2 tackles for loss, 13 1/2 sacks, five interceptions, 16 quarterback hurries, nine passes broken up, three fumble recoveries and four forced fumbles (T-14th in school history). Johnson is a management major and has been named to the All-Big Sky Academic Team four times in his career.
     Roberson, who graduated from Rainier Beach High School in Seattle in 2018, has 29 games of experience (19 starts) in his career and with five 100-yard receiving performances. He has caught 96 passes for a total of 1,469 yards and 10 touchdowns, and he has also rushed for a touchdown. He was named to the All-Big Sky second team in 2020-21 and landed on the third team last season along with being named to the HERO Sports Sophomore All-America team for offense.
     Talkington played in all 13 games for Eastern Washington as a backup quarterback and the holder on special teams. Entering the 2022 season, he is the front-runner to replace Walter Payton Award winner Eric Barriere at quarterback. So far in his career,     Talkington has played in 38 games and is 1-0 as a starter. He has completed 32-of-64 passes for 365 yards and five touchdowns in his career. Talkington hails from Battle Ground, Wash., where he graduated from Battle Ground High School in 2017. He is a management major and has been named to the All-Big Sky Academic team four times during his career.
 
Eagle Football 2021 Season Tidbits
* In finishing the 2021 regular season 9-2, this is just the eighth Eagles team to win at least nine regular-season games in 38 seasons as a member of FCS. Six of those previous seasons have come since 2010, and just twice before that – 1997 with 10 regular season wins and in 1967 with 10 – has Eastern hit that mark, for a total of only nine in 113 seasons of football all-time.
* On Nov. 13 at UC Davis, the Aggies were held to 283 yards and 3-of-12 on third down, while the Eagles converted 9-of-19 times on third down and were successful on all three of their fourth-down attempts, a week after going 3-of-13 and 2-of-3, respectively, in a loss to Montana State. Eastern ran 101 plays to 63 for the Aggies, and had a 36:41 to 23:19 advantage in possession time. The Eagles forced UC Davis to punt five times.
* Prior to that, the Eagles were coming off their second-straight home loss, a narrow 23-20 decision to Montana State. En route to getting out-gained in total offense 544-314, EWU was held to roughly half of its average season output for points and yards for the second-straight game. The Eagles couldn't overcome a 40:33 scoreless stretch in which they had seven-straight scoreless possessions from the second quarter into the fourth period.
* Two weeks earlier before a bye in the schedule, Eastern saw its 20-game home winning streak fall by the wayside with a 35-34 loss to Weber State on Oct. 23 in which EWU was held nearly 20 points and almost 200 yards below its seasonal averages. The Wildcats also rushed for 213 yards and four touchdowns versus EWU, and were a perfect 4-of-4 on fourth down with three coming on fake punts. Still, Eastern rallied from a 14-point fourth quarter deficit and missed an extra point with 2:51 to play which could have knotted the game at 35.
* Eastern picked up its third win of the season – and second on the road – after surviving for a 62-56 win on Sept. 18 at Western Illinois of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Eagles led 55-21 at halftime as Eric Barriere set FCS records with 487 passing yards and 497 total yards of offense in the first half alone. He finished with a then school-record 562 yards of offense (542 through the air), breaking the record with a win-clinching 10-yard first down run in the final minute.
* Prior to that, the Eagles opened their home schedule with a 63-14 win versus NCAA Division II Central Washington and a 35-33 victory in two overtimes over UNLV in EWU's season opener on Sept. 2 in Las Vegas. The Rebels are a member of the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and the Mountain West Conference. Eastern has now won four of its last 11 games versus FBS members.
 
Five Eastern players have already completed requirements toward their bachelor's degree and are in graduate school.
    A trio of Eagles in Jaren Banks, Mitchell Johnson and Dylan Ingram are working towards their Master's in Business Administration. Sherwin King Jr. earned his undergraduate degree from Fresno State and is now working towards his Master's in Organizational Leadership. The final Eagle is Cody Clements, who is in his second year of graduate school working towards an adult education degree.
    Since 2001, Eastern has annually averaged more than 20 selections to the Big Sky All-Academic team. Eastern has had a league-most 505 selections from 2001-2021, and Eastern has won a total of 704 Big Sky All-Academic honors since joining the league in 1987. A total of 26 were honored in 2019, and a program-best 34 were recognized in the 2016 season. In the abbreviated 2020-21 season, 52 Eagles were honored, however, because of the Covid-19 pandemic, there were no participation requirements to be named to the team. The 2021 season saw a league-high 30 be honored.

Senior Anthany Smith to Wear No. 4 Jersey for the Eagles
    Eastern Washington University football player Anthany Smith will continue the legacy of wearing the No. 4 jersey for the Eagles, a tribute that has existed for more than 10 years.
    Since the 2008 season when senior Jason Belford had the number, the coaching staff has selected a leader on defense to wear the jersey. It symbolizes the defensive player who most embodies the characteristics of defense at Eastern: grit, toughness, effort, leadership and academic success.
    Smith is a senior from Everett, Wash., where he graduated from Mariner High School in 2017. After redshirting his first season on campus, he played in all 15 games for the Eagles in 2018 and finished with 18 tackles and an interception.
Injuries held him to just three games in 2019, but during the unique 2020-21 Spring season he earned All-Big Sky Conference first team honors after starting all six of the games he played in. He was also selected as the team's defensive MVP. The safety finished with a team-leading 44 tackles in six games played (all as a starter). In EWU's last regular season game versus Idaho (4/10/21), Smith had 17 tackles -- equaling the 19th-most in school history. He made his starting debut earlier in the season versus the Vandals (2/27/21) and had 10 tackles, a pass broken up and a 71-yard interception return for a touchdown which was the 18th-longest in school history.
Smith is a management major at Eastern Washington, he has 109 career tackles, two interceptions and four passes broken up in 30 games (11 as a starter).
    A year ago, senior Calin Criner wore the No. 4 jersey and went on to win honorable mention All-Big Sky Conference honors.
Although the honor isn't necessarily given to the most talented defensive player on the team, Eastern has had 12-straight players in that number earn All-Big Sky honors, and 14 of a possible 15 since Eastern joined the league in 1987. Below is the list of players who have worn that number since EWU became a member of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision in 1984 (Big Sky in 1987).
Name – Year - Pos. - Hometown / Previous School
Hunter, Darryl - 1983-84-85-86 - DB - Tacoma, Wash. / Foss HS
%Corr, Dominic - 1986-87-88-89 - RB - Seattle, Wash. / Garfield HS
%Wright, Harold - 1990-91-92-93 - RB - Tacoma, Wash. / Lakes HS '89
Givens, Roderick - 1995 - DB - Auburn, Wash. / Auburn HS '94
#%Brightful, Lamont - 1998-99-00-01 - WR - Everett, Wash. /Mariner HS '97
%Williams, A.J. - 2002-03 - DB - Lacey, Wash. - North Thurston HS '01
%Dotson, Anthony - 2005-06-07 - DB - Federal Way, Wash. / Federal Way HS '03
%Belford, Jason - 2005-06-07-08 - DL - Tacoma, Wash. / Lincoln HS '04
#%Sherritt, J.C. - 2007-08-09-10 - LB - Pullman, Wash. / Pullman HS '06
%Brown, Allen - 2010-11-12-13 - DB - Tacoma, Wash. / Foss HS '09
%Raynes, Todd - 2012-13-14-15 - DB - Kenmore, Wash. / Inglemoor HS '11
%Zamora, Miquiyah - 2013-14-15-16 - LB - Pasco, Wash. / Chiawana HS '12
%Havili, Albert - 2013-14-16-17 - DL - Federal Way, Wash. / Federal Way HS '13
%Fettig, Mitch - 2015-16-17-18 - DB - Olympia Wash. / Olympia HS '14
%Ledbetter, Dylan - 2016-17-18-19 - DL - West Seattle, Wash. / O'Dea HS '15
%Criner, Calin - 2017-18-19-20-21 - DB - Boise, Idaho / Rocky Mountain HS '16
%Smith, Anthany - 2018-19-20-21-22 - DB - Everett, Wash. / Mariner HS '17
     #All-America selection (Brightful was first team in 2001, second team in 2000 & second team in 1999 as return specialist, and honorable mention in 2001 as a wide receiver; Sherritt was the Buck Buchanan Award winner in 2010, and first team in 2009 and 2010 as a linebacker).
     %All-Big Sky Conference selection (Corr was first team in 1989 & second team in 1989 as return specialist; Wright was Big Sky Newcomer of the Year in 1989, and first team in 1991 & second team in 1992 as a running back; Brightful was first team in 2001 as a wide receiver and return specialist, first team in 2000 as a return specialist, second team in 2000 as a wide receiver and first team in 1999 as a return specialist; Williams was honorable mention in 2003 and 2002 as a safety; Dotson was second team in 2007 as an outside linebacker; Belford was second team in 2008 and honorable mention in 2007 as a defensive end; Sherritt was the Big Sky Defensive MVP in 2010, first team in 2009 and 2010 as a linebacker & honorable mention in 2008 as a linebacker; Brown was second team in 2012 & honorable mention in 2013 as a safety; Raynes was third team in 2015 as a safety; Zamora was first team in 2016 & honorable mention in 2014 as a linebacker; Havili was second team in 2017 as a defensive end; Fettig was third team in 2018 & 2017 & honorable mention in 2016 as a safety; Ledbetter was honorable mention in 2018 and 2019 as a defensive tackle; Criner was honorable mention in 2021 as a safety; Smith was first team in 2020-21 as a safety).
 
Player Notes
 
More on EWU Returning Offensive Players
    The three returning All-Big Sky Conference performers on offense include sophomore wide receiver Efton Chism III, junior wide receiver Freddie Roberson, and senior offensive guard Wyatt Musser. The trio were all selected to the third team All-Big Sky following the 2021 season. Chism was honored for the first time in his young career, and it marked the second career honors for both Roberson (2nd in 2020-21) and Musser (2nd in 2020-21). All three were starters last season, and a total of 15 players return on offense who have started games as Eagles during their careers.
     Eastern closed the 2021 regular season with the best offense in FCS for the second time in the last three seasons, finishing the season first at 554.5 total yards of offense per game. The Eagles were also third nationally in passing (399.4) and second in scoring offense (44.0).
     In EWU's last 18 seasons (2004-2021), the Eagles have ranked in the top 10 in passing 15 times, total offense on 14 occasions and scoring nine times. In school history, EWU has won four FCS titles for total offense (2021, 2019, 2001, 1997), as well as three passing offense titles (2016, 2015, 2011) and two for scoring offense (2014, 2001).
     Eastern Washington lost six starters on offense from 2021, including the 2021 Walter Payton Award winner and two-time Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Year, quarterback Eric Barriere. Barriere was named an All-American by eight different organizations at the end of season. He ended his illustrious career at Eastern Washington as the all-time leader in yards of total offense (15,394), passing yards (13,809) and passing touchdowns (121) which are also Big Sky Conference records. He holds EWU's all-time records in completions (1,007), attempts (1,623), rushing yards by a quarterback (1,585), touchdowns responsible for (143) and points responsible for (882), among many other categories. Barriere had 17 games with 400 or more yards of total offense, also an Eastern record, and he won Big Sky Conference Player of the Week honors 12 times.
     It's no surprise the quarterback front will look different at Eastern Washington this season. Following the Spring season in 2022, EWU head coach Aaron Best named senior Gunner Talkington the front-runner to take over for Barriere heading into Fall camp, which started for Eastern on August 4. Talkington played in all 13 games last season as a backup quarterback and the holder on special teams. He completed 11-of-17 passes for 98 yards and a touchdown, also rushing for 14 yards on six attempts. He completed five passes for 58 yards against Central Washington on 9/11/21. Against Idaho (10/16/21), he threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Robert Mason III. In his career, he has completed 61-of-110 passes for 713 yards and 10 touchdowns (to seven different players) with two starts (vs. Cal Poly, 3/27/21 and vs. Tennessee State, 9/3/22). Addtionally, he has added 81 rushing yards and has not thrown an interception since Oct. 12, 2019, making it 50-straight completed passes without an interception. He has two interceptions in his career.
     Other quarterbacks listed on the 2022 roster are redshirt junior Simon Burkett, redshirt senior and Arizona State transfer Ryan Kelley, redshirt sophomore Trey Turner, and redshirt freshman Kekoa Visperas. Talkington is the only player of the five to throw a pass in his career.
     Joining Chism and Roberson on the wide receiver corps are Robert Mason III, Nolan Ulm, Anthony Stell Jr., Jakobie James, Malaki Roberson, Josh Johnson, Woodley Downard and Isaiah Howard.
     Chism has appeared in 21 games for the Eagles, making nine starts. He currently holds an average of 4.14 receptions per game, which is tied for eighth in school history. He has caught 87 passes for a total of 1,075 yards and 12 touchdowns. He played in all 13 games for the Eagles, making seven starts in 2021. He caught 80 passes for 735 yards (12.9 per reception), which puts him over the 1,000-yard mark for his career. Chism led the team in receiving touchdowns with a total of nine, which was tied for second in the Big Sky Conference. He had three multi-touchdown games and returned 25 punts for 104 yards and 10 kicks for 203.
     Freddie Roberson started and played in 11 games for the Eagles in 2021. He totaled 49 catches for 779 yards (fifth in the conference) and six touchdowns. His 70.8 receiving yards per game ranked seventh in the Big Sky. Against Western Illinois, Roberson hauled in six catches for 118 yards and a touchdown. He had his best game of the season against Idaho, catching nine passes for 192 yards (21.3 per reception) and two touchdowns in a blowout win. In the FCS Playoffs against Northern Iowa he exploded for 127 yards on just five catches (25.4 per reception), including a career-long of 86 yards. Roberson now has 30 games of experience (20 starts) in his career and with five 100-yard receiving performances. He has caught 102 passes for a total of 1,560 yards and 10 touchdowns, and he has also rushed for a touchdown.
     Ulm played in 12 games last season where he caught eight passes for 77 yards, one of them resulting in a touchdown in EWU's playoff win over Northern Iowa. He has caught 12 passes for 135 yards and two touchdowns in 20 games of experience. Mason transferred to EWU from Central Washington and has played in 15 games, catching 22 passes for 260 yards and two touchdowns since coming to Cheney. In 2021, Mason played in 10 games, making one start. He caught four passes for 50 yards against Southern Utah. Mason scored his first touchdown as an Eagle against Idaho on Oct. 16, a game in which he caught four passes for 39 yards.
     In his 22-game career with Eastern, James has caught 32 passes for a total of 413 yards and three touchdowns. James played in 12 games for the Eagles, making two starts. He hauled in 17 receptions for 246 yards and three touchdowns. His best outing of the season came in the FCS Playoffs against Montana (12/3/21), a game in which he caught four passes for 97 yards (24.3 per reception) and two touchdowns. One of the touchdowns was for 54 yards.
     Malaki Roberson saw action in two games last year, and while Stell did not play in 2021, he has 20 games of experience with 22 catches for 323 yards and three touchdowns with four starts. Howard (three games) and Johnson (two games) saw limited time as true freshmen last season, while Downard will look to make his Eagle debut in 2022.
     The Eagles also bring back an experienced group of tight ends, led primarily by redshirt sophomore Blake Gobel, redshirt senior Dylan Ingram and redshirt junior Aiden Nellor. In 2021, Ingram hauled in 13 receptions for 146 yards and four touchdowns. He had his longest play of the season against FBS opponent UNLV, catching a 25-yard touchdown pass from Barriere in the first overtime period, extending the game. The Eagles would go on to win the game in double overtime. He now has 44 games of experience (16 starts), and has caught 19 passes for 202 yards and six touchdowns in his career.
     Gobel played in all 13 games for the Eagles in 2021, making two starts. He caught 13 passes for a total of 208 yards (16.0 per catch) and four touchdowns. He started the season scoring a touchdown in back-to-back weeks (at UNLV on 9/2/21 and vs. Central Washington on 9/11/21). He now has 25 games of experience, and has 21 career catches for 286 yards and eight touchdowns. Nellor played in eight games for the Eagles last season, catching six passes for 65 yards. In his career, he has 27 games of experience and seven receptions for 67 yards.
     Three other tight ends are back in redshirt freshmen Messiah Jones and Jett Carpenter, along with redshirt sophomore Chris Johnson.
     With the loss of All-Conference running backs Tamarick Pierce and Dennis Merritt, a relatively young crew of running backs are ready to take charge. Sophomore Justice Jackson ranked second on the team last year behind Merritt, racking up 317 yards and three touchdowns on 54 carries after appearing in all 13 games. He has played in 18 games in his time at Eastern, racking up 72 carries for 382 yards and three touchdowns.
     A pair of redshirt juniors in Isaiah Lewis and Micah Smith return as well. Lewis appeared in nine games for Eastern last year, racking up 186 yards on 28 carries with a touchdown. He also added three receptions for 48 yards. He has played in 17 games with the Eagles, carrying the ball 53 times for 354 yards and two touchdowns. Smith played in 11 games for Eastern, rushing the ball 36 times for 139 yards and two touchdowns. He has played in 25 games in his career and has 318 yards rushing and three touchdowns, plus seven catches for 43 yards.
     Silas Perreiah played in his first game since Spring of 2020-21 against Tennessee State on Sept. 3. He returns this season with 14 career games, 269 yards rushing with a touchdown, three catches for seven yards, and another score under his belt. Although he technically redshirted during his first season on campus due to NCAA rules, Tuna Altahir is back for his redshirt freshman season after 2021 saw him play in two games where he rushed seven times for 30 yards and a touchdown at Northern Colorado. He now has three games of experience with 50 yards rushing on 14 attempts. Davante Smith made his Eagle debut on 9/3/22 and has nine career rushing yards on one carry.
     Along with Musser, sophomore Wyatt Hansen is a returning starter on the offensive line. After playing in and starting all 13 games in 2021, he now has 19 starts and 19 games of experience on the offensive line. Musser has 47 games of experience with 21 starts, earning All-Big Sky honors the past two seasons.
     Andrei Leonardi returns for his senior season, bringing 17 games of experience with him. Playing in just five games last season before sitting out due to injury, Matthew Hewa Baddege is back on the offensive line this season, making six starts in 16 games played during his career. Other returning letter winners from last season include redshirt sophomore Luke Dahlgren and redshirt junior Brad Prestegord, who each played in seven games last year. Dahlgren started at center against Tennessee State
     Eastern Washington welcomes offensive line transfer Seth Carnahan to the trenches as well. A redshirt junior, Carnahan spent three seasons with the Idaho Vandals where he played in 23 games. Other returning members of the offensive line include redshirt sophomore Isaac Flemmer, sophomore Brenden Rivera, sophomore Gale Kamp, redshirt freshman Dane Anderson, redshirt freshman Shane Schwake, and redshirt junior Brad Godwin. Both Carnahan and Rivera made their first career starts for Eastern Washington against Tennessee State.
 
More on EWU Returning Defensive Players
    After only losing four defensive starters after the 2021 season, the Eagle defense is taking a veteran shape under returning All-Big Sky honorees Mitchell Johnson and Joshua Jerome.
     Defensive backs and 2020-21 All-BSC members in Anthany Smith and Tre Weed also return. Eighteen defensive players on the 2022 roster have logged at least one start in their careers, including seven on EWU's secondary. Smith, who is a Co-Captain and will don EWU's legacy No. 4 jersey, returns for his senior year with 113 career tackles, two interceptions and four passes broken up in 30 games (12 as a starter). He missed the first half of the 2021 season due to injury, but managed to rack up 38 tackles and a forced fumble in six games played in 2021. He earned All-Big Sky first team honors in 2020-21 and was the team's defensive MVP.
     Weed is the second starter back on the secondary. After earning All-Big Sky second team honors in 2020-21, he returned to play in all 13 games (11 starts) last season with 37 tackles, four pass break ups, and an interception. He has now played 38 games as an Eagle (30 as a starter), and has career totals of 107 tackles, four interceptions and 13 passes broken up.
     Darrien Sampson started all 13 games in 2021, and nineteen of his 29 tackles were solo to go with an interception. Sampson has played in 35 career games now (24 starts) and has 62 tackles, three interceptions and nine passes broken up.
     Marlon Jones Jr. tied for the team-lead last year with three interceptions. He played in 12 games with five starts, racking up 47 tackles and five passes broken up. Against Montana on Oct. 2, he recorded the first interception of his career with 6:30 left in the fourth quarter. The turnover would allow for the Eastern to extend their lead to six points, capping off a comeback attempt and winning the game by a score of 34-28. He has appeared in 22 games with the Eagles, making nine starts and tallying 77 tackles, three interceptions, six passes broken up, and a forced fumble.
     During his second season with the Eagles after transferring in from Arizona State, Ely Doyle returns for his junior season. Doyle has played in 17 games since transferring to Eastern, holding totals of 84 tackles and five passes broken up. Last season, he twice made game-winning stops. First, in a double-overtime victory in which he helped make the game-winning stop on UNLV's two-point conversion attempt, and again against Montana on Oct. 2 where he recorded a pass break-up on the Griz's game-winning touchdown try.
     Sophomore Cage Schenck and redshirt junior Demetrius Crosby Jr. each played in all 13 games last year, while sophomore DaJean Wells appeared in 12. Schenck has played in 20 games for the Eagles, making one start and collecting 21 tackles. Crosby has played in 25 games for the Eagles, making three starts. He has tallied 44 tackles, three interceptions, and 11 passes broken up. Wells has 18 games of experience with five tackles. Redshirt senior Keshaun King has 70 tackles and three interceptions in his 33-game career (four as a starter), after playing in 11 games last year with two interceptions.
     A trio of redshirt freshmen in Joseph Obeto, Kentrell Williams Jr., and Armani Orange look to see action this season after spending 2021 on the scout team.
     Opposite of the defensive backs, Eastern Washington lost two All-Big Sky linebackers in Jack Sendelbach and Ty Graham, along with Cale Lindsay and Jusstis Warren and put a point of emphasis on recruiting the position in the offseason. Joining the Eagles are transfers Derek Tommasini from Idaho, Jaren Banks from Rice, and Sherwin King Jr. from Fresno State.
     Four letterwinners return in the linebacker room in sophomores Ahmani Williams, Trevor Thurman, and Conner O'Farrell and redshirt freshman Daniel Taumoepeau. O'Farrell has the most experience with 18 games and 19 tackles, totaling nine last season in 10 games played. Thurman has made seven tackles (one for loss) in 11 games of experience, while Williams has 12 games of experience (one start) and has made 12 tackles. Taumoepeau played in four games during his debut season with the Eagles and has played in one in 2022 with one tackle.
     Redshirt sophomore Steven Flowers has played in nine game during his career, while Shane Aleaga redshirted his first year on campus.
Joining the linebacker corps are two transfer in Derek Tomassini (Idaho) and Jaren Banks (Rice). Both started their first games in Eagle uniforms against Tennessee State. Tomassini recorded seven tackles, and Banks also had seven plus 1.5 for loss.
     Four starters on back on EWU's defensive line in redshirt seniors Mitchell Johnson and Debore'ae McClain, sophomore Matthew Brown, and redshirt junior Joshua Jerome.
     Johnson is a Co-Captain and earned All-Big Sky first team honors in 2020-21 and was named to the third team in 2021. He has 154 tackles in his 48-game career (31 as a starter). He has 27 1/2 tackles for loss, 14 1/2 sacks, five interceptions, 16 quarterback hurries, nine passes broken up, three fumble recoveries and four forced fumbles (T-14th in school history). In 2021, he made 50 total tackles and had 9 1/2 tackles for loss, resulting in 36 negative yards for opponents. Johnson was also credited with 5 1/2 sacks for 27 yards, five pass break ups, five quarterback hurries, and two forced fumbles.
     Jerome is Eastern's other returning All-Conference honoree on the defensive side. Jerome was selected to the HERO Sports All-America Sophomore team too after playing in and starting all 13 games for the Eagles. Jerome was in the opposing offense's backfield all season long, leading EWU in sacks (seven) and tackles for loss (13 1/2). He racked up 61 total tackles, six quarterback hurries, a fumble recovery, and he forced three fumbles. He has played 36 career games (21 as a starter), and has 150 tackles with 11 1/2 sacks, nine quarterback hurries, a pass broken up, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
     McClain also appeared in and started all 13 games, making 38 tackles, four sacks, and six quarterback hurries. McClain has played in 47 games across four seasons as an Eagle, racking up 71 tackles, 5 1/2 sacks, nine quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and fumble recovery.
     The final returning starter on the defensive line is Brown, who has started in 12 of the 13 games he's played in, totaling 16 tackles and a fumble recovery. He had 2 1/2 tackles for loss, with 1 1/2 of those coming in Eastern's first game of the year against FBS opponent UNLV. Brown has appeared in 17 games for the Eagles, making 12 starts. He has tallied 19 tackles in his career, with 3 1/2 of them for loss. He also has a sack and a fumble recovery.
     Adding veteran experience to the defensive line is redshirt senior Caleb Davis. Davis appeared in all 13 games for the Eagles, making one start. He racked up 19 tackles (three for loss), a fumble recovery, and two sacks. His season-high of four tackles came in the FCS Playoffs against Northern Iowa, a game in which the Eastern defense allowed only one touchdown. Davis has played in 37 games for the Eagles. He has totaled 68 career tackles and 6 1/2 sacks, also recovering three fumbles.
     Redshirt sophomore Brock Harrison has played in 25 games as an Eagle with seven starts, totaling 51 tackles, 2 1/2 sacks, nine tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries, three pass break ups and an interception. Fellow redshirt sophomore Jacob Newsom has played in 20 games, recording 37 tackles, three sacks, a pass break up and a forced fumble.
     Soli Paleso'o is a redshirt sophomore who has played in 21 games, recording 24 tackles, two sacks, four quarterback hurries, a blocked field goal and a pass broken up. Paleso'o appeared in 11 games for the Eagles, producing 23 tackles and two sacks. Sophomore LeAndre Gaines who has 15 games of experience (11 tackles, one sack), also returns.
     Rounding out the defensive line is Emmanuel Osuoha, Taalefili Fata, Chad Vidican, Warren Hardin, Sean Skladany, Sandrey Mitberg, and Gabriel Johnson. Hardin saw four games of action last year nd Skladany appeared in two.
 
More on EWU Returning Special Teams Players
    Another experienced group is Eastern Washington's special teams corps, as the Eagles return three kickers, a punter, and two long snappers who all saw action last year.
     Junior Nick Kokich handled all punting duties across 12 games for the Eagles, averaging 40.2 yards on 48 attempts. He had nine punts of 50 or more yards and 14 landing inside the opposition's 20 yard line. He also recorded 39 passing yards on two completions, including a long of 36 against Southern Utah. Kokich had three punts inside the 20 against Montana on Oct. 2, and he had his longest punt of the season (61 yards) against Weber State. In 116 career punts, he has averaged 39.1 per kick (ranking 11th in EWU history) with a long of 61.
     Redshirt junior kicker Seth Harrison has the most experience on special teams. Harrison made the first 12 field goal attempts of his career, and is now 24-of-34 for .706 accuracy which currently ranks fifth in school history. His 191 kicking points are also fifth in school history. He is fourth in extra points made and attempted, going 119-of-126 in his career. Harrison became just the seventh Eagle in school history to have at least three career field goals of 47 yards or more, and just the fourth with two of at least 50 yards. There have been just 44 total field goals of 47 yards or more and 22 of at least 50 all-time at EWU. He also holds a 54.2 kickoff average (11 touchbacks). Harrison battled injuries in 2021, and in seven games he made 6-of-12 field goals and added 43 extra-point kicks on 45 attempts with a long of 41.
     Jackson Cleaver has 10 games of experience for the Eagles, going 4-of-6 on field goal attempts and 23-of-26 on extra points. He also has 29 kickoffs for 1,614 yards and six touchbacks. Cleaver appeared in seven games for the Eagles, making 3-of-5 field goals and 14-of-17 extra points. He set a new career-long on a 32-yard field goal against Montana (10/2/21). He accounted for eight points in the 34-28 victory over the Griz and was named the Big Sky Conference Special Teams Player of the Week.
     Sophomore Wyatt Hawkins was a perfect two-for-two on field goal tries (long of 30) and six-for-six on extra point tries. He also recorded 50 kickoffs, totaling 2,717 yards (54.3 average) and 13 touchbacks. Hawkins has appeared in 12 games for the Eagles, making both of his field goal attempts and recording 61 kickoff attempts for a 53-yard average.
     Cody Clements will enter his sixth season at Eastern Washington in the Fall as a redshirt senior. He has appeared in 29 games for the Eagles as a long snapper. He played in nine games for EWU in 2021 before an injury handed off duties to Aaron Estrada who made his collegiate debut against UC Davis on Nov. 13, playing in four games total.
 
Season Notes

Eagles Have Won 80 Percent of Their Last 118 Big Sky Conference Games
    Eastern has had 24 winning seasons in the last 26 years (1996-2021), including a current school record string of 15-straight (2007-21) and another stretch of seven straight (1999-2005). The last time Eastern had that many winning seasons in a row came 75 years earlier in the Red Reese era when Eastern had a string of 11-straight winning seasons from 1931-1941.
    A major reason for Eastern's stretch of winning seasons is success in the Big Sky Conference. In finishing 5-1 in the league in the 2020-21 season, Eastern has now won at least five conference games in the last 15 seasons, with a 6-2 or better finish (75 percent) in 12 of those 15. Since EWU's last losing league season in 2006 (3-5), the Eagles are 94-24 for a .797 winning percentage in 15 seasons (including 2021). Starting with three wins at the end of the 2009 season, Eastern has had a 80-17 record (.825) in league games since then.
    Through the 2021 season (6-2 record), the Eagles have won 70 of their last 83 Big Sky Conference games (84.3 percent) since a 0-2 start in 2011. Included are stretches of 60 victories in the last 72 games (including two at the end of the 2012 season) and 38 of the last 46 (since 2016). Those are percentages of .833 and .826, respectively.
    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 58-year history of the league was Montana, which won 50 of 55 games from 1995-2002 and 46 of 51 from 2003-2009. Weber State won 26 of 29 during a recent four-year stretch (2017-20/21) as league champions.
    Including four non-conference victories (two versus MSU, and one each against Cal Poly and Northern Arizona), two playoff wins (Montana and UC Davis) and one loss (Idaho), the Eagles are 76-15 (.835) against conference foes since the 0-2 start in 2011 and 66-13 (.835) since winning the last three games at the end of the 2012 campaign (one a non-conference win over Cal Poly).
    What is perhaps most impressive is Eastern's ability to consistently win on the road versus conference foes, with records of 32-8 (80 percent) on the road, 34-5 at home (87 percent) and 66-13 overall (84 percent) in the last eight-plus seasons since ending 2012 with three wins versus fellow BSC foes. From 2012-2019, Eastern defeated every Big Sky team on the road at least once, including former Big Sky member North Dakota and a 2012 non-league road victory at Idaho, which re-joined the league in 2018. Until losing at Southern Utah in October of 2017, the Eagles had won their previous road game versus all 13 other league members.
Eastern secured its 10th Big Sky title in 2018 and in the 2021 season EWU earned its 15th berth in the FCS Playoffs in what is now 38 years as a member of the FCS (formerly I-AA) and 34 seasons in the Big Sky.
 
Eagles Now 65-12 on the Red Turf
    A school-record stretch of 20-straight wins at Roos Field came to an end on Oct. 23, 2021, when the Eagles lost 35-34 to Weber State. Eastern then followed that with a 23-20 setback to fourth-ranked Montana State two weeks later.
    At the time, the streak was the top active mark in FCS and came just one victory shy of the overall school record of 21 set from 1935-40. Eastern won all five of its regular season home games in 2019, all eight in 2018, three at home in the 2020-21 season and was 3-0 in 2021 before the loss to the Wildcats, who had handed EWU its last home loss in 2017.
    The Eagles entered the 2021 season as one of three teams with the longest active home winning streaks in FBS with 17 consecutive victories, and EWU improved that to 18 with a resounding 63-14 win over Central Washington on Sept. 11. Victories over Montana on Oct. 2 and Idaho on Oct. 16 extended it to 20. The other schools who entered the season with 17-game home winning streaks included James Madison, which extended its streak to 19 with a 55-7 win over Maine on Sept. 11. North Dakota also had a 18-game streak after winning its home opener Sept. 18 versus Drake, but fell at home on Oct. 2 against North Dakota State. James Madison lost at home 28-27 on Oct. 9 versus Villanova, thus giving EWU sole possession of the top active mark for two weeks.
    Eastern is now 65-12 (84.4 percent) overall at "The Inferno" since 2010. The stadium has been known as Roos Field since 2010 when a new red synthetic Sprinturf surface made its debut. Prior to that, Eastern's last home loss came on Nov. 4, 2017, versus Weber State.
At its current site, the previous school record was 11 consecutive home wins set between 9/16/78 and 9/27/80 (between losses was from 11/19/77 to 11/1/80). Eastern had a nine-game winning streak snapped in a 36-21 loss to Montana State on Sept. 24, 2011. The Eagles also had a nine-game winning streak at that venue snapped against Sacramento State on Oct. 21, 2000, when the Hornets made a 23-yard field goal with no time remaining.
    Eastern has lost just eight regular season games at "The Inferno" – 50-8 (86.2 percent), plus are 14-4 (77.8 percent) in playoff games. The only regular season losses at home for EWU since 2010 are to conference foes Montana State (2011 and 2021), Portland State (2011 and 2015), Northern Arizona (2015) and Weber State (2017 and 2021), as well as North Dakota State (2017).
Eastern finished a perfect 8-0 in its debut season at "The Inferno," including three playoff victories. Eastern's triumphs since the red turf was installed in 2010 include a 6-0 record versus rival Montana. The original red turf at Roos Field was replaced in summer of 2020 by a new AstroTurf surface.
    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 177-67 record (72.5 percent) in 244 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.
 
Eastern Washington Football Picked to Finish Sixth by both the Coaches and Media
    The Eastern Washington University football team has been picked to finish sixth in the Big Sky Conference by both the coaches and media in polls released Monday (July 25) at the Big Sky Conference Football Kickoff in Spokane.
    In the coaches poll, Eastern finished behind Montana, Sacramento State, Montana State, Weber State and UC Davis, and ahead of Northern Arizona, Idaho, Portland State, Cal Poly, Idaho State and Northern Colorado.
    The media selected Montana, Montana State, Sacramento State, Weber State, and UC Davis to finish ahead of the Eagles, with Northern Arizona, Portland State, Idaho, Cal Poly, Northern Colorado and Idaho State to follow.
    Last season, Eastern was selected third in both polls and finished the season tied for third in the Big Sky standing with a 10-3 overall record and a 6-2 mark in conference play. Prior to the 2020 season, Eastern was picked No. 4 in both polls. In 2018 and 2019, they were selected No. 1 by both the coaches and media, which marked the third time since 2014 the Eagles have been picked No. 1 in both polls. In 2015 EWU was selected first by the media. In 2016 the Eagles were fourth by the coaches and third by the media, and in 2017 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, 2016 and 2018, giving the Eagles a total of 10 league titles.     Eastern is expected to return five starters on offense and seven on defense, plus three kickers, a punter and a long snapper to go with 47 returning letterwinners from a squad that made the program's 15th appearance in the FCS Playoffs a year ago.
    Eastern Washington plays two of the top-five teams in the Big Sky preseason polls at home this season in Montana State and Sacramento State, and will play Montana and Weber State on the road. For the teams picked lower than the Eagles, EWU plays Portland State and Northern Colorado at Roos Field and travels to Cal Poly and Idaho.
 
Series History with Oregon

Previous Meeting – Oregon 61, EWU 42 (9/5/15 in Eugene, Ore.)
Led by a former Eagle at quarterback, Oregon scored the first five times it had the ball and the Ducks of the Pac-12 Conference went on to defeat Eastern Washington 61-42 on Sept. 5, 2015, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. Cooper Kupp finished with what were then career highs of 15 catches for 246 yards – both Autzen Stadium records. He had three touchdown receptions, and quarterback Jordan West passed for 293 yards and three touchdowns before leaving the game in the third quarter with a leg cramp. In the first half alone, West was 22-of-29 for 277 yards. Reilly Hennessey passed for 145 yards and a pair of scores, helping EWU finish with 438 yards of passing offense and 549 total. Oregon scored on its first five possessions, using scoring drives of 63, 70, 62, 77 and 61 yards to take a 34-14 lead with 10:37 left in the second quarter. The Ducks had 452 yards of offense in the first half and 731 in the game. Royce Freeman rushed for 180 yards and three touchdowns for Oregon, with 105 yards and two TDs in the first half. After EWU cut the score to 34-21 late in the second quarter, the Eagle defense stopped the Ducks on a fourth down play. But the Eastern offense followed with a three-and-out, leading to a half-ending 58-yard drive by Oregon, capped by a 38-yard field goal to give UO at 37-21 halftime bulge. West completed 23-of-34 passes, and Reilly Hennessey was 14-of-21 in relief. Kendrick Bourne added five grabs for 60 yards and a TD, and Jabari Wilson had 43 yards and a touchdown rushing. Miles Weatheroy led Eastern's defense with nine tackles, and Mitch Fettig had eight tackles and a fumble recovery in his Eagle debut. The two teams combined for 1,280 yards of offense, including 751 in the first half alone. Former Eagle and two-time Walter Payton Award runner-up Vernon Adams Jr. had 181 yards passing in the first half on 14-of-20 passing, and finished the game 19-of-25 for 246 yards and two touchdowns. Adams also rushed for 94 yards in his debut as a Duck after transferring to Oregon after the 2014 season. As a result, he handed the reins as EWU's quarterback to West, who was 3-1 as a starter in place of Adams in the 2014 season.
 
Most Recent Game Recap
    The Eastern Washington University football team played host to Tennessee State in the season-opener at Roos Field today (Sept. 3) in the first-ever matchup between the two foes. The Eagles begin the season in the win column following a 36-29 victory, improving to 1-0 while the Tigers, out of the Ohio Valley Conference, fall to 0-1.
    Redshirt senior Gunner Talkington entered the game with five career touchdown passes and matched that in the contest today. In his second career start, he threw two to Efton Chism III, plus one to Nolan Ulm, Robert Mason III and the Blake Gobel. Talkington completed 29 of his 46 pass attempts with 348 yards through the air. He also was the team's leading rusher with 60 yards.
    The game also featured a 55-minute lightning delay that began with 3:12 remaining in the third quarter.
    "Even though the game was four quarters, there were three parts to it. We got it taken to us early, but we rallied back and returned a few of the punches that we took early. We got to the point where we led 29-19 and we got it going right as the lightning hit. We did enough in the third tier of the game to score enough points. But only scoring seven points in a matter of 25 minutes isn't conducive to what we've been in the past, but maybe it's who we are. We leaned on our defense and made enough plays at the end to rally for the win. A lot of players had a hand in it, there weren't any superstar performances, but Gunner showed a ton of poise and Efton made plays in crucial moments, which he's done for a few years. Tre Weed was great late in the game, sealing it with a pick. There are players who stood out even if there wasn't a ton of standout performances," said head coach Aaron Best. "You have to give credit to Tennessee State. They out-yarded out and out-hit us at times. They did a lot of good things, and that quarterback is a great player. We kind of knew what to expect, but we hadn't seen him in a Tiger uniform, it was tough to see what they would do with him in the offense, and I don't think we adjusted well enough but we did enough to end up on top."
    The first quarter of football at Roos Field in 2022 was anything but boring with a combined 34 points, 455 yards of offense, and five lead changes between the two squads, but Eastern trailed 19-15 after the first. The Eagles then held the Tigers scoreless during both the second and third quarters, scoring 14 unanswered points to lead 29-19 heading into the fourth.
    Tennessee State scored 10-straight points to open the fourth quarter, tying the contest with 6:32 to go, 29-29. With 2:39 left to play, Talkington found Chism III for the second time for the game-winning touchdown on a 13-yard strike. With 43 seconds left on the clock, TSU faced third down on Eastern's 42-yard line when Tre Weed jumped in for the fourth interception of his career to seal the victory, 36-29.
    In addition to Weed's interception, the Eagles forced two fumbles and recovered both while conceding one. The Eagles had 474 total yards of offense with 78 plays, compiling 126 on the ground and 348 through the air. Tennessee State amassed 547 yards on 81 plays, throwing for 257 and rushing for the other 290.
    Mitchell Johnson led the way defensively with 11 total tackles, two for loss, plus two sacks. A trio of Eagles in Demetrius Crosby Jr., Ely Doyle and Joshua Jerome each had eight tackles. On the offensive side of the ball, Freddie Roberson hauled in 91 yards on six catches and Efton Chism III compiled 53 yards on six catches plus two touchdowns.
    The Eagles now head to Eugene, Ore., for a matchup with the Oregon Ducks on Saturday, Sept. 9. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. Pacific time on the Pac-12 Networks and via 700-AM ESPN. The Ducks, who are currently ranked No. 11, are 0-1 after falling to Georgia 49-3 today.

Scoring Summary:
    Tennessee State held all the momentum to open the game. After Eastern Washington went three-and-out to start, the Tigers got on the board with a 65-yard receiving touchdown to take a 7-0 lead on their very first play of the game. On Eastern's next drive, TSU forced and recovered a fumble but came up empty thanks to a sack by Mitchell Johnson on third down.
    It didn't take long for the Eagles to bounce back. Gunner Talkington found Nolan Ulm for a 41-yard completion to set up the Eagles on TSU's 15-yard line. Two plays later, Talkington connected with Ulm once again for a seven-yard completion and the touchdown. After Talkington's two-point conversion attempt was caught by Jett Carpenter, the Eagles took the 9-7 lead.
    The Tigers responded with 5:18 left to play in the first on a 57-yard touchdown pass. The extra point attempt failed, giving Tennessee State a 13-8 lead.
On Eastern's next drive, Talkington earned his second passing touchdown of the quarter on a 22-yard completion to Robert Mason III. After Seth Harrison's extra point attempt went through the uprights, Eastern pulled back out front, 15-13.
    The lead wouldn't last, as TSU pulled back ahead on a 43-yard rushing touchdown. The Tigers' two-point conversion attempt failed, helping Eastern stay within striking distance, 19-15, entering the second quarter.
    Things cooled off both weather wise and on the field in the second quarter. Eastern burned nearly five minutes off of the clock to start the second, piecing together an 11-yard drive that unfortunately ended with a missed 33-yard field goal attempt.
    The defense forced two consecutive TSU three-and-outs and stepped up again with 6:56 remaining the half when Joshua Jerome recovered a fumble bobbled by the quarterback, setting up EWU on TSU's 26-yard line. The turnover quickly turned into points when Talkington threw his third touchdown pass of the game to Blake Gobel on a 14-yard completion. After     Jackson Cleaver's extra point attempt was good, EWU retook a 22-19 lead for the game's sixth lead change. It was also Gobel's eighth career touchdown on just 14 career catches.
    Eastern's second forced turnover of the game came by way of Brock Harrison who forced a fumble via a stripe sack that was recovered by Caleb Davis, setting up the drive on TSU's 41-yard line. The Eagles once again took advantage and scored on the play, this time on a one-yard flick from Talkington to Efton Chism III for his 11th career touchdown. The Eagles pulled ahead 29-19 after Cleaver's extra point and would take that lead into the half. Eastern Washington kept the Tigers off of the board in the second quarter and scored 14 unanswered points.  
    Neither team found the scoreboard and endured a 55-minute lightning delay in the third quarter. Entering the fourth, the Tigers made it a one-possession game with a 32-yard field goal to start the fourth quarter, their first points since the 51 second mark in the first quarter.
    They would wind up scoring 10-straight points and tied the game on a one-yard rushing touchdown with 6:32 left to play.
With 2:39 left to play, Talkington found Chism III for a 13-yard strike and the game-winning touchdown, putting the Eagles ahead 36-29. Tennessee State's attempt to comeback was cut short by Tre Weed with 43 seconds to go on his fourth-career interception to seal the victory for EWU.