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2023 Fall Camp Marlon Jones Jr at practice
Braeden Harlow

Eagle defense looking to prove itself in 2023

Healthy mix of returners, youth and impact transfers ready to make noise

It's no secret that the Eastern Washington defense struggled at times last season, but after a dedicated offseason that saw significant gains in strength and time to recover from injuries, the Eagles are poised to bounce back to their ball-hawking ways. A healthy mix of key returners, impact transfers and young players eager to step up has the Eastern Washington defense ready for 2023.

The Eagles ranked 11th in the Big Sky last season in scoring defense, allowing 42.4 points per game. The run defense ranked 12th at 289 yards per game while the passing defense ranked 3rd at 215.2. A strength from last year was the team's ability to force turnovers. They ranked 2nd in the conference and 21st nationally with 22 takeaways in 2022, including 13 interceptions and 9 fumble recoveries, scoring two defensive touchdowns.

Defensive Line

Returning on the defensive line are veterans Brock Harrison, Matthew Brown and Jacob Newsom. Harrison, who was named a team captain and given the honor of wearing jersey No. 4 this fall, had 32 tackles (17 solo) and 5.5 tackles for loss, including 2 sacks. The senior leader also forced 2 fumbles and boasts 79 career tackles (41 solo), with 30+ in each of the last two seasons.

Brown and Newsom will both be tasked with causing havoc up the middle. Brown played in 9 games a year ago and picked up 3 sacks to rank 2nd on the team. He had 28 total tackles (13 solo), with 5.5 of those coming for a loss. In 26 career games (15 starts), Brown has 47 tackles and 4 sacks. Newsom appeared in all 11 games a year ago, tallying 17 tackles and a forced fumble. The Colville native has 54 career tackles and 6 tackles for loss (3 sacks) in 31 games.

A new name to keep an eye on along the defensive line is Fresno State transfer Da'Marcus Johnson. He appeared in 10 games for the Bulldogs a year ago, making 10 tackles and 1 sack, adding a blocked PAT. He had 9 tackles (6 solo) and 2 tackles for loss in just 6 games at Fresno as a Sophomore during the spring 2020-21 season.

Mason Ahlemeyer, a senior transfer from Sacramento City College, adds some size up the middle, while several young guns will surely be looking to step up into an expanded role.

Linebackers

Two of the team's top three tacklers from a year ago return in linebackers Jaren Banks and Derek Tommasini. The duo combined for 130 total tackles in 2022, including 7.5 for loss.

Banks, a super senior former transfer out of Rice University, played in and started nine games in his first season as an Eagle, making 66 tackles. He had a season-high 11 tackles against Portland State on Oct. 29 and recorded 9 tackles in a game two other times.

Tommasini, a junior out of Eagle, Idaho, is also a former transfer, joining Eastern in 2022 after two seasons at Idaho. He flourished in his first campaign in red, recording 64 tackles (26 solo), 3.5 tackles for loss and 2 quarterback hurries.

Alaska native Conner O'Farrell looks to step into a bigger role after playing in all 11 games in 2022, making six starts and making 39 tackles. He forced a critical fumble late against Cal Poly to help secure a 17-10 win. Trevor Thurman (21 career games, 26 tackles) was also a key member last season.

Veteran linebacker Ben Allen, a super senior transfer out of Bucknell University, also figures to make an impact on the linebacking corps. Allen was a Second Team All-Patriot League performer last season after piling up 83 tackles (43 solo), including 4 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He recorded 10 tackles three separate times. In four seasons with the Bison, Allen recorded 188 total tackles in 37 games.

Other name to keep an eye on, among many looking to step up this season, is Ahmani Williams (15 career games played, 20 tackles), who was limited to four games due to injury in 2022.
 

Secondary

Headlining the Eagle secondary is Preseason All-Conference selection Marlon Jones Jr., who took home Third Team All-Big Sky honors in 2022 after tying for the team-high in interceptions with 3 and passes broken up with 4. He recorded 52 total tackles in 11 games (nine starts). Jones also had 3 interceptions in 2021 and in 29 career games played, he has 123 tackles (67 solo).

Team captain Darrien Sampson looks to return as an impact corner after having his season cut short by injury in 2022. Despite being sidelined for the season after getting hurt at Florida in Week 4, Sampson had 11 tackles and 2 pass break-ups. In 38 career games played, the South Seattle product has 72 tackles (50 solo), 3 interceptions and 12 pass deflections.

Cage Schenck, a junior out of Woodinville, Wash., returns after appearing in all 11 games and making two starts a year ago, making 17 tackles and 5 tackles for loss. Redshirt sophomore Kentrell Williams Jr. played in seven games last season, making 17 tackles and an interception. Fellow redshirt sophomore Armani Orange had 8 tackles in 11 games in 2022 and veteran transfer Trevion Shadrick-Harris could make an impact after stops at UCF and Sierra College.

Special Teams

Senior punter Nick Kokich returns for 2023 after earning Second Team All-Big Sky honors a year ago and Preseason recognition this year. The veteran out of Tacoma ranked 2nd in the Big Sky and 7th in the country in punting average in 2022, pinning 14 of his 55 kicks inside the opponent's 20-yard-line.

Placekicking looks to be a battle between lefty Jackson Cleaver (R-So.) and righty Soren McKee (R-Fr.). Cleaver has made 4-of-6 attempts during his career and handled some kickoff duties in 2022. McKee went 1-for-1 last year.

WR Efton Chism III handled primary return duties last year, averaging 21.5 yards per kick return with a long of 47. The Eagles attempted just 5 non-fair catch punt returns in 2022, all handled by Chism.
 

Tickets for the 2023 EWU Football season are now available! Visit goeags.com/tickets or call the EWU Athletics Ticket Office at 509-359-6059 to secure yours today.

ABOUT EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Eastern Washington University Athletics sponsors 14 intercollegiate sports, six for men and eight for women, both as learning opportunities for its most athletically talented students and as an enhancement to student and community life. Eastern is affiliated with Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and is a member of the Big Sky Conference, an association of 10 regional schools with comparable enrollments and academic goals.

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