CHENEY, Wash. — Head coach
Aaron Best announced the hiring of Ryan Lewis and Torey Hunter to the Eastern Washington football staff today. Lewis will take over coaching the Eagle cornerbacks and Hunter will assist with the defensive backs, focusing on the nickels.
Torey Hunter brings an extensive resume in his return to Eastern Washington football. Hunter was the Eagles secondary coach from 2008 to 2011, helping the team win the 2010 National Championship. Additionally while in Cheney, Hunter acted as the Co-Special Teams Coordinator and Pro Football Liaison for head coach Beau Baldwin.
Following his stint at EWU, Hunter coached the secondary at Idaho for three seasons (2011-13), handling similar responsibilities, along with working as the Vandals' recruiting coordinator.
Hunter has 11 years of collegiate football experience, with additional stops at Central Washington as the receivers coach (2007), along with Idaho State (2003-06) and Western Washington University (2002) as the secondary coach at both.
Most recently, Hunter worked in the Canadian Football League on the administrative side. Hunter was the Director of Player Personnel and Development for the BC Lions Football Club from 2018 to 2020. He also served as the Director of UC Scouting and was a regional scout for the Edmonton Eskimos from 2014 to 2017. In the 2015 season, The Eskimos won the CFL Grey Cup.
A Washington product, Hunter earned his bachelor's degree in Sociology-Personnel from Washington State University in 1995. He returned to earn his masters degree in Human Resources in 2003.
Hunter was drafted by Houston Oilers in the third round (95th pick) in the 1995 NFL Draft.
Ryan Lewis moves to the FCS ranks after coaching at Colorado School of Mines since 2024. Lewis was the Orediggers' assistant defensive backs coach. With Lewis' assistance, Mines' defense, in 2025, ranked second in turnover margin, fourth in interceptions, fifth in scoring defense and carried the lowest opponent passing efficiency in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC). In the 2024 season, Mines went 8-3 and the defense ranked sixth nationally - first in RMAC - and was 15th in red zone defense (third in RMAC). He coached second team All-RMAC cornerback Jackson Zimmerman, along with two honorable mentions: Joel Diaz and Will Ramsey.
Lewis played three seasons in the NFL (2018-20), playing for the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants. He had two career interceptions and 56 total tackles.
Prior to the NFL, Lewis played his college ball at the University of Pittsburgh. He recorded a season-best 79 tackles in 201, adding two interceptions and two tackles for loss. While Lewis was on the roster, Pitt played in four-straight Bowl Games and had back-to-back eight win seasons (2016, 2015).
Lewis graduated from Pitt in 2016 with his bachelor's degree in Administration of Justice.
The two new Eastern assistant coaches inherit a secondary with four returning starters, including Jaylon Jenkins, Drew Carter, Ambrose Marsh and Bryce Smith. Jenkins earned first team All-Big Sky last season and Carter was an honorable mention.
EWU's secondary ranked seventh in the FCS and third in the Big Sky with 15 interceptions. Jenkins ended tied for fourth in the nation with five interceptions.
Eastern Washington football returns to the field for spring practice starting March 31 on Roos Field. The 2026 season begins on Aug. 29 against Northern Arizona in Flagstaff, Ariz.
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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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