Read the transcript for this week's chat on the extended post

Sep 25 2014, 11:59 AM

Jim: OK, Eastern fans, let's talk

Sep 25 2014, 12:00 PM

Jim: Who's expecting another nail-biter this week at Davis?

Sep 25 2014, 12:00 PM

Guest319 (guest): Great time to be an Eagle

Sep 25 2014, 12:01 PM

Jim: For the record, the Eagles haven't lost a Big Sky game since Oct, 27, 2012.

Sep 25 2014, 12:01 PM

Guest319 (guest): Did we have to burn Redshirt years on the Freshman that played D line

Sep 25 2014, 12:02 PM

Jim: Hello, Guest 13. Yes, five of them now, including two players who moved from offense (although Conner Bauman may yet see action at fullback).

Sep 25 2014, 12:03 PM

Jim: How do we feel about that - a move that had to be made, or should the coaches have stuck with what they have?

Sep 25 2014, 12:03 PM

Guest959 (guest): Is the Spokesman sending down to the game?

Sep 25 2014, 12:03 PM

Jim: Yours truly has an 8:30 am flight tomorrow, to Seattle, then connecting to Sacramento - I can't wait.

Sep 25 2014, 12:05 PM

Jim: Speaking of which, I've been toying with the idea of having pregame live chats on the road - thoughts?

Sep 25 2014, 12:05 PM

Guest959 (guest): You play the people whenever you need them. Who knows what the future holds...

Sep 25 2014, 12:06 PM

Jim: I agree, 959 ... the veterans need a break and this keeps the rotation fresh. Learning on the job.

Sep 25 2014, 12:06 PM

Guest319 (guest): love that they get experience, never like it when coaches long-term plans for the kid is disrupted

Sep 25 2014, 12:07 PM

Jim: In this case, there are still three more true frosh on the D-line, this is a huge group, but obviously there's going to be attrition.

Sep 25 2014, 12:08 PM

GOEWU (guest): We don't play Sac State which is good. Who are the top three games we have left...beside Montana?

Sep 25 2014, 12:09 PM

Jim: It's funny, but I had Sac in the middle of the Pac. IMO, the toughest conference games remaining are 1) Montana 2) @NAU 3) @PSU ... and it's a big dropoff from Montana to the other two,

Sep 25 2014, 12:09 PM

GOEWU (guest): Jim, it's been very quite in regards to the Gateway (or any improvements). Have you heard even a peep?

Sep 25 2014, 12:11 PM

Jim: The silence is eerie. Very little progress since the project was first announced in April of 2012. The school has identified a lead donor and other major players, but hasn't gotten a commitment yet. I know they're still working on it, but I more than half expected an announcement by now.

Sep 25 2014, 12:13 PM

Jim: In this case, no news is bad news. On that subject, I'm curious if anyone has a crystal ball to forecast the future - with and without the Gateway Project?

Sep 25 2014, 12:15 PM

Jim: It takes money - lots of it - to make these kind of capital improvements, but they have the potential to raise the profile of the entire school.

Sep 25 2014, 12:16 PM

Jim: And since no one has any questions, I will drone on ... I can speak from experience, having attended a school that was a bottom-feeder, but generous alumni have raised the FB program and the university to national stature.

Sep 25 2014, 12:16 PM

TCFan (guest): As high powered as our offense is we saw what could happen if VA has an off day. I'm hoping our "D" can improve each game, even a little so we can finish strong and go into the playoffs. Do you believe Jim. I'm still trying to figure out what we have defensively and hope we can get more takeaways.

Sep 25 2014, 12:20 PM

Jim: Let's face it: this team will reach the playoffs.; it's a question of building momentum once you get there. The defense is a work in progress right now, for many reasons (inexperience at CB and DL, a read-and-react scheme that can get nickel-and-dimed down the field).

Sep 25 2014, 12:22 PM

Jim: My biggest issue right now is the difficulty in dealing with dual-threat quarterbacks, a shortcoming that goes back to last season. Anyone agree?

Sep 25 2014, 12:22 PM

Guest319 (guest): What is status of upperclassmen D lineman for the rest of year. (Day and ?)

Sep 25 2014, 12:23 PM

Jim: Evan Day COULD return in a few weeks, Jordan Pulu is out indefinitely with a hyperextended elbow, and the same with John Goldwire's concussion (although I heard he may play this week).

Sep 25 2014, 12:24 PM

DarthZornes (guest): Stress question: Better OL, 1997 or 2014?

Sep 25 2014, 12:24 PM

Jim: That's way too much stress, considering I didn't start covering this team until 2012. That was a great O-line, which helped the Eagles reach the semifinals.

Sep 25 2014, 12:25 PM

TCFan (guest): It will raise the profile of the school with out a doubt. Gateway is a dream with hopes of securing visitor side re-do, improved concessions and bathrooms as the realistic goal. I truly believe the visitor side improvements, concessions and bathrooms will begin construction in two years.

Sep 25 2014, 12:25 PM

Jim: On what do you base that belief?

Sep 25 2014, 12:26 PM

DarthZornes (guest): Has Eastern shown any 50 fronts on D in practice? Have the staff tried to make adjustment for the fact the rushing D continues to struggle so badly?

Sep 25 2014, 12:27 PM

Jim: Sorry, I can't say. One reason I get along so well with the coaching staff is that I never reveal new schemes and plays.

Sep 25 2014, 12:28 PM

Jim: That may sound homer-ish (is that a word?), but Baldwin also has the right to ban media from practices (as so many other coaches have done).

Sep 25 2014, 12:28 PM

clawman (guest): oops, have you been out to practices? Does there seem to be any emotional letdown after the Cats game? Any chance our guys could be looking past Davis?

Sep 25 2014, 12:30 PM

Jim: I was at practice on Tuesday and things seemed a bit slower. When asked about the MSU Baldwin said it best: "That's emotionally draining ... even as a coach, I feel like I played."

Sep 25 2014, 12:30 PM

Guest319 (guest): Thats why you are the best. Thanks for all the coverage.

Sep 25 2014, 12:30 PM

Jim: Aww, shucks!

Sep 25 2014, 12:30 PM

DarthZornes (guest): Could you reveal if they are making adjustments to the defensive set? I'm not prying other than curious; they can't be happy with what they're seeing on D.

Sep 25 2014, 12:32 PM

Jim: No, they certainly can't be happy; at least this week they're facing a more predictable offense, with a QB in Landon Lacy who doesn't like to run. The Eastern linebackers aren't especially fast, but they're big, and will be able to handle this offense.

Sep 25 2014, 12:32 PM

Brainchild (guest): Has anyone on here seen UC Davis? I hear they play a lot like UW, run first and pass if necessary. Might be tough if they can smash itmupmfront.

Sep 25 2014, 12:34 PM

Jim: A very physical offense, for sure, but it's hard to get a handle on a team that has yet to face some on its own level: the Aggies trounced D2 Fort Lewis and got trucked by Stanford and Colorado State.

Sep 25 2014, 12:35 PM

Jim: I truly believe the defense will have its best game of the year so far (Montana Western excluded).

Sep 25 2014, 12:35 PM

TCFan (guest): I believe the Gateway was intended to generate interest in marked improvements with the idea to ask for this much__________ and settle for this much_____. The best selling tool there is to get what you really want/need.Gateway is too expensive and with improvements we can enlarge seating to qualify for a move up.

Sep 25 2014, 12:36 PM

Jim: I don't know; my sources say it's all or nothing. On the other hand, if they're not within sniffing distance of that $65 million, what will they do next?

Sep 25 2014, 12:36 PM

Jim: I'm intrigued by your last sentence: "qualify for a move up." A move to where?

Sep 25 2014, 12:36 PM

DarthZornes (guest): Off topic... but the Big Sky has several program that were dominant D-IIs; Northern Colorado, UC Davis, and Portland State. Yet none seem able to replicate that success in FCS. Why have NDSU and SDSU been so successful, while BSC team have not?

Sep 25 2014, 12:39 PM

Jim: Great coaching, money and facilities - IMO it takes the complete package, almost a perfect storm, to move up that fast. Heck, NDSU is better than at least a third of the FBS.

Sep 25 2014, 12:39 PM

Brainchild (guest): I love CSU and Coach McElwain, but Colorado State isn't a great team.

Sep 25 2014, 12:39 PM

Jim: True, but they were good enough to beat a Pac-12 team in a bowl game ...

Sep 25 2014, 12:40 PM

Guest319 (guest): Beat the "Cougs" oh sorry

Sep 25 2014, 12:40 PM

Brainchild (guest): Lol on that one Jim...

Sep 25 2014, 12:41 PM

clawman (guest): Jim, Are there freshmen linebackers we the fan has not seen? Are they faster than the upper classmen?

Sep 25 2014, 12:44 PM

Jim: No ... only two true freshmen LBs, and they will redshirt. Not sure about their speed. I like RS-Fr. Jake Gall, but he's behind Hamlin at the SAM position.

Sep 25 2014, 12:44 PM

DarthZornes (guest): Is the Hoffman kid from NC healthy?

Sep 25 2014, 12:44 PM

Jim: Yes, he's played in all four games, but he's playing behind Wadood, the ASU transfer.

Sep 25 2014, 12:45 PM

Brainchild (guest): Who is Eastern's second defensive end ? I believe it goes Johnson, Zylsta, Sommer across the front. Who gets put in that other end position?

Sep 25 2014, 12:46 PM

Jim: That would be Samson Ebukam, a true sophomore who missed the UW game with an ankle injury but was back vs. MSU.

Sep 25 2014, 12:47 PM

Brainchild (guest): So all four defensive line starters are available? That ought to help. That means the whole front 7 is in t

Sep 25 2014, 12:48 PM

Jim: Correct, although Day was penciled in as a co-starter with Ebukam until his ACL injury in spring ball. True freshman Marcus Saugen from NC has played a lot.

Sep 25 2014, 12:49 PM

TCFan (guest): I was talking about a move up down the road when the big five split and the rest gel together. 3-4 years before visitor side done enlarging capacity and 6-10 years for realignment.

Sep 25 2014, 12:50 PM

Jim: That is one of the most intriguing, perhaps scary, story lines for Eastern fans, who certainly don't want to be left behind. You definitely want to be part of "the rest."

Sep 25 2014, 12:50 PM

Brainchild (guest): It kind of seems like the defensive results shouldn't be so poor. I thought they were more beat up than that.

Sep 25 2014, 12:51 PM

Jim: Don't forget the inexperience at CB, with new guys who haven't fully developed their reads in fun support. Thoughts?

Sep 25 2014, 12:52 PM

Jim: "Fun support" hah! That should read "run support."

Sep 25 2014, 12:52 PM

Jim: Of course, we wouldn't be so excited if it weren't fun!

Sep 25 2014, 12:53 PM

Jim: Eight minutes left ... anyone scared of the Aggies?

Sep 25 2014, 12:53 PM

clawman (guest): Jim, redshirt freshman is who I was wondering about. Who is "next man up" to take Raines place?

Sep 25 2014, 12:56 PM

Jim: Raynes is questionable, but with UC Davis being such a run-heavy team, Eastern could move Tonani from free to strong; otherwise, it will be redshirt sophomore Zach Bruce from U-Hi; or senior Miles Weatheroy - whoever figures to be the best at run support.

Sep 25 2014, 12:56 PM

Brainchild (guest): I'm always nervous, but I think we are much the best I. This game! Thanks for your time!

Sep 25 2014, 12:57 PM

Jim: I think the Eagles win this one by three scores, but then I had them beating MSU 45-27, Heck, the Cats had 23 after just one quarter!

Sep 25 2014, 12:57 PM

Guest319 (guest): Eags control their future. We play our game, we win no matter how the D does. Later this season we need the D to improve a great deal [Delete]

Sep 25 2014, 12:57 PM

Jim: Agreed: there is plenty of time for healing and learning.

Sep 25 2014, 12:57 PM

clawman (guest): Wadood certainly has more physical talent than more other players he will face. Will he get better as he works in the Eagles defensive schemes? or is his contribution maxed out?

Sep 25 2014, 12:58 PM

Jim: I believe so. In fact, Baldwin told me this week he's seen more improvement from former UCLA safety Tevin McDonald from last year to this.

Sep 25 2014, 12:59 PM

Jim: Speaking of which, look for my feature tomorrow on Tevin McDonald.

Sep 25 2014, 12:59 PM

Jim: Thanks, everyone, and follow me on Twitter at @srjimallen for updates from all games. Till next week!

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