Ewu Ready To Face Heat? Season Opener For Eagles Promises To Test Conditioning
Months of conditioning, two weeks of practices, a couple of scrimmages and enough hours in the film room to make Siskel eject Ebert could not have prepared Eastern Washington for what it will face in tonight’s season-opening football game.
The schedule says EWU plays Southwest Texas State, a team that, like the Eagles, is attempting to rebound from a 4-7 season. What the schedule leaves out, and what concerns second-year EWU coach Mike Kramer, is the 90-degree heat and suffocating humidity anticipated for the 4:07 p.m. PDT kickoff in sweltering San Marcos, Texas.
Those conditions were impossible to recreate during the two-a-day practices that concluded last week in Cheney. And there just isn’t enough room to practice 40-yard out patterns in the sauna at the health club.
“Anything other than what they’ve been having would be great,” Kramer said Tuesday, dreaming from the comfort of his air-conditioned office. “It was 101, with 91 percent humidity and a heat index off the scale yesterday. I’m not interested in going down there in that.”
Interested, no. Obligated, yes.
In addition to the heat - and it’s expected to be well into the 90s despite the evening kickoff - EWU will be concerned with Bobcats running back Claude Mathis and defensive end Donald Miller.
Mathis, who replaces two-time All-American Doug Wilkerson, was the Southland Conference freshman of the year in 1994. Unlike Wilkerson, who bulled over opponents on his way to 1,569 yards rushing last season, Mathis is extremely versatile. He led the team with 33 receptions last season, and averaged 138.5 all-purpose yards thanks to his ability to return kickoffs (29.4-yard average) and punts (13.1).
Even with an unspectacular effort from its revamped defensive line, EWU would appear to have the talent at linebacker to contain Mathis. Still, starting linebackers Dion Alexander, Terry Cloer and Justin Guillory figure to be busy.
They will need help from the secondary, a 1994 weakness that has become a 1995 unknown. Led by returning cornerback Ryan Moore and vocal sophomore safety Doug Dorton, the young defensive backfield will have to pull together in the draining heat, and under fire from a crowd expected to top 10,000.
Offensively, the EWU game plan calls for added emphasis on the running game. David Lewis starts at tailback, and is expected to get about 60 percent of the carries. Rex Prescott regained the top backup spot from Joe Sewell late last week, but both will be needed once Lewis tires.
Notes
Projected starting right guard Ken Henningsen, who underwent major knee surgery during the off-season, did not make the trip to San Marcos. “He came in a little overweight and the grind has caught up to him,” Kramer said. “He’s either going to be scoped this week or do rehab.”
Travis Lowery will start in place of Henningsen. Standout right tackle Tom Ackerman, meanwhile, is expected to start despite the hamstring injury suffered during last Thursday’s scrimmage. Utility lineman Jim Buzzard will back up Ackerman and Lowery….
EWU cornerback DePrice Kelly, a junior-college transfer from San Jose (Calif.) City College, has received academic clearance. Jimmy Lake, a freshman defensive back and late signee from North Central High School, will be cleared this week, Kramer said.
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Graphic: EWU at Southwest Texas