Ewu’s Dynamic Back Now Has A Partner Hard-Running Mckenzie Steps Up As Promising Complement To Prescott

Each time Mike Kramer watches Rex Prescott take a handoff, tuck his tiny body behind an offensive lineman and dart past a startled opposing defensive back for a big gain, he smiles, content with the fact that he will have a big-time breakaway threat starting at tailback again this fall.

But each time Prescott takes a jarring hit from an opposing linebacker, Kramer winces, concerned that his big-time breakaway threat - a 5-foot-7 senior who weighs a mere 170 pounds - could break apart, as well as away, at any moment.

“Rex will be a great player for us,” Kramer said two weeks ago after putting his Eastern Washington Eagles through their first spring football scrimmage. “But we have to find somebody to go with him, because he cannot carry the ball for the whole season. It’s just not fair to ask him to endure that kind of punishment.”

Since then, Kramer has been waiting for one of his backup tailbacks to step forward and prove himself worthy of the backup role Prescott played so wonderfully in the shadow of starter Joe Sewell last fall.

And Saturday, during the Eagles’ third spring scrimmage, Mike McKenzie did.

McKenzie, a sturdy 5-11, 195-pound junior, carried the ball nine times during the 90-minute workout and averaged more than 8 yards per carry. He finished with 76 yards rushing and showed surprising straight-ahead speed on a 30-yard touchdown scamper. He also caught two passes for 16 yards and provided most of what little punch the offensive unit could muster in Woodward Stadium.

“It’s pretty obvious that Michael McKenzie, at tailback, is going to give us a pretty good threat to go along with Rex,” Kramer said. “Mike has really, really stepped it up.”

McKenzie lacks Prescott’s quickness but he is a much more punishing runner who prefers running through tacklers, rather than around them. And, according to Kramer, he and Prescott could confront defenders with the same change-of-pace problems Sewell and Prescott presented last fall.

Aside from the performances of McKenzie and Prescott, who ran for 63 yards and one touchdown on 12 carries, there wasn’t much to commend about the Eagles’ offense Saturday.

Sophomore quarterback Griffin Garske completed only 6 of 14 passes and threw two interceptions, and placekicker Josh Atwood missed six of the eight field goals he tried.

Linebacker Derek Strey and defensive back Jimmy Lake each picked off a pass for the dominant No. 1 defensive unit.

“I’m encouraged by where we’re at right now,” Kramer said, “but I’m by no means satisfied.”

The Eagles will wrap up spring drills next Saturday with their annual Red-White Game, which kicks off in Woodward Stadium at 2 p.m. Kramer said the game will be controlled in much the same way Saturday scrimmages have been all spring. , DataTimes