Eagles figure figures lie
SAN JOSE, Calif. – Numbers.
They’re all over the place.
Big ones, little ones and contradictory ones.
But all they seem to do is obscure the fact that Eastern Washington University’s fourth-ranked I-AA football team opens its season with a game it shouldn’t win, facing Division I-A San Jose State this afternoon at 3:05 at Spartan Stadium.
“Most football people would say, ‘No,’ we don’t have a chance,” EWU head coach Paul Wulff said.
But of all the early-season I-AA vs. I-A matchups, this is one of the few in which the underdog is given a fighting chance. It could cost the Eagles more if they lose than benefit them if they win.
A win would certainly be a boost for Eastern. It would also probably be received with a yawn by many who predict a good I-AA team can and should beat a I-A team that Sports Illustrated pegs as 106th in D-I.
The Spartans have had one winning season in 13 years and allowed more than 42 points a game – the worst among the 119 I-A teams – in finishing 2-9 last year.
Meanwhile, Eastern advanced to the second round of the playoffs with one of the most prolific offenses in I-AA, averaging 475.5 yards and 37.5 points.
That means a loss for the Eagles, for those who overlook the fact the Spartans are Division I with 23 more scholarships (85-62), could damage a reputation far more than, say, Montana State losing at Oklahoma State or Montana at Oregon.
Wulff said it’s only reasonable that the Spartans have more athletes because they have more scholarships, but his counterpart insisted those numbers are meaningless in a season opener.
“The (only) difference (between I-A and I-AA) is the number of scholarships,” said veteran coach Dick Tomey, in his first year at SJSU. “Later in the year, that may manifest itself because injuries have taken a toll, but in the first game, I think there’s hardly any.”
Regardless, the Eagles are conceding nothing.
“That’s why we play them. Football is football, and I think we can compete with most teams in the country,” Wulff said. “I don’t get too caught up with (playing up). We’re a good football team and we’ll line up every Saturday and compete.”
Eastern lines up with well-known personnel and the Spartans know it.
Tomey was the coach at Arizona in 2000, the year Eastern opened at Oregon State and lost 21-19. The Beavers went on to an 11-1 record with a win in the Fiesta Bowl.
“We’re playing an opponent that we have great respect for,” Tomey said. “Eastern Washington was a conference champion last year. … They have a lot of pride. It’s a very mature program. Coach Wulff has done a terrific job. Their quarterback is one of the best that we’ll face. I think that it’s a good test for us because it’s going to take our very best to win the game. That’s the kind of test we need starting out, so we’re looking forward to it.”
As for what the Eagles are getting into, Wulff isn’t sure. He figures the Spartans’ two-deep lineup and publicized formations are suspect.
“They have a new coach, new schemes on offense and defense and we don’t have any video of their team,” Wulff said. “Without that, it makes it more challenging. We have what they believe they’re going to do and we’ll prepare that way. We’ll do our best to do what we want to do.”
The Spartans return six starters from an offense that averaged 28.4 points a game and seven starters from the defense that allowed 250 yards rushing. While the defense returns its top four tacklers from a year ago and has Wulff concerned with the team speed, the offense is green in the skill positions, though large on the line.
Sophomore quarterback Adam Tafralis started three of the nine games he played and completed just 44.6 percent of his 65 passes for 432 yards and two touchdowns. Yonus Davis, 5-foot-5, 155-pound sophomore, is expected to start at running back.