Sky’s limit for points
Eastern Washington and Idaho State will renew what has become one of wildest football rivalries in the Big Sky Conference today, when they square off inside Holt Arena in Pocatello, Idaho.
Kickoff for this conference opener for both schools is set for 2:05 p.m. If recent history is any indication, expect the Eagles (2-0) and Bengals (1-1) to again put up some jaw-dropping offensive numbers.
In seven of the last 11 meetings, the winning team has scored at least 40 points, and on two different occasions, both teams scored at least 45. The craziest shootout came in Holt Arena in 2003, when the Bengals prevailed 55-52 in two overtimes.
Eastern, which leads the all-time series 19-9, won a 48-45 thriller in ISU’s domed stadium in 2001 and beat the Bengals 45-38 at home in 1999.
Eagles coach Paul Wulff had no explanation earlier this week for why defense seems to become little more than a rumor when the two teams hook up. But he suggested fans might want to prepare for another fast-paced, high-scoring game on today – mainly because of the offensive weapons first-year ISU coach John Zamberlin has at his disposal.
The trigger man in the Bengals’ offense is redshirt freshman quarterback Russel Hill, a 6-foot, 195-pounder, who has completed 62.3 percent of his passes (43-69) for 536 yards and two touchdowns. In last Saturday’s 61-10 loss at Oregon State, he threw four interceptions but still torched the Beavers’ secondary for 295 passing yards.
“He’s a very crafty, athletic kind of kid,” Wulff said of Hill. “He’s not real big in stature, but he’s very accurate with his throws and seems to have a very calm presence about him.”
Hill has some teammates in junior wideout Eddie Thompson and senior running back Josh Barnett – both three-year starters – who can produce when he gets them the football. Thompson caught 12 passes for 174 yards against OSU and has 21 receptions for 275 yards on the year. Barnett, a 5-11, 185-pounder, scampered for 136 yards on 14 carries in ISU’s 37-11 season-opening win over Southern Oregon.
“Thompson is one of the best – if not the best – wide receivers in the league,” Wulff said. “And Josh Barnett is, maybe, one of the best running backs.
“It’s going to be a helluva challenge for our defense to slow them down.”
Zamberlin expects his defense to be tested by an EWU offense that ranks third nationally in total offense (522.5 ypg) and scoring (46.5 ppg).
“They’re playing very well,” Zamberlin said of the Eagles, who thumped ISU 40-6 in Cheney last season. “They’re very good up front in the offensive line and their quarterback (Matt Nichols) has another year under his belt and is playing much better.”
Nichols, who threw 17 interceptions as a redshirt freshman last fall, has yet to be picked off this season and has completed 45 of 68 passes for 481 yards and eight touchdowns.
“Matt’s done a better job of taking care of the football, not forcing throws and just managing the game,” Wulff said. “He’s improved there, and he’s working very hard at getting himself to be better football player. And I think the other kids on the team are seeing that, too.”
Ten different players have caught passes for Eastern, but Nichols’ favorite target has been sophomore wideout Aaron Boyce, who caught a career-high nine pass for 107 yards in last Saturday’s 41-31 home win over UC Davis.