Blog matters

The Eastern Washington University football team opened spring camp Thursday with plenty of extra stretching during a cold rain. That didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of 83 returning players as the Eagles began the first of 15 sessions that will end on May 4.

For some, it couldn’t come soon enough. “For us being on quarters, you always feel like you’re starting later than everybody else,” EWU coach Beau Baldwin said. “It’s ‘C’mon, let’s get it going.’ ”

That the Eagles did, minus pads on Thursday and also Friday. The pads will come on Tuesday.

Said quarterback Vernon Adams, “It’s always fun to get back on the field.”

Before Washington State returns to the practice field this afternoon (Thursday) for its seventh workout of the spring, we decided it might be a good idea to recap the list of players who have left the team in recent weeks.

By my count, these are the scholarship players who were on the original spring roster issued by WSU, but are no longer with the program: DT David Davis, WR Henry Eaddy, LB Keith Ewing and LB Darren Markle. All were low on the depth chart and weren’t likely to see the field any time soon.

A few walk-ons have also left the team, including RB Manuel Lamson, WR Michael Newman and WR Willie Roach (who was gone shortly after his practice scuffle with Connor Halliday), none of whom is on the roster anymore.

I’ve also gotten a few questions about CB Brandon Golden, who left the program and transferred quite a while ago (his return to Twitter was the first clue). QB Cody Clements transferred to Cerritos College, and DT Justin Clayton finished last season on the roster but was no longer listed when spring started.

Idaho football coach Paul Petrino was asked if he was closer to seeing separation among his quarterbacks. Here’s what he said:

“You know, maybe. But even if I am, I might not say it, because I want them all to stay hungry. So I might not say it until the end of spring anyway. But I think there was a little bit of separation. I don’t think there was before today.”

If there was separation, Chad Chalich and Taylor Davis appear to be 1-2 ahead of Austin DeCoud and Anthony Neyer.