Eastern Washington practices high-energy despite the heat

With temperatures in the mid-90s and no place to hide from the sun, “warm-ups” seemed an afterthought Monday afternoon at Eastern Washington football practice.

The players were already drenched from walking onto the field – the kind of sweat equity coach Aaron Best hopes will pay off in Lubbock, Texas on Sept. 2.

“It’s warm, but thus far I haven’t seen a ton of letdowns, and that’s a testament to our coaches and to the way practice is handled,” Best said as the Eagles look forward to more hot sessions on the grass fields behind Reese Court.

Within reason, of course.

“We’re not here to beat them for 2 ½ hours and then see who’s still standing,” Best said. “We’re here to get our work in and then get out.”

While former coach Beau Baldwin held most practices at 9 a.m., he also had the luxury of two-a-days. With that option taken away by the NCAA, many coaches – Best included – are compelled to make the most of the single full-contact practice allowed per day.

However, Best says the Eagles are helped by a year-round regimen that makes the afternoon practices more productive. That, and the players’ “commitment to do the right things during camp.”

So far, so good, said offensive lineman Chris Schlichting, who said the heat was “definitely” a problem early in camp but added that players are “acclimating.”

On the field, Schlichting said “We’re making mistakes, but we’re correcting them. The defense is flying around, and we (the offense) are trying to get our tempo going.”

This week, Best hopes for more crispness in execution ahead of Saturday’s game-like practice, which will go far in settling the two-deeps and the travel roster.

“We’re starting to get to our ones and twos,” Best said.