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 today. The pads will come on Tuesday.

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

The Eagles return 13 starters, but face some rebuilding at wide receiver and linebacker. Last year, the big area of concern was the offensive line. Not so this year, but O-line coach Aaron Best wasn't taking anything for granted.

 "Life is an uncertainty," said Best, who last spring was coming off an injury-plagued 2011 season. "It's nice to bring a lot ot guys back, but you've got to find a lot of wood and knowck on it daily, because you never know what's going to happen."

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