Jim Allen

It wasn’t fair. Looking as crisp as the morning weather, the Eastern Washington offense was almost in midseason form as it took advantage of a young Eagles secondary in Saturday’s scrimmage at Roos Field.

This is the third of an eight-part series of stories on spring football at Eastern Washington. Today: Quarterbacks. There’s a quarterback controversy at Eastern Washington.

There’s a quarterback controversy at Eastern Washington.

This is the second of an eight-part series on spring football at Eastern Washington. Today: Wide receivers.

Talk about finding the seam: Nick Edwards’ transition from playing to coaching is about as seamless as it gets. The former Eastern Washington All-American wide receiver shed his Eagle uniform for the last time in December 2012, took a shot at the next level and now finds himself coaching some of his former teammates.

This is the first of an eight-part series on spring football at Eastern Washington. Today: the running backs The evolution of Eastern Washington’s running game can be summed up by one stat from last year: 5.2 yards per rush.

This is the first in a series of stories from a fledging backpacker’s perspective as he learns what it takes to be a mountaineer. When my wife told me last month to take a hike, I knew it was for my own good.

At Eastern Washington, spring football is all about fresh starts – and starting over. Spring ball is even more poignant for Eagle safeties Tevin McDonald and Jordan Tonani, who are still on the comeback trail after injuries and surgeries in 2013.

At Eastern Washington, spring football is all about fresh starts – and starting over.

Just in time, the rain stopped and the clouds parted Friday afternoon for the opening day of spring football at Eastern Washington. The winds didn’t die down, however, and neither did the media questions for Eagles coach Beau Baldwin, who welcomed 90 players to Roos Field for the first of 14 practices and scrimmages.

Life in the fast lane is even sweeter when you’re only 15. Too young to drive himself to Central Valley High School, Max Mällinen has been racing karts and cars since he was 10.

At Eastern Washington, they don’t call it rebuilding any more – even with 11 starters to replace, even with big holes to fill at cornerback and on the interior offensive line and even with two new assistants to break in. Winning back-to-back Big Sky Conference titles will do that for you, Eagles football coach Beau Baldwin said as his program enters spring ball on Friday with a view toward solidifying its position among the top programs in the Football Championship Subdivision.

At Eastern Washington, they don’t call it rebuilding any more – even with 11 starters to replace, even with big holes to fill at cornerback and on the interior offensive line and even with two new assistants to break in.

If life is about choices, Josh Rettinghouse has some interesting career options. M.B.A. or M.M.A.

If life is about choices, Josh Rettinghouse has some interesting career options.

Call them the seeds of doubt, planted on Selection Sunday: Five seeds that play like 12s, and vice-versa. Both showed up at the Arena on Thursday, altering the office pool and perhaps – for one day – changing how the public views the Davids and Goliaths of the NCAA tournament.

Survive and advance, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo calls it. His Spartans have been there, done that for decades, which perhaps helped them do it again Saturday night at the Spokane Arena.