No Great Shakes? Don’t Believe It Eagles Admit Game Presents Chance For Redemption

Eastern Washington coach Mike Kramer has done his best to publicly downplay the importance of today’s homecoming showdown against Montana - the nation’s No.2-ranked Division I-AA college football team.

But he has apparently preached a much different sermon to his players.

Defensive tackle Chris Scott, for instance, admitted to contracting a mild case of the shakes Friday afternoon when asked to analyze how big a role the revenge factor might play when the two teams kick if off at 1:05 p.m. in front of what could be a record sellout crowd at 7,000-seat Woodward Stadium.

And linebacker Derek Strey said he has had chills all week from thinking about getting another shot at the Grizzlies, who pummeled the Eagles in their own muddy nest 63-7 last fall on their way to a I-AA national championship.

“Man, I’m shaking just talking about it,” Scott said of today’s match-up against the Grizzlies, who are 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the Big Sky Conference. “It’s like taking a beating from your big brother - you can’t wait to get him back.”

Strey, the Eagles’ leading tackler, admitted he’s had trouble concentrating in class this week because of the importance of today’s game.

“Everyone knows this is the biggest game we’ve had around here since I’ve been here,” said the 6-foot-3, 230-pound junior. “You can’t down-play it, it’s too huge.”

“It’s a big motivational factor to be able to look at how they finished No. 1 in the nation last year and beat us that bad,” added Scott, a 6-2, 250-pound junior. “I want to beat them as bad as they beat us last year, but if it doesn’t come down, I still want to be able to walk off the field knowing we’re the better team.”

That’s a pretty lofty goal, even though the Eagles (5-1 and 2-1) have won five in a row and are ranked No. 20 in the I-AA poll.

Montana comes in boasting the league’s most efficient passer in sophomore Brian Ah Yat, who threw for five touchdowns in last Saturday’s 43-19 win over Idaho State. And the Grizzlies complement their first-year quarterback with a veteran defensive unit that has allowed only 12.6 points per game - the fewest in the Big Sky.

In addition, the Eagles’ offense will operate behind redshirt freshman quarterback Griffin Garske, making only his second collegiate start.

Still, Scott feels nothing but positive vibes heading into today’s game. And those vibes are being nourished by the unpleasant memories of last year’s lopsided loss in the snow, rain and mud in Missoula.

“The big thing that sticks in my mind about last year’s game is that I looked up at the scoreboard at halftime and it read 49-0,” Scott recalled. “I remember thinking, ‘Man, that’s usually an end-of-game score, not a halftime score.’

“I remember feeling really defeated - like there was nothing we could have done. Usually, before halftime, you always hope that you can still come back and start dominating the game, but by the second half it was pretty much a given that there was nothing we were going to be able to do to come back and win.” So why the optimism this week?

“Because were a totally different team than last year,” Scott said. “It’s the chemistry, I guess. You throw a couple of things together and hope it works and this year it has. At least, we’re having a great time.”

Strey agrees.

“We’ve got a whole different outlook this year,” he said. “We’re all the same people, but we’re better.”

The Eagles’ defense will be operating against a huge and experienced Grizzly offensive front, but Scott hardly seems concerned. And he certainly has no fear of being too excited about the matchup.

“Personally, I’ve never been on a team that was 5-1 before,” Scott explained, “so I’ve never had to worry about being too high. But to be honest with you, I don’t think you can get too high for a game like this.”

Notes

Griffin Garske, who completed 12 of 30 passes for 309 yards and four touchdowns in his first start last weekend, certainly got the attention of Montana coach Mick Dennehy, who said, “Going on just the one game, I’d have to say he’s capable of making huge, huge plays because of his arm. He has as lively an arm as I’ve seen in this league in a long, long time. ” … The Eagles have the second-leading rusher in the Big Sky in tailback Joe Sewell (109.0 yards per game), and rank No. 4 in the league in rushing (178.2 ypg), just ahead of UM’s 159.4.

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