Football ‘98: Eastern Washington Eagles

FAST FACTS Head coach

Mike Kramer (5th season, 25-22 at EWU; 25-22 overall; 7-1 and won outright Big Sky Conference title last season).

Assistants

Paul Wulff, offensive coordinator, offensive line and strength; Steve Kizer, defensive coordinator and linebackers; Dave Telford, academic coordinator and quarterbacks; Randy Hanson, secondary; Torresy Smith, wide receivers; Pete Kwiatkowski, defensive line; Randy Hendrick, tight ends; Rich Rasmussen, running backs; Terry Regnier, secondary.

Head trainer

Carla Baker.

Band members

120 members; Patrick Winters, director; Shannon Dugan and Stephanie Corrigan, drum majors.

Cheerleaders

Twelve (eight women, four men); Theresa Stone, director.

Top ex-Eagles in the NFL

Kurt Schulz, Kevin Sargent, Tom

Ackerman, Jeff Ogden.

QUESTION MARKS, EXCLAMATION POINTS Question marks

* Can junior quarterback Griffin Garske, who is a modest 3-4 as a starter, step his game savvy and decision making up to the same level as his predecessor, All-American Harry Leons?

* Can anybody around here catch the football?

* How will Mike Kramer’s young players respond to the new assistant coaches hired to replace the members of last year’s staff who jumped ship and went to Weber State?

Exclamation points

* Senior running back Mike MacKenzie returns after rushing for 1,058 yards and 10 touchdowns as a backup to Rex Prescott last fall, but is being hard-pressed for the starting position in Eastern’s one-back offense by Jovan Griffith and Anthony Griffin, a pair of immensely talented freshmen.

* Guard John Kane, a full-time starter and second-team All-Big Sky selection last fall, enters the 1998 season as a backup to senior Aaron White.

* The Eagles play their biggest game of the season against Montana on Oct. 24 in Spokane’s Joe Albi Stadium.

WHAT’S IN, WHAT’S OUT What’s in

* The Big Sky Conference championship trophy, which will eventually be displayed in the foyer outside the athletic department offices.

* New faces at nearly every starting position as the Eagles attempt to reload following the loss of 15 senior starters.

* Four assistant coaches, including defensive coordinator Steve Kizer, who were not members of Mike Kramer’s staff last season.

What’s out

* Quarterback Harry Leons and defensive tackle Chris Scott, the Big Sky’s most valuable offensive and defensive players of the year last fall.

* Four members of last year’s coaching staff, including defensive coordinator Jerry Graybeal and offensive coordinator J.D. Sollars, who are now working at Weber State, where Graybeal was hired as head coach last December.

* Depth worries, courtesy of solid back-to-back recruiting efforts that have swelled the talent pools at the skill positions to levels unseen at EWU in past seasons.

TALE OF THE TAPE The fastest

Overall: Wide receiver Lamont Brightful, 4.38 in 40-yard dash this fall.

Offensive lineman: Tackle David Andres, 4.95.

Defensive lineman: End Jeff Allen, 4.80.

Running back: Mike MacKenzie, 4.41.

The strongest

Overall: Offensive guard Aaron White bench-pressed 385 pounds during testing.

Combined: White bench-pressed 385, squatted 620 and power-cleaned 335.

Pound-for-pound: 153-pound cornerback LeVar McClary, who bench-pressed 325, squatted 465 and power-cleaned 275.

The toughest

Center Aaron Best.

Best blocker

Offensive guard T.J. Ackerman.

Toughest to block

Defensive tackle Dario Romero.

Biggest shoes

Size 17-1/2 worn by 6-foot-7, 309-pound offensive tackle David Andres.

Best cover man

LeVar McClary.

Players by state

Washington 84, California 3, British Columbia 2, Idaho 1.

Most impressive stat

Average size of three players on right side of Eagles’ starting offensive line with Scott Johnson at tight end is 6-foot-6 1/2, 296 pounds.

Least impressive stat

Average size of Eagles’ starting cornerbacks LeVar McClary and Ole Olesen is 5-foot-7, 152 pounds.

Academic All-Star

Tight end Scott Johnson, recreation management major, 3.45 GPA.

OFFENSIVE DEPTH CHART Pos. No. Player Ht., Wt. Year LT 51 Lance Knaevelsrud 6-4, 271 Jr.

70 Mark Skodje 6-4, 281 So. LG 59 Aaron White 6-0, 271 Sr.

58 John Kane 6-3, 290 Jr. C 57 Aaron Best 6-0, 280 Jr.

55 Chris Polinder 6-1, 270 Fr. RG 72 T.J. Ackerman 6-6, 307 Sr.

76 Luke Fritz 6-4, 296 So. RT 79 David Andres 6-7, 309 Sr.

78 Tim Gutmann 6-5, 277 So. QB 18 Griffin Garske 6-4, 218 Jr.

8 Scott Mitchell 6-3, 195 Fr. TB 32 Mike MacKenzie 5-11, 195 Sr.

30 Jovan Griffith 5-9, 185 Fr. TE 96 Tyson Knaevelsrud 6-4, 242 Jr.

95 Scott Johnson 6-6, 285 Jr. WR 80 Keish Levingston 6-0, 180 Jr.

11 Grant Ellsworth 5-9, 171 Sr. WR 13 Rich Naccarato 6-3, 175 Jr.

4 Lamont Brightful 5-9, 160 So. WR 86 Romaine Smith 6-4, 209 So.

7 Joe Levens 5-10, 180 Fr. Ret. 30 Jovan Griffith 5-9, 185 Fr.

5 Bashir Levingston 5-9, 180 Sr. PK 17 Josh Atwood 6-2, 216 Sr.

37 Ryan Chicoine 5-8, 185 So. Holder 37 Ryan Chicoine 5-8, 185 So.

DEFENSIVE DEPTH CHART Pos. No. Player Ht., Wt. Year LCB 25 Ole Olesen 5-8, 151 So.

5 Bashir Levingston 5-9, 180 Sr. RCB 1 LeVar McClary 5-6, 153 Jr.

9 Claude Jean Baptiste 5-11, 190 So. FS 3 Juliian Williams 6-0, 196 Jr.

34 Wayne Timmons 5-9, 170 Fr. SS 21 Jimmy Lake 5-11, 185 Sr.

26 Alvin Tolliver 5-7, 165 Fr. WLB 48 Brad Packer 6-0, 216 So.

43 David Kimball 6-2, 220 Jr. MLB 44 Greg Belzer 6-1, 233 So.

36 Sam Martin 6-5, 235 Fr. SLB 46 Britt Lentz 6-3, 222 Jr.

42 Steve Schwark 6-0, 226 So. LE 93 Dan Oblenis 6-3, 237 So.

87 Adam Kellar 6-3, 248 Jr. LT 75 Dario Romero 6-3, 273 Jr.

50 David Alcala 6-2, 275 So. RT 90 Avont Grant 6-0, 255 Sr.

60 Josh Martin 6-2, 255 So. RE 94 Jeff Allen 6-3, 247 So.

52 Jeremy Rogers 6-4, 243 So. Punt ret. 5 Bashir Levingston 5-9, 180 Sr.

25 Ole Olesen 5-8, 151 So. P 37 Ryan Chicoine 5-8, 185 So.

6 Nick Reynolds 6-2, 210 Fr. Snapper 57 Aaron Best 6-0, 280 Jr.

59 Aaron White 6-0, 271 Sr.

1998 SCHEDULE (All times Pacific. All home games in CAPS.) Date Opponent Time Comment Sept. 5 at Idaho 6:05 p.m. Vandals will have revenge on their minds. Sept. 12 PORTLAND STATE 7:35 p.m. Could Eagles, coming off rivalry game, be ripe for an upset? Sept. 26 at Cal State Northridge 3:05 p.m. The first big test for Eastern’s secondary. Oct. 3 NORTHERN ARIZONA 6:35 p.m. Travis Brown brings his air show to Woodward Stadium. Oct. 10 WESTERN WASHINGTON 1:05 p.m. Open date … oops! Oct. 17 at Idaho State 1:05 p.m. Finally, a breather on the road. Oct. 24 MONTANA at Albi Stadium 1:05 p.m. EWU’s biggest Big Sky game since …’Oct. 18, 1997, at Montana. Oct. 31 at Cal State Sacramento 1:05 p.m. Look for Eagles to make it 6-0 gainst the stingless Hornets. Nov. 7 MONTANA STATE 1:05 p.m. Bobcats handed EWU its only regular-season loss last year enough said. Nov. 14 at Weber State 12:05 p.m. Kramer vs.his old assistants; could be interesting, if not meaningful. Nov. 21 at Southern Utah 12:05 p.m. Is this game necessary?

GAME DAY Stadium

Woodward (capacity: 7,000).

From I-90: Take Cheney-Four Lakes exit and continue toward Cheney for approximately five miles. Take right on Betz Road (EWU signs will point the way), which turns into Washington Street and runs along the east side of Woodward.

Tickets

$50 reserved season at Woodward and general admission for Oct. 24 game against Montana at Albi Stadium; $10 single-game reserved ($12 general admission for Montana game); $8 single-game adult general admission ($12 for Montana game); $5 students and senior single-game general admission ($7 for Montana game); $100 family season general admission (for two adults and up to three children). $25 family single-game general admission EWU students (with I.D.) and children six and under admitted free.

Television

Fox Sports Northwest will provide live coverage of the Sept. 12 home opener against Portland State.

Radio

KKPL 630 AM in Spokane, with Larry Weir calling the play-by-play.