Battered Eagles Face Formidable Nau Injuries Increase Challenge For Ewu With Lumberjacks Tough Both Ways

The collective limp of Eastern Washington University’s football team will be pronounced this evening, when the Eagles drag into Walkup Skydome for an important Big Sky Conference matchup against Northern Arizona.

Eastern (2-2 overall, 1-1 Big Sky) is coming off an exciting 48-41 home win over Cal State Northridge on Saturday. But the glow of victory faded quickly when it was learned that starting defensive end David Kimball will miss at least a couple of games because of a knee injury.

In addition, backup running back Jesse Chatman (ankle sprain) is listed as doubtful for today’s game, which kicks off at 4:05, and cornerbacks LeVar McClary (hamstring) and Ole Olesen (turf toe) have been hobbled all week.

Starting quarterback Fred Salanoa underwent knee surgery to repair cartilage damage suffered in practice prior to the Northridge game and his replacement, Chris Samms, suffered a slight knee sprain against the Matadors. But Samms is expected to play tonight.

Middle linebacker Greg Belzer (knee) and offensive tackle James Venters (knee) probably will miss at least two more games, and defensive end Adam Keller has quit after suffering the fourth concussion of his career earlier this fall. “We’re banged up, patched up and hurtin’,” admitted Eagles coach Mike Kramer, “but I think we’ll be OK, because I think we’ve got enough quality depth to be able to compete.

“Whether we’re good enough to win, I don’t know. I’m not sure, even with all our guys back, that we’d be able to guarantee a win against these guys.”

NAU has yet to play a Big Sky game, but the Lumberjacks - 2-1 overall and rated No. 15 in the Sports Network Division IAA poll - have plenty of experienced players on both sides of the football.

Senior quarterback Travis Brown has thrown for 581 yards and eight touchdowns, with only one interception, and junior running back Ronney Jenkins, a transfer from BYU, is averaging 112 rushing yards per game and 6.9 per carry.

Francis St. Paul is the second-ranked pass catcher in the Big Sky with 20 receptions for 286 yards and four TDs, and the Lumberjacks are ranked second in total defense, having allowed an average of 349.3 yards per game - one of which was a 45-14 loss to Division I New Mexico.

“Ronney Jenkins can really boogie,” said Kramer, “and St. Paul … is a hellacious downfield threat. Travis Brown has had a career-game against us in the past and seems to be operating on pretty solid footing again this year.”

But it is NAU’s aggressive, flex defense that concerns Kramer most.

“Jake Crissup, their flex linebacker, has eight tackles behind the line of scrimmage,” Kramer noted. “It’s the old flex defense like the one Idaho and Portland State uses. It’s the toughest, stiffest thing you can run against a team that runs the ball, so we’ll probably struggle a little bit against them, offensively.

“We’re going to have to make some throw and catches, that’s for sure.”