Polls Have Eastern Placing 3Rd Eagles Receive Good News On Two All-Conference Players

Eastern Washington, with 19 returning starters and a new coach in Paul Wulff, has been picked to finish third in the upcoming Big Sky Conference football race. Both the coaches and media picked the Eagles for third. Montana, under new coach Joe Glenn, was chosen to win in both polls with Portland State second.

The Eagles’ returnees will include first team all-conference defensive standouts Julian Williams and Dario Romero.

EWU recently learned that because of NCAA legislation passed in the spring, the pair - both “non-qualifiers” out of high school - will gain another season of eligibility by receiving their degrees by the end of summer school in August.

“They just have to finish up, but they’re doing well,” said Wulff. “They are on track, and to them, it’s a done deal.”

Williams was a starting safety the past two seasons and may see some action at wide receiver this fall. Romero started the past three years on the defensive line.

As expected, quarterback Fred Salanoa has learned he still has two years of eligibility left with the Eagles after being granted a medical hardship. He suffered a season-ending knee injury in Eastern’s third game last season.

Montana wasn’t a runaway favorite in the preseason picks. Portland State was a narrow runner-up in both polls, receiving three first-place votes from coaches and 12 from reporters.

Sacramento State was fourth in the media poll and shared the No.4 ranking with Northern Arizona in the coaches poll.

Montana has 17 starters back from last year’s 9-3 team, including senior quarterback Drew Miller and junior safety Vince Huntsberger, last season’s Big Sky defensive player of the year.

(Polls are in the Stat Sheet.)