Ewu Worries Weber

Since taking over the Weber State University football program three years ago, Jerry Graybeal has never had to worry about preparing to face Eastern Washington.

Having spent 16 seasons as an Eagles assistant, he always knew what to expect from his old team and former boss, Mike Kramer. And he expected little in the way of surprises from Eastern this fall, even though Kramer bolted for Montana State at the end of the 1999 season.

His reasoning seemed sound, considering EWU filled Kramer’s position by promoting Paul Wulff, another longtime Eagles assistant coach. But after watching video of Wulff’s offense, Graybeal has developed some major concerns - and they’re centered on the screen-pass package Wulff has installed.

“Man, those guys are screening machines all of a sudden,” Graybeal said Wednesday as he continued preparing his Wildcats (2-1 overall, 1-0 Big Sky Conference) for Saturday’s 5:05 p.m. conference showdown against the Eagles (2-1, 1-0) at Stewart Stadium in Ogden, Utah.

“I’ve got to talk to Wulffie about that. I’m having to spend a whole dang individual (practice) period each day just working on defending against those screens.”

Graybeal doesn’t remember Wulff having any particular fascination with the screen pass while he worked with him at Eastern. But, suddenly, the Eagles have made it a staple of their offense. And they will throw it to any eligible receiver on the field.

“I don’t know if they’ve been watching too many old Montana films or what,” Graybeal said, “but they’ve become screening fools up there, and they’re doing a good job with it.”

Graybeal said Wulff’s new-found fondness for multiple screens has made it difficult to prepare for the Eagles.

“It’s one of those things, like the option, that you don’t see many people do,” he explained. “You have to be aware of it, but you don’t want your D-line to spend the whole game worrying about when the screen’s coming.

“If you do, then you don’t rush the passer or stop the run.”

Other than the screen, however, Graybeal doesn’t see many changes in Eastern’s offensive philosophy, which is much the same as his own.

“They still set everything up with the running game,” he explained. “They’ve got two great running backs in (Jovan) Griffith and (Jesse) Chatman, and Paul has done a great job with that offensive line, despite the injuries.

“It looks a lot like the old Eastern to me - with the addition of that dang multiple screen game.”

Poll position

The Big Sky scored a major coup in this week’s Sports Network Division I-AA poll by placing four of its teams in the top-25 rankings.

Portland State (3-0, 1-0) vaulted from ninth to fifth after its 35-23 comeback win over Cal State Sacramento, while Montana (2-1, 0-0) moved up one spot to No. 9 after thumping Cal Poly 53-3 in a non-conference matchup. Northern Arizona (2-0, 1-0) soared from 23rd to 17th following its 49-26 rout of Cal State Northridge, and Eastern Washington (2-1, 1-0) made its first appearance in the rankings at No. 22 after dumping Idaho State 38-7.

Grizzlies up and running

Pass-happy Montana had a fling with the running game last Saturday in stampeding past Cal Poly 53-3.

In the non-conference rout, the Grizzlies got 109 rushing yards from senior running back Ben Drinkwater and 104 more from junior Yohance Humphrey.

It marked the first time in 30 years that two Montana backs have rushed for over 100 yards in the same game.

Quick kicks

Prior to last Saturday’s 28-7 rout of Montana State in Bozeman, Mont., Weber State had not won a road game since the fifth week of the 1998 season… . Redshirt freshman Kevin Flatow will start at quarterback for MSU in Saturday’s non-conference game against Cal Poly. Bobcats starter Farhaad Azimi suffered a bruised kidney in last weekend’s loss to Weber and will not play… . With his 2-1/2 sacks in last Saturday’s 38-7 win over Idaho State, Eastern Washington’s senior defensive end Jeff Allen moved into fourth place on the Eagles career list with 23 . The school record of 27 is held by Frank Staudenraus (1982-85)… . After going a combined 14-26 on the road last season, Big Sky teams are 7-4 in road games so far this fall.