Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

All-America honors for four Eagles


Eastern offensive tackle Michael Roos is a first-team I-AA All-American. 
 (File/ / The Spokesman-Review)

Eastern Washington’s record-breaking passing combination and two of the linemen who made it possible earned All-America honors.

Quarterback Erik Meyer, wide receiver Eric Kimble, tackle Michael Roos and guard Rocky Hanni were selected to The Sports Network Division I-AA All-America teams.

Roos, a 6-foot-6, 295-pound senior from Vancouver, Wash., is one of three Big Sky Conference players on the first team, the only one on offense.

Kimble, a junior from Tacoma, made the second team. Meyer, a junior from La Mirada, Calif., and Hanni, a freshman from Sumner, Wash., are on the third team with three other Big Sky players.

“It shows that a lot of people have respect for our offense,” Eastern head coach Paul Wulff said. “We have one of the most explosive offenses in the country and those four players were a major part of that. It’s a great honor for our program and those players. All four of them were deserving.”

The Eagles, who finished 9-4 and advanced to the NCAA I-AA quarterfinals, were fourth in the country in total offense (475.5 yards a game), third in passing efficiency (162.37), sixth in scoring (37.5 points a game), eighth in passing (291.1 yards) and 33rd in rushing (184.4 yards).

Joining Roos on the first team are Weber State junior defensive end Brady Fosmark and Northern Arizona junior punter Paul Ernster. Also on the first team are defensive lineman Chris Gocong and linebacker Jordan Beck from Cal Poly, which EWU beat in securing a I-AA playoff berth.

Roos, who started 35 straight games at left tackle, has also been picked to play in the East West Shrine Game on Jan. 15 and the Senior Bowl on Jan. 29.

“He’s the best lineman I’ve ever coached and we’ve had some good linemen play here,” said Wulff, who just finished his fifth season as head coach and 12th overall at Eastern. “He has the best pro potential of all of them. He’s a great athlete, very mature and is ready to handle the challenge of the next level.”

Kimble, 5-10, 195 pounds, and Meyer, 6-2, 205, combined to break 14 school records in 2004 and helped the offense set nine records. They also have three career records apiece with a year to play.

Hanni, 6-5, 280, was co-Big Sky Newcomer of the Year, the first lineman to earn that honor.

“To have two offensive linemen receive All-America honors is something that doesn’t happen very often,” Wulff said. “Michael might be the best offensive lineman in I-AA and we are really happy to have Rocky make the team as a freshman.”

Also on the third term are Montana offensive lineman Cory Procter, a senior from Gig Harbor, Wash., and Montana State linebacker Roger Cooper and tight end Blake Wolf, both seniors. Wolf played high school football at Colton, Wash., and Cooper played at South Kitsap, Wash.

The Atlantic 10 Conference, which had four teams make the playoffs, had 17 players honored. The nine Big Sky players tied the Southern Conference for second.

Sam Houston State out of the Southland Conference, the team that edged Eastern in the quarterfinals, led the way with five individuals selected – quarterback Dustin Long and linemen Steve Izevbizua and Chris Louvier on the second-team offense, back Paul Donelson on second-team defense and kicker Lance Garner on third-team offense.