Eagles mull their options
Eastern Washington is going from the frying pan to the fire – and that’s after the Eagles were already burned.
That’s burned by a good option football team.
EWU opened its season with a 37-14 loss at Nicholls State and plays at Air Force today.
“We’re facing the best option team in America, it’s what they do very well,” Eastern coach Paul Wulff said. “They’ve been doing it for years, they have history and they have better athletes doing it. They’re bigger, stronger and faster than Nicholls State.”
Nicholls State was third in Division I-AA rushing last year averaging 312.6 yards a game and despite wholesale changes on offense ran for 246 last week.
Air Force was fourth in Division I-A last year at 280.6 but with many changes could only muster 182 yards in a 56-14 thrashing by No. 13 California.
“I expect them to be probably a little angry off their loss last weekend,” Wulff said. “We expect them to come out hard, a little harder than normal. So will we. … Our offense has to perform better, move the chains, get first downs, make big plays to get on top of them. If you get an opportunity to get up on an option team sometimes it’s difficult for them to come back.”
The Falcons completed 9 of 18 passes against Cal but only picked up 89 yards.
“We’ve had a good, hard week of practice,” Wulff said. “We’ve got to get better, no matter who we’re playing. That’s our only focus this week.”
Air Force coach Fisher DeBerry, who received a contract extension on Thursday, has a 156-89-1 record, making him the winningest coach in service academy history. Now in his 21st year with the Falcons, a DeBerry team has never lost to a I-AA opponent in 10 previous meetings. The Falcons whipped Wofford 49-0 last year but only return six starters from that 7-5 team.
It has been 10 years since AFA opened 0-2. The only Falcon from Washington is non-letterman junior wide receiver Greg Kirkwood from Othello.
The Falcons trailed Cal 21-14 at halftime. The Bears put together a long drive to open the second half but appeared to fumble the ball into the end zone, which AFA recovered. However, it was ruled the running back crossed the goal line before the fumble and the touchdown started a Cal romp. The Falcons had just 56 yards in the second half.
“The score is not very typical of Air Force football, and to be honest with you, we’re a little embarrassed,” DeBerry said after the game.
Eastern matches up with the Falcons, averaging 6-foot-4, 284 pounds on the offensive line compared to AFA’s 6-3, 270 pounds on the defensive line.
The Eagles will be without backup linebacker Jake Young and backup tight end Anthony McCarty because of knee injuries, but backup tight end Wil Haas could return.
Eastern has its home opener next weekend against Central Washington. The Eagles open Big Sky play at home Sept. 25 against Idaho State.