Here he comes again
Portland State running back Ryan Fuqua surpassed the 4,000-yard plateau last week.
Contrary to popular belief, half of those yards have not come against Eastern Washington.
But 768 have.
That’s 19 percent of his 4,036 yards in just three of his 36 games.
“I have sleepless nights but it’s a lot more than Ryan Fuqua, that’s for sure,” EWU coach Paul Wulff said as the Eagles’ last look at Fuqua nears. “He’s good. Wow, he’s very good. The fact is he’s come out and had some great days against us. We weren’t very good and they were very good on a couple of those days.”
It started with a I-AA freshman record of 363 yards in 2001.
“That game was pretty much a nightmare for everybody on defense,” EWU senior offensive tackle Michael Roos said. “I try to remember it and I’m glad I don’t have to try to tackle him any more.”
Roos, then a defensive tackle, was one of five current Eagles who faced Fuqua as freshmen and recorded four tackles in late action.
There is reason for optimism when the Eagles face the 5-foot-11, 210-pound wrecking ball for the last time Saturday night in Portland.
Fuqua has gotten progressively worse every time he has played Eastern. Of course, in this case worse is relative.
But after that 45-carry, three-touchdown debut against the Eagles, Fuqua “faded” to 264 yards and two touchdowns on 41 carries as a sophomore and just 111 yards and one touchdown on 20 carries last year.
That’s an average of 256 for those keeping score – at 7.3 yards a clip. But hey, he had 243 yards on 20 carries at halftime of the first meeting when his first rush was a minus-1 and his second good for 20.
“I can’t say it’s been great playing against him because he’s a great ballplayer but it’s definitely been an experience to play against the caliber of running back he is,” EWU linebacker Doug Vincent said. “It’s kind of bittersweet because it’s my last season, too.”
The Vikings won the first two games 37-22 and 34-31 when Fuqua had 18 runs of at least 10 yards but lost big last year at Woodward Field, 42-16, as Fuqua only had two long runs.
This year Fuqua has gained 327 yards in three games, including 122 last week in a dominating 35-14 win over 12th-ranked McNeese State.
However, Fuqua left the game in the third quarter with a bruised hip and his status is in question.
Fuqua has six 200-yard games and 18 100-yard games. He has 18 plays of 40-plus yards, five against Eastern, including 77- and 71-yard TD runs.
Sky writing
This is offensive: There are 117 I-AA teams and four from the Big Sky Conference are in the bottom six of total defense. Idaho State is 115th (499 yards), Sacramento State is 114th (487.3), Montana is 112th (462) and Weber State 111th (459). Montana is last in passing defense (327.3). In scoring defense, Weber is 107th (38.0), Idaho State 109th (40.5) and Sac is 112th (44.7). While ISU, Sac and Weber are stinking up the joint, Montana improved to 3-1 despite giving up 506 yards in a 27-16 win over Northern Colorado.
•Northern Arizona cornerback Kevin Gerard, a freshman, returned two interceptions for touchdowns (61 and 79 yards) in a whuppin’ of Weber State. QB Jake Murrietta threw three TD passes and Roger Robinson rushed for 146 yards, including a 65-yard TD on the third play from scrimmage, averaging 11.2 yards a carry. NAU lost all-league linebacker Bruce Branch with a season-ending knee injury two weeks ago against Stephen F. Austin
•As if facing Colorado State wasn’t tough enough, Montana State was without its top three cornerbacks. Starter Kory Austin was sidelined by a concussion; Kahiam Hunter and Eddie Smith are out the rest of the season with shoulder and hamstring injuries, respectively. Freshman Andre Fuller and sophomore Ryan Force were the starters.
He said it
“I think this league is going to be won with possibly two losses,” Idaho State coach coach Larry Lewis told the Idaho State Journal after Eastern whipped the Bengals 47-22. “We can’t get down on ourselves. We just need to do what we’re supposed to do.”
Quick kicks
In whipping Weber State 55-27, Northern Arizona gambled on fourth down four times and converted three. … Tim Walsh has 99 career coaching wins in his 16th season, including 72 in 12 years at PSU. … EWU running back Darius Washington moved to the top of the Big Sky rushing stats after his 228-yard effort against Idaho State with an average of 116.8 yards a game. Fuqua is second at 109.