Line will show how Eagles line up

With only 12 seniors gone from a team that tied for the Big Sky Conference title and reached the second round of the I-AA football playoffs, it would seem the Eastern Washington University coaching staff only needs spring practice to fine-tune for another big season.

Not quite.

That would be true if the departing seniors didn’t include 10 players who received all-conference recognition, including four linemen.

“There are not a lot of shoes to fill, but the shoes we have to fill are really big,” said Paul Wulff as he prepared for his sixth season as EWU’s head coach. “Our focus is every single kid, but if you were to ask, the biggest question marks going into it … are on the line.”

Wulff, who signed a new five-year contract after the 9-4 season, wasn’t exaggerating.

Gone is All-American offensive left tackle Michael Roos, a 6-foot-6, 295-pounder who started 35 straight games, and 6-4, 275-pound right tackle Paul Terrell.

The defense lost tackle and captain Brandon Myers, a 280-pounder who started for three years, and two-year starter Tom Finnerty at end.

“In football, the line play on both sides of the ball is the most critical spot on a football team,” Wulff said. “That’s going to be the huge question mark for our whole team this year. The key is getting guys to step up and play at a championship level. There are some kids that haven’t played much, some kids that have played but they have to prove they can play at a level to do their part to help win a championship.”

On the other hand, 12 other players will be on the field Monday afternoon who also earned all-conference honors, including All-Americans in quarterback Erik Meyer, wide receiver Eric Kimble and offensive guard Rocky Hanni. The Eagles return seven starters on offense, six on defense and three players who shared the kicking and punting duties.

“There is a lot of experience,” Wulff said. “I believe we definitely have some candidates to fill the voids but … it’s just a matter of them actually doing it and for us as coaches to see it. That’s what we need these 15 practices for and the 29 in the fall before our first game. We need all those kids to get better.”

Hanni, who had a sensational freshman season as a guard, is expected to replace Roos. Hanni, (6-5, 280) made history as the first offensive lineman to be named Big Sky Conference Newcomer of the Year.

Sophomore to be Zach Wasielewski (6-4, 265), Central Washington transfer Keith Grennan (6-4, 280) and Cheney native Chris Perkins (6-4, 280) are also expected to battle at tackle.

Senior Harrison Nikolao (6-2, 300), who split time on defense and offense last year, will stick with defense, where he was honorable mention at tackle as a sophomore. The lead candidates for end are Johnny Hanson (6-2, 250) and Mike Wolfe (6-4, 235).

There are three controlled scrimmages on the four-week schedule and the Red-White Game on May 7.

Wulff expects about 70 players to participate in spring practice. Definitely out are Wolfe, who had knee surgery last fall, and senior wide receiver Brandon Nicholson, who fractured a leg in a freak workout accident a month ago.

Because of depth, Wulff expects spirited battles for starting spots at safety and cornerback.

Running back is also a position of interest, with the top two in the depth chart departing. Oregon State transfer Ryan Cole, and sophomore Toke Kefu and junior Dezmon Cole, who combined for more than 650 yards and seven touchdowns last fall, are the lead candidates.

Finding depth at tight end is also important. All-conference player Chris Cwik graduated and backup Will Haas has decided not to play. That leaves reserve Tom McAndrews, who had four receptions as a freshman, and squad member Anthony McCarty. The wild card is Tim Calhoun, who was honorable mention as a true freshman but missed the last two seasons with injuries (ankle and wrist).

“We have a lot of players back with game experience, but they have to come back and be better players,” Wulff said. “Every year, unfortunately, there might be a player or two that returns that does not play as well as he did in the previous year. We cannot afford for that to happen to this team.

“Everybody has to be a better player than they were a year ago to fill in for the very talented seniors we lost.”