John Blanchette, in last Sunday’s edition of The Spokesman-Review (“Eagles ‘playoff’ should pay off”), in evaluating how Eastern Washington University’s football team will fare in the upcoming playoffs, stated that “(EWU’s) pass defense could use some shoring up.” 

Shoring up?  How about a total revamping?

Sports Network has a website that ranks and provides statistics for teams that play in the Football Championship Subdivision.  Out of 117 teams, EWU is 105th in total defense, 116th in pass defense (only Missouri State is lower), and 72nd in scoring defense. 

Four teams in the Big Sky that EWU has played or will play have total defenses that rank near the bottom – Northern Colorado (98th), Idaho State (102nd), Weber State (103rd), and Portland State (111th).  EWU struggled this fall to beat two of these bottom-dwelling defensive teams – Northern Colorado and Weber State.

In Blanchette’s article, he quotes EWU head coach Beau Baldwin, who wonders, “Why can’t we stop them?”  Coach Baldwin, that question could be answered simply by holding a mirror to your face.  Last year, EWU’s defense gave up an eye-popping 428 yards per game and EWU is on track this year to equal that performance, giving up 420.90 yards per game (SN statistics as of Nov. 14). 

In the past three years since Coach Baldwin was hired, neither he nor his defensive coordinator, John Graham, has taken responsibility for the poor performance of the EWU defense.  Instead of the “buck-stops-with- me” approach, Baldwin is often quoted as saying EWU was “outplayed” but never “outcoached.” 

Blanchette is correct in initially questioning the defensive play.  A more in-depth analysis seems to indicate it is the coaches’ flawed defensive schemes that should be questioned.  Two years of a defense giving up more than 400 yards per game is not just the players fault. 

Good luck in the playoff, EWU, but you will need more than that to make it to the FCS national championship.

Gary Goede

Colville