Illinois State at EWU: FCS rematch
Eastern Washington and Illinois State left an indelible impression on each other two years ago.
In a clash of playing styles, the Eagles were battered and the Redbirds torched before Beau Baldwin’s crew emerged with a 51-35 FCS quarterfinal win.
“After the game, our guys said they felt like they were hitting tree trunks,” recalled Baldwin, whose fourth-ranked Eagles will bark up those same trees Saturday at Roos Field.
The stakes are the same: a spot in the semifinals next weekend at top-ranked New Hampshire, a 35-30 victor over Chattanooga on Friday.
Likewise, ISU coach Brock Spack came away with a healthy respect for Eastern’s speed on both sides of the ball.
“We didn’t really have a good idea of how good Eastern was … they’ve got our attention this time,” said Spack, whose Redbirds earned some attention themselves this year by going 11-1 and sharing the Missouri Valley Football Conference title with North Dakota State.
Their recipe is the same: a big back with bigger guys up front. With his 5-foot-9, 205-pound frame, running back Marshaun Coprich averages 6.1 yards a rush and 153 a game.
But stereotypes are made to be broken. Enter quarterback Tre Roberson, a 6-0, 200-pound junior transfer from Indiana who has kept opposing defenses off-balance all year and made the Redbirds more dynamic.
ISU averages 461 yards of total offense and ranks ninth in FCS in scoring (38.9), but the most impressive stat is one that Baldwin himself prizes: The Redbirds convert better than half their third downs (80 of 159, or 50.2 percent), which ranks fourth in the nation.
In the last four games, they’re an incredible 40 of 57, or 70.2 percent.
“They (Coprich and Roberson) make them go offensively, but they don’t have any weak spots,” Baldwin said. “Their offensive line has some great size (with a pair of 330-pound guards) and great ability, and they have receivers who can make plays. “They have a strong offense,” Baldwin said.
There are some flaws: a receiving corps that doesn’t appear very deep, a dead-even turnover ratio and a 79.2 percent scoring performance in the red zone (by contrast, EWU’s is 94.2 percent.)
Against that offense, the Eagles field a defense that’s getting stingier by the week, and now ranks 11th in the nation in turnover margin with a plus-11. Last week, Eastern set the tone by holding Montana to 90 yards of total offense in the first half of a 37-20 win.
“I think we played more physical up front, no question,” Baldwin said.
Speaking of indelible impressions, Eastern running back Quincy Forte left one on Spack two years ago after running for 116 yards on just seven carries.
“That (Forte) is the secret to that team,” Spack said after paying due respect to EWU All-American quarterback Vernon Adams Jr, who backed up Kyle Padron in that game.
Eastern (11-2) figures to have a speed advantage over the Redbirds, but Baldwin cautions fans not to overemphasize it.
“You can’t go 11-1 in that conference without having some team speed,” Baldwin said.
Playing in what most consider the toughest conference in FCS, the Redbirds give up just 320.9 yards a game, hold opponents to 34.8 percent on third downs and 71.9 percent in the red zone.
“They’re a solid team with good tacklers,” Baldwin said.