EWU football: Lots of candidates in secondary
For Eastern Washington’s cornerbacks, the upcoming season is definitely up for grabs.
By all accounts, it’s the most intriguing position battle of fall camp, a friendly free-for-all that probably won’t be settled until the season opener at Oregon, if then.
At least a half dozen players are contending for two spots, including one experienced senior, a sophomore who enjoyed a breakout freshman year in 2014, and three players coming off season-ending injuries.
Actually, it’s even more complicated than that: The two most experienced players are competing for the same spot, the boundary corner position on the short side of the field. Finally, the switch to a 4-2-5 scheme will mean a few new wrinkles for both corner positions, though the boundary position will remain mostly a man-coverage job.
“It’s an electric position with a lot of talent,” said coach Beau Baldwin, who was confident enough in his returnees that last spring he moved veterans Jake Hoffman and Moe Roberts from corner to safety.
“All these guys can help us win games, and that excites me,” Baldwin said.
That feeling goes double for the players. On Friday morning, senior Rashad Wadood was the first Eagle on the practice field. A transfer from Arizona State, Wadood started 11 games last year, but acknowledged some “up-and-down” moments on the field in 2014.
“The coaches are keeping me on my toes, so I have to bring it every day,” said the 5-foot-11, 185-pound Wadood, whose main competition at the boundary corner position will come from redshirt sophomore Victor Gamboa.
Last year, Gamboa had a breakthrough season for the Eagles. He was pushed to the top of the depth chart by injuries to others, but rose to the occasion with by playing all 14 games and being named Eastern’s Freshman of the Year.
“I want to do the same thing this year: I want to earn that starter spot again,” said Gamboa, whose 57 tackles last year ranked fifth on the team. He also had three interceptions and six passes broken up.
That didn’t surprise the coaches. “We saw some things from Victor in his redshirt year (in 2013),” Baldwin said, adding that he’s seen many players excel as redshirt freshmen.
“But after that, it’s up to them to take those next steps,” Baldwin said.
Wadood and Gamboa will be pushed further by junior LaShawn Jameison (5-9, 175) and senior Frank Cange (5-9, 170), who was lost for the year last season after a patellar tendon injury in Week 2.
Said Cange, “I’m just going to keep grinding, keep attacking with my brothers,” Cange said.
There’s more mystery at field cornerback, where the player must defend the wide side of the field and sometimes switch into zone coverage. The top two on the current depth chart are redshirt freshman Nzuzi Webster, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the third game of the year at Washington, and redshirt sophomore D’londo Tucker, whose 2014 season was wiped out before it began with a knee injury in spring ball.
“I’m just trying to stay patient,” Webster said. “(Redshirting last year) really helped my work ethic to get back on the field.”
Also in the mix at field corner are freshman Josh Lewis (6-0, 170) and Keonte White (6-4, 195).
No matter who’s on the field, they expect to have more fun as part of a scheme that will allow the corners to play more aggressively.
“It sets us up to make bigger plays, and as a group we understand it a little more,” Gamboa said.