Physically, the worst of fall camp is over for the Eastern Washington football.

Mentally, not so much.

After surviving two weeks of record-breaking heat, the Eagles took Sunday off, then began the week with a Monday morning practice with temperatures in the upper-50s.

“It’s refreshing, it feels good,” quarterback Gage Gubrud said Monday.

However, heat of a different kind is descending this week on many of the Eagle players, the ones who – unlike Gubrud – are fighting for a place on the field come game day.

“That’s a big topic – everybody wants to know,” coach Aaron Best said. “We have depth charts like everybody.

“Newcomers come in with the job to earn reps with the ones and twos. Thus far we have a couple of guys on the outside looking in, but they are not too far outside,” Best said.

Saturday’s scrimmage at Roos Field could go a long way on deciding who’s still on the outside, Best said. The Eagles will run 60 to 70 plays in an event that’s open to the public. The scrimmage will begin at about 10:30 a.m.

“That is going to be a big determining factor,” Best said The ones are going to get a lot of reps, the twos will get a lot of reps and the threes will be limited a little bit, but will get the bulk of the reps the following week,” Best said.

By then, Best and his staff should have a working two-deep for the season opener on Sept. 2 at Texas Tech. They also will be close to deciding which incoming freshmen will play right away.

“We have a couple in mind,” said Best, who on Thursday will move practice from the grass fields behind Reese Court, to Roos Field.

Players got a taste of the pressure last weekend in a 30-play session that saw the offense score touchdowns in three of its first four possessions. They were produced by Gubrud and backups Eric Barriere and Nick Moore.

The defense atoned with a late forced fumble and recovery.

“It was solid,” said Best, who hopes to see more “data” on Saturday.

Looking back, Best credited the seniors with helping keep the other players fresh and focused during the heat wave.

“We’re understanding how to practice, so whatever tempos we’re using they understand them and complete them the way they are supposed to be completed. Our seniors have done a good job creating those tempos and having the younger players follow,” Best said.