Eastern Washington to open spring football practice April 4

Spring football practice at Eastern Washington will begin on April 4 and end with the annual Red-White game on April 29, the school announced Friday.

The Eagles will hold 15 practices and scrimmages over 26 days under new coach Aaron Best.

Best will be joined by five new offensive coaches, while the team’s defensive staff returns intact from EWU’s 2016 team which finished 12-2 and won the Big Sky Conference.

The Eagles finished the year ranked fourth in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision after advancing to the semifinals of the FCS Playoffs for the third time in the past five seasons.

Eastern will practice on each Tuesday from April 4-25, as well as some practices on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Eastern will scrimmage on April 15 and 22 before the annual Red-White Game on April 29 at 2 p.m. at Roos Field.

The Eagles expect to have about 85 players on hand, including 56 returning letterwinners. That includes 29 on defense, 23 on offense and four on special teams.

Eastern will return seven starters on both sides of the ball, plus the team’s starting kicker, punter and long-snapper.

Eastern recently completed its winter conditioning program, and spring break starts Monday. Spring quarter classes start on April 3, and spring ball begins one day later.

Eastern opens the season at Texas Tech, then will host five-time FCS Champion North Dakota State. Eastern goes back on the road to face FCS foe Fordham before starting Big Sky Conference play at Montana.