Things to watch: Eastern Washington’s special teams play important in road game at Northern Colorado

Eastern Washington has just one win through five Big Sky football games , but these next three weeks – and this one specifically – set up well for the Eagles (2-7, 1-4 Big Sky) to even out their record before the end of the season.

Northern Colorado (1-8, 1-4), Eastern’s opponent at 11 a.m. Saturday in Greeley, is the Big Sky’s only team with just one win this season and one of four teams (including the Eagles) with a 1-4 record at the bottom of the conference standings.

The Bears are 0-3 at home, including a 24-0 loss to Montana two weeks ago. Averaging 11.7 points per game, the Bears have scored at half the rate of Cal Poly (21.4 points per game). Everyone else in the conference is averaging at least 25 points per game.

If there were ever an opponent the Eagles’ defense should be able to shut down, this is it.

Here’s a look at three parts of the game to follow:

1. Does someone emerge alongside Efton Chism III at wide receiver? Even though Chism gets all sorts of attention from opposing defenses, no one has really stopped him this year. He continues to lead the nation with 85 receptions and has at least seven catches in every game this year.

But Option B in the Eagles’ passing game continues to be elusive.

“We have Efton and a collection of other guys that haven’t really stepped into that second receiver role,” EWU head coach Aaron Best said Tuesday, “someone we can go to four, five times a game outside of Efton.”

Aside from Miles Williams, who hasn’t played since September, the only receiver to make more than four catches in a game (not named Chism) is Wesley Garrett, who had seven against UC Davis. Last week against Montana State, tight end Austin York caught four passes for 16 yards; no one else besides Chism had more than two catches or more than 18 receiving yards.

Northern Colorado has been decent against the pass this year, ranked sixth among Big Sky teams in yards per game allowed (228.4), but has been more vulnerable against the run (225.4 yards per game, third most in the conference).

It’s also unclear whether redshirt junior quarterback Kekoa Visperas will return after missing the Eagles’ game last week. If he’s unable to go, the Eagles will lean on redshirt junior Jared Taylor and senior Michael Wortham. They could even turn to redshirt freshman Nate Bell to run a few plays if needed.

2. Can the Eagles force some field-goal attempts? Red-zone defense has been an issue all season for the Eagles, who have only held an opponent scoreless on 1 of 37 ventures inside the 20, and that drive ended when Idaho kneeled the football at the end of its victory over Eastern in Moscow.

Northern Colorado, though, has struggled in the red zone more than any other Big Sky team, scoring on just 11 of 19 red-zone appearances with nine touchdowns and two field goals.

Eastern’s offense, by contrast, has scored on 35 of 39 red-zone trips with 29 touchdowns and six field goals.

One reason for Northern Colorado’s struggles has been its passing game, which has produced just four touchdown receptions all season and is averaging 126.8 yards per game (4.9 yards per passing attempt). The Eagles, on the other hand, average 7.4 yards per pass and 220.8 yards per game.

3. Can Eastern’s special teams (and defense) create some short fields? Eastern has forced just six turnovers all season, which means the Eagles have had precious few opportunities to start on their opponents’ side of the football field aside from those produced by long kickoff returns or surprise onside kicks.

But the Bears have been among the more turnover-plagued teams in the Big Sky (their 14 are the third most in the conference), and if that trend continues the Eagles could be in for a few more short fields on offense.

The Eagles have been intentionally methodical on offense, somewhat by design because of the strength of their running game and the vulnerability of their defense. But it’s been that way by circumstance, too, given its long fields and a general lack of big plays downfield.

How much of that was due to playing a difficult schedule? That’s one of the more intriguing aspects of Saturday’s game.