Things to watch: Can Eastern Washington find difference makers in passing game outside of Efton Chism?

When Jackson Cleaver lined up to kick the ball back to Sacramento State early in the second half last week, Brock Harrison was on the sideline with an inkling of what was about to happen next.

“I heard someone say it on the sideline, but I wasn’t 100% sure,” the Eastern Washington senior defensive end said this week, looking back on the crucial play in the Eagles’ 35-28 victory. “The whole week we knew going into the game that was going to be open. I was confident we would be able to get it.”

Just as they had the game before against Montana, the Eagles recovered the onside kick. But unlike in that game against the Grizzlies, this subterfuge was enough to help Eastern pick up a victory.

Now the Eagles (2-4, 1-1 Big Sky) are back home Saturday for a 4 p.m. kickoff against sixth-ranked UC Davis (6-1, 3-0) for this year’s homecoming game at Roos Field in Cheney. It’s another game Eastern almost certainly needs to win to keep its playoff hopes alive.

The Aggies present the Eagles with another interesting defensive challenge, considering how they like to use a variety of receivers: Eight Aggies have at least 10 catches this year. The Eagles have completed at least that many throws to just four players.

Special teams trickery is one thing to keep an eye on. Here are three more:

1. Can the Eagles keep Lan Larison in check? UC Davis senior running back Larison was the Big Sky’s preseason offensive MVP, and he has lived up to the moniker, with 1,088 yards from scrimmage on 176 carries. He is also tied (with Montana’s Eli Gillman) for the conference lead with 11 touchdowns.

Aside from Cal (which held Larison to 73 yards in Week 1), the best a team has done against Larison is keep him to 100 yards, something Idaho did on Sept. 28. The Aggies still won that game 28-26.

The Aggies have other options at skill positions, but the Eagles repeatedly said this week that the key to stopping UC Davis was to limit the damage done by Larison. They would know: Last year against Eastern, Larison had 263 yards and a touchdown in just more than one half before leaving the game with a leg injury that kept him out the next three games.

2. What will we see of Marceese Yetts and Talon Betts? This week’s EWU depth chart doesn’t include redshirt junior running back Malik Dotson, whose role behind starter Tuna Altahir grew steadily in September. But he wasn’t practicing this week and isn’t expected to play against the Aggies.

Last year when injuries limited the Eagles in the backfield, they mostly just rode Altahir for all he could give them. This year, they have the option of using redshirt junior quarterback Jared Taylor – Dotson’s longtime teammate – and also two other running backs in junior Marceese Yetts and redshirt sophomore Talon Betts.

Yetts has just one carry this year; Betts has none. But last year, Yetts had 908 yards from scrimmage at El Camino College in California. He could be a change-of-pace rusher when Altahir – or Taylor – needs a break.

3. Efton Chism III … and who else? The Eagles’ senior wide receiver Chism has again been the team’s primary target in the passing game, but unlike previous years the Eagles haven’t established anyone else as Option B for their quarterbacks.

Redshirt sophomore Miles Williams (14 catches) and senior Nolan Ulm (seven) aren’t on the two-deep this week, as Williams has missed the past two games and Ulm has only been available for four games (though notably he suited up against Sacramento State).

The most consistent option aside from Chism has been junior Noah Cronquist, who has 12 catches for 190 yards and two scores.

But even senior quarterback Michael Wortham has more receptions (14), the most behind Chism’s conference-leading 54.

Redshirt sophomore Wesley Garrett – who hasn’t played since the Drake game in Week 2 – is listed as a starter alongside Chism and Cronquist. But he doesn’t have any catches in his EWU career.

In short: If any receiver not named Chism is to have a big performance this week, it would have to be considered a breakout game.