‘It was a fun time’: Eastern Washington football gives fans glimpse of this year’s team at ONE Spokane Stadium

Tylin Jackson had driven by ONE Spokane Stadium many times before, but it wasn’t until Thursday night that he’d actually been inside it.

But as he and his Eastern Washington teammates took to its noticeably green turf for their first preseason scrimmage, Jackson was struck by just how invigorating it was to play there.

“This stadium is beautiful,” the sophomore defensive end said. “It’s always good to have alumni, fans coming out, especially for a scrimmage. It was good having all this energy out.”

Compared to the smattering of people who usually attend scrimmages when they are held at Roos Field in Cheney, the crowd on Thursday – estimated at 1,300 by stadium officials – was downright raucous.

The volleyball team signed autographs pregame. Music boomed throughout the stadium. And people wearing red and white Eagles gear just about filled the lowest sections – as well as the highest, reserved-for-VIPs section – of the downtown stadium.

“I think it was a really good venue,” EWU head coach Aaron Best said. “The weather helps. The time of year helps. … I think it was better than most people expected.”

And, as far as the football went, Best was pleased, too.

“Putting (players) in front of people actually gets people to focus a little bit more, instead of (thinking) ‘eh, it’s just our teammates, no one is really watching,’ ” Best said. “All in all, that was fun to watch tonight.”

Like they did in their spring game, the Eagles structured the scrimmage situationally, with the offense starting drives at various yard lines. Led by senior starting quarterback Jared Taylor, the offense opened the scrimmage with a 20-play scoring drive.

“We haven’t run 20-play drives in practice so it was good to get out there and do a long one,” Taylor said.

But after that, the offense was mostly held in check by the defense. True freshman Landon Kahai nabbed an interception for the scrimmage’s lone turnover, a play that might have gone for a touchdown had the cornerback not opted to veer out of bounds as he broke down the sideline. Redshirt freshman cornerback Ambrose Marsh had his hands on another potential interception but dropped it.

Forcing turnovers has been a point of emphasis since the end of last season when the Eagles had just six interceptions and forced just one fumble.

“It was fun to see Landon (do that),” Best said. “I thought Ambrose Marsh should have, could have (had another interception). I thought his eyes got bigger than his hands.”

On the offensive side, Taylor led four drives, while redshirt sophomore Nate Bell, the presumed No. 2 quarterback, led six. Redshirt freshman Jake Schakel quarterbacked three drives. Statistics were not immediately available following the scrimmage.

Nearly every player on the roster participated, though a handful – such as defensive starters DaJean Wells and Isaiah Perez – were held out as a precaution against injury. Best said that next week’s scrimmage, which will be held back on the red turf of Roos Field, will serve primarily to establish reserve roles rather than starting ones.

Eastern Washington athletics director Tim Collins reiterated to the crowd that there are no plans to play regular-season games in Spokane, but he emphasized again – as he has since he was named to his position two years ago – that the Eagles are “Spokane County’s team.” Arranging this venue for this scrimmage was a nod to that.

The Eagles won’t play a home game this season until Sept. 20 against Western Illinois; by then they will have traveled to Incarnate Word, Boise State and Northern Iowa.

“It was a fun time,” Taylor said. “It’s nice to get in the city and hopefully get some new faces out to football games. Hopefully they’ll come out (to Cheney) in the fall.”