‘We faced some hard truths’: Eastern Washington continues to develop on both sides of ball this season

When Eric Sanders talked to the Eastern Washington defense about its performance last week against Montana State, he didn’t try to pretend that what happened didn’t happen.

“We faced some hard truths, and we got kicked in the teeth,” EWU’s second-year defensive coordinator said on Monday, two days after Eastern’s 57-3 loss to the Bobcats. “It was not a good game.”

Saturday’s result was the most lopsided of Eastern’s four defeats this season, both in yardage differential (580-207) and in points. Even head coach Aaron Best on Tuesday only identified three highlights the whole game: A made field goal, a blocked field goal and Ambrose Marsh’s second-half interception.

“It’s a scar that will never go away,” Best said of the defeat.

But Best also pointed to his team’s “bounce-back factor” heading into this week’s game against Portland State (0-5, 0-1 Big Sky), which gives the Eagles (1-4, 0-1) a chance to enter their Week 7 bye on a winning note.

“If we can get through (Week 6), get our bye week and create some momentum going into that bye week,” he said, “I think we give our team a different mindset going into the back half of this schedule.”

Best pointed out that Eastern is currently relying on many young players, especially since injuries have forced upperclassmen such as Jared Taylor, McKel Broussard, DaJean Wells, Drew Carter and Dishawn Misa – all of them starters – to miss at least one game so far this season.

But in some ways that works to Eastern’s advantage as it tries to rebound, Best said.

“(We feel) frustration for sure, but it’s the response to the frustration (that matters). We’ve got to move forward,” Best said. “Sometimes with a younger team that can be easier in some ways, as opposed to an older team that has more callouses. With the younger guys hopefully we can get back on the saddle.”

As Sanders evaluates Eastern’s defense so far this season, he said he prefers to lengthen the arc of evaluation to 18 months, all the way back to when the Eagles first implemented its current defensive schemes.

When he does that, Sanders said he sees a defense “on the ascent.”

One area is in red zone defense. Last season, Eagles opponents reached the red zone 46 times. On 38 of those, they scored touchdowns.

This season, Eagles opponents have visited the red zone 24 times and have scored touchdowns on 14 of those trips. It’s an aspect Sanders said the Eagles have emphasized in practice, and he is glad to see it pay off.

“I strongly believe there is a confidence that comes from results, but on defense there is a specific thing that has to happen,” Sanders said. “You have to put three plays together in a row. … Results come from putting three plays together.”

Sanders admits that the group is not there yet, but there has been progress.

“I strongly feel that our defense is on an upward trajectory, and that’s what I am focused on, and our kids are excited about it,” Sanders said. “We’re headed toward championship defenses. We’re attempting to be the strength of the program, which is a bold statement at Eastern Washington, which has such a rich history of offense.”

Last week’s offensive performance produced just three points, the program’s fewest since a 19-3 loss to Montana in 2008. Best said the offense “couldn’t get into a rhythm.”

Still, the Eagles are just two weeks removed from a 52-point outburst against Western Illinois, and their offense has been prolific in home games this season and last.

The Eagles were also trying to work Taylor back into the offense after a two-game absence due to an injury he suffered against Boise State.

Best did not clearly state how the Eagles will divide up quarterback snaps between the redshirt senior Taylor and redshirt sophomore Nate Bell.

“Time will tell,” he said. “We’ve got to do what’s best for the team, so if that means (for Taylor) a bigger role, a smaller role, a multirole, a different role, I think at the end of the day, we look at each other (and) we want to win.”

Best suggested that Taylor was not 100% against Montana State and that this weekend might be a situation where they use Taylor less so that he is closer to 100% after the bye week against Idaho on Oct. 18.

Regardless, the Eagles will be looking for a better start – and a better result – against Portland State.

“Coaches have instilled in us that each week is a new week,” Bell said. “We’re attacking this the same way, not getting down (on ourselves) and learning from mistakes. Every game is such a beautiful opportunity to play the game of football. We’re not taking that for granted.”