The Eastern Washington University football team has announced its spring practice schedule, and will begin Tuesday, April 3, at Roos Field in Cheney, Wash. The schedule of practices is still considered tentative and subject to change.
The Eagles will spread 15 practices and scrimmages over the course of 26 days under head coach Aaron Best. After its opening practice on April 3, Eastern will practice on each Wednesday and Friday from April 4-27, as well as April 9 (Monday), April 16 (Monday) and April 24 (Tuesday). Eastern will scrimmage on April 13 (Friday) and April 21 (Saturday) before the annual Red-White Game takes place on Saturday, April 28 at 2 p.m. at Roos Field.
In 2017, Eastern secured a school-record 11th-straight winning season and had yet another outstanding Big Sky Conference campaign in 2017, despite having its season come to a surprising end when EWU was denied its 13th berth in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs.
Eastern closed the season 7-4 overall and in a tie for third in the Big Sky Conference with a 6-2 record. It’s the 11th-straight season the Eagles have finished 5-3 or better in the Big Sky. The Eagles had already secured its record 11th-straight winning season and 20th in the last 22 years.
The Eagles will have a large group of as many as 28 seniors on its 2018 team, but had only 14 seniors in 2017 and 12 in 2016. The Eagle defense is expected to return eight starters, including letter winners at two other positions with considerable starting experience. Eastern will return nine starters on offense, and as many as 56 returning letterwinners.
“We have experience coming back and the entire coaching staff is intact. So change won’t be a factor in why things are the way they are,” said the second-year head coach. “We’re also a little salty from finishing 7-4 and having to watch the playoffs from home. I’ll be honest, we felt like we earned to be in the field of 24. Like our motto says, ‘leave no doubt’ is a small reminder that in 11 weeks of work if you finish 7-4 you could be watching on TV. That’s a taste we don’t want in our mouth and aren’t used to, so we are out to earn the eighth win and beyond.”
Spring Scrimmages
Eastern is scheduled to scrimmage on Friday, April 13 at approximately 3:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 21 at approximately 10:30 a.m. at Roos Field. The annual Red-White Game will take place on Saturday, April 28th at 2 p.m. at Roos Field in conjunction with Eagle Week at EWU and the 37th Annual Orland Killin Lobster Dinner, Dance and Auction.
Release courtesy of EWU Athletics
