Eastern Washington secondary is tough, experienced

This is the seventh of an eight-part series on spring football at Eastern Washington. Today: the secondary

Those young Eastern Washington cornerbacks sure have grown up.

The two-deep of Nzuzi Webster, Victor Gamboa, D’londo Tucker and Josh Lewis have combined for 60 starts, making this the most experienced unit on the roster.

“There have been a lot of teaching moments, but there’s not a lot more that I can teach them,” Eastern corners coach Cherokee Valeria said as the Eagles prepare for Saturday’s Red-White Spring Game.

“It’s definitely an experienced group – these guys have gone through thick and thin with me,” Valeria said.

Here’s how the Eastern secondary is shaping up in the final week of spring ball:

Cornerback: More tests will follow, but the biggest motivator is friendly competition among upperclassmen Webster, Tucker, Lewis and Gamboa.

All saw significant playing time for a group that was much improved in 2016, with 17 interceptions.

“We feel like the game is coming slow to us, so we’re able to play as fast as we want to,” Tucker said. “Now we’re trying to teach the freshmen to think fast and play smart.”

The youngsters are learning, and Valeria says that several are ready to compete.

Actually, Brandon Montgomery is already a redshirt junior, but the 5-foot-9, 170-pounder from Tacoma is making impression on the depth chart. He also is a top candidate to play in nickel packages.

“There’s teachable moments out there, but he continues to grow,” Valeria said.

Safety: One of the biggest questions for Eastern fans is who will replace Zach Bruce, a four-year fixture and an all-Big Sky Conference first-teamer last year.

Safeties coach Jeff Schmedding already has a head start, calling Bruce a “coach on the field for our young guys.”

Several are ready to step up in the competition to start alongside Mitch Fettig.

Nothing will be decided until the fall, but special teams standout Tysen Prunty, a 6-2, 190-pound redshirt sophomore from Beaverton, Oregon, has impressed Schmedding with his physicality and ability to “see the whole picture on the field.”

Also in the mix is redshirt sophomore Dehonta Hayes, a 5-11, 195-pounder from Tacoma.

One thing is certain: Schmedding expects big things from Fettig in his junior year.

“He’s got a chance to really put a stamp on this season, and I couldn’t be more excited,” said Schmedding .

So is Fettig, a 6-0, 190-pounder from Olympia who had a team-high four picks last year as a junior. “Zach was a great mentor for me, and I’m just trying to be half the players he was,” Fettig said.

The biggest adjustment for the safeties this spring is Eastern’s more balanced offense. Facing more heavy sets, “You can’t backpedal – you have to come down and make some plays,” Fettig said.

“That’s going to prepare us against teams that like to pound the ball,” Fettig said.

Roverback: Eastern got off lightly with injuries last year, but don’t tell that to roverback Cole Karstetter. In the second game of the year, at North Dakota State, the Ferris High product suffered a torn Achilles tear that still hasn’t fully healed.

“It’s take a longer than I thought,” Karstetter said as he handled the down marker during Saturday’s scrimmage at Roos Field.

Karstetter is expected to be fully recovered for fall camp. In the meantime, senior John Kreifels (5-9, 205) and redshirt freshman Kendrick Johnson (6-3, 200) are seeking playing time.

Johnson “brings some length and athleticism,” Schmedding said.

Coming up: part eight, special teams