New generation of Eastern Washington receivers prepares to carry on tradition

How confident is Jay Dumas in his young Eastern Washington receivers?

So confident that he’s afraid they’ll peak too early. Really.

“We want them at their prime for the playoffs,” said Dumas, who inherits a group that can’t be measured by numbers.

That’s a good thing, as Eastern returns just 815 receiving yards from its wideouts after the departure of Cooper Kupp, Kendrick Bourne and Shaq Hill. All three are in the NFL, which might lead some to believe that the Eagles are starting over.

Hardly. Dumas – a star at Washington State in the 1990s – can appreciate talent when he sees it. Dumas arrived in Cheney last spring, unburdened by what the Eagles lost and able to focus on the here and now.

“What I like about them is that they’re students of the game, and not just relying on their athleticism,” Dumas said. “They’re trying to be the best version of themselves, not anyone else.”

The returnees gleaned as much as they could from Kupp, Bourne and Hill – technique, work ethic, the fine points of the film room.

They even learned “how to be a good person,” senior Nic Sblendorio said.

“But we’ve still got to put the work in,” said Sblendorio, EWU’s fourth-leading receiver last year with 33 catches for 401 yards and three touchdowns. “Just because you’re an Eastern receiver, that doesn’t mean you’re going to set a bunch of records.”

That’s doubly true this year, as coach Aaron Best is committed to a stronger run game.

“This year’s receivers don’t have to catch 4,000 yards’ worth for us to be successful,” Best said.

Along with All-American quarterback Gage Gubrud, a solid offensive line and a stable of young running backs, that also will take some of the pressure off the receivers.

“The offense is set – now we just have to go out and do what we do best,” said Stu Stiles, a junior out of Mt. Spokane High School who last season caught 26 balls for 380 yards.

That’s an average of 14.6 yards per catch, a fraction better than Kupp.

The other key returnee is junior Nsimba Webster (six receptions for 64 yards), who lost part of the season to injury.

Reinforcements are on the way. Six-foot-5 junior Terence Grady (25 catches for 281 yards in 2015) was redshirted last year with 2017 in mind.

Another 2016 redshirt, three-star recruit Xavier James, was the star of the Red-White Spring game with seven catches for 130 yards. Classmate Dre’Sonte Dorton and sophomores Jayson Williams and Zach Eagle also figure to contribute.

Best and his staff also must consider the talents of incoming freshmen Andrew Boston, Marques Hampton Jr. and Johnny Edwards IV. All were heavily recruited before landing at Eastern.