Eastern Washington football to focus on situational drills in second spring scrimmage

Consider Saturday’s Eastern Washington scrimmage as a dry run for next week’s Red-White Spring Game.

The operative word is “dry” – or at least better than last week’s rain-plagued opening scrimmage.

Fortunately, the forecast calls for partly cloudy skies and highs in the mid-50s on Saturday.

“You have to attack the moments, even when they aren’t nice,” EWU coach Aaron Best said this week.

Several players did that last week, Best said. The most notable was running back Tamarick Pierce, whose playing time decreased last year as Antoine Custer Jr. and Sam McPherson stepped up.

Instead of accepting a lesser role, Pierce has tried to “play out of that role,” Best said. “He wants to be part of that (starting) conversation.”

Best also was impressed by backup safety Calin Criner, who had two interceptions last week, and offensive linemen Spencer Blackburn, Jack Hunter and Tristen Taylor.

Overall, Best thought the offense “struggled early in terms of gaining points at the end of drives. … They stayed on the field, but not enough.”

That wasn’t a big surprise.

“At that point in the spring, the defense is usually ahead of the offense,” Best said.

This week, Best said the Eagles will focus on situational drills in a 60-play scrimmage that’s expected to begin at about 11 a.m. at Roos Field.

The scrimmage is open to the public.

The spring game will be played April 28 at 2 p.m.