EWU notebook: Receiver Efton Chism III surpasses 100 receptions

Michael Wortham arrived on Eastern Washington’s campus about 2½ years ago thinking he would compete for a starting quarterback job.

While he still takes the occasional snap in games, he never climbed full time to the top of the depth chart at that position.

But on Saturday in Cheney, he climbed atop the Eastern Washington record books as a return man and again proved to be one of the Big Sky’s most electric players with the football in his hands.

In his final game at Roos Field, Wortham was instrumental in the Eagles’ record-breaking 77-42 victory over Idaho State. Wortham only touched the football eight times, but those plays accounted for 20 passing yards, 109 rushing yards (including two touchdowns) and 46 kickoff return yards.

“I know that I don’t get as many reps,” Wortham said. “(But) if I do my job, and if I can just worry about only my job, then the rest will pan out.”

Wortham has 983 kickoff return yards this season, passing Vernon Williams, who had 973 in 1988, for the most in a single season in EWU history.

Wortham has 313 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns on 36 carries to go along with 209 receiving yards and another touchdown on 25 receptions.

The pass he completed Saturday – to fellow quarterback Jared Taylor – was his seventh in nine attempts this year. All told, he has thrown for 88 yards and two touchdowns.

“He’s not a quarterback; he’s a guy who can play quarterback,” EWU coach Aaron Best said. “He cares. He studies. He knows what he’s doing. … We’re going to try to put guys in the best spots to allow us to be the most successful, and sometimes that’s thinking way outside the box. He’s made us a better team.”

Chism eclipses 100 receptions

The Eagles only attempted 15 passes , but they continued to find touches for Efton Chism III.

The senior receiver caught all 12 of his targets for 157 yards and a touchdown, increasing his season totals to 107 receptions for 1,192 yards and 12 touchdowns. That receptions total is the third most by an EWU player in a single season, sandwiched between Cooper Kupp’s seasons of 104, 114 and 117.

Chism also passed Bandon Kaufman for third on Eastern’s receiving yards list with 3,733 , two more than Kaufman had from 2009 to 2012. He trails only Eric Kimble (4,140) and Kupp (6,464).

Eastern’s had just three other completed passes. Taylor caught one for 20 yards, and redshirt junior running back Malik Dotson caught two for 49. Aside from Chism, no other EWU receivers caught a pass.

More offensive superlatives

Eastern’s record-breaking day rushing the football also helped this year’s Eagles climb the program’s single-season rankings.

Their 2,618 net rushing yards this season rank as the fifth most, behind totals of 2,755 (2013), 3,061 (1997), 3,130 (1950) and 3,839 (2018).

Their 32 rushing touchdowns this year are tied for the second most behind the 41 they scored in 2018, and their 494 rushes are 86 fewer than that record-setting 2018 team attempted.

Five players have accounted for the majority of Eastern’s rushing yards but none is on pace for a 1,000-yard season.

Redshirt junior Tuna Altahir, who had 45 yards against the Bengals, has 127 carries for 682 yards. Taylor has 126 carries for 680 yards.

In eight games, Dotson has rushed 82 times for 502 yards.

Visperas has 89 carries for 313 yards; Wortham also has 313 yards on 36 carries.

Taylor leads the team with 10 rushing touchdowns.

Visperas has nine, Wortham five, Dotson four and Altahir three.