Things to watch: Can Eastern Washington draw up big plays against Southeastern Louisiana?
Eastern Washington head coach Aaron Best frequently talks about how unpredictable college football can be, considering that the players are anywhere from 18 to 23 years old.
From that perspective, it’s easy to see how the Eagles (1-1) lost to Drake, an FCS nonscholarship program, and how they could just as easily bounce back and handle Southeastern Louisiana (0-2) on the road Saturday.
Kickoff from Strawberry Stadium in Hammond, Louisiana, is set for 4 p.m. for the rematch from last year’s contest in Cheney. The Eagles won that game 40-29.
It’s going to be hot and humid at kickoff, for which the Eagles have tried to prepare this week by spending a bit more time in the sauna.
They will also have all day Saturday in Louisiana to get ready for it.
The Eagles aspire to be a playoff team, and picking up a second FCS win in nonconference play would certainly help their resume, especially with a game at FBS Nevada looming next week.
Here are some aspects to follow during the game, which will stream on ESPN+:
1. Do they get the penalties under control? The 115 penalty yards assessed against the Eagles vs. Drake were problematic not just because they made drives longer but because so many of them eliminated big gains. For example, an illegal block in the back nullified a 41-yard punt return by Efton Chism III, who soon after had a 69-yard reception erased by a penalty for having an ineligible man downfield. Most of the team’s penalties were of the 10- to 15-yard variety.
“There were a lot of personal foul penalties, so at the least we can fix those,” cornerback DaJean Wells said. “Those types of plays, we can’t have. Those are always going to slow us down.”
In the Week 1 victory over Monmouth (New Jersey), the Eagles were penalized seven times for 95 yards.
2. Do they try to stretch the field on offense? It’s still early, but the Eagles’ longest pass completion this year is 35 yards. But it follows a trend that began last season, when the Eagles’ longest reception went for just 46 yards. The Eagles have mostly settled for short throws, and while that has led to some sustained scoring drives, the offense hasn’t shown much interest in attacking teams with deep throws.
Chism, talented as he is, isn’t used as a deep threat. Senior Nolan Ulm has shown over his career an ability to get open farther downfield. Perhaps he or another receiver could step into that role, but so far, that hasn’t happened.
3. Will they stop the run? Without question, the EWU defense’s No. 1 point of emphasis this year has been stopping the run. Through two games, they have done so, allowing 116 total rushing yards and only seven first downs gained by a running play.
SELA will be playing its first home game, on a muggy night in Louisiana, hungry to get its first win of the season. The clearest path to beating the Eagles over the past two years has been through the running game, so expect the Lions to test Eastern’s front early and often. If the Eagles get their offense going early to get SELA in a two-score deficit (or something larger), that could take pressure off Eastern’s defense and force the Lions to pass more against a secondary that is eager to go after the football.