The Bobcat Nation

Hey I've read a bunch about thier offense but don't know much about ther defense could anyone help?? Injuries, weaknesses if anyone knows? Thanks

This article was in the chronicle today. It looks like they are pretty banged up. Coach Wulff was on the sports nuts today at noon and said they would start 6 underclassmen on the O and D lines. The paper article makes mention of their nose guard and best secondary guy as having been hurt but might play this weekend; not start though.


MSU Football: Eagles struggling to fulfill potential

By TIM DUMAS, Chronicle Sports Writer

The year 2004 was a good one for Eastern Washington.

The Eagles shared the Big Sky Conference championship with Montana before upsetting No. 1 Southern Illinois on the road to open the Division I-AA playoffs.

Though they lost to Sam Houston State the following week, the Eagles set 27 school records and finished eighth in the final poll.

With 15 starters and 13 all-conference players expected back, 2005 appeared to be another remarkable year. The Big Sky's coaches and media thought so, voting EWU to No. 1 in both preseason polls in July.

But early in the year, things began falling apart.

Wide receiver Branden Nicholson broke his leg running a simple sprint during a conditioning practice during the winter. In June, a roll-over car accident involving four players - who were attending a teammate's wedding - knocked backup receiver Kyle Long out for the season as starting punter Ryan Donckers and reserve tight end Anthony McCarty missed the season opener.

EWU then lost nine players over its first three games, including starters Harrison Nikolao (nose guard) and all-conference player Isaiah Trufant (cornerback). Both are expected to play against Montana State on Saturday, but are not likely to start.

In game four, Gregor Smith, an all-Big Sky special teams player last season, went down with a knee injury and is out for the MSU game.

Two weeks later, backup center Kraig Sigler and starting defensive end Garrett Quinn suffered injuries in a win over Montana. Both could see action this week.

Eastern's stars haven't avoided the injury bug. Eric Kimble, who is seven touchdown receptions away from tying Jerry Rice's Division I-AA career mark of 50, missed most of preseason with a hamstring injury while quarterback Erik Meyer suffered leg cramps in EWU's opener against San Jose State and had to come out of the game.

Through nine games, just three offensive players - sophomore left guard Rocky Hanni, Meyer and Kimble - have started every one.

“I've never been around anything like this,” Eastern head coach Paul Wulff said. “Not as a player, not as a coach.”

Partly because of the injuries, the Eagles will start six underclassmen on the offensive and defensive lines on Saturday. The performance of those players will show how well the program has recruited recently.

“We felt like we had pretty good depth going into the season,” Wulff said. “Our depth got hacked and then it went beyond anything we ever imagined.”

So maybe the fact that EWU (5-4, 4-2 Big Sky) is just a game over .500 this late in the season shouldn't come as a surprise. The Eagles did defeat Montana in Missoula, but dropped decisions to Idaho State and Weber State by a combined nine points.

“For us to still have a shot to be Big Sky champions is great,” Meyer said. “A couple of those losses could easily have been wins. It's do or die for us. We have to win.”

Meyer, like MSU's Travis Lulay, is rewriting his school's record book.

He broke EWU's career completions mark last month and owns five other career records. Meyer is first in Big Sky history with a career efficiency rating of 167.0, which is second in Division I-AA history, and is 466 yards away from 10,000.

Remarkably, Meyer has only thrown 17 interceptions on 1,012 attempts.

Kimble holds six school career records and has caught 43 touchdown passes in 43 games. Kimble, who also returns punts, is eighth in Big Sky history among non-kickers with 310 points.

There are other standouts on Eastern's roster. Oregon State junior transfer Ryan Cole is second in the conference with 13 rushing touchdowns while Raul Vijil is second behind Kimble in the BSC with 863 receiving yards. Craig McIntyre had six touchdown receptions, yet another cog on the nation's top-ranked offense (508 yards per game).

At the line of scrimmage, Hanni last season became the first offensive lineman to earn Big Sky newcomer of the year honors in the 27-year history of the award.

Defensively, middle linebacker Joey Cwik leads the team with 70 tackles while cornerback Jesse Hendrix is tops in the conference with 15 passes defended.

The Eagles are strong against the pass, but allow 166 rushing yards per game.

The Eagles are a loss away from being eliminated from playoff consideration, but Meyer still sees a deep postseason run coming.

“There are still six more weeks of football left.”

'Cat Scratches

MSU senior center Jeff Bolton earned Football Gazette Division I-AA lineman of the week honors for his work in a 37-16 win over Sacramento State last Saturday. Bolton helped lead the Bobcats to their first 100-yard game by a running back this season as he and his linemates made it possible to convert five of the team's six red zone trips into touchdowns, while the team converted a field goal on the other. Bolton was graded at 99 percent by his coaches. ... Quarterback Travis Lulay and tight end Elliott Barnhart earned ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America District 7 honors Thursday, the College Sports Information Directors of America announced. The honor is the first for both players, although Lulay has also earned national Academic All-Star honors by the Division I-AA Athletic Directors Association. The All-District award qualifies each for national honors at their positions.

I don't think Eastern's D gets enough credit. They're among the leaders in the BSC in most stats. They give up plenty of yards, and even plenty of points. But often, that's because they're on the field a lot. Their offense scores and puts them right back out there. They have had a rough year with injuries, however.

Thanks both of you the knoledge is great be watchin tommarow hopefully we get it done.... thanks

I have watched EWU play three games this year on TV. They truly have suffered more injuries than any other Big Sky team. They are down to their 3rd string plyers at 3 of the 4 D-line positions from when the season started.

However, their defense is very well-coached, and is capable of playing very well, as they did against Montana and NAU on the road. Lulay will have to put 35 points on the board for the Cats to have a chance, in my opinion. I don't see the Bobcats defense stopping Meyer-and-company for much less than the mid-thirties in points.