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Pre-season discussion

A

Atomic Eagle

Active member
August 29, 2024 (Thursday)TBAHomeMonmouth UniversityCheney, Wash. / Roos Field
September 7, 2024 (Saturday)TBAHomeDrakeCheney, Wash. / Roos Field
September 14, 2024 (Saturday)TBAAwaySoutheastern LouisianaHammond, La.
September 21, 2024 (Saturday)TBAAwayNevadaReno, Nev.
September 28, 2024 (Saturday)TBAHomeMontanaCheney, Wash. / Roos Field
October 12, 2024 (Saturday)TBAAwaySacramento StateSacramento, Calif.
October 19, 2024 (Saturday)TBAHomeUC DavisCheney, Wash. / Roos Field
October 26, 2024 (Saturday)TBAAwayIdahoMoscow, Idaho
November 2, 2024 (Saturday)TBAHomeMontana StateCheney, Wash. / Roos Field
November 9, 2024 (Saturday)TBAAwayNorthern ColoradoGreeley, Colo.
November 16, 2024 (Saturday)TBAHomeIdaho StateCheney, Wash. / Roos Field
November 23, 2024 (Saturday)TBAAwayNorthern ArizonaFlagstaff, Ariz.

Pretty brutal conference schedule. Anyone see 7 wins here?
 
The first three games are all winnable although playing in LA in September will be extremely challenging. The heat is ridiculous and not something one quickly acclimates to. Regardless, starting out at a minimum of 2-1 will be absolutely paramount as we go into the tougher stretch of the schedule against Nevada and Montana, which are both likely losses. That puts us at 2-3 or 3-2 depending on the outcome of the SELA game. Sac and Davis are both push games with no clear favorite in my mind. Idaho is a likely loss on the road as is MSU at home. The remaining games are all winnable.

We were on the wrong end of a lot of close games in 2023. The question is whether we’ll set conditions to win those close ones this Spring/Summer. If so, I can see us winning against Monmouth, Drake, SELA, Sac, Davis, UNC, ISU, and NAU. Best case scenario is a 7 or 8 win season. Worst case probably 4-8 or 5-7, with the 12 game season.
 
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The two home games to start the season will be a good indicator of how much we’ve improved on both sides of the ball. If we can’t win those two at home it certainly doesn’t bode well for the rest of the season. In my opinion, the biggest areas on offense and defense that we need to get better in to be competitive this year are:

Offense:
-Consistency in Qb play. We don’t need an EB3 to win more, but KP has yet to demonstrate that he can make every throw in this offense. Accuracy was an issue as evidenced by the number of INT’s thrown.
-Offensive Line should be a strength this year but I am hoping that they got stronger over the winter. The running game suffered in 2023 because the line failed to get a push enough of the time. An improved run game will hinge on the line getting to the second level more consistently.

Defense:
-Improved LB play. This was the achilles heel of the defense last year and probably the primary reason that the run defense was near bottom of the FCS. Our middle LB’s in particular were too slow and did not get to the point of attack. Can they improve enough to be just average this year? I don’t know, but the defense will be poor again if this entire group doesn’t get more athletic this fall.
 
QB play, not sold on the 3 different QB thing we had going on last year, at least not with how we used them. Anytime Wortham or Taylor came in you knew exactly the play call. I’m not against the Wildcat, but at least mix it up with some throws sprinkled in.
 
I see us make the playoffs. Hoping some real stars come out of nowhere and having those winable games at start of season will allow us to define some game changers. Ring the bell and they will come!!

poolromantiker-bell.gif
 
ewueagfan said:
QB play, not sold on the 3 different QB thing we had going on last year, at least not with how we used them. Anytime Wortham or Taylor came in you knew exactly the play call. I’m not against the Wildcat, but at least mix it up with some throws sprinkled in.
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Agreed. I actually think that they could Wortham in more useful ways like putting him in the backfield or the slot. The dude’s a playmaker, give him the ball.
 
EWURanger said:
The first three games are all winnable although playing in LA in September will be extremely challenging. The level of humidity is ridiculous and not something one quickly acclimates to. Regardless, starting out at a minimum of 2-1 will be absolutely paramount as we go into the tougher stretch of the schedule against Nevada and Montana, which are both likely losses. That puts us at 2-3 or 3-2 depending on the outcome of the SELA game. Sac and Davis are both push games with no clear favorite in my mind. Idaho is a likely loss on the road as is MSU at home. The remaining games are all winnable.

We were on the wrong end of a lot of close games in 2023. The question is whether we’ll set conditions to win those close ones this Spring/Summer. If so, I can see us winning against Monmouth, Drake, SELA, Sac, Davis, UNC, ISU, and NAU. Best case scenario is a 7 or 8 win season. Worst case probably 4-8 or 5-7, with the 12 game season.
Click to expand...
The first two games are absolute must wins at home. We hardly ever get these types of East coast FCS teams in Cheney. We absolutely have to win both. The conference schedule is brutal.
 
Seattle Eagle said:
The first two games are absolute must wins at home. We hardly ever get these types of East coast FCS teams in Cheney. We absolutely have to win both. The conference schedule is brutal.
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It just sucks that both games are prior to school starting. Still a good way to open the season. I’d love to see big wins in both to generate some confidence going into the brutal portion of the schedule.
 
Eastern will likely start 2-0 and get anywhere from 3-5 more wins the rest of the way, finishing either 5-7, 6-6, or 7-5 with a potential playoff berth. The latter might be enough to save AB's job, but I'm not so sure. I'd by lying if I said I haven't already been thinking of potential candidates who will be named the new HC in December, but I suppose AB controls his own destiny here.
 
Davenport_Eag said:
Eastern will likely start 2-0 and get anywhere from 3-5 more wins the rest of the way, finishing either 5-7, 6-6, or 7-5 with a potential playoff berth. The latter might be enough to save AB's job, but I'm not so sure. I'd by lying if I said I haven't already been thinking of potential candidates who will be named the new HC in December, but I suppose AB controls his own destiny here.
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Best case, 8-4. Most likely scenario, 7-5 or 6-6.

Worst case 4-8.
 
eaglesfootball said:
Monmouth-W
Drake-W
SELU-L
Nevada-L
Montana-L
Sac St-L
Davis-W
Idaho-L
MSU-L
UNC-W
ISU-W
NAU-L

5-7
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I’ll be honest - this is a fair take. If we can get a few bounces of the ball/calls that go our way, then I could conceivably see a 7-5 finish. With no DII games on the schedule that could be good enough for a playoff birth.
 
I think we can win every game if the defense improves. Even last season we were in every game up to Idaho. I watched an interview from a LB that the whole defense is being retooled so that is advantage to us in the first part of the season. Sanders hasn't even been a coordinator before so other schools won't have anything to go off of except maybe old Stanford tape.

Idaho I don't think they will be as good, they got a lot of coaching and player turnover last season. Montana and Montana State at home helps a lot, this team under Best has been awful at away games. I don't think Sac State is going to be as good without Troy Taylor. Nevada is definitely winnable, they went 2-10 last season. All the hard games are at home except Sac State. If Best can't do well this season he needs to be fired. This schedule is a gift to him from the football gods.

The offense will be good if not better then last season. It all hinges on the defense improving, I'm optimistic Sanders can make it competitive but if he can't we're fucked.
 
eaglesfootball said:
Monmouth-W
Drake-W
SELU-L
Nevada-L
Montana-L
Sac St-L
Davis-W
Idaho-L
MSU-L
UNC-W
ISU-W
NAU-L

5-7
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Nevada is very winnable. Eastern went into OT with a 9-4 Fresno State team last year where Nevada went 2-10.

SELU is a toss up since it is away in Louisiana. Def a win at home.

I think we win 1 maybe 2 in the Montana, Sac St, Idaho, MSU games.
 
E-Wu Tang Clan said:
I think we can win every game if the defense improves. Even last season we were in every game up to Idaho. I watched an interview from a LB that the whole defense is being retooled so that is advantage to us in the first part of the season. Sanders hasn't even been a coordinator before so other schools won't have anything to go off of except maybe old Stanford tape.

Idaho I don't think they will be as good, they got a lot of coaching and player turnover last season. Montana and Montana State at home helps a lot, this team under Best has been awful at away games. I don't think Sac State is going to be as good without Troy Taylor. Nevada is definitely winnable, they went 2-10 last season. All the hard games are at home except Sac State. If Best can't do well this season he needs to be fired. This schedule is a gift to him from the football gods.

The offense will be good if not better then last season. It all hinges on the defense improving, I'm optimistic Sanders can make it competitive but if he can't we're fucked.
Click to expand...
That Fresno State OT loss has me thinking that we might have actually been decent last year. The wheels completely fell off in the Idaho game. Offensively we hung with them even with a Qb who hasn’t started at the DI level. The defense was just so bad and thar was the game that really highlighted it.
 
E-Wu Tang Clan said:
I think we can win every game if the defense improves. Even last season we were in every game up to Idaho. I watched an interview from a LB that the whole defense is being retooled so that is advantage to us in the first part of the season. Sanders hasn't even been a coordinator before so other schools won't have anything to go off of except maybe old Stanford tape.

Idaho I don't think they will be as good, they got a lot of coaching and player turnover last season. Montana and Montana State at home helps a lot, this team under Best has been awful at away games. I don't think Sac State is going to be as good without Troy Taylor. Nevada is definitely winnable, they went 2-10 last season. All the hard games are at home except Sac State. If Best can't do well this season he needs to be fired. This schedule is a gift to him from the football gods.

The offense will be good if not better then last season. It all hinges on the defense improving, I'm optimistic Sanders can make it competitive but if he can't we're fucked.
Click to expand...
The offense will most definitely be better than last year. Everything hinges on the defense and special teams improvement.
 
Still wondering about these 5 late additions who are supposed to be trickling in. Maybe they’re graduate transfers waiting to finish out the academic year?
 
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