Eastern Washington Eagles football
Eastern Washington Eagles football
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| Eastern Washington Eagles | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1901 | ||
| Head coach | Aaron Best 2nd season, 18–6 (.750) | ||
| Stadium | Roos Field (Capacity: 8,600) | ||
| Field | The Inferno | ||
| Year built | 1967 | ||
| Field surface | Red SprinTurf | ||
| Location | Cheney, Washington | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FCS | ||
| Conference | Big Sky Conference | ||
| All-time record | 541–416–23 (.564) | ||
| Playoff appearances | 13 | ||
| Playoff record | 19–11 | ||
| Claimed nat'l titles | Div. I FCS: 1 (2010) | ||
| Conference titles | 26 | ||
| Rivalries | Montana Grizzlies Portland State Vikings | ||
| Colors | Red and White[1] | ||
| Fight song | Go, Eagles, Go | ||
| Mascot | Swoop | ||
| Marching band | Eagles Marching Band | ||
| Outfitter | Adidas | ||
| Website | GoEags.com | ||
The Eastern Washington Eagles football team represents Eastern Washington University in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision. The Eastern Eagles are members of the Big Sky Conference and play at Roos Field, which is known for being the only stadium in college football with a red playing surface.
Contents
1 History
1.1 Beginning & NAIA era
1.2 Identity changes
1.3 Transition to NCAA and Big Sky
1.4 Red Turf and National Championship
2 Home stadium
2.1 Red turf installation and name change
2.2 The Inferno
3 Rivalries
3.1 Montana Grizzlies
3.2 Portland State Vikings
3.3 Idaho
3.4 Rivalry summaries
4 Championships
4.1 National championships
4.2 Conference championships
5 Playoff appearances
5.1 NAIA Playoffs
5.2 Division I-AA/FCS Playoffs
6 Season and coaching history
7 Current coaching staff
8 Individual award winners
8.1 National award winners – players
8.2 Big Sky Conference honors
9 Eagles in the pros
10 Retired jerseys
11 Future non-conference opponents
12 References
13 External links
History[edit]
| Independent | 1901–19 |
Tri-Normal League | 1920–37 |
| Independent | 1938 |
Washington Intercollegiate Conference | 1939–47 |
Evergreen Conference | 1948–79 |
Div. II Independent | 1980–83 |
Div. I-AA Independent | 1984–86 |
Big Sky Conference | 1987–present |
Beginning & NAIA era[edit]
Eastern Washington University began fielding a football team in 1901, when the school was known at the time as the 'State Normal School' and the team mascot was the 'Savages'. Eastern's first national affiliation came with joining the NAIA.
Eastern competed in the NAIA until 1977, along the way advancing to the NAIA Football National Championship finals in 1967, losing to Fairmont State 28-21. This marked Eastern Washington's first appearance in a national championship game at any level of competition.
Identity changes[edit]
During this time period, the school would undergo numerous changes to its identity. The school name would change in 1937 to the 'Eastern Washington College of Education', then again in 1962 to 'Eastern Washington State College'. The final change to the school name came in 1977 when the school was renamed 'Eastern Washington University'.
In 1973, the student body voted to make Eastern's mascot the 'Eagles'.[2][3][4] Shortly before that, the Eastern Board of Trustees declared 'Savages', its mascot through its first 92 years, no longer acceptable. Eagles are native to Eastern Washington and thus a logical choice for a replacement.
Transition to NCAA and Big Sky[edit]
Eastern joined the NCAA in 1978, and participated at the Division II level as an independent until 1984, when they moved up to Division I-AA (now FCS), also as an independent.[5]
Denied membership to the Big Sky Conference in May 1985,[6][7] Eastern was extended an invitation in December 1986 to join, starting in July 1987.[8][9] Eastern continues to participate in the Big Sky to this day and is now the sixth-most tenured member of the conference.
Red Turf and National Championship[edit]
The 2010 season would mark a number of firsts for Eastern Washington's football program. The offseason would see a highly publicized move to install a red turf playing surface, the first of its kind in the country. Eastern would utilize the excitement and energy surrounding the program to complete its finest season of competition in the program's history.
The 2010 season concluded with Eastern Washington's first appearance in the FCS Championship Game. Led by the head coach Beau Baldwin the Eagles defeated the Delaware Blue Hens 20–19 in Frisco, Texas to win the school's first national championship in football.
Home stadium[edit]
Roos Field with red turf installed in 2010
The EWU football team plays at Roos Field, opened in 1967 and recently expanded and renovated in 2004 and 2010 to seat 11,702. The stadium was originally named Woodward Field in honor of former Eagles head football and basketball coach Arthur C. Woodward. It replaced the original Woodward Field, which was located near the present JFK Library.[10]
Red turf installation and name change[edit]
On February 26, 2010, ESPN reported that Eastern Washington planned to remove the natural grass surface at Woodward Field and replace it with red SprinTurf, the first of its kind at any level of American football. A funding drive was initiated in late January 2010, with EWU alumnus Michael Roos donating $500,000 toward the installation costs, and fellow alumnus and ESPN personality Colin Cowherd also making a donation.[11]
On May 20, 2010 the Eastern Washington Board of Trustees approved a name change to Roos Field, scheduled for the 2010 season, upon the successful completion of the project.[12] Installation of the red synthetic turf was completed in September 2010, in time for the first home game of the 2010 season against Montana.
The Inferno[edit]
Eastern Washington's red playing surface is known as The Inferno. The nickname was chosen through a vote conducted by Eastern on its athletic website, goeags.com. Voting began on August 4, 2010 and allowed fans to choose from seven proposed names: red sea, red zone, inferno, big red, red carpet, ring of fire and lava pit. Inferno finished as the top choice and the nickname was revealed at the first home game with the new field on September 18, 2010.
Rivalries[edit]
Montana Grizzlies[edit]
The EWU–UM Governors Cup is the game against conference rival Montana, usually played in mid-season in October, alternating between Roos Field in Cheney and Washington–Grizzly Stadium in Missoula. The Eagles currently trail in the overall series with 17 wins, 27 losses, and a tie; it became the Governors Cup in 1998 for the 25th meeting and Montana also leads that series at 13–8 (.619), through 2017. The Cup was originally contested between EWU and the University of Idaho, from 1984 through 1997.
Portland State Vikings[edit]
The Eagles also have a new rivalry with the Portland State Vikings in all sports, starting in 2010 called The Dam Cup. Eastern football won the first rivalry match between the two schools in 2010 with a score of 55-17. The purpose of the Dam Cup is to create a rivalry between Portland State University and Eastern Washington University and provide a sense of pride between alumni in the Portland and Spokane areas. Other goals include increasing attendance at events between both schools and building school spirit among each institutions' student body.
Idaho[edit]
With the addition of the University of Idaho to the Big Sky Conference in 2018, Eastern Washington will play Idaho on an annual basis. While the schools played annually from 1983 to 1999, the 2018 meeting will be only their third since 2000. Eastern's all-time record before the 2018 meeting against Idaho is 6-15.[13]
Rivalry summaries[edit]
| Team | Rivalry name | Trophy | Games played | First meeting | Last meeting | EWU win | EWU loss | Ties | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana Grizzlies | EWU–UM Governors Cup | Governors Cup | 45 | 1938^ | 2017, Won 48–41 | 17 | 27 | 1 | .389 |
| Portland State Vikings | The Dam Cup | Dam Cup | 41 | 1986* | 2018, Won 74–23 | 20 | 20 | 1 | .500 |
^ The Governors Cup rivalry with Montana was officially established in 1998, but both teams have played against each other since the date listed above.
* The Dam Cup rivalry with Portland State was officially established in 2010, but both teams have played against each other since the date listed above.
Championships[edit]
National championships[edit]
Eastern Washington has won one national championship in the FCS.
| Year | Coach | Selector | Record | Score | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Beau Baldwin | NCAA 20 Team Playoff | 13–2 | 20–19 | Delaware Blue Hens |
Conference championships[edit]
Eastern Washington has won 26 conference championships since 1901, including ten in the Big Sky Conference.
| Year | Conference | Overall Record | Conference Record | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 | Tri-Normal League | 3-3-0 | 3-0-0 | A.A. Eustis |
| 1923♦ | Tri-Normal League | 5-2-0 | 4-1-0 | A.A. Eustis |
| 1925 | Tri-Normal League | 6-3-0 | 5-0-0 | A.A. Eustis |
| 1934 | Tri-Normal League | 6-1-0 | 2-0-0 | W.B. Reese |
| 1935 | Tri-Normal League | 4-2-1 | 1-0-1 | W.B. Reese |
| 1936 | Tri-Normal League | 7-1-0 | 2-0-0 | W.B. Reese |
| 1937 | Tri-Normal League | 6-1-0 | 2-0-0 | W.B. Reese |
| 1939♦ | Washington Intercollegiate Conference | 5-3-0 | 2-0-0 | W.B. Reese |
| 1947♦ | Washington Intercollegiate Conference | 6-1-1 | 4-0-1 | A.H. Poffenroth |
| 1948♦ | Evergreen Conference | 8-1-0 | 5-1-0 | A.H. Poffenroth |
| 1949♦ | Evergreen Conference | 7-2-0 | 5-1-0 | A.H. Poffenroth |
| 1950 | Evergreen Conference | 8-2-0 | 5-1-0 | A.H. Poffenroth |
| 1965 | Evergreen Conference | 8-1-0 | 4-1-0 | Dave Holmes |
| 1966 | Evergreen Conference | 7-1-1 | 4-1-1 | Dave Holmes |
| 1967 | Evergreen Conference | 11-1-0 | 6-0-0 | Dave Holmes |
| 1969♦ | Evergreen Conference | 4-5-0 | 4-2-0 | Brent Wooten |
| 1992♦ | Big Sky Conference | 7-4-0 | 6-1-0 | Dick Zornes |
| 1997 | Big Sky Conference | 12-2-0 | 7-1-0 | Mike Kramer |
| 2004♦ | Big Sky Conference | 9-4 | 6-1 | Paul Wulff |
| 2005♦ | Big Sky Conference | 7-5 | 5-2 | Paul Wulff |
| 2010♦ | Big Sky Conference | 13-2 | 7–1 | Beau Baldwin |
| 2012 ♦ | Big Sky Conference | 11-3 | 7-1 | Beau Baldwin |
| 2013 | Big Sky Conference | 12-3 | 8-0 | Beau Baldwin |
| 2014 | Big Sky Conference | 11-3 | 7-1 | Beau Baldwin |
| 2016 ♦ | Big Sky Conference | 12-2 | 8-0 | Beau Baldwin |
| 2018 ♦ | Big Sky Conference | 10-2 | 7-1 | Aaron Best |
Total | 26 | |||
| ♦ Denotes a tie for first place and conference co-champion | ||||
Playoff appearances[edit]
NAIA Playoffs[edit]
Eastern Washington made one appearance in the NAIA playoffs in 1967. They advanced to the NAIA Champions Bowl, where they lost to Fairmont State. The Eagles finished with a 1-1 record in NAIA playoff play.
| Season | Round | Opponent | Result | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Semifinals Champions Bowl | New Mexico Highlands Fairmont State | W 28–14 L 21–28 | Dave Holmes |
Division I-AA/FCS Playoffs[edit]
Eastern Washington has participated thirteen times in the I-AA/FCS playoffs since 1978. Their first appearance occurred during the 1985 season, when they advanced to the quarterfinals. The Eagles' best finish came during the 2010 season, when they won the national championship.[14]
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | First Round Quarterfinals | Idaho Northern Iowa | W 42–38 L 14–17 | Dick Zornes |
| 1992 | First Round | Northern Iowa | L 14–17 | Dick Zornes |
| 1997 | First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals | Northwestern State WKU Youngstown State | W 40–10 W 38–21 L 14–25 | Mike Kramer |
| 2004 | First Round Quarterfinals | Southern Illinois Sam Houston State | W 35–31 L 34–35 | Paul Wulff |
| 2005 | First Round | Northern Iowa | L 38–41 | Paul Wulff |
| 2007 | First Round Quarterfinals | McNeese State Appalachian State | W 44–15 L 35–38 | Paul Wulff |
| 2009 | First Round | Stephen F. Austin | L 33–44 | Beau Baldwin |
| 2010 | First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals National Championship Game | SE Missouri State North Dakota State Villanova Delaware | W 37–17 W 38–31 W 41–31 W 20–19 | Beau Baldwin |
| 2012 | Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals | Wagner Illinois State Sam Houston State | W 29–19 W 51–35 L 42–45 | Beau Baldwin |
| 2013 | Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals | South Dakota State Jacksonville State Towson | W 41–17 W 35–24 L 31–35 | Beau Baldwin |
| 2014 | Second Round Quarterfinals | Montana Illinois State | W 37–20 L 46–59 | Beau Baldwin |
| 2016 | Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals | Central Arkansas Richmond Youngstown State | W 37–20 W 38–0 L 38–40 | Beau Baldwin |
| 2018 | Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals National Championship Game | Nicholls UC Davis Maine North Dakota State | W 42–21 W 34–29 W 50–19 TBD | Aaron Best |
I-AA/FCS Playoff Record | 19–11 | |||
Season and coaching history[edit]
| Coach | Years | Seasons | Record | Pct. | Conf. Champs | Bowl Games | National Titles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 1901–02 | 2 | 3-3-2 | -- | |||
| Claude Arthur | 1903 | 1 | 3-2-2 | .571 | |||
| H.E. Smith | 1904–05 | 2 | 5-9-0 | .357 | |||
| O.P. Lienau | 1906–07 | 2 | 8-5-0 | .615 | |||
| Nick Hinch | 1908/1912 | 2 | 2-4-0 | .333 | |||
| Harry Goldsworthy | 1909 | 1 | 0-2-0 | .000 | |||
| Albert Fertsch | 1913–16 | 4 | 4-9-0 | .308 | |||
| A.A. Eustis | 1920–26 | 7 | 24-25-1 | .490 | 3 | ||
| Arthur Woodward | 1927–28 | 2 | 7-8-0 | .467 | |||
| G.M. Johnson | 1929 | 1 | 4-4-0 | .500 | |||
| W.B. Reese | 1930–41/1946 | 13 | 66-26-9 | .698 | 5 | ||
| Ralph Peterson | 1942 | 1 | 3-4-0 | .429 | |||
| A.H. Poffenroth | 1947–52 | 6 | 32–19–1 | .625 | 4 | ||
| Ed Chissus | 1953–62 | 10 | 29-52-4 | .365 | |||
| Dave Holmes | 1963–67 | 5 | 34-13-1 | .719 | 3 | ||
| Brent Wooten | 1968–70 | 3 | 11-18-0 | .379 | 1 | ||
| John Massengale | 1971–78 | 8 | 35-39-1 | .473 | |||
| Dick Zornes | 1979–93 | 15 | 89-66-2 | .573 | 1 | ||
| Mike Kramer | 1994–99 | 6 | 37-32-0 | .536 | 1 | ||
| Paul Wulff | 2000–07 | 8 | 53-40-0 | .570 | 2 | ||
| Beau Baldwin | 2008–2016 | 9 | 85-32-0 | .726 | 5 | 1 | |
| Aaron Best | 2017–present | 1 | 7-4-0 | .636 | 1 | ||
Totals | 1901–present | 109 | 541–416–23 | .564 | 26 | 0 | 1 |
- Note: Eastern Washington did not field teams from 1910–11, 1917–19 & 1943–45.
Current coaching staff[edit]
Name | Position | Alma Mater | Season at EWU |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Best | Head Coach | Eastern Washington (2001) | 18th; 2nd as head coach |
| Jeff Schmedding | Defensive Coordinator Safeties | Eastern Washington (2002) | 15th |
| Eti Ena | Associate Head Coach Defensive Front Coordinator Defensive Line | Eastern Washington (2005) | 3rd |
| Josh Fetter | Linebackers High School Relations | Idaho (1996) | 8th |
| Brian Strandley | Defensive Line Pro Liaison | Idaho (1995) | 8th |
| Cherokee Valeria | Cornerbacks Recruiting Coordinator | Central Washington (1999) | 7th |
| Bodie Reeder | Offensive Coordinator Quarterbacks | Eastern Illinois (2010) | 2nd |
| Jase Butorac | Offensive Line Academic Coordinator Community Relations | Eastern Washington (2015) | 2nd |
| Jay Dumas | Wide Receivers | Washington State (1999) | 2nd |
| Kevin Maurice | Running Backs Video Coordinator | St. Joseph's (IN) (2006) | 2nd |
| Heath Pulver | Tight Ends Special Teams Coordinator | Eastern Washington (2009) | 2nd |
| Nate Barry | Assistant Athletic Director of Athletic Performance | Idaho (2011) | 1st |
| Marc Anderson | Director of Football Operations | Eastern Washington (2014) | 4th |
Reference: goeags.com[15] | |||
Individual award winners[edit]
National award winners – players[edit]
|
|
Big Sky Conference honors[edit]
|
|
Eagles in the pros[edit]
The following former Eastern Washington players are currently playing in one of the three professional football leagues listed below.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Retired Jerseys | ||
|---|---|---|
| Number | Player | Year |
| 84 | Bob Picard (1968–69, 1971–72) | 2003 |
| 71 | Michael Roos (2001–04) | 2009 |
Future non-conference opponents[edit]
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
| @ Washington | @ Florida | @ Western Illinois | @ Oregon |
| @ Jacksonville State | Western Illinois | Jacksonville State | TBD |
| TBD | Northern Arizona | TBD | TBD |
Source:[16]
References[edit]
^ EWU Identity Standards (PDF). Retrieved March 29, 2016..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
^ ""School selects eagle as mascot" Palm Beach Post United Press International – 1973-07-13 – p.D5
^ "Eastern athletics now called Eagles". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. July 11, 1973. p. 14.
^ "Cats lead only one statistic". Ellensburg Daily Record. Washington. October 11, 1973. p. 6.
^ "Vandals are ready for hungry Eagles". Spokane Chronicle. Washington. September 30, 1983. p. 13.
^ Stalwick, Howie (May 22, 1985). "Big Sky shoots down Eastern Eagles". Spokane Chronicle. Washington. p. A1.
^ Stewart, Chuck (May 23, 1985). "The Sky has fallen hard on Eastern". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. C1.
^ Gerheim, Earle (December 11, 1986). "Sky finally opens wide for Eastern Eagles". Spokane Chronicle. Washington. p. D1.
^ Blanchette, John (December 11, 1986). "Big Sky club took time issuing Eagles' membership card". Spokane Chronicle. Washington. p. D2.
^ goeags.cstv.com/facilities/ewas-woodward.html
^ sports.espn.go.com
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-01-21. Retrieved 2011-04-11.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
^ http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/e/eastern_washington/opponents_records.php?teamid=1499
^ http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/e/eastern_washington/national_champs.php
^ "Eastern Washington Football Coaches". Eastern Washington University Athletics, Accessed: April 17, 2014.
^ "Eastern Will Visit Huskies For a Third Time in 2019". goeags.com. Retrieved April 17, 2014.
External links[edit]
Official website
Categories:
- Eastern Washington Eagles football
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