Preparations for Sept. 2 opener at Texas Tech begin under first-year head coach Aaron Best
The Aaron Best era in Eastern Washington University football begins with preparation for the 2017 season opener Sept. 2 at Texas Tech when practice starts Aug. 3.
The Eastern Washington University football team will begin practices for the 2017 season on Thursday, Aug. 3 on the Sports and Recreation Center practice fields.
Players will report on July 31 and Aug. 1, then the team will practice together for the first time on Aug. 3 at 3:30 p.m. Eastern will practice in pads for the first time on Saturday, Aug. 5 at 3:30 p.m. Because the NCAA no longer allows two-a-day practices, Eastern will practice together for nearly a full month prior to the team's opener.
The Eagles are expected to exclusively use the practice fields through Aug. 16, after which Roos Field will be utilized leading up to the team's Sept. 2 opener at Texas Tech. That game will be televised live nationally at 1 p.m. Pacific time on the Fox Sports Networks.
The Eagles will scrimmage twice before the team's season opener. The first will take place on Saturday, Aug. 19 at approximately 10 a.m. on the Sports and Recreation Center practice fields. It will be followed by an autograph session where both football and soccer players from the two defending Big Sky Conference teams will be signing posters for fans at Reese Court.
The second scrimmage will take place Friday, Aug. 25 at 5 p.m., also at Roos Field. Both are free and open to the public.
The Eagles enter their first season under new head coach Aaron Best with five new coaches on the offensive side of the football – Bodie Reeder, Jase Butorac, Jay Dumas, Kevin Maurice and a fifth who will be announced soon.
The team's defensive coaching staff returns intact from EWU's 2016 team which finished 12-2 and a perfect 8-0 in the Big Sky Conference. The Eagles ended the year ranked fourth in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision after advancing to the semifinals of the FCS Playoffs for the third time in the past five seasons, and 12th playoff berth overall.
Eastern will be well-stocked with experience on the field. Eastern returns 53 letterwinners, including 26 on defense, 23 on offense and four on special teams. Seven starters return on offense and six on defense.
Tentative Schedule of EWU Practices
Monday, July 31 – Newcomers Report; Orientation
Tuesday, Aug. 1 – Veterans Report; Orientation & Conditioning
Wednesday, Aug. 2 -- Orientation & Conditioning
Thursday, Aug. 3 – 3:30 p.m. – First Practice
Friday, Aug. 4 – 3:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 5 – 3:30 p.m. (first practice in full pads)
Sunday, Aug. 6 – 3:30 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 7 – 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 8 – 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 9 – 3:30 p.m. (possibly moved to a.m.)
Thursday, Aug. 10 – 3:30 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 11 – 3:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 12 – 9:45 a.m.
Sunday, Aug. 13 – Off
Monday, Aug. 14 – 9:45 a.m.
Tuesday, Aug 15 – 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 16 – 9:45 a.m.
Thursday, Aug. 17 – 3:30 p.m. (first practice at Roos Field)
Friday, Aug. 18 – 3:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 19 – Scrimmage, approximately 10 a.m., Roos Field
Sunday, Aug. 20 – Off
Monday, Aug. 21 – 9:45 a.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 22 – 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 23 – 3:30 p.m. (possibly moved to a.m.)
Thursday, Aug. 24 – 4 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 25 – Scrimmage, approximately 5 p.m., Roos Field
Saturday, Aug. 26 – Off
Sunday, Aug. 27 – Off
Monday, Aug. 28 – 2 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 29 – 2 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 30 – 2 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 31 – 9:05 a.m.
Friday, Sept. 1 – Travel Day to Lubbock, Texas
Saturday, Sept. 2 – EWU at Texas Tech, 1 p.m. (Fox Sports Networks)
Reader Comments(0)