In Flagstaff, Arizona, Eastern Washington kicked off the football campaign with a dominant initial two quarters, jumping out to a 24-3 advantage and appearing poised to snap a postseason drought. Months later, the remainder of that contest—which the Eagles ultimately dropped to Northern Arizona by a 34-27 margin—now stands as an illustration of how a handful of defensive lapses can ruin not just a couple games but the fate of an entire season.
That early-season slide left the Eagles sitting at 2-6 overall and 1-4 in the Big Sky Conference as they approach a high-stakes home matchup against Montana.
Chasing Consistency on the Red Turf
“I don’t think there’s any one (person) to blame,” EWU senior defensive end Dishawn Misa remarked on Tuesday, just four days prior to the Eagles returning from their bye week to host Montana.
Despite the tough record, Misa maintains that the team that led that opener by three touchdowns on the road against a consistently ranked Northern Arizona squad is still capable of winning big games. Consistency remains the missing ingredient.
“The confidence we had against NAU in the first half is still there,” Misa said. “We need to work better to be (consistent) instead of being very good in certain parts of our games.”
Saturday’s contest at Roos Field marks a milestone: the 100th game on the red turf originally installed in Cheney in 2010. Standing in the way are the Montana Grizzlies, who bring a 5-3 overall record, a 3-2 conference mark, and a No. 14 ranking in the FCS Stats Perform Top 25 into Cheney following their own bye week.
Addressing Defensive Fundamentals
EWU defensive coordinator Zach Bruce did not mince words regarding the defense’s performance through the first eight weeks.
“I put everything I have into this, and we’re not playing well,” Bruce said. “Not to the standard that we want or the standard that we know we can. … We’re trying to find new and better ways to improve.”
Bruce admitted that he got “too cute with schematics” during the first half of the season. Through self-scouting over the bye week, the defensive staff identified seven distinct fundamental areas that required immediate correction.
PREVIEW: Griz bring renewed urgency on the road to EWU after the bye week.📰 https://t.co/kLmJuccDtH#GoGriz pic.twitter.com/JuJcassDtH
“I am going to give it everything I’ve got, all the time,” Bruce added. “I think that’s why it doesn’t feel like the building is burning down. … I’m not throwing in the towel. We’ve got four weeks left and we’ve got some great games ahead of us.”
Familiar Faces on the Opposing Sideline
Adding emotional fuel to the rivalry is Montana’s defensive staff, which features three former Eastern Washington coaches. Eric Sanders, Bruce’s predecessor as defensive coordinator, now runs the defense for the Grizzlies, joined by assistant coaches Jaylen Johnson and Wes Nurse.
“We go into (a game against Montana) with a chip on our shoulder (already),” EWU redshirt safety Jaylon Jenkins said during media availability on Tuesday. “And it’s even more of a chip on our shoulder to prove ourselves to the coaches that left.”
EWU running backs coach Tamarick Pierce, who played in Cheney from 2016 to 2021, acknowledged the reality of a 2-6 campaign while emphasizing the importance of a process-driven mindset rather than fixating strictly on the scoreboard.
“Do we say let’s pack it in? Or are we going to be guys who are not focused on the wins and losses?” Pierce said. “To get it back to where it needs to get back to, with the Eastern winning culture, it’s more about how you can refine your process (rather than) being so focused on the end result.”
The Eagles face a four-game stretch to close out the regular season, battling to salvage a campaign and avoid a fifth straight offseason without a postseason appearance.
