vs. Idaho

[Kuttaak]

I'm more interested in who our QB will be. Taylor was not suited against Portland but will have two weeks to heal up from whatever's been going on with him. I can't stand watching the two-QB stuff, it doesn't work. I think Best just needs to pick a QB, and at this point in the season I think that's Bell.

I hate what the offense has become. Both Bell and Taylor are limited as passers. The running quarterback game seems to be more a keep scores close strategy that doesn't give the team a real chance to win against most Big Sky teams.

Different discussion but Wood really should be the QB at Eastern. He was originally committed but switched to Fresno State. Idaho certaintly wasn't the preferred Big Sky destination for recruits in the area for most of his high school career.

 

[LDopaPDX]

Outside of WIlliams (and Cronquist on occasion), our receivers simply don't get open.

What happened to Ulm? He seemed like he’d turn out to be a good receiver, but just never got better over his time at Eastern. I’d like to see him have a good game, but I can’t even remember the last time he had some kind of dominant performance. Receiver is a position where we have really lost all our talent. Even if you look past Kupp and Bourne, we still had at least two or three legit receivers all decade in the 2010s.

 

[LDopaPDX]

Bell gave up three turnovers to Portland State. If they were a competent team they would have won.

In fairness, one of those three interceptions was a good read and good throw and the receiver wound up bottling it. I feel like Bell gives us a semi-decent passing option, whereas Taylor means we can only run the ball.

Either way, we’ve got a guy at QB with a lot of liability.

 

[E-Wu Tang Clan]

I hate what the offense has become. Both Bell and Taylor are limited as passers. The running quarterback game seems to be more a keep scores close strategy that doesn't give the team a real chance to win against most Big Sky teams.

Different discussion but Wood really should be the QB at Eastern. He was originally committed but switched to Fresno State. Idaho certaintly wasn't the preferred Big Sky destination for recruits in the area for most of his high school career.

I didn't even recognize him as that kid. Went over to Fresno State with Pat McCann. I was kind of pissed about that. He won like Gatorade player of the year and the state championship and his recruiting stock skyrocketed.

 

[E-Wu Tang Clan]

In fairness, one of those three interceptions was a good read and good throw and the receiver wound up bottling it. I feel like Bell gives us a semi-decent passing option, whereas Taylor means we can only run the ball.

Either way, we’ve got a guy at QB with a lot of liability.

Not really interested in being fair. Better to run it or just throw it away then risk a turn over or a 50/50 ball. I 100 percent think that's why Taylor won the starting job is Bell gives up too many turnovers.

 

[LDopaPDX]

I don't mean this as a slight at all because I think he's doing a fine job and clearly our best option at QB right now, but is Bell able to see over the O line without rolling out? I mean, I think he's even shorter than Vernon Adams is. Serious

Not really interested in being fair. Better to run it or just throw it away then risk a turn over or a 50/50 ball. I 100 percent think that's why Taylor won the starting job is Bell gives up too many turnovers.

No doubt he gives up too many turnovers. That’s not even debatable.

But the pick where he had man coverage and threw the ball to the right spot wasn’t his fault. A coach would tell him to throw that ball into that matchup every single time. Our receiver just let himself get outworked for the ball by an undersized corner. You can’t lose that dual.

 

[Hambone]

What happened to Ulm? He seemed like he’d turn out to be a good receiver, but just never got better over his time at Eastern. I’d like to see him have a good game, but I can’t even remember the last time he had some kind of dominant performance. Receiver is a position where we have really lost all our talent. Even if you look past Kupp and Bourne, we still had at least two or three legit receivers all decade in the 2010s.

Sooooooo many drops. I don't know what happened to him. He had a decent year in 2023, was injured last season, and just hasn't really done much of anything since.

 

[Hambone]

I don't mean this as a slight at all because I think he's doing a fine job and clearly our best option at QB right now, but is Bell able to see over the O line without rolling out? I mean, I think he's even shorter than Vernon Adams is. Serious question.

Great question. He did have a couple of plays last Saturday than reminded me of Adams though. Real Houdini stuff.

 

[Hambone]

I feel like Bell gives us a semi-decent passing option, whereas Taylor means we can only run the ball.

This.

The more I watch Bell the more apparent it becomes to me that they are very different QBs. Taylor is a running (Wildcat) type QB. Bell is more of a passing QB who can scramble, but not really a "running" quarterback. I do think the playbook is a little more open with Bell.

I haven't seen enough of the other QBs to have any opinion. Schakel looked ok in garbage time against Montana State.

 

[Atomic Eagle]

In fairness, one of those three interceptions was a good read and good throw and the receiver wound up bottling it. I feel like Bell gives us a semi-decent passing option, whereas Taylor means we can only run the ball.

Either way, we’ve got a guy at QB with a lot of liability.

Anytime Taylor is behind center there's a 50% chance that we're running qb power regardless of down or distance. It's just way too predictable.

 

[Atomic Eagle]

Great question. He did have a couple of plays last Saturday than reminded me of Adams though. Real Houdini stuff.

For sure. I'm just not sure how much he's being developed as a passer.

 

[E-Wu Tang Clan]

Great question. He did have a couple of plays last Saturday than reminded me of Adams though. Real Houdini stuff.

Against trash defenses though. Portland State and Western Illinois who are 117th and 118th in the FCS for total defense respectively. Any defense that can put a spotter on Bell and keep him contained while playing good coverage on our receivers like Montana State did and our offense is absolutely cooked. We'll have another 3 point game.

 

[E-Wu Tang Clan]

I'm just like put Schakel in at this point, I don't care if Taylor and Bell are really swell guys that deserve playtime. But of course this is about Best and his feeble attempt to not lose his job not about the good of the team or the players.

 

[Kuttaak]

I'm just like put Schakel in at this point, I don't care if Taylor and Bell are really swell guys that deserve playtime. But of course this is about Best and his feeble attempt to not lose his job not about the good of the team or the players.

Based on what I have watched the last few seasons, I expect Taylor to play if he is cleared to play. I don't think we gives us the best chance to win but he probably is the quarterback that the coaching staff believes gives us the best chance to keep the game close.

 

[E-Wu Tang Clan]

Based on what I have watched the last few seasons, I expect Taylor to play if he is cleared to play. I don't think we gives us the best chance to win but he probably is the quarterback that the coaching staff believes gives us the best chance to keep the game close.

I'm not what his means but who cares if its a bad or really bad loss and L is an L.

 

[Kuttaak]

I'm not what his means but who cares if its a bad or really bad loss and L is an L.

Completely agree but I have watched Best punt late in the game multiple times when we need to score to have any chance to win. Taylor moves the ball enough to shorten games but I don't think he gives us the best chance to score enough points to win.

 

[E-Wu Tang Clan]

Completely agree but I have watched Best punt late in the game multiple times when we need to score to have any chance to win. Taylor moves the ball enough to shorten games but I don't think he gives us the best chance to score enough points to win.

I don't think we're on the same page. I'm saying we have no chance to win. Between the 2 teams we've beaten, those teams have 1 win between them, against a non scholarship team. And those 2 teams we beat were all really sloppy were we gave up a ton of points. We have one win left in the schedule, if we're lucky.

Both teams need a win. EWU has a better defense and special teams. Idaho probably has a better offense.

Idaho is 58th in the FCS in Total Defense giving up 374.2 yard per game.
EWU is 125th (2nd from last) in the FCS in Total Defense giving up 500.3 yards per game.

EWU is 99th in rushing defense, giving up 194.7 yards per game.
Idaho is 39th in rushing defense, giving up 138.2 yards per game.

EWU is 121st in passing defense, giving up 305.7 yards per game.
Idaho is 87th in passing defense, giving up 236.0 yards per game.

They beat us in literally every category. Sure their secondary isn't great, still better than ours. And that is probably with a harder schedule since they had to play two FBS teams. It may be a down year for Idaho but Eastern is dumpster fire.

 

[Obzerver]

I've seen Idaho play. Are they missing some game changing players from the first of the season?
Idaho is Big and Strong. They are gonna smash us and our qb(s), we will need both qb's in this game.
Man-o-man we have some slender guys at wr and db's...Mayovsky at lb can hit not sure who else we have that can hit once past our Dline ...who I think are pretty good but then their Oline are big and strong.
Idaho could wear us down come 4th qtr. Maybe our video coordinator, who double's as our off. coord can come up with a creative game plan. We all know that Best will interject the proper overall game plan and reward loyalty. He doesn't have the nutsack to put Schakel into the mix and maybe he thinks Bell can develop into our QB for the next couple years after this year. Kaden Rolfsness have potential? Maybe our new coach next year brings a QB with him.

EWU 24 vs Idaho 37

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