Seattle Eagle
Active member
I thought it'd be useful to an honest look at AB's resume as EWU HC because we tend to talk in a lot of hyperbole on these threads.
*Note - this is not a case for or against his dismissal, etc.
1) Record
Overall records: 59-52 (2026 Season on-going)
Playoff Record: 4-3
The most revealing comparison is the glaring difference between his first five seasons (41-17) and his subsequent four completed seasons (16-30).
This isn't a modest decline, but rather a sustained reversal in competitive performance, with a drop of nearly 36 percentage points in winning percentage between the two periods. Importantly, the decline has persisted for four complete seasons, rather than being attributable to one bad year.
2) Player Development
Best is responsible for 10 All-Americans at EWU, the most notable of which are Eric Barriere, Efton Chism, Tristen Taylor, and Talolo Limu-Jones, with Payton winning the Payton Award. Of those, only Chism is currently playing in the NFL. The obvious point here is that the overwhelming majority of these came early in Best's tenure at EWU, with the exception of Chism.
3) Academics/Graduation rates
Best's teams consistently perform well in this area, and over the past 3 years it's had the highest GPA in the Big Sky.
4) Recruiting and Roster Management
EWU has continued to recruit substantial classes under Best, including 28 announced additions in 2024 and approximately 30 in 2026. The program continues to recruit Washington high schools while also drawing heavily from California, Arizona, and other western states.
Roster retention has become a concern in the transfer portal era. Following the 2025 season, 15 players entered the portal, including seven starters. Several transferred to FBS programs, including Washington State, UAB, and Rice. However, EWU also retained 64 players from its 2025 roster entering spring 2026 and has used the portal to acquire experienced replacements.
The larger question is whether EWU has consistently recruited, retained, and developed enough talent to remain competitive in the Big Sky. Four consecutive losing seasons suggest problems somewhere in that process, but the available evidence doesn't establish whether recruiting quality, player retention, or coaching and development have been the primary contributors.
The portal and NIL have unquestionably changed the FCS recruiting environment. However, those challenges affect EWU's conference competitors as well, making comparisons with other Big Sky programs essential before drawing firm conclusions.
5) Program Resources and Financial Support
Not primarily the role of a Head Coach, but still relevant to the discussion. This is where Sam Herder's report becomes particularly relevant. EWU reportedly ranks 19th among the 70 FCS programs listed in FY2025 football expenditures, at approximately $6.59 million. That places Eastern ahead of several Big Sky competitors, although behind Montana State, Montana, Idaho, Northern Arizona, and Cal Poly.
6) Coaching and Staff Management
High turnover in Coaching staff is due to several reasons, although it does beg the questions as to whether Best has successfully adapted his approach as the program's competitive position has deteriorated.
7) Overall Assessment
*Note - this is not a case for or against his dismissal, etc.
1) Record
Overall records: 59-52 (2026 Season on-going)
Playoff Record: 4-3
| Season | Overall | Big Sky | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 7–4 | 6–2 | None |
| 2018 | 12–3 | 7–1 | FCS runner-up |
| 2019 | 7–5 | 6–2 | None |
| Spring 2021 | 5–2 | 5–1 | First round |
| Fall 2021 | 10–3 | 6–2 | Second round |
| 2022 | 3–8 | 2–6 | None |
| 2023 | 4–7 | 3–5 | None |
| 2024 | 4–8 | 3–5 | None |
| 2025 | 5–7 | 4–4 | None |
| 2026* | 2–5 | 1–3 | In progress |
The most revealing comparison is the glaring difference between his first five seasons (41-17) and his subsequent four completed seasons (16-30).
This isn't a modest decline, but rather a sustained reversal in competitive performance, with a drop of nearly 36 percentage points in winning percentage between the two periods. Importantly, the decline has persisted for four complete seasons, rather than being attributable to one bad year.
2) Player Development
Best is responsible for 10 All-Americans at EWU, the most notable of which are Eric Barriere, Efton Chism, Tristen Taylor, and Talolo Limu-Jones, with Payton winning the Payton Award. Of those, only Chism is currently playing in the NFL. The obvious point here is that the overwhelming majority of these came early in Best's tenure at EWU, with the exception of Chism.
3) Academics/Graduation rates
Best's teams consistently perform well in this area, and over the past 3 years it's had the highest GPA in the Big Sky.
4) Recruiting and Roster Management
EWU has continued to recruit substantial classes under Best, including 28 announced additions in 2024 and approximately 30 in 2026. The program continues to recruit Washington high schools while also drawing heavily from California, Arizona, and other western states.
Roster retention has become a concern in the transfer portal era. Following the 2025 season, 15 players entered the portal, including seven starters. Several transferred to FBS programs, including Washington State, UAB, and Rice. However, EWU also retained 64 players from its 2025 roster entering spring 2026 and has used the portal to acquire experienced replacements.
The larger question is whether EWU has consistently recruited, retained, and developed enough talent to remain competitive in the Big Sky. Four consecutive losing seasons suggest problems somewhere in that process, but the available evidence doesn't establish whether recruiting quality, player retention, or coaching and development have been the primary contributors.
The portal and NIL have unquestionably changed the FCS recruiting environment. However, those challenges affect EWU's conference competitors as well, making comparisons with other Big Sky programs essential before drawing firm conclusions.
5) Program Resources and Financial Support
Not primarily the role of a Head Coach, but still relevant to the discussion. This is where Sam Herder's report becomes particularly relevant. EWU reportedly ranks 19th among the 70 FCS programs listed in FY2025 football expenditures, at approximately $6.59 million. That places Eastern ahead of several Big Sky competitors, although behind Montana State, Montana, Idaho, Northern Arizona, and Cal Poly.
| National rank | Program | Football budget |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana State | $13,377,782 |
| 6 | Montana | $8,889,687 |
| 11 | Idaho | $7,444,813 |
| 12 | Cal Poly | $7,367,131 |
| 15 | Northern Arizona | $6,888,584 |
| 19 | Eastern Washington | $6,592,060 |
| 28 | Northern Colorado | $5,701,876 |
| 34 | Portland State | $5,448,403 |
| 36 | Weber State | $5,385,486 |
| 45 | Idaho State | $4,789,595 |
6) Coaching and Staff Management
High turnover in Coaching staff is due to several reasons, although it does beg the questions as to whether Best has successfully adapted his approach as the program's competitive position has deteriorated.
7) Overall Assessment
| Category | Weight | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Record & Postseason | 35% | C |
| Player Development | 20% | C |
| Academics & Graduation | 15% | A− |
| Recruiting & Roster Management | 15% | C− |
| Program Resources | 5% | C |
| Coaching & Staff Management | 10% | C− |
| Overall | 100% | C |
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