Game Week - NAU

[EagSpectator]

I'll give my hand in this for this week only because I need a break from work! Its not much

NAU
Preseason ranked 24 in the AFCA Coaches Poll, No 25 in Stats Perform FCS and 4/5 in preseason Big Sky

Offense
-If you remember, is a spread offense, with RPOs, and taking shots down the field. Ty is a very mobile QB. However, they will line up in jumbo formations to ground out the game.
- Only 1 returning starter from last year (from what I can read)
-NAU suffered massive turnover losing all 5 of their starting o-line
-Only 1 WR and 1 RB saw significant playing time. Otherwise, all new faces with incoming transfers

Defense
-New DC - focusing on a four-down front with an emphasis on aggressive and physicality. 4-2-5 or 4-3.
-Only 2 returning starters, both DBs
-1 LB would have been a starter last year but missed most of the year due to injury.
-they brought in 14 transfers from the portal

So basically, with NAU breaking in an almost entirely overhauled roster (especially along the defensive front and offensive line), this matchup is a good test of how quickly NAU has gelled. Probably the best time for EWU to play them.

 

[Seattle Eagle]

Wow, that's a ton of turnover. So their only returning starter on offense is their Qb?It does seem like a good time to be playing them.

 

[E-Wu Tang Clan]

Shit I didn't know all that might have to change my prediction to toss up. You never know what can happen in the first game of the year though. Plus it's away and I'm Flagstaff which is super high altitude.

 

[LDopaPDX]

This is the first year I really have no read whatsoever on how things will go. Thus it is in FCS these days... especially at FCS schools without big budgets compared to their peers. That applies to Eastern, but it applies to NAU as well.

I think NAU will be decent. Not great, but decent. If Eastern loses big, it's likely going to be a miserable year. But I think Eastern is in with a chance here... I expect it'll be a close, competitive game. We need this team to figure out how to get a season started on the right foot. It feels like forever since a September passed without this team in free fall.