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Prediction Thread EWU 31 @ NAU 26

L

luckyintheorder

Active member
Waited a day to let the buzz of Saturday's win wear off. High as a kite.

NAU: This is a good team, playing at home after a convincing win against a poor FBS team. Which NAU team shows up? Expect veterans like Cookus to keep them focused. Pluses for NAU include QB, WR, OL and DB's. No real negatives, maybe inexperienced DL but they looked quick, good hands and aggressive last week. OL picked up multiple blitzes well and Cookus threw at the blitzer effectively. Cookus isn't that mobile and they don't want him scrambling around and taking hits

Edit: Forgot to add that NAU can go VERY uptempo. They were snapping the ball with over 30 secs left on the down clock. If EWU gets on their heels, it will be hard to slow NAU down. This is a coin flip game.

EWU has a senior laden team and their attitude is spectacular. Coach Reeder's offensive game plan should be good and as long as Gage is as decisive as he was last week, will make life hard on the experienced NAU DB's. Look to the run for over 200 yds again to keep the defense guessing and challenge the DL. Going to need big games from everyone to win this contest.

I know there is extreme altitude and NAU is well conditioned but Eastern is the deeper squad and if they continue to use pressure, double Butler and execute on offense, can win this game.

EWU 38-32

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Nx0rqcDHWY[/media]
 
luckyintheorder said:
Waited a day to let the buzz of Saturday's win wear off. High as a kite.

NAU: This is a good team, playing at home after a convincing win against a poor FBS team. Which NAU team shows up? Expect veterans like Cookus to keep them focused. Pluses for NAU include QB, WR, OL and DB's. No real negatives, maybe inexperienced DL but they looked quick, good hands and aggressive last week. OL picked up multiple blitzes well and Cookus threw at the blitzer effectively. Cookus isn't that mobile and they don't want him scrambling around and taking hits

EWU has a senior laden team and their attitude is spectacular. Coach Reeder's offensive game plan should be good and as long as Gage is as decisive as he was last week, will make life hard on the experienced NAU DB's. Look to the run for over 200 yds again to keep the defense guessing and challenge the DL. Going to need big games from everyone to win this contest.

I know there is extreme altitude and NAU is well conditioned but Eastern is the deeper squad and if they continue to use pressure, double Butler and execute on offense, can win this game.

EWU 38-32

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Nx0rqcDHWY[/media]
Click to expand...

I like your analysis. I think this game comes down to turnovers and as long as we don’t kick the ball around we win. We have the depth to play in Flagstaff, we just need to play clean.

Last week was very telling to me and answered a lot of questions about Coach Best. He had these guys ready and they met the challenge from the start. I can’t wait to see how this season unfolds because I think we are gonna be back again watching playoff games in Cheney.
 
I think this game comes down to turnovers
Click to expand...

completely agree. if we put it on the turf 3 times this week, it will not go the Eag's way. Would love to see Eag's create some TO's, but will settle for 9 stops again this week, 4-5 three and outs.
 
six more weeks of winter... ??

punxsutawney-phil.jpg
 
I don't make predictions-it's bad luck when I do. I like Eastern in this game, but NAU turned out to look a lot better than I expected last week. They look strong on both sides of the ball; their team speed looks better than I've seen from them in the past.

There will certainly be some locker room bulletin board fodder in that NAU "stole" our playoff spot last year. I doubt that matters, though.

I'd think our offense will score points, so again the question comes down to making stops and taking care of the football. Ultimately, we need to get the D off the field in as few plays as possible. Whether those drives end in turnovers or punts is a non-issue... we just need to see consistent success in getting off the field without flipping field position or giving up points.

FWIW, NAU has been our toughest out since 2010. They tend to play us tough and have even smoked us once in that timeframe.
 
LDopaPDX said:
I don't make predictions-it's bad luck when I do. I like Eastern in this game, but NAU turned out to look a lot better than I expected last week. They look strong on both sides of the ball; their team speed looks better than I've seen from them in the past.

There will certainly be some locker room bulletin board fodder in that NAU "stole" our playoff spot last year. I doubt that matters, though.

I'd think our offense will score points, so again the question comes down to making stops and taking care of the football. Ultimately, we need to get the D off the field in as few plays as possible. Whether those drives end in turnovers or punts is a non-issue... we just need to see consistent success in getting off the field without flipping field position or giving up points.

FWIW, NAU has been our toughest out since 2010. They tend to play us tough and have even smoked us once in that timeframe.
Click to expand...

NAU surprised me a little with their strong performance, but knew they had a lot coming back like Eastern this season. They did have a lapse after going up and EWU has a lot more firepower than UTEP. Let's face it, I've got a ten point homer bias, sometimes it's applied to our score or taken off the opponents score. See this as a clear toss up on the road. UTEP was awful. I don't have a historical bias. Eags take care of the ball and we will all have a lot to cheer about.
 
The last few games between NAU and EWU have been barn burners. I predict lots of points on Saturday.

NAU looked sharp vs. UTEP but I don't know how that stands up compared with a significantly better EWU team? I'll predict the last team holding the ball wins.

NAU is dinged up and lacking depth to begin with on the offensive line. Their power back, Cory Young (Boise State transfer), went out of Saturday's game at UTEP and never returned. But their two speedier backs, Stinson and Logan, were successful. The Jacks will be short a starting defensive back - Davison (I think) - due to a targeting call vs. UTEP. I think it's only one half, though. NAU's special teams looked sketchy as hell in El Paso. Little things like lackadaisical punt coverage or missed extra points can lead to losses in big games.

I wish I was driving up the mountain this weekend but it isn't to be. Any Eagles fans in the desert can watch the game on KASW/The CW Network in Phoenix on Saturday.
 
It does say its on Pluto TV/SWX regionally; Game Coverage
Pregame Story
TV: Televised Regionally by SWX, plus Pluto TV 239
Watch
Radio: 700-AM ESPN & 105.3-FM in Spokane/Cheney; KTEL 1490-AM & 99.7 FM in Walla Walla
Listen

http://www.goeags.com/schedule.aspx?path=football
 
This is one of three of the games I thought would be the toughest to get a good result. (Wa St. and Weber the others). Both teams had games that didn't disappoint. Should be back and forth and it is in a tough environment to walk away with a win. I believe EWU has the better team. Turnovers/mistakes and luck are the three variables that may determine the winner. EWU wins two of those three and comes away with a win. 48-45
 
Obzerver said:
It does say its on Pluto TV/SWX regionally; Game Coverage
Pregame Story
TV: Televised Regionally by SWX, plus Pluto TV 239
Watch
Radio: 700-AM ESPN & 105.3-FM in Spokane/Cheney; KTEL 1490-AM & 99.7 FM in Walla Walla
Listen

http://www.goeags.com/schedule.aspx?path=football
Click to expand...

It will be on Watch BigSky too. Probably all the same but I couldn't get any sound on Pluto last week, so will likely try the BigSky stream.
http://www.bigskyconf.com/sports/2015/11/19/WatchBigSky.aspx
 
Y'all may be right to pick an over 70 number. My thought was the average drive was longer last week when the Eag's were running the ball, but it looks like it was around 2 min's either way taking out the longest and shortest (high/low). We know NAU will go uptempo to try and wear down the D at altitude.

Thank you to the NAU person for a nice update on their teams status. We know Eastern is the deeper squad, shutting down Butler and getting pressure on Cookus will go a long way to keeping them out of the endzone. Cookus showed he can pick out the blitz last week as he threw right at UTEP's blitzes the whole game to good effect. Eags need to stay aggressive and find a way to disguise their blitz on key downs. Expect a couple of picks this week if they do. Would rather see an extra safety on the field in passing situations, but not likely to happen given our D coaches propensities. Stop the run, keep Cookus in the pocket and let our stable of athletic DB's make plays. Won't stop everything, but will stop enough.

Could easily be 52-49, but sticking to our defense keeping NAU out of the end zone a couple of times. No one can stop the Eag offense. Reeder has them ready.
 
I don't see NAU scoring more than last week against UTEP. Slow down Butler, and you take away a big chunk of offense. Not sure if Custer will be ready to go, but Gage has the legs to move the sticks. Alcobendas should be see a few opportunities too. 37-24 Eagles.
 
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