Spokesman article "‘We’ll collect ourselves’: Eastern Washington enters offseason with need to get bigger"

[E-Wu Tang Clan]

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2023/nov/22/well-collect-ourselves-eastern-washington-enters-o/

“We’ve got to get bigger,” Best said. “That’s going to be a very big push, a very high standard this offseason, because we got pushed around too much this year.”

I'd agree with this, freshman defensive linemen couldn't close running lanes and were being pushed around by senior offensive lines.

Even a defensive improvement to the middle of the Big Sky would likely be enough to get this team back to the playoffs

I basically said this in another comment. The 2018 team's defense wasn't great, about middle of the FCS, like 67th in total defense. The defense, players and coaches don't even need to do a great job, just average, maybe a little better cause I don't think this offense is as good as 2018's. Just average, and they can't even do that. Maybe another off season of lifting weights and practice will greatly help the young d-line.

Wortham, named second-team All-Big Sky, finished the year with 736 kickoff return yards, the most in the entire FCS (his average, 28.3, ranked sixth).

Wortham was the best thing to happen to special teams since like Kupp or Alcobendas.

 

[LDopaPDX]

I agree with everything in the article. However, the defense is so bad that adding a few bodies will only help…. Until the defense learns how to play against the run and not leave giant spaces in the zone, players will only help so much. I don’t see how the defense improves enough with the staff in place today. It’s wash, rinse, repeat every year and it simply isn’t good enough.

It’s time for Best to find some new blood for defensive coaches. At the very least, he needs some experienced defensive mind to join and revamp everything from our alignment to our scheme.

 

[luckyintheorder]

I agree with everything in the article. However, the defense is so bad that adding a few bodies will only help…. Until the defense learns how to play against the run and not leave giant spaces in the zone, players will only help so much. I don’t see how the defense improves enough with the staff in place today. It’s wash, rinse, repeat every year and it simply isn’t good enough.

It’s time for Best to find some new blood for defensive coaches. At the very least, he needs some experienced defensive mind to join and revamp everything from our alignment to our scheme.

this is the same Best, different day. can go back to end of season interviews since he took over and they are nearly identical. will say there is some merit to understanding that 18/19 year olds in FCS probably haven't gotten their "man size" but another year will add that strength given the same inputs. this is just obfuscation. changing other coaches won't achieve a thing if he hasn't changed. competence needs to start at the top brother. good luck with that.

Hope everyone had a good holiday. Early signing will be interesting. Some good playoff games today. Sac St on the road, Nicholls at Saluki's. Guessing the MVFC has it's way with everyone today. 25 degrees in Grand Forks may be too cold for Sac. edit: they play in a dome.... Sac starting fast.