Sep. 27—Among the litany of conflicting aspects of Eastern Washington's 31-27 loss to Cal Poly on Saturday at Roos Field was the feast-or-famine nature of its defensive performance.
Eastern demonstrated its ability to take away the football with interceptions by redshirt junior Jaylon Jenkins and redshirt sophomore Ambrose Marsh, as well as a fumble forced by redshirt senior Dishawn Misa and recovered by sophomore Bryce Smith.
But it also was absolutely gashed by explosive plays.
"That was the main thing," Jenkins said. "We just didn't limit explosives."
Cal Poly junior running back Jaden Green scored on rushes of 55 and 53 yards, and he also busted a 31-yard run on the Mustangs' final scoring drive in the fourth quarter. He finished with 269 rushing yards, the most by a Big Sky Conference player in a single game this season until Montana's Eli Gillman ran for 275 a couple of hours later against UC Davis.
Green alone accounted for more than half of Cal Poly's total yards (428). Indeed, outside of Green the Eagles were generally successful at stopping the Mustangs' offense. Fifth-year quarterback Anthony Grigsby Jr. completed a season-low 13 passes on 25 attempts for 163 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Grigsby made two crucial tackles: one on Jenkins' interception — which Jenkins bobbled before securing — and another on Smith's fumble recovery. Each of Eastern's drives that followed those turnovers ended without any points.
Injuries compound offensive struggles
Kevin Allen III ended up leading the Eagles with 15 rushes for 49 yards. He also added a team-high five receptions for 33 yards.
Allen, a redshirt sophomore, took on more snaps after redshirt senior Malik Dotson left the game in the first half and did not return in the second, finishing with just two carries for 6 yards.
The Eagles were already without sophomore running back Wilson Medina, who was not on the sidelines before or during the game.
Then there's the receiving corps, which lost redshirt senior Jamai East late in Saturday's contest after he hit the turf trying to make a catch on Eastern's final drive. East finished with four receptions for a team-high 65 yards and a touchdown.
"It's tough. Injuries are the worst part of football but it's a 'next-man-up' mentality," redshirt junior quarterback Nate Bell said. "We trust the guys we've got to go make a play."
Eastern has more receivers injured than healthy right now. All season it has been without redshirt senior Cole Pruett, who is still using a cart to get around the sidelines. Redshirt senior Wesley Garrett and redshirt sophomore Jaxon Branch missed the game against Cal Poly.
Sophomore Sean Embree Jr. had his left arm in a sling two weeks after being injured against South Dakota. Grad senior Joe Gallagher and redshirt freshman Trenton Swanson have yet to suit up this season.
Sophomore David Cabrera returned Saturday and scored his first-career touchdown. Redshirt sophomore Drew Carlson also returned to the field and made three catches for 49 yards. He now has 17 catches, second most on the team, for 169 yards this season.
But as far as healthy receivers go, the Eagles are down to those two, plus redshirt sophomore Bode Gardner, sophomore Rylin Lang and freshmen Oliver Luebkert and Bennett Juve.
Another ranked opponent looms
After playing two ranked FCS opponents already, the Eagles (1-3, 0-2 Big Sky) are entering a stretch of three games in five weeks that are likely to be against ranked teams.
It starts at UC Davis (3-2, 1-1) next week, with games at Roos Field against Montana State (5-0, 2-0) on Oct. 17 and Montana (4-1, 3-0) on Oct. 31.
Northern Colorado (2-3, 1-1) will come to Cheney on Oct. 10. The Eagles have their bye on Oct. 24.
It's a difficult path for a program seeking its first playoff appearance since 2021.
"I can't make anybody lock in," EWU head coach Aaron Best said. "I'm a leader. I am the one who is supposed to have the answers and the right answers. Everybody needs to check themselves. ... 'Sustain' and 'Capitalize' are two words that come to mind. And at times we've played really good, clean football. The margin for error is razor thin (in the Big Sky Conference)."
