(STATS) – Peaking in and out of the long shadow cast by North Dakota State’s dynasty, Eastern Washington has been one of the blue-bloods of FCS college football, winning the 2010 national title and posting the third-most wins in the subdivision this decade.
But to further that success, coach Aaron Best made the hard decision to adjust the Eagles’ offensive identity over the course of his first two seasons, making it more balanced from their once pass-first ways.
He even told North Dakota State coach Chris Klieman about his plan when his team was smacked around 40-13 by the Bison in just his second game in September 2017.
“Eastern Washington’s no different than North Dakota State,” Klieman remembered on Thursday. “You want to have a great regular season, but you’re judged by what you do in the postseason. He knew he had to be able to run the football to sustain this long-term in the playoffs. I’m not surprised at all because he’s a tremendous offensive line coach and he brings (a) physical, toughness mentality to the game. The guys have bought into it – you can tell that.”
Fast forward 15 months and Best has guided Eastern Washington to the FCS national championship game, where next Saturday the Eagles (12-2) hope to stop defending champion North Dakota State’s record bid at Toyota Stadium. The Bison (14-0) seek to become the first seven-time champ in subdivision history.
The Eagles’ offense is still among the nation’s best, ranking second in yards and third in points, but the change in how it operates have been stunning. It’s 49 percent rushing, a balance that has even surprised Best, who spent 20 years in the Big Sky program as an offensive lineman and offensive line coach before taking the reins from Beau Baldwin.
Just two years ago, Eastern Washington averaged only 128.6 rushing yards per game while quarterback Gabe Gubrud set the FCS single-season record with 5,160 passing yards. But the Eagles lost at home in the semifinals for the third time since its lone FCS title campaign.
“You get to this stage of the year, and I watch football just like everybody out there, there’s very few teams over and over that play for national titles that are 65 or 70 percent pass-based,” Best said. “Can it happen? Yes. But when you start getting in the elements, the wind starts blowing, the snow starts coming, the weather gets a little colder, handwarmers start coming out in the skill position area, you have more of an opportunity to do work in late November and early December and your identity truly is created by running the football and playing good defense.”
Eastern’s rushing production increased by nearly 28 yards to 156.3 yards in Best’s first season last year. This season, it’s up another 106 yards per game to 263 yards on average, which ranks 10th-best nationally. The Eagles have set single-season records for the program in rushing yards (3,682) and rushing touchdowns (39).
With excellent depth in their offensive backfield, they’re chewing up over 6.7 yards per carry, which ranks second in the FCS. Senior Sam McPherson, who’s averaged 7.3 yards per run while gaining a team-high 1,352 yards and 12 touchdowns, has rushed for 344 yards and three touchdowns in the team’s three playoff wins. Antoine Custer Jr. (614 yards, eight TDs) and quarterback Eric Barriere (603, seven) are second and third, respectively, in rushing.
“Whenever you have the microphone or the podium, you’re going to have to get people to believe,” Best said, “whether you’re a parent and you’re sending a message to your 10-year-old. It’s a matter of not only saying it, but doing it, having a little luck along the way, but truly buying into the process.”
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