Eastern Washington shifts focus to defense ahead of season opener
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 28, 2026, 2:01 AM
Last updated Aug 28, 2026
FootballEastern Washington plans to rely on its improved defense as it prepares to face Northern Arizona on August 28. Last season, the team struggled with both forced turnovers and run defense, leading to a disappointing 5-7 record. Safety McKel Broussard expressed confidence in the current squad's talent and experience, noting significant improvement since the last matchup against the Lumberjacks. The Eagles return several key defensive players and have a new defensive coordinator, Zach Bruce, who aims to implement a more aggressive approach. Coach Bruce expects the experienced defense to perform effectively against Northern Arizona's strong passing game, led by standout quarterback Ty Pennington.
- •Eastern Washington opens its season against Northern Arizona on August 28.
- •The Eagles finished 5-7 last season with defensive struggles.
- •McKel Broussard highlights improved talent and experience on defense.
- •Zach Bruce is the new defensive coordinator aiming for aggression.
- •Northern Arizona's quarterback Ty Pennington enters his third starting year.
- 2:01 AMYahoo Sports — Why Eastern Washington believes its defense will be its greatest strength this season
"Aug. 27—Eastern Washington's defensive performance against Northern Arizona two seasons ago stood as a microcosm of the problems that plagued the Eagles during the 2024 season. Big plays put the Eagles' defense in an early hole, a lack of forced turnovers kept the field long for the Eagles' offense, and on third downs the Lumberjacks' offense converted in 8 of 12 such situations. But safety ...
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