Under bright, smokeless sky At the conclusion of practice on Tuesday in Cheney, Aaron Best took some time to discuss a significant improvement he hopes to see in the Eastern Washington football team this season.
Best stated, “We need to do a better job of focussing on working on fundamentals and essentials right now rather than attempting to win the drill, the moment, the practice, or the week. We can’t become overly fixated. What defeats you are the highs and lows.
Best linked that message to his decision to increase the team’s captaincy from four to eight members, adding individuals with four, five, six, and even seven years of program experience.
Many of the guys in that group have stated that things need to change, according to Best.
Cage Schenck is one of them, possibly the least out of the eight who says it, but teammates believe he cares about it more than most.
Cage strikes me as a calm, self-assured man. Regarding the senior nickelback, Best stated, “He lets his performance do the talking.” We’re trying to force him into this leadership role right now, where he sits in the front seat instead of the back.
Along with it came a new jersey, No. 1, one of the highly sought-after single-digit numbers that the Eagles typically award as a leadership symbol, replacing No. 29. The jerseys of half of Eastern’s captains look like this.
Schenck, who takes pride in being a quiet leader, has been a dependable member of the defence since assuming the nickelback position two seasons ago. Schenck has participated in 41 games since the commencement of the shortened 2020 season. He caught two receptions last year and scored his first touchdown as a college player. A vital member of special teams, too, is him.
On Tuesday, the first day of the Eagles’ preseason, Schenck was back with the first team defence during drills. In many formations, he plays a hybrid role as a defensive back, closer to the linebackers than the cornerbacks.
Playing nickel, Schenck remarked, I like that I can see things grow fast and I can hit things at full speed.
In an effort to stop being the liability they have been for the last two seasons and go back towards the middle of the Big Sky statistically, coaches are preaching the kind of defence that they play.
The most important thing is to stop the run,” stated Schenck. “We have to play fearlessly, quickly, and aggressively.”
With eight defensive starters back and six more players who see substantial playing time, the Eagles don’t exactly lack game snaps either.
We have talented senior guys as well as young guys,” Schenck remarked. “We have a relaxed group that is eager to play quickly and hard.”
Best stated, “We have to be better and different than what we have been. “The outcomes fall short of our expectations and what is necessary.
There are enough players for us. There are plenty capable coaches here. All we need to do is make sure our mental and physical wellness hold steady. Rather than winning now, focus on improving now in order to succeed later.
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