Eastern Washington readies for 'Red Turf Takeover' at ONE Spokane Stadium

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Aug. 12—Eastern Washington's football coaches already expected to be displaced from their usual football field for much of this preseason while construction crews worked to resurface the track around Roos Field.

But with air quality hovering near unhealthy levels across the region for more than a week, the Eagles have had to be flexible.

They've practiced in various gymnasiums on campus in Cheney. They've been out on the back practice fields when the air quality allows. They've also driven to Pullman twice just so they could get full practices in.

So, in a way, Thursday's long-scheduled scrimmage at ONE Spokane Stadium — dubbed by EWU as the "Red Turf Takeover" — provides Eastern with a dose of familiarity amid a preseason that has been filled with uncertainties.

"We've gotten fortunate with our off days to be able to escape the smoke a little bit. It's worked out better than we anticipated," EWU head coach Aaron Best said on Tuesday. "… Hopefully we're on the back stretch of things. The game of football is so distant from the things people are continuing to go through and are dealing with because of the fires."

The scrimmage will begin at 6 p.m. Gates will open an hour before. The event is free, and the first 509 fans into the stadium will receive a $7 concession voucher.

EWU athletics has also partnered with Communities in Schools to accept donations of specific items in designated boxes around the stadium.

During the scrimmage, EWU soccer and volleyball players will be on the main concourse available for autographs. After the scrimmage, football players will be available for autographs and pictures.

This will be the second year in a row Eastern has hosted a preseason scrimmage at ONE Spokane Stadium.

"(The scrimmage) means a lot," EWU redshirt junior linebacker Samarai Anderson said. "We have a lot of guys on the team right now from Spokane, we've got a lot of coaches who live in Spokane, and they've got a lot of family in Spokane affected by the fire."

Gavin Allen, a redshirt sophomore offensive tackle, said he has tried to see the uncertainties around when and where the Eagles were going to practice this preseason as good mental training.

"(We've been) learning how to adapt, I'd say. There have been so many sudden changes," Allen said. "It's the same way when we're out there playing games."

Eastern is scheduled to host a second scrimmage on Aug. 21 in Cheney before it opens the regular season at Northern Arizona on Aug. 29.

The track resurfacing at Roos Field is on schedule to be ready before the Eagles host Northern Iowa on Sept. 5.

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