During the mid-afternoon hours of Friday, Aug. 28, at the EUVF athletic complex just off Radnor Street Road, the Eastern University football team hosted a live scrimmage for the student body to come and watch. The scrimmage took place just moments after the schools’ Blessing of the Field event, in which University Head Chaplin Joe Modica said a series of prayers blessing the field and those who play on it.
Athletic Director Brian Bingaman at the event was incredibly pleased with the turnout. Bingaman noted that he loved to see the sense of unity and togetherness from both new and returning students alike. He also mentioned that an event like this was a few years in the making. With huge contributions from Student Development and the convenient timing of the Valley Forge acquisition, this event made sense to help show incoming students what a Saturday morning at the stadium might look like.
However, he also discussed the future of EU Athletics for the year and what that may look like. When asked about yearly goals and continued success for the athletics department, Bingaman was incredibly optimistic and grateful for the current place of EU Athletics and where we are on pace to go. He noted that his biggest goal is to keep everything steady, citing that Athletics was in a great spot when he took over the job and he’d like to keep it that way while also finding ways to help our sports teams take steps forward. He mentioned his goals for the year are continuing to help students improve in the classroom and further utilizing better resources in both athlete recruitment and development. Additionally, he is eager to have students volunteer and help out the athletic department. If anyone is interested, please email or see A.D. Brian Bingaman.
On the football field, the scrimmage was incredibly energetic. Both the Offense and Defense units appeared to be in great shape, with the scrimmage involving most of the players on the EU football roster. Regardless of whether it was the starters, backups, or third string, the offense and defense were trading plays, including an energetic touchdown pass to the back corner of the right endzone on the final play of the scrimmage. EU football looked well prepared while gearing up for their Week 1 game, in which they travel to Massachusetts to play #24 Endicott University in a heavyweight showdown between two potential playoff contenders. The Eagles showed a dynamic approach on offense, using heavy doses of both the run and the pass, which was a change for the notably run-heavy eagles.
After the scrimmage, Grad Quarterback Brett Nabb, Junior Running Back/Wide Receiver Curtis Johnson, and All-American Linebacker/Safety Jason Bateman shared their thoughts. I talked to each of them about what their goals are, what they most look forward to, and what their expectations for both sides of the ball are. I also asked them what they thought about the event and the turnout. All three guys noted that they loved the turnout from the student body and were incredibly appreciative of the support. Nabb noted that he loved to see the sense of togetherness between new and old students alike and was thrilled with the energy that the students brought!
On the field however, the squad is incredibly focused in on returning to the playoffs and is hungry for another MAC championship, especially after being picked to repeat in the MAC coaches’ poll that was recently released. Bateman and Nabb both noted that they felt that the team “left something on the table” last year, despite bursting onto the scene and winning a MAC championship as well as a NCAA playoff game over Franklin and Marshall.
All three guys felt confident in the abilities of the team to do whatever they feel is necessary to win every week, including a willingness to throw the ball. Nabb and Johnson both noted that they feel they need to stay flexible and be comfortable enough to take different approaches with different opponents to win. Thus, the increased willingness to put the ball in the air, but not skewing away from their run-heavy roots. On the defensive side of the ball, Bateman was incredibly clear about what he expects from himself and the rest of the defense. The goal for the defense is to hold opponents to under 14 points a game and have a huge focus on generating turnovers. Bateman noted that they want to make other offenses feel uncomfortable and put the ball back in the hands of the offense as much as possible. All of the veterans were also incredibly pleased with the opportunity to get the younger players in a game-speed scenario and get some experience under their belts.
