The list of Eastern Washington quarterbacks in the last 10 years is almost unreal. Guys like Matt Nichols, Bo Levi Mitchell and Vernon Adams Jr. are former Big Sky Offensive Players of the Year and now have careers in the CFL.
It was then the Gage Gubrud show starting in 2016, where he shared the conference offensive MVP award as a sophomore with teammate Cooper Kupp. Big expectations were set for Gubrud's senior season this year, but a foot injury sidelined him after five games and ultimately cut his Eagles career short.
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But with the loss of the All-American signal caller is the emergence of the next quarterback in line to lead the Eagles.
Eric Barriere has been spectacular stepping in and is 4-1 as the starter. EWU is ranked No. 4 in the FCS and is 8-2 overall.
4th, 14:42 | Quarterback or hurdler? @EB3__ makes a leap over the UC Davis defense on an 18-yard run and it's first down, Eags!
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????20#ProtectTheRed #GoEags pic.twitter.com/Ar8ZSkYrbb— No. 3/4 EWU Football (@EWUFootball) November 10, 2018
Outside of a shaky performance in a 14-6 loss at Weber State, Barriere has lit it up. In the three games following that loss, he's thrown for 856 yards, six touchdowns and one interception while running for 194 yards and three more scores.
And get this: he's only a sophomore.
Barriere was a big-time three-star recruit out of California who accounted for 9,403 yards and 130 total touchdowns in three seasons at La Habra High School. The buzz around his name grew when he redshirted in 2016 and was named the EWU Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year. Whispers out of Cheney was this guy looks like he could be the next Vernon Adams Jr.
2nd, 14:20 | @AndrewCole_B juuuust gets his toes in for the 21-yard completion and the first down!
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???? 7#ProtectTheRed #GoEags pic.twitter.com/4hMqEvkdZP— No. 3/4 EWU Football (@EWUFootball) November 10, 2018
After all, both are 6-foot and in the 200-pound range. And both wore/where the No. 3. But it's Barriere's ability to make plays with his arm and legs that make him resemble some of the past great EWU quarterbacks.
With just five career starts, it's still probably premature to crown him a future Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year and a Walter Payton Award finalist. You just never know how things shake out. But if these first five games are any indication, the Eric Barriere era for EWU Football is going to bring something special.
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