Nolan Ulm can recall the exact day he last felt completely healthy on a football field: August 29, the day before Eastern Washington’s season-opening home win against Monmouth (New Jersey), which was one of only four victories for the Eagles in a 12-game season last year.
Now, as he practices this week and feels like his old self again, the sixth-year senior wide receiver is hopeful about the additional 2025 season ahead of him.
“Being out here and feeling healthy, I’m grateful for it,” Ulm shared with reporters on Monday. “I’m taking on more of a leadership role this year, and I’m excited to help this team get back to winning games.”
Aaron Best, in his eighth year as head coach overseeing spring practices, is also pleased to see Ulm back in good form.
“Having Nolan healthy is a positive,” Best remarked. “He struggles when he’s not healthy, just like most players, myself included.”
Now, he noted, Ulm is “moving around and healthy again.”
The Eagles are optimistic that Ulm’s presence will benefit the entire team as they prepare for 14 practices and three scrimmages leading up to the annual Red vs. White Game on April 18 at Roos Field.
“We’ll find out what we have heading into Fall 2025,” Best said. “We won’t fully know who we are until we hit game mode, but we’ll aim to get as close as possible before that Red-White game.”
The roster is expected to expand by August, as Eastern currently has 80 players, along with 23 recruits finishing high school. However, this is still two players shy of the NCAA’s new limit of 105 for this season, and some players may not return after the summer.
Best views this spring as an opportunity for the players present in Cheney to make an impression.
“We still don’t have a complete roster in terms of numbers,” Best acknowledged. “In the meantime, this is their chance to showcase themselves.”
Out of the 55 players listed on the Eagles’ final two-depth chart last season, only 25 remain, due to players graduating, transferring, or leaving the program.
Only two offensive linemen from that chart are still on the team: tackle Dylan Conner and guard Mark Johnson, who were both backups in 2024.
Several notable names from the secondary, including Cage Schenck, Darrien Sampson, Alphonse Oywak, Armani Orange, and Kentrell Williams Jr., are no longer with the team.
Additionally, the Eagles need to replace all three starting linebackers, two defensive line starters, their leading rusher (Tuna Altahir, who transferred to Stanford), their leading passer (Kekoa Visperas, who transferred to Tennessee Tech), and All-America wide receiver Efton Chism III.
“There are many positions open,” Best said, “and we embrace that during spring practice.”
Eleven players from the 2025 recruiting class are currently in camp, including transfers and freshman quarterback Anthony Quinones, who graduated early from high school. They’ll compete for depth-chart positions alongside returnees who played on special teams or scout teams last year.
Despite the turnover, a strong core of returners remains, particularly on the defensive side.
Returning defensive linemen include Tylin Jackson (24 tackles), Justis La’ulu (19), and Isaiah Perez (19). The secondary also features three sophomores—Jonathan Landry, Zion Jones, and Derek Ganter Jr.—with Ganter leading the team in tackles at 95 and earning second-team All-Big Sky honors.
“We had many young players contribute last year,” Ganter stated Monday. “It’s incredible how quickly time passes, and now it’s our time. We need to make significant strides right now.”
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