Eastern Oregon University quarterback Kai Quinn scrambles during a play on March 20, 2021, while playing at home in La Grande against Carroll College. Quinn was the Frontier Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year after completing over 63% of his passes for 811 yards and eight touchdowns during the spring.

GREAT FALLS, Mont. — The Mountaineers are the team to beat this year.

Eastern Oregon University topped the preseason coaches poll, which was announced Tuesday, July 27, during the Frontier Conference’s media day in Great Falls, Montana. The Mountaineers finished with three of the eight first-place votes. College of Idaho and Montana Western tied for second and Carroll slotted in at No. 4. Southern Oregon, Montana Tech (two first-place votes), Rocky Mountain College and Montana State-Northern rounded out the back half of the poll.

“When we get all these guys back, we have a great opportunity to do something,” EOU head coach Tim Camp said. “We’re excited to play, but we want to win.”

The Mountaineers narrowly edged out the College of Idaho and Montana Western, who both tied for second place with 36 points. Carroll College was voted fourth with 33 points.

Eastern Oregon tied atop the Frontier during the shortened spring 2020 season with Carroll and College of Idaho after four spring contests, giving the Mountaineers at least a share of a conference title for the first time since 1980 and just the fourth time since 1955.

Camp, who is entering his 14th year as head coach, was named co-coach of the year last season, while quarterback Kai Quinn won conference offensive player of the year and defensive lineman Chase Van Wyck earned conference defensive player of the year. Through a tumultuous season, the Mountaineers finished the 2020 season ranked 21st in the NAIA.

Most coaches started their press conferences at media day by discussing the challenges of the 2020 spring season and expressed their sentiments about returning to a more normal 2021 season in the fall.

“Not being able to coach against all of them in 2020 was a lot different for me,” Camp said.

Camp, who has compiled a 74-61 record with the Mountaineers, credited the Frontier Conference for making it through the pandemic and pointed out the importance of Athletic Director Anji Weissenfluh and President Tom Insko in Eastern’s efforts to compete last season. Camp said the unique season brought his team closer together and that because of extended eligibility rules, almost his entire roster from last season is returning, including Quinn and Van Wyck.

“We got so much better, not just at football, but at relying on each other,” he said.

Loaded offense returns for EOU

Quinn, who many consider to be the best at the position in the Frontier Conference, returns after throwing for 811 yards and eight touchdowns last season. Camp noted a key component for 2021 will be the return of the bulk of the team’s offensive line to protect Quinn in the pocket.

“It’s important that you’re great up front if you want to protect the guy that’s supposed to be making the big bucks in the back, which is Kai Quinn,” Camp said.

While the Mountaineers are set to return Quinn and the offensive line, there will be a new workhorse in the backfield next fall. John Lesser graduated and left the program following a year in which he rushed for 340 yards over four games. Camp suggested that there will be a running back competition in the offseason between Victor Rosas and Nathan Reed.

Improvements on defense

Camp stressed the importance of strengthening the defense, mentioning the Mountaineers’ abysmal defensive performance in 2019. Eastern allowed 30.9 points per game and finished the last full season with a 4-7 record.

The Mountaineers followed up those efforts in 2020 by allowing just 22 points per game in the four-game season.

“We’re starting to play defense the way I think it should be played,” Camp said. “It starts with tackling, but you have to get lined up and have some enthusiasm behind doing some things.”

The return of Van Wyck and 2020 first-team linebacker Solo Taylor will be crucial for Eastern as the team aims to continue improving on the defensive side of the ball. According to Camp, bringing back numerous upperclassmen will allow the Mountaineers to move players around to different defensive positions.

“We’ve got some dudes coming back that I think can play any place,” Camp said.

Eyes set on the regular season

Eastern Oregon begins its summer offseason program on Aug. 5 and the regular season begins on Aug. 28. The Mountaineers open on the road at Montana Tech, followed by the first Eastern home game of the year on Sept. 4 against Montana Western.

After a season of just four games, Camp is excited to see the rest of the Frontier Conference.

“We’re going to do everything we can to make Eastern Oregon University and the community of La Grande proud,” Camp said.