Milestones Accumulate

[kalm]

A somewhat down junior year and living in the shadow of Armanti Edwards has Matt Nichols quietly finishing one of the better careers in the history of FCS quarterbacks. I hadn't realized until I read this article that he is already in the FCS top 10 for career total offense yardage and passing yards. He already owns all of the EWU's career passing records, and by the end of the season should finish #2 in Big Sky Conference total yardage and passing yards ahead of some very notable others.

From the goeags.com website:

Matt Nichols Nears Big Sky Conference Record as Milestones Accumulate

Passing the likes of Dave Dickenson, Doug Nussmeier, John Friesz and eventually Jamie Martin, senior quarterback needs only 303 yards to break the total offense record for the 46-year-old league

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Big Sky Total Offense Yardage Leaders
1. Jamie Martin, Weber State (1989-92) - 41 games - 12,287 (7th in FCS)
2. Travis Lulay, Montana State (2002-05) - 47 games - 12,205 (8th in FCS)
3. Doug Nussmeier, Idaho (1990-93) - 39 games - 12,027 (9th in FCS)
4. Matt Nichols, Eastern Washington (2006-2009) - 44 games - 11,985 (10th in FCS)
5. Dave Dickenson, Montana (1992-95) - 35 games - 11,513
6. Travis Brown, Northern Arizona (1996-99) - 41 games - 11,400
7. Ken Hobart, Idaho (1980-83) - 44 games - 11,126
8. Erik Meyer, Eastern Washington (2002-05) - 42 games - 10,942

Big Sky Passing Yardage Leaders
1. Jamie Martin, Weber State (1989-92) - 41 games - 12,207 (6th in FCS)
2. Travis Brown, Northern Arizona (1996-99) - 41 games - 11,400 (10th in FCS)
3. Matt Nichols, Eastern Washington (2006-2009) - 44 games - 11,367 (10th in FCS)
4. Dave Dickenson, Montana (1992-95) - 35 games - 11,080 (11th in FCS)
5. Doug Nussmeier, Idaho (1990-93) - 39 games - 10,824
6. Travis Lulay, Montana State (2002-05) - 47 games - 10,746
7. Jason Murrietta, Northern Arizona (2003-06) - 46 games - 10,726
T8. John Friesz, Idaho (1986-89) - 35 games - 10,697
T8. Greg Wyatt, Northern Arizona (1986-89) - 42 games - 10,697
10. Erik Meyer, Eastern Washington (2002-05) - 42 games - 10,261


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Only a bye this week for the Eastern Washington University football team has slowed the accumulation of milestones for senior quarterback Matt Nichols.

After already putting himself at the top of the school's record book, Nichols is just 303 yards from breaking the career total offense record in the 46-year-old Big Sky Conference. He'll have at least two games left to accomplish that feat -- Nov. 14 at Southern Utah and Nov. 21 at Northern Arizona.

Nichols has a current total of 11,985 yards, and needs just 43 to move past Idaho's Doug Nussmeier (1990-93) into third on the Big Sky's all-time list. He needs 221 to surpass the 12,205 of Montana State's Travis Lulay (2002-05) and 303 to break the 17-year-old record of 12,287 held by Weber State's Jamie Martin (1989-92).

With 11,367 career passing yards, Nichols ranks third in league history. Nichols is only 34 yards from moving past Northern Arizona's Travis Brown (1996-99) into second, but is still 840 from Martin's record of 12,207.

On NCAA Football Championship Subdivision lists, he ranks 10th all-time in both categories (the division was created in 1978).

The four-year starter already ranks ahead of such Big Sky legends as Montana's Dave Dickenson, NAU's Greg Wyatt, Idaho's John Friesz and Ken Hobart, and Eastern's own Erik Meyer. Meyer (2005), Dickenson (1995), Nussmeier (1993), Martin (1991) and Friesz (1989) have all won the Payton Award presented by the Sports Network to the top player in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision. Nichols is on the watch list for that award this season.

So far this season, Nichols has thrown for 2,581 yards and 21 touchdowns, and has completed 66 percent of his passes to give him a passing efficiency rating of 154.7 to rank 10th in FCS. He is ninth in total offense, averaging 289.9 per game.

Nichols has just five interceptions, and had a streak of 151 attempts without a pick ended against Weber State on Oct. 10. He hasn't had an interception since then as his current interception-less streak stands at 136.

"He's having a great year," said Eastern head coach Beau Baldwin. "Because we are running the ball more, some of his numbers might be down from a total yards standpoint. But he's doing a great job taking care of the football with his touchdown-to-interception ratio. And besides those things, he's leading and he's guiding our young group of receivers. The talent has been there for a few years, but now he is progressing as a true leader in this offense."

Nichols is coming off his second-most efficient game on Oct. 31 in EWU's 44-10 thumping of Portland State. Nichols completed 21-of-30 passes for a season-high 413 yards and four touchdowns. He completed passes to eight different receivers, with six catching at least three passes.

His passing efficiency rating of 229.64 in that game was his best of the season, and second-best in his career behind his 272.93 rating versus Northern Arizona as a sophomore in 2007 (17-of-22, 316 yards, 5 TD). Nichols helped Eastern to a 545-278 advantage in total offense versus PSU as EWU snapped a three-game losing streak in the series versus the Vikings.

He is from Cottonwood, Calif., and is a 2005 graduate of West Valley High School., and has led the Eagles to a 6-3 record overall and 5-2 league mark thus far. In the win over PSU, Nichols tied the school's career touchdown passes record of 84 -- a record he now shares with the quarterback he replaced, Meyer.

"He got into a groove and he operated well," said Baldwin of the game that featured 40 rushes and 33 passes by the Eagles. "We slowed him down -- they were coming hard early-on and we needed to keep them off balance by mixing in some more runs. Finally, Taiwan (Jones) was able to get a little loose after a few carries. I thought our conditioning showed up and we were able to get into a rhythm, play fast and play some no-huddle."

Nichols had his fourth 400-yard passing performance in 44 career games. Nichols now has 16 career games with at least 300 passing yards, and 18 with at least 300 yards of total offense.

A four-year starter, he broke EWU's career total offense and passing yardage records in October, and before that, broke the school's completions and attempts records. He is now 882-of-1,461 (62 percent) for 11,367 yards and 84 touchdowns in his 44-game career.

Meyer previously held the school record for career passing yards with 10,261 from 2002-05, and also owned the career total offense record of 10,942. Nichols also has 618 career rushing yards, trailing Meyer by just 63 yards for the school record of 681 by an Eastern quarterback.

The starting debut for the 42-game starter came in 2006 when Eastern played at 12th-ranked West Virginia. For the second-straight year he is on the watch list for the Walter Payton Award presented by the Sports Network to the top player in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision.

Nichols led Eastern to nine victories as a sophomore in 2007 when he passed for 3,744 yards and 34 touchdowns, and had another 392 yards on the ground. As a junior, his numbers (in two less games) slipped to 3,293 yards and 21 touchdowns passing, and 83 yards rushing.

[dbackjon]

Great group of QB's at the top of Big Sky lists.

[grizband]

I hate the rule that did not allow historical playoff statistics to count towards career totals prior to 2002. If they did, Dickensen would be ahead of this list... By the way, check out how many games Super Dave accumulated his stats in, compared to the other QBs on this list. He has 5-10 less than most of them.

Okay, enough with the negative. Congratulations to Nichols, I am glad the Griz never have to face him again. He will no doubt be replaced by some other fantastic QB, who will give the Griz fits for 2-4 years.

[CrunchGriz]

I hate the rule that did not allow historical playoff statistics to count towards career totals prior to 2002. If they did, Dickensen would be ahead of this list... By the way, check out how many games Super Dave accumulated his stats in, compared to the other QBs on this list. He has 5-10 less than most of them.

Okay, enough with the negative. Congratulations to Nichols, I am glad the Griz never have to face him again. He will no doubt be replaced by some other fantastic QB, who will give the Griz fits for 2-4 years.

Congrats to Nichols, but grizband is right: Super Dave's complete stats line looks like this:

Completed 1,015 of 1,477 passes (68.7%) for 13,486 yards, with 116 touchdowns and only 26 interceptions, and was responsible for 137 total touchdowns (116 passing and 21 rushing).

And that doesn't even include his rushing yards, of which he had a few. Even without them, he's the BSC's all-time total offense and passing yardage leader.

Addendum:
DD also had 433 yards rushing in his 'regular season' career, which would give him 13,919 yards of total offense plus whatever rushing yards he had in the playoffs (still looking for those).

(Sorry, EWU/Nichols fans, I needed to get all the numbers in here.)

[kalm]

That does seem like a stupid rule and one easy to rectify.

Still, with at least two games left, Matt will unofficially own the #2 spot behind Dickenson and certainly be in some fine company.

Now, if you wanna talk about Dave Dickenson go start your own damn thread and quit hijacking this one.



(doing my best AZGriz imitation)

[Screamin_Eagle174]

Now, if you wanna talk about Dave Dickenson go start your own damn thread and quit hijacking this one.



(doing my best AZGriz imitation)

[Screamin_Eagle174]

It's been an honor and treat watching him play over the last 4 years. I came to EWU during Meyer's Junior season and had the opportunity to watch him tear it up with Eric Kimble for two seasons, and setting so many records along the way that by all means should have stood for a long time. What Nichols has done is truly remarkable and a testament to his leadership, competitive drive and love of the game. He took his trail-by-fire freshman year (first two games going up against Oregon State and #6 West Virginia) where he threw 17 picks and went 3-8, and learned from it, becoming not only one of the best quarterbacks ever to play at EWU, but in the FCS period.



I hope he tears it up in these next two games, and wish him the best of luck at the next level. He certainly deserves it.

[Ursus A. Horribilis]

That does seem like a stupid rule and one easy to rectify.

Still, with at least two games left, Matt will unofficially own the #2 spot behind Dickenson and certainly be in some fine company.

Now, if you wanna talk about Dave Dickenson go start your own damn thread and quit hijacking this one.



(doing my best AZGriz imitation)

Pretty good effort.

Nicholls is a fantastic qb and EWU has had a string of great players that are playing at the same time and it really seems like a lot of things are in place for that school to step it up just a little bit and be a real force in the upper echelon of FCS.

[kalm]

That does seem like a stupid rule and one easy to rectify.

Still, with at least two games left, Matt will unofficially own the #2 spot behind Dickenson and certainly be in some fine company.

Now, if you wanna talk about Dave Dickenson go start your own damn thread and quit hijacking this one.



(doing my best AZGriz imitation)

Pretty good effort.

Nicholls is a fantastic qb and EWU has had a string of great players that are playing at the same time and it really seems like a lot of things are in place for that school to step it up just a little bit and be a real force in the upper echelon of FCS.

Thanks Urs.

We have the playmakers, but the two things you have that we need are greater depth and stadium improvements.

[Ursus A. Horribilis]

Pretty good effort.

Nicholls is a fantastic qb and EWU has had a string of great players that are playing at the same time and it really seems like a lot of things are in place for that school to step it up just a little bit and be a real force in the upper echelon of FCS.

Thanks Urs.

We have the playmakers, but the two things you have that we need are greater depth and stadium improvements.

I was gonna add that a little improvement in fan support would bring that all to a head but if you keep fielding teams like that I could see even a 20% increase in fan support moving the administration into an area where they would start to look real seriously at the stadium upgrade and then shit would really start to fall into place in Cheney. It would be one of the most unique places for a nice stadium in the country. Cruising along rolling farmland area and then all of the sudden there is a 12-15,000 seat stadium. Would be cool as hell.

[grizband]

Honestly, my post wasn't meant to denigrate Nichols and his accomplishments. He is easily one of the best in the history of our league.

[Ursus A. Horribilis]

Honestly, my post wasn't meant to denigrate Nichols and his accomplishments. He is easily one of the best in the history of our league.

I don't think it was taken like that and DD's truncated stats need to be corrected whenever possible.

[grizband]

Honestly, my post wasn't meant to denigrate Nichols and his accomplishments. He is easily one of the best in the history of our league.

I don't think it was taken like that and DD's truncated stats need to be corrected whenever possible.

As should many other former Grizzlies, who made deep playoff runs, but do not have these numbers count for career totals:
Yohance Humphrey
Andy Petek
Brian Ah Yat
Drew Miller
Joe Douglass
Jimmy Farris
Matt Wells
Raul Pacheco

A few come to mind from other teams too:
Adrian Peterson (GSU)
Louis Ivory (Furman)
Doug Nussmeir (Idaho)

...and many, many, others... come on NCAA!

[Mvemjsunpx]

Being a 4 year starter has a lot of benefits.

Nichols is a good QB, but not as good as Erik Meyer.

[kalm]

Being a 4 year starter has a lot of benefits.

Nichols is a good QB, but not as good as Erik Meyer.

You're just saying that cause Meyer beat you guys once and Nichols has not.

Meyer had a better single season, and better scrambling ability, but Nichols has a better arm, better stats, and one better game against the Griz. The D just didn't hold up their end of the bargain in 07 and this year.

And Nichols has a better chance of playing on Sundays.

[AZGrizFan]

That does seem like a stupid rule and one easy to rectify.

Still, with at least two games left, Matt will unofficially own the #2 spot behind Dickenson and certainly be in some fine company.

Now, if you wanna talk about Dave Dickenson go start your own damn thread and quit hijacking this one.



(doing my best AZGriz imitation)

Not on you best day, you EWU punk.

However, imitation IS the sincerest form of flattery.

[GOKATS]

Congrats to Nicholls!! I'll be glad when he's gone (I thought when Meyers left we might get a break).............

[Mvemjsunpx]

Being a 4 year starter has a lot of benefits.

Nichols is a good QB, but not as good as Erik Meyer.

You're just saying that cause Meyer beat you guys once and Nichols has not.

Meyer had a better single season, and better scrambling ability, but Nichols has a better arm, better stats, and one better game against the Griz. The D just didn't hold up their end of the bargain in 07 and this year.

You're joking, right?


Career Passing Efficiency Rating

Meyer - 166.5 (second all-time)
Nichols - 140.0


Nichols has more than 2.5 times the interceptions as Meyer and, from what I've seen, really has trouble throwing accurately when pressured or when on the run. The only reason Nichols has more yards & will have more TDs is that he's been a starter one more season. On a per-game basis, Meyer was superior.

You could argue that Nichols' freshman year hurt his stats. That's true, but even if you take out his freshman year, Nichols' efficiency rating is still 20 points below Meyer's.

[kalm]

You're just saying that cause Meyer beat you guys once and Nichols has not.

Meyer had a better single season, and better scrambling ability, but Nichols has a better arm, better stats, and one better game against the Griz. The D just didn't hold up their end of the bargain in 07 and this year.

You're joking, right?


Career Passing Efficiency Rating

Meyer - 166.5 (second all-time)
Nichols - 140.0


Nichols has more than 2.5 times the interceptions as Meyer and, from what I've seen, really has trouble throwing accurately when pressured or when on the run. The only reason Nichols has more yards & will have more TDs is that he's been a starter one more season. On a per-game basis, Meyer was superior.

You could argue that Nichols' freshman year hurt his stats. That's true, but even if you take out his freshman year, Nichols' efficiency rating is still 20 points below Meyer's.

I think which is better is a worthy debate, but consider that Meyer also had All BSC lineman Chris Carlson, Matt Alfred and future NFL pro bowler Michael Roos protecting him. And while Boyce is great, I would stack Eric Kimble, Raul Vigil, and Eric McIntyre as a much more reliable receiving trio than Boyce, Tony Davis, and Brynson (now converted to DE) Brown.

Compare the junior and senior years of the two quarterbacks and I will admit that Nichol's has had more "off games", but one shouldn't have to apologize for longevity and having the talent to start as a redshirt freshman. Meyer had that opportunity too.

Both had signature wins on the road, at seeded teams in the playoffs and tremendous performances in high pressure conference situations.


To quote the black knight "OK, we'll call it a draw."

[EWURanger]

Damnit.....so Kalm beat me to it. Hard to say which was better, Nichols or Meyer.

While Meyer *did* have the opportunity to start as a redshirt Freshman, he was also competing against a transfer Senior QB, who was pretty darn good. Nichols didn't have that obstacle, and was pretty much "thrown to the wolves" his Freshman year.

Meyer was a more efficient passer, was more elusive in the pocket, and had greater scrambling ability, while Nichols has a bigger arm, while still being quite accurate. I have witnessed Nichols make some throws that I am not sure Erik could pull off. I'll also add that Matt may have more NFL potential because of his size.

*EDIT*

Forgot to add that I agree with the above comments that Meyer also had the luxury of having a better offensive line. Although comparable, Meyer's receiving corp was most likely more capable as well, although if Boyce hadn't been injured this year, I'd put him right there alongside Kimble.

[SouthDakotaGrizzly]

Congrats to Nichols....I had no idea his numbers were THAT good. As a Griz fan, I will not be sad to see him graduate .

[CrunchGriz]

Just an another addendum to Dave Dickenson's stats. I forgot to add that, after adding in his playoff numbers, his quarterback efficiency rating is 167.8, a bit better even than Meyer's.

So, to recap:

DD has the highest quarterback efficiency rating, threw for the most yardage and the most TD passes, and has the highest total offense in Big Sky history.

Back to the Nichols tribute (well deserved, I might add).

[EWURanger]

DD was/will probably remain for the unforseeable future, the best QB in conference history.....can remember watching him play at Woodward, he was unreal.....no doubt about it. I am wondering what his stats would have been like had he been a 4 year starter.....with talent like that, it's hard to believe he did not start as a Freshman. His predecessor must have been very capable.

It will be interesting to see what the QB situation will be like next year for Eastern....seems like we have a couple of really capable sophomores in the waiting, and another Freshman from........wait for it.......California. But I expect our offensive numbers to be down quite a bit next year, much like 2006 after Meyer graduated. One positive is that we have a couple really promising receivers that are Freshman this year, tall kids, too, at 6'3 and 6'5, who could be great players for Eastern in the coming years. And, of course, Taiwan Jones. You might see Eastern focused on running the ball quite a bit next year.

[SouthDakotaGrizzly]

DD was/will probably remain for the unforseeable future, the best QB in conference history.....can remember watching him play at Woodward, he was unreal.....no doubt about it. I am wondering what his stats would have been like had he been a 4 year starter.....with talent like that, it's hard to believe he did not start as a Freshman. His predecessor must have been very capable.

It will be interesting to see what the QB situation will be like next year for Eastern....seems like we have a couple of really capable sophomores in the waiting, and another Freshman from........wait for it.......California. But I expect our offensive numbers to be down quite a bit next year, much like 2006 after Meyer graduated. One positive is that we have a couple really promising receivers that are Freshman this year, tall kids, too, at 6'3 and 6'5, who could be great players for Eastern in the coming years. And, of course, Taiwan Jones. You might see Eastern focused on running the ball quite a bit next year.

DD wasn't even the starter at the beginning of his sophomore year. For the life of me, I can't remember who was, but in the first game of the '93 season the Griz fell way behind to South Dakota St. and then Dickenson came into the game and led them to a 52-48 win and the biggest comeback in Grizzly history. The job was his from then on.

[CatMom]

All of you can take your damn stats and fuck it. Big Sky, CAA, SoCon. Fuck it. I posted about Brad George doing the same damn thing in the SLC and what? Nothing...or very little. His numbers may not be as high because we have had a good running game the previous 3 years to go along with our passing but he is the all time SLC passing leader after the SFA game. So you can all just fuck off.