Eastern Washington University Men's Football

Best enters his 20th year as an Eagle, including four years at Eastern (1996-99) as an All-America center and enters his 16th season as an assistant coach (2000-2006, 2008-2014) in the 2016-17 school year. An academic honor student as an undergraduate at Eastern, Best is the teams offensive line coach, its running game coordinator and also handles the teams academic coordinator duties.   Easterns offense in 2015 led FCS in passing offense with an average of 353.3 yards per game, and were eighth in total offense (478.5). In the last 12 seasons (2004-15), EWU has now ranked in the top 10 in passing 10 times and in total offense on eight occasions. Three of his offensive linemen were honored on the All-Big Sky Conference team, including first team selections Aaron Neary (guard) and Clay DeBord (tackle) and honorable mention choice Thomas Gomez (guard). DeBord finished his career with a school-record 51 games started, and both he and Neary were selected to play in the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) Collegiate Bowl. They both signed free agent contracts with NFL teams -- DeBord with Arizona and Neary with Denver.   Neary and DeBord also earned a several All-America honors following the end of the 2015 season. In the last 23 years (1993-2015), the Eagles have now had 22 different offensive linemen earn All-America accolades while winning 26 first team All-Big Sky Conference honors (1993-2015).   The 2014 season was punctuated by a high-scoring offense for the Eagles, who broke school and Big Sky records with 618 points and 84 touchdowns. The Eagles established a school record for average points per game with a mark of 44.1 to rank first in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision. En route to finishing 11-3 overall and winning the outright league title at 7-1, EWU also ranked third in FCS in total offense (513.4) and second in passing offense (328.6).   His offensive line in 2014 featured consensus All-American Jake Rodgers, who was eventually drafted in the seventh round of the NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons (now with the New York Giants). Neary also earned All-America recognition and joined Rodgers on the All-Big Sky first team list, while two other Eagles (DeBord and center Jase Butorac) earned honorable mention.   In 2013 in his fifth season as offensive coordinator, EWU led the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision in passing efficiency (school record 182.6), and was fourth in total offense (533.5 per game), fourth in passing (349.8), 41st in rushing (183.7) and seventh in scoring (39.5). The Eagles finished 12-3 and advanced to the semifinals of the FCS Playoffs for the third time in four seasons after finishing with the schools first-ever undefeated Big Sky Conference season at 8-0. Center Ashton Miller, quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. and wide receiver Cooper Kupp earned All-America honors for the Eagles. Other offensive linemen earning All-Big Sky honors included guards Steven Forgette and Brandon Murphy, and tackles Clay DeBord and Cassidy Curtis. That group allowed 27 sacks in 15 games 1.8 per game and just one for every 13.0 pass attempts.   In 2012, Easterns offense ranked seventh in the FCS with an average of 318.9 passing yards per game, and was also 14th in total offense (442.0) and 17th in scoring offense (33.7). The Eagles featured All-America offensive linemen Will Post and Forgette, and All-America wide receiver Brandon Kaufman. Eastern finished 12-2 and shared the league title with Cal Poly and Montana State.   In 2011, the Eagles ranked first in the FCS in passing with an average of 368.5 per game, and were sixth overall in total offense (447.4) and 22nd in scoring (32.4). The offense featured four All-Americans, including center Chris Powers, quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell and wide receivers Nicholas Edwards and Greg Herd. Mitchell won the Walter Payton Award given by The Sports Network to the top player in the FCS.   However, Bests job as offensive line coach in 2011 was made significantly harder when a trio of starters were lost early in the season because of injuries, as well as three starts missed by Powers. In all, 10 players started along the offensive line including a converted tight end and a converted defensive lineman and only one offensive lineman (senior Gabriel Jackson) started all 11 games. Powers was a first team All-Big Sky Conference selection in 2011, and Jackson and Post earned honorable mention.   During EWUs 2010 NCAA Division I championship season, Best helped Easterns offense rank 22nd in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision in yards per game (397.1) and 18th in scoring (31.5). The Eagle offense featured a trio of All-Americans, including running back Taiwan Jones, Kaufman and Powers.   Four of the offensive linemen he coached earned All-Big Sky honors Powers (first team), Jackson (second team), senior guard Nikolai Myers (honorable mention) and Forgette (honorable mention). Eastern quarterbacks were sacked only 24 times, including just seven times in four playoff games.   In 2009, his first season as offensive coordinator, the Eagles finished ranked in the top 10 in four offensive categories in the FCS, including passing (3rd, 321.3), total offense (4th, 462.2), scoring (8th, 33.7) and passing efficiency (4th, 154.5). Senior quarterback Matt Nichols, senior tight end Nathan Overbay and Jones all won All-America honors and first team All-Big Sky honors.   He coached a trio of All-Big Sky Conference offensive linemen in 2009 senior tackle Chris Thomas, senior guard Ryan Forney and Powers who all earned honorable mention accolades. In 2008, three earned honorable mention as senior center Charlie Wulff was joined by Thomas and sophomore tackle Brice Leahy.   Best spent the 2007 season as an offensive line specialist for the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League. Best helped the Argonauts win the Eastern Division championship with an 11-7 record before losing in the first round of the playoffs. Although Toronto was last in the league in total offense, Bests offensive line ranked third in fewest sacks allowed with 40. Eastern Hall of Fame member Bill Diedrick Jr., was also an offensive coach for the Argonauts.   Best was a guest coach at Torontos training camp in May 2007, and then was asked to return as a full-time coach in July. In 2006, he attended the Calgary Stampeders training camp as a guest coach to offensive coordinator Steve Buratto, who graduated from the University of Idaho and spent the 2007 season coaching in Toronto.   In his previous stint at Eastern, Best had the opportunity to coach two All-Americans in the 2004 season and another in 2005. He was the schools primary offensive line coach from 2002-2006 after previously helping coach that unit as a graduate assistant in 2001 and as a student assistant in 2000.   Matt Alfred earned All-America honors in 2005, and he was recognized on the All-Big Sky squad along with Kraig Sigler and Rocky Hanni. All five of Easterns starting offensive linemen earned All-Big Sky Conference honors in 2004, including first team selections Michael Roos and Rocky Hanni. Both players went on to earn All-America honors, with Roos also being selected as the Lineman of the Year by I-AA.Org.   Roos played in the Senior Bowl and the East-West Shrine Game, and was invited to the NFL Scouting Combine. He became the highest NFL draft choice in school history when he was chosen in the second round 41st overall by the Tennessee Titans in 2005.   A season-ending knee injury in 2014 led to his retirement from the NFL after 10 seasons. In his last 13 seasons as a football player, Roos started every game he played a total of 226 games. His last 35 starts were at EWU from 2002-04 when he originally became an offensive lineman. He credited several EWU coaches Best, Paul Wulff and Beau Baldwin -- in his retirement statement on Instagram on Feb. 26, 2015.   Roos started every football game he played from 2002-14, and that streak ended at 226 after Roos suffered a knee injury on Oct. 5, 2014, and subsequently retired. He started 190 of a possible 190 games he could play in until an appendicitis attack and subsequent surgery in October 2012. His 191 starts as a Titan included two AFC playoff games, 148 regular season games, 40 pre-season contests and as a starter in his first-ever Pro Bowl on Feb. 8, 2009).   I was very lucky to have the best offensive line coach possible in Aaron Best, praised Roos in response to having his jersey retired at EWU on Oct. 24, 2009. He taught all of us the meaning of hard work and perseverance.   Easterns offensive lines helped the Eagles rank fourth in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision in total offense in both 2004 and 2005. In 2005, the Eagles averaged 477.8 yards per game, and were 13th in scoring (35.0). A year earlier, the Eagles averaged 475.5 yards and 37.5 points per game to rank sixth.   In 2003, Eastern averaged 380.0 yards per game and ranked 21st in the FCS in passing offense (247.3). In 2002, the Eagles finished third nationally in passing offense (317.6) and were sixth in total offense (447.6), a year after leading the FCS in total offense (514.5) and scoring (41.9) in 2001.   Best started 22-straight games at center for Eastern in 1998 and 1999, earning honorable mention All-Big Sky honors as a junior and first team honors as a senior. He also earned honorable mention All-America honors his final season.   An outstanding student with a 3.3 grade point average, as a senior he was selected to the CoSIDA Academic All-District VIII team and was selected to the FCS Athletic Directors Academic All-Star Team. Twice he was selected to the Big Sky All-Academic team. He received his bachelors degree in social science from EWU in 2001, and continues to work toward his masters degree in physical education.   He was Easterns long-snapper for four seasons and was a backup lineman in 1997 when Eastern led the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision in total offense (505.6 yards per game). That team finished 12-2 and advanced to the FCS Final Four. The Eagles were 31-16 in the four seasons Best played for EWU, and Eastern had a 1,000-yard rusher each year. In all, the Eagles have had a 1,000-yard rusher in 11 of the 19 seasons Best has been at EWU.   Best graduated in 1996 from Curtis High School in Tacoma, Wash., where he had a 3.75 grade point average. He was co-captain his senior season as Curtis won the State AAA championship. His brother Tyler Best was a starting catcher for the Lewis-Clark State baseball team, which won its second straight NAIA World Series title in 2003.   Best was born Jan. 27, 1978, in Tacoma, Wash. He and the former Kim Walker were married on July 15, 2007, in Everett, Wash. They have three children one son, Tank (8), and two daughters, Tenli (6) and Texis (2).   

Marcus was promoted to Director of Football Operations by head coach Aaron Best in June of 2025. The 2025 season will be Marcus' fifth year working with the program. Following the 2025 season, Marcus added NIL Coordinator to his title. He assists with the overall roster management of the team as well. Marcus joined EWU football prior to the 2021 season and has worked in a variety of roles for the team. He began as a video assistant (2021-23) and moved up to on-campus recruiting coordinator prior to the 2024 season. Marcus also added the title of assistant director of football operations for the '24 season. Originally from Bainbridge Island, Wash., Marcus graduated from Eastern in June of '25 with his bachelors degree in communications. Marcus' parents, Lisa and Michael, are Eastern alumni, while his sister, Stella, is currently a senior at EWU as well.