CHENEY — EWU and former Sandpoint standout Cody Hecker, a senior running back, are about to get busy.

With the earliest game in school history comes the earliest practice start, as the Eastern Washington football team begins practices on Thursday on the Sports and Recreation Center practice fields in Cheney

Players report today, then the team will practice together on Thursday at 9 a.m., and will practice in pads for the first time on Sunday at 9 a.m., followed by its first of six days of two-a-day practices on Aug. 4.

The Eagles are expected to exclusively use the fields through Aug. 8, after which Roos Field will be utilized leading up to the team’s opener on ESPN on Aug. 23 against Sam Houston State.

Eastern’s first scrimmage of preseason camp will take place on Saturday, Aug. 9 at 9:50 a.m., and a second scrimmage will be a week later on Aug. 16. Both scrimmages are free and open to the public, and will take place at Roos Field.

Idaho is scheduled to begin fall practice on Monday.

WSU is slated to get started Saturday in Lewiston.