Eastern Washington Adds Lewis, Hunter to Defensive Staff Ahead of Spring Camp

Eastern Washington head coach Aaron Best has bolstered his defensive staff with two additions: Ryan Lewis, who takes over the cornerbacks, and Torey Hunter, who returns to Cheney to assist with the defensive backs with a specific focus on nickel and slot coverage responsibilities. EWU's athletics department posted the announcement on March 17.

The hire of Hunter carries particular weight given his history with the program. He coached at Eastern Washington from 2008 to 2011 and was part of a staff that contributed to a national championship win during that run. His return brings institutional familiarity to a secondary that will now have a dedicated specialist working the nickel role, a position increasingly central to modern defensive schemes at every level of college football.

Lewis arrives from Colorado School of Mines, where he worked to improve the Buffaloes' defensive performance and helped the program earn multiple notable rankings in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Colorado School of Mines competes at the Division II level, and Lewis's track record of developing defensive backs in that environment now gets tested against Big Sky Conference competition.

The additions come as Eastern Washington builds toward spring camp, with the full coaching picture still taking shape ahead of a 2026 season that opens August 29 at Northern Arizona in Flagstaff. That early road test against the Lumberjacks will offer a first look at how Lewis and Hunter's work in the secondary translates to game action.

FootballScoop, which tracks coaching movement across college football, confirmed both hires, noting that Lewis will take over the cornerbacks and Hunter will focus specifically on the nickel position within the defensive backfield structure.

The Eagles' secondary will be one of the more closely watched units heading into spring practice, with two new position coaches now tasked with developing and organizing a group that figures to be central to whatever defensive identity Best wants to establish in 2026.