Eason Fired Up To Be Playing Back Home In Washington
October 16, 2019 | Football
By Jack Larkin
Jacob Eason angles his body, loads his arm while gripping the ball, and unleashes toward his receiver. This throw, however, is in the front yard of his Lake Stevens home in 2006, and he's still in grade school. Eason's been making throws since childhood, except back then his target was his dad.
As a kid, Eason would throw the ball around with his father, Tony Eason, playing every sport that came his way.
"He was a firefighter, so he was always able to take some time off on Fridays or Saturdays to take me to Little League," said Jacob. "We used to throw the ball around before the bus and before school, and he'd always be critiquing my form and everything."
And understandably so. Jacob is not the first Eason to play Division I football at a top tier university like Washington. Tony played wide receiver at the University of Notre Dame in 1985 and 1986 before injuring his knee.
Playing in a program like that primed Tony to help shape his son into a great athlete.
"He was doing his research," said Jacob. "I was a young kid while he was coaching me, so I had no idea what was going on or what he was doing, but he sure did. He's always supporting me and trying to make me better. When I look back on it, he's the one who developed me into who I am today.
"It was really great to have a father, coach, and mentor rolled all into one."
His father's guidance helped Eason find success in his freshman year at the University of Georgia.
He was the Gatorade National Player of the Year as a senior and burst onto the college football scene as a true freshman after being labeled the best quarterback and a five-star recruit in the class of 2016. Eason's impact was felt immediately, as he led Georgia to wins over North Carolina and Auburn, which were both ranked in the top 25 at the time.
After earning the starting job as a true sophomore, Eason injured his knee in the first game and the reigns were handed over to Jake Fromm. Eason decided to transfer to UW, though he would have to sit out the 2018 season per transfer rules.
Considering how influential his father was, it's fitting that the Lake Stevens product made his way back to the Pacific Northwest.
"My family definitely had an impact on my decision," said Eason. "They used to fly down on Fridays and fly out Sunday morning for games, making it a whole weekend excursion. Having them so close and the rest of Lake Stevens to come watch me do my thing feels awesome."
While redshirting and playing as a scout quarterback for the Huskies, Eason made the most of his time with then starter, Jake Browning.
"Getting to work with Jake was huge for me," said Eason. "Not a lot of people got to see the things I got to see out of him. He was really a student of the game. He focused on getting his body right in offseason workouts and in the weight room. Overall, he was just a great leader. There were plenty of things I got to learn from him, and he definitely left his legacy in the four years that he was here."
"I think working with Browning impacted Eason in a big way," said offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Bush Hamdan. "I think Browning will always have a great amount of respect for Eason and how he handled himself in that redshirt role. I think the two of them used that year to learn from each other and it was a huge benefit."
After taking in all the knowledge he could from Browning, Eason was ready to be the guy, and he has shown his football ability on the field, week after week in the 2019 season so far.
However, despite his prowess as a collegiate quarterback, Eason recognizes that football doesn't last forever. While the NFL looms on his horizon, he's thought about alternative career options.
"My dad was talking about it with me," said Eason. "When he stopped playing football and had to go into a different career path, he was missing the game, being part of a locker room, and the camaraderie. He mentioned that being in a firehouse is like being on a team. The guys work out together, they go on calls together, drive the truck together, they really have a unit.
"I thought that was pretty cool and that's something I'd like to be a part of. I'm a team-oriented person, I really love having fun with all the guys. When it's all said and done, I'm still figuring out what I want to do, but it's nice to have that option."
But for now, Eason is focused on Husky football and finding ways to improve each week.
"Each week it just feels better and better going out there," said Eason. "And getting more comfortable with the guys and having multiple games under my belt, it just keeps growing our confidence. The comfort level has definitely increased, and I'm just having fun and playing hard out there."
The redshirt junior knows his success is thanks in no small part to his surrounding cast, from the offensive line protecting him, to the receivers snagging his deep throws.
"I think the unit is doing great," said Eason. "They're getting open, running great routes. The O-line is giving me a chance to stay up and throw the ball, so when it all clicks together it looks pretty and I think these guys have done a great job to get it done on Saturdays."
When it comes down to it, Eason is simply thankful for the opportunity to do what he loves.
"I'm just happy to be here," said Eason. "I'm super excited to be a part of it. It's a super cool experience playing in front of these fans and the energy that they bring. The state of Washington has been my home for forever and I'm honored to be the quarterback for UW."
Jacob Eason angles his body, loads his arm while gripping the ball, and unleashes toward his receiver. This throw, however, is in the front yard of his Lake Stevens home in 2006, and he's still in grade school. Eason's been making throws since childhood, except back then his target was his dad.
As a kid, Eason would throw the ball around with his father, Tony Eason, playing every sport that came his way.
"He was a firefighter, so he was always able to take some time off on Fridays or Saturdays to take me to Little League," said Jacob. "We used to throw the ball around before the bus and before school, and he'd always be critiquing my form and everything."
And understandably so. Jacob is not the first Eason to play Division I football at a top tier university like Washington. Tony played wide receiver at the University of Notre Dame in 1985 and 1986 before injuring his knee.
Playing in a program like that primed Tony to help shape his son into a great athlete.
"He was doing his research," said Jacob. "I was a young kid while he was coaching me, so I had no idea what was going on or what he was doing, but he sure did. He's always supporting me and trying to make me better. When I look back on it, he's the one who developed me into who I am today.
"It was really great to have a father, coach, and mentor rolled all into one."
His father's guidance helped Eason find success in his freshman year at the University of Georgia.
He was the Gatorade National Player of the Year as a senior and burst onto the college football scene as a true freshman after being labeled the best quarterback and a five-star recruit in the class of 2016. Eason's impact was felt immediately, as he led Georgia to wins over North Carolina and Auburn, which were both ranked in the top 25 at the time.
After earning the starting job as a true sophomore, Eason injured his knee in the first game and the reigns were handed over to Jake Fromm. Eason decided to transfer to UW, though he would have to sit out the 2018 season per transfer rules.
Considering how influential his father was, it's fitting that the Lake Stevens product made his way back to the Pacific Northwest.
"My family definitely had an impact on my decision," said Eason. "They used to fly down on Fridays and fly out Sunday morning for games, making it a whole weekend excursion. Having them so close and the rest of Lake Stevens to come watch me do my thing feels awesome."
While redshirting and playing as a scout quarterback for the Huskies, Eason made the most of his time with then starter, Jake Browning.
"Getting to work with Jake was huge for me," said Eason. "Not a lot of people got to see the things I got to see out of him. He was really a student of the game. He focused on getting his body right in offseason workouts and in the weight room. Overall, he was just a great leader. There were plenty of things I got to learn from him, and he definitely left his legacy in the four years that he was here."
"I think working with Browning impacted Eason in a big way," said offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Bush Hamdan. "I think Browning will always have a great amount of respect for Eason and how he handled himself in that redshirt role. I think the two of them used that year to learn from each other and it was a huge benefit."
After taking in all the knowledge he could from Browning, Eason was ready to be the guy, and he has shown his football ability on the field, week after week in the 2019 season so far.
However, despite his prowess as a collegiate quarterback, Eason recognizes that football doesn't last forever. While the NFL looms on his horizon, he's thought about alternative career options.
"My dad was talking about it with me," said Eason. "When he stopped playing football and had to go into a different career path, he was missing the game, being part of a locker room, and the camaraderie. He mentioned that being in a firehouse is like being on a team. The guys work out together, they go on calls together, drive the truck together, they really have a unit.
"I thought that was pretty cool and that's something I'd like to be a part of. I'm a team-oriented person, I really love having fun with all the guys. When it's all said and done, I'm still figuring out what I want to do, but it's nice to have that option."
But for now, Eason is focused on Husky football and finding ways to improve each week.
"Each week it just feels better and better going out there," said Eason. "And getting more comfortable with the guys and having multiple games under my belt, it just keeps growing our confidence. The comfort level has definitely increased, and I'm just having fun and playing hard out there."
The redshirt junior knows his success is thanks in no small part to his surrounding cast, from the offensive line protecting him, to the receivers snagging his deep throws.
"I think the unit is doing great," said Eason. "They're getting open, running great routes. The O-line is giving me a chance to stay up and throw the ball, so when it all clicks together it looks pretty and I think these guys have done a great job to get it done on Saturdays."
When it comes down to it, Eason is simply thankful for the opportunity to do what he loves.
"I'm just happy to be here," said Eason. "I'm super excited to be a part of it. It's a super cool experience playing in front of these fans and the energy that they bring. The state of Washington has been my home for forever and I'm honored to be the quarterback for UW."
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