Feeling the love, Emerald Ridge's Jake Schakel becomes Eastern Washington University's newest football commit

All-state quarterback puts vast skill on display at team camp in Cheney, and promptly earns - and accepts - full-ride scholarship offer for class of 2024

If something internal wasn't frantically tapping Emerald Ridge High School signal caller Jake Schakel's shoulder about how to approach the final team football camp of June, an outside force did,

College coaches.

It was audition time for the uncommitted all-state quarterback as he and the Jaguars made the trek to Cheney for the weekend-long Eastern Washington University camp,

And what a performance Schakel put on.

It was so good that Schakel not only shot up the Eagles' class-of-2024 recruiting board, the three-star prospect was offered a full-ride scholarship on the spot - and he accepted to be part of the Big Sky Conference program's next recruiting class.

"They told me a couple days before (arriving) that they wanted to see me earn it," Schakel said. "They had never seen me in live team sessions. And after the first scrimmage ... they offered me."

It shouldn't come as a surprise that Schakel shined when he needed to. As a junior, he led Emerald Ridge to its first Class 4A semifinal appearance in school history while passing for 3,267 yards and 37 touchdowns.

In the team's camp scrimmage against Class 6A Oregon program Sandy - and in front of EWU coaches - Schakel completed al 14 passes, including six touchdowns.

The next morning, Eagles offensive coordinator Jim Chapin approached Emerald Ridge coach Adam Schakel to ask the best way to present the teenager a full scholarship offer.

Later, during a Jaguars team meeting, EWU coach Aaron Best came in to break the great news to Jake Schakel - and the room erupted in celebration.

It only took a few hours for Schakel to know what to do. So, he told coaches in the EWU football office he was given them a verbal pledge, which prompted immediate yelling and singing of the school fight song.

"You get kind of rejected a lot in the recruiting world," Schakel said. "So when a whole staff loves you and takes you in like that, it feels good. They all went up to me and knew me by my first name. I definitely got the VIP treatment."

Schakel had other offers from Colorado State, Florida Atlantic and Nevada on the table.

"I look at the tradition in what they've had at quarterback - they've had very, very good quarterbacks here," Schakel said. "They like to throw it around, and spread it around."