(STATS) – Idaho’s drop down to the FCS level this season was embraced in the Big Sky Conference because it restored some traditional rivalries lost during the Vandals’ 22-year venture to the FBS.
Maybe it was more the rivals simply wanting to beat up on the Vandals.
Many people expected Idaho to quickly be competitive in the Big Sky, including the conference coaches who picked the Vandals to finish fourth out of 13 schools in their preseason poll. Few expected them to enter November with 3-5 overall and 2-4 conference records, including blowout losses to rivals Idaho State and Eastern Washington. This month, the Vandals will have to sweep North Dakota, Montana and Florida – a scenario that’s hanging around with slim – to avoid a losing record.
With a mundane offense and a porous defense, Idaho ranks 68th in the FCS in total offense, 81st in scoring offense, 98th in scoring defense, 99th in total defense and is tied for 118th in turnover margin.
The Vandals were a mere 86-174 (.331) on the FBS level, and just 19-41 under coach Paul Petrino – although with a 9-4 record and Famous Idaho Potato Bowl win in 2016 – what has caused them to struggle and not be better prepared for the return to the Big Sky?
Four media members who regularly cover the team answered that question.
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Colton Clark, Moscow-Pullman Daily News=
“It’s perplexing. Many figured Idaho would at least be competitive, but it’s been overwhelmingly average. Sure, it lost some talent – most notably, Tony Lashley, who transferred to Boise State – but a chunk of FBS guys – some who played on the 9-4 bowl-winning team – remain. The offense has been sometimes methodical, but not explosive enough to keep up with Big Sky scoring. The defense, which many figured would spearhead a commendable season, has gotten torched by pass-happy opponents. Here’s the conjecture I maintain: After four years of Sun Belt football, which overarchingly features box-loaded, run-centric stratagems, UI wasn’t prepared for the new-look Big Sky Conference groups. It’ll take time to readjust to a conference, broadly different from the recent home. There’s a ton of youth there, too – most notably, in the trenches and receiving corps. Maybe they underestimated the dexterity of the Big Sky or maybe they were just caught off-guard.”
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Peter Harriman, Spokesman-Review=
“The most illuminating thing this season, for me, is how little ‘drop’ Idaho experienced in its return to the Big Sky Conference. I was fooled. I thought the Vandals would have a discernible talent advantage in FCS. They don’t. There really isn’t much daylight between the Big Sky and the Sun Belt Conference in speed, strength and quality of play.
“To me, Idaho’s philosophy, both last season and this, seems to be to control games with a short and intermediate passing attack, good running and defense. It appeared to work better in the Sun Belt. Most Big Sky teams play offense all over the field. When they’ve struggled, the Vandals have been unable to cover consistently and to keep quarterbacks and running backs from turning 4-yard gains into breakaways for touchdowns.
“Conversely, Idaho hasn’t been able to offset this by scoring points in bunches.”
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Dennis Patchin, Idaho Vandal Sports Network=
“I think it was interesting that everyone thought that when Idaho dropped down, they were going 8-0 or 7-1 just because they were an FBS team. You have to remember that Idaho made that announcement two years ago and that has affected the players that they recruit.
“One of the biggest issues with Idaho this year has been inconsistency on both sides of the ball. It’s always tough to win when you don’t have an experienced quarterback in the Big Sky, and while Mason Petrino and Colton Richardson are talented, they’d not taken many snaps and had a handful of starts before this year. Mason has played much better in the last three games, and it has shown with the way the offense has played. The offensive line has been trying to find come consistency, and with young players, players who haven’t played much in the system and injuries, there have been changes week to week. While the defense has played well at times, they also have had trouble with running quarterbacks who have really caused problems when it comes to getting off the field.
“The schedule didn’t do the Vandals any favors, and four of the first six Big Sky games were on the road, and three of those were at UC Davis, Idaho State and EWU (Eastern Washington), who all might be playoff teams.”
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Colter Nuanez, Skyline Sports=
“I think Idaho is having a hard time adjusting to the diversity of the Big Sky. I think it’s the most underrated challenge of the league and what makes it the most unique league in college football. There is no defined style as a whole nor a defined type of athlete that comes to the league. You might play Cal Poly one week, Eastern Washington one week, Weber State one week, Idaho State the next. Just so many different styles, each team has to choose what they want to be good at. You can’t recruit to stop the pass because you’ll get steamrolled by Weber, UND (North Dakota), Montana State, Southern Utah, Portland State. You can’t recruit to stop physical teams because you won’t have the athletes to guard EWU, Idaho State, UC Davis, etc. NAU (Northern Arizona) is the prime example of getting stuck in the middle and having it cave in around you multiple years in a row. They’ve tried to be spread, explosive while also pro-style run, and they’ve tried to be athletic and ball hawking on defense, but have vulnerabilities every week because they have no identity.
“I think Idaho knew there were explosive offenses in the league, but I don’t know if they knew there was such a variety of them. And I also don’t think there are any quarterbacks like Jake Maier or wide receivers like Keelan Doss in the Sun Belt, to be quite frank.”
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