Update from Idaho practice
The Idaho football team is prepping for its WAC opener and final game with Fresno State before the Bulldogs jump to the Mountain West. I talked to Robb Akey and offensive coordinator Steve Axman after practice and have an update on the Vandals (1-2) below.
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We'll start with the injury report. ... Right guard Jordan Johnson (ankle) sat out with a boot on his left leg and is "very questionable" for Saturday, Akey said. Johnson, who had been dealing with a knee injury, rolled his left ankle a week ago in practice. "It’s better than it was this time one week ago," Akey said. But it's likely Johnson, who opened the year as a starter, will not be available.
Meanwhile, left guard Sam Tupua took snaps with the ones wearing a club on his broken right hand. He's missed the better part of the last two games and is "a possibility for this week," Akey said. "He was able to practice yesterday and a little bit more today." A.J. Jones played with the first team at right guard during the latter part of Wednesday's practice, though it’s likely UI will rotate Guy Reynolds and Bilal Liggins in at the guard spots as well.
Receiver Preston Davis, who’s missed the first three games with a foot injury, no longer is wearing a boot. Akey said the earliest he could be back is the Virginia game on Oct. 1. (Kickoff for the UVa game has been set for 12:30 Pacific, by the way. It will be on ESPN3).
Rush end Andre Ferguson saw some snaps with the first-team defense while rotating with Benson Mayowa. Ferguson was the Vandals’ defensive player of the week against Texas A&M after recording an interception and pass breakup. I talked to Ferguson after practice and will have more later on the defensive ends' frustrating start to the season and his career.
Moving to the Vandals' offense ... Axman clearly laid it out in his assessment after three games: "(The offense) has to get going," he said. UI ranks 106th in total offense, 111th in rushing offense and 65th in passing offense in the nation. The only productive stretch the Vandals have stitched together was for a little more than one half, and that was against FCS opponent North Dakota.
"I think still when we played well against North Dakota, there was a good balance of run and pass," Axman said. "And I think that’s the key. I have confidence we can run the ball. We’ve just got to do a better job of getting going early so that we’re not being part of putting ourselves in a deep hole, where all the sudden we have to be one dimensional."
Axman acknowledged that the Vandals' offense was out of rhythm against an "extremely formidable" Texas A&M defense last week. But even against lesser opponents (Bowling Green and UND), the offense has sputtered more often than not.
"We finally found rhythm at the end of the first half against North Dakota and really played well," Axman said. "That’s I think what we’re capable of doing. We’ve just got to keep tightening our belt and get a balance. There’s nothing we can really heavily rely on. It’s not like we ever want to be just a passing team or just a running team. We’ve got to make some gains in both of those areas so that we can consistently generate offense."
Axman also noted that the offense has to start helping itself -- and the team -- by sustaining drives early in games. In its first three contests, Idaho has been outscored 71-17 in the first half. Last week it trailed 27-0 and had punted eight times by halftime. Said Axman, "We put a lot of it on our own shoulders when we’re getting four and six plays and out against A&M. We’re not helping our defense and we’re not giving ourselves a chance to develop that rhythm."
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