Vandals looking for a do-over
Can the Vandals reset 2012 and start all over again? That's not possible, of couse. But a win today against a solid Bowling Green team would put them at 1-1 and help most (or some) Vandal fans get over last week's ugly opener versus Eastern Washington.
We've got links and a preview of the third Idaho-Bowling Green game in four years after the link.
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Our advance of the game is here. And on Friday we had this profile of Idaho receivers coach Mike Levenseller, who almost called it quits last fall after 19 years at Washington State.
Levenseller made a point during my conversation with him that I think is very appropriate for the Vandals heading into Week 2.
“I’ve been to two Rose Bowls and I’ve been beaten by Idaho twice – when they were a better football team than us,” he said. “…I’ve been humbled in that rivalry. Football in its own right will humble you.
“And the key is you get up the next day, come back,” he added. “It’s what we have to do this week (at Bowling Green).”
The Vandals were humbled by Eastern Washington last week, and they were humbled last year by Bowling Green. Both games were season openers -- at home, no less. Last year's clunker set the tone for what turned out to be a 2-10 season. And if UI doesn't regroup this week and pull off what would be a surprising win, it will be 0-2 going into Death Valley next week against third-ranked LSU.
In this mini rivalry that started in the 2009 Humanitarian Bowl, each team has one once, prompting Robb Akey and BG coach Dave Clawson to both call it a rubber match. But because the Falcons handled UI in Moscow, Idaho receiver Mike Scott said they might be overconfident.
"They’re probably coming in thinking, ‘Oh, we beat them last year, we can beat then this year,'" Scott said "... We’re already an underdog because these guys beat us last year. Let’s go redeem ourselves from the embarrassment last year."
NOTES -- Senior guard A.J. Jones supplanted Spencer Beale on the depth chart at right guard. Beale started last week for the first time in his career, but Akey said Jones will play today. The Idaho offensive line struggled for most of the opener. ... Offensive lineman Guy Reynolds, who missed all of fall camp, should be ready to go for reserve duty today, Akey said. ... Defensive end Benson Mayowa will be groomed into action slowly as the season revs up, even after playing extensively in the opener. Mayowa missed most of fall camp because of academic issues. "He probably got a little more time than he should have last week," Akey said.