Idaho Vandals storylines: Jake Luton ready if Matt Linehan stumbles

There’s really no question as to what Matt Linehan’s low point of his redshirt freshman season was.

He threw three interceptions and fumbled twice in a home contest versus Arkansas State. Coach Paul Petrino benched him the next week at San Diego State.

Linehan threw 18 picks in 378 attempts last season. The only two opponents he didn’t throw an interception against were New Mexico State, a game Linehan had to leave early because of a concussion, and the aforementioned San Diego State game he didn’t start.

Linehan faced only stiff competition from backup Chad Chalich, who is now at Montana. Redshirt freshman Jake Luton is a more serious threat to Linehan’s perch atop the depth chart.

It’ll be a fair question to wonder just how many mistakes Linehan will be allowed before Luton is given an opportunity. Linehan is a talented player who showed an ability to sling the ball all over the field when he was on, so the hope is simply more consistency out of him.

Petrino has said two quarterbacks are needed in this day and age, eluding to the likelihood of injuries, so Luton will be prepared to play if needed.

Handling distractions

It’s not usually a good thing for a college coach or program to end up on popular sports website Deadspin. It’s even worse to end up there twice in one week, as Idaho did less than two weeks before its season opener against Ohio.

Petrino was first given the national spotlight stemming from an Aug. 19 confrontation with local reporters in which other coaches had to step in front of him.

About a week later, it was reported that three players had shoplifted from the campus bookstore and didn’t have charges pressed against them because Petrino brought back the merchandise and said discipline would be handled internally.

These aren’t the kind of distractions a program looking to win more than one game for the first time since 2011 needs prior to a massive home opener.

It will be difficult for Petrino to distance himself from these incidents if the Vandals can’t get off to a good start with three of their first four contests within the Kibbie Dome.

Welcome to Moscow

Ranking last in the country in yards per pass attempt isn’t a formula for winning games. So Petrino is hoping the addition of Mike Breske as defensive coordinator and safeties coach is the winning formula.

Breske, who joined Idaho after being fired at Washington State, will implement his 3-4 system with the hope that additional pass-rushing pressure relieves a still thin secondary unit.

An experienced and talented front seven is being led by Quinton Bradley, who has positively adjusted to his new position as a 3-4 defensive end under Breske. True freshman Kaden Elliss has taken the linebacker unit by storm and Russell Siavii has emerged as a ball-hawking safety.

The defense can’t be expected to make huge strides, but even modest strides and containment of big plays will help Idaho be more competitive in conference contests.

Can the O-Line protect?

Matt Linehan was sacked 39 times last season. He has the ability to be mobile, but he’s at his deadliest when he’s able to deliver the ball from the pocket.

Senior Dallas Sandberg and junior Steven Matlock are the key cogs in the middle of an offensive line that’s well aware of what their reputation has been.

“We’re the answer, not the question anymore,” Matlock said. “That’s what we believe in, that’s what we’re striving for and we’re going to make a change – bottom line.”