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Idaho Football

Idaho will have to rely on backup quarterback to keep bowl hopes alive against Coastal Carolina

Idaho’s Mason Petrino will get the start Saturday against Coastal Carolina with senior starter Matt Linehan sidelined because of a hand injury. (Tyler Tjomsland / The Spokesman-Review)
By Peter Harriman For The Spokesman-Review

MOSCOW, Idaho – Idaho will have to keep its slim bowl hopes alive without record-setting quarterback Matt Linehan in its final home game.

Linehan, who injured his throwing hand late in the Vandals 24-21 loss to Troy, is out for at least another week, Idaho coach Paul Petrino confirmed. However the Vandals will get back senior offensive tackle Jordan Rose. He missed two games for an undisclosed reason.

Sophomore Mason Petrino will start in Linehan’s place. He will be backed up by Colton Richardson, a freshman who has not yet played. Ideally, that will continue, says Petrino, to preserve Richardson’s redshirt. Mason Petrino has played in 14 games over two seasons, 10 as a quarterback. He has completed nine of 12 passes without an interception for 87 yards with two touchdowns. He has also rushed for 87 yards and as a receiver caught three passes for 14 yards. The 5-11, 173-pound Petrino is agile but lacks Linehan’s considerable arm strength.

The Chanticleers, too, will go with a backup quarterback. Tyler Keane will miss the Idaho game with a thumb injury. Former Fresno State quarterback Kilton Anderson will replace him. For the season Anderson has completed 29 of 69 passes for 463 yards and five touchdowns, with two interceptions.

Doubtful for the Chanticleers because of injuries are receiver Omar Black and his 20 catches for 271 yards this year and the versatile Ky’Jon Tyler. He has caught 21 passes for 276 yards and two touchdowns. He has also rushed for 73 yards and returned 29 kicks for 683 yards, with a long return of 50 yards.

Idaho will see a true triple-option team in Coastal Carolina. The favored option is running back Osharmar Abercrombie. He has rushed for 570 yards and five touchdowns.

Vandals linebacker Ed Hall says the Chanticleers predominantly run to the open side of the field.

“If stuff’s not working on the field side, they’ll come back to the boundary. Then it’s my time,” said Hall, who guards the short side.

Hall and senior wide receiver Jacob Sannon, who leads Idaho with 52 catches for 537 yards, have also been honored as student athletes. They have been named to the Academic All-District 7 First Team by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

Petrino suggests this could be a low-scoring game, heavy on the running. The Vandals have a potent runner of their own. Senior Aaron Duckworth continues to lead the Sun Belt Conference with 801 yards on 143 attempts. He has also scored three touchdowns.

The Chanticleers have outperformed their record, according to Idaho’s coach. Petrino notes Coastal Carolina two weeks ago led Arkansas late in the fourth quarter before falling 39-38.

The Vandals and Chanticleers are ships passing in the Sun Belt Conference night. Idaho is playing in its last season in the league before transitioning to the Big Sky Conference. Coastal Carolina moved up to the Sun Belt this year after playing as an FCS team.

Idaho’s 16 seniors are playing for an opportunity to participate in one final bowl game. If they can win their final three games (Coastal Carolina, at New Mexico State and at Georgia State) they will be eligible to play in a bowl. Coming off a bye week after the Troy game “we’ve had good practices two weeks in a row,” Petrino said. The Idaho players “are doing their very best to help Matt play another game some day as a Vandal.”