Vandals’ Quarterbacks Struggle Brennan, Hisaw Flounder While Top Job Remains Open With One Week Before Season

As players gathered for last-second instruction prior to Friday’s football scrimmage, Idaho quarterbacks Eric Hisaw and Brian Brennan butted helmets, a gesture of competitive goodwill.

Unfortunately, little changed when the scrimmage started. After one particularly poor pass, Hisaw smacked his helmet with his right hand. And Brennan was seen shaking his head in disgust more than once after bad throws.

The two quarterbacks vying for the starting job failed to distinguish themselves in a sloppy, defense-dominated, 90-minute scrimmage.

The QB job has been open throughout fall camp and neither has grabbed the position by the throat. Now coaches will review videotape of the scrimmage, consider the last two weeks of workouts and huddle over the weekend to determine who will be No. 1 for next Saturday’s opener at Oregon State.

“They (coaches) were going to decide after the scrimmage,” said Brennan, who had the best statistics, but was just 6 of 14 for 77 yards and no touchdowns. “It’s going to be tough to tell.”

Brennan drew the coaches’ ire when he was sacked with the offense in field-goal range during a 2-minute drill. On the next play, Brennan’s sideline toss was nearly intercepted by Dereck Dedeaux, who would have scored had his fingers been stickier.

Hisaw was only 7 of 21 for 67 yards. He was intercepted once, by linebacker Jason Shelt, but Hisaw also directed a modest 39-yard scoring drive that ended when recently converted quarterback Robert Scott elevated to snatch a 14-yard TD pass.

To be fair, the quarterbacks were completely ineffective when working behind the second-team offensive line that was thundered by the first-team defense.

But the No. 1 offense also stumbled against the No. 2 defense.

“I thought we gave great effort, but at times we didn’t put the ball where it needed to be, at times our receivers didn’t get open and at times the line didn’t block well,” offensive coordinator George Yarno said. He added he wasn’t overly concerned and that the miscues were correctable.

Coach Chris Tormey acknowledged that the “offense was out of sync. We know we have to make better decisions.”

Added running back Joel Thomas: “We took a big step back today. We got beat up by our No. 2 defense, with all due respect.”

Hisaw appears to be scrambling as effectively as he did last year, but wasn’t accurate with his passes.

“I don’t know if the job (has been won),” he said. “We know as an offense what we’re capable of doing and we will be ready to play.”

But he warned, “If we play like this we’ll get crushed by Oregon State.”

For a bit of perspective, remember that Idaho was sloppy in its final scrimmage before last year’s season opener. Then the Vandals crushed Southern Utah 43-10.

“It does remind me of last year,” senior offensive tackle Jim Mills said. “Of course, Southern Utah isn’t Oregon State.”

Gilroy hurt

Starting tight end Andy Gilroy went down with a sprained ankle on the second play. He put little pressure on the ankle as he left the field with assistance. X-rays were negative and the severity of the sprain wasn’t known.

Notes

Ryan Woolverton, Robert Mulder and Robert Scott had impressive scrimmages. Woolverton boomed 51-, 52- and 47-yard field goals and just missed from 48. He’s battling for the starting job. Mulder, a JC transfer at defensive end, was in on numerous tackles and roamed freely in the backfield.

, DataTimes