Initial Recruiting Crop Pleases New UI Coach

Had he had wanted to use them, new Idaho football coach Chris Tormey had plenty of built-in excuses available regarding the Vandals’ unenviable recruiting position this year.

Instead, he gestured at a board in his office listing the 16 newest Vandals and smiled.

“There’s not a guy on there I’d give back,” Tormey said.

Idaho’s recruiting class included 13 high schoolers, two junior college transfers and Bill Verdonk, a transfer from the University of Kentucky who played in all 11 games for the Wildcats last season.

There are three Idaho players: 6-foot-6 quarterback Darick Pope from Post Falls; Parma defensive end Matt Kramer, son of Vandals legend Jerry Kramer; and Boise lineman Nate Lundquist. Three are from Washington, including Gonzaga Prep linebacker Jeff James. Tormey expects to sign a few more players, possibly a receiver, defensive back and punter.

Tormey got a late start on recruiting, having replaced John L. Smith less than a month ago. Tormey also didn’t have a complete assistant staff, and enemy schools no doubt used Idaho’s fluctuating stance on joining the Big West Conference against the Vandals. And with Smith going to Utah State, that school became a competitor.

Tormey acknowledged losing some players, but he believes Idaho got its fair share of talent.

“I feel good about this group,” he said. “And I feel good about their academic ability.”

Wide receiver Videl Montgomery and linebacker Robert Mulder, transfers from Contra Costa (Calif.) JC, should provide immediate help.

Tormey said it’s difficult to determine the blue-chippers, but he seemed especially high on the skill-position freshmen. Often he cited stellar track times in describing players such as California prep stars Kevin Hill, Khalid Hurst and Ryan Prestimonico. All are capable of playing running back, defensive back or wide receiver.

Defensive end Chad Stalder (6-3, 230), from Decatur High in Federal Way, covers 40 yards in 4.7 seconds.

Matt Jasik, a linebacker-defensive end from El Segundo, Calif., ran 40 yards in 4.5 seconds at a California combine and bench-pressed 185 pounds 27 times. “You’re going to hear about him,” Tormey said.

Tormey, a former University of Washington assistant, said he would have recruited safety Bryson Gardner, of Barstow, Calif., had he remained at UW.

With several senior offensive linemen expected to start next season, Tormey signed some sizable freshmen he hopes will be ready in a couple of years. Verdonk will probably move from defensive to offensive line.

“We wanted to bring in kids and allow them time to develop so we’ll have them around for 4-5 years,” he said. “We’d like to be sitting at about 75 scholarship players in three years and it’s hard to do that with JC transfers.

“I think we can do a better job next year because we’ll have a full staff and we’ll get an earlier start,” Tormey added. “We’re going to saturate the state of Idaho next year.”

Moscow High’s Derek Zimmerman, a defensive back, joined older brother Ernie, a Broncos tight end, by signing with Boise State.

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