Vandals Find Answer With Hisaw In Charge Ex-Cheney Qb Keeps Winning Despite Trials

It’s a popular question in Moscow these days: What would Idaho’s record be if Eric Hisaw had been the quarterback all season?

Hisaw, being human after all, ponders it, too. Not for long, though. He has a career to finish, one filled with Mount Everest highs and Grand Canyon lows, enduring more second-guessing than the O.J. jury.

“I think about it all the time,” said Hisaw, who will start his third straight game when Idaho (3-3) visits Weber State on Saturday in Ogden, Utah. “I think about last year, the what ifs. … But you can say that in any sport, any situation.”

There is no storyline to Hisaw’s five years in Moscow, other than local boy (Cheney High) does good. He’s been: Understudy to Doug Nussmeier, temporarily moved to defensive secondary, widely doubted when finally named starting quarterback, successful, injured, back as starter, back on the bench, back as starter, and, nowadays, a savior of a once-sour season.

So maybe there is a theme: Never give up on yourself.

“Nothing has ever come easy for me,” said Hisaw, who alternated at quarterback in high school before winning the job fulltime. “That’s kind of been the story of my life.”

He calls his UI career a “test of perseverance.” If that’s so, he’s already won. It’s fitting to call him The Comeback Kid or The Survivor.

Since being reinserted as the starter two games ago, Hisaw, a senior, has passed for 618 yards and eight touchdowns in wins over Eastern Washington and Montana.

“I’m really enjoying it for all it’s worth,” Hisaw said.

In nine career starts, Hisaw has 23 touchdown passes and four interceptions. His record is 7-2, including a loss when he was benched against Oregon State in the third quarter and the score tied at 7. His only other defeat was to Montana last year, a game in which he was not at full strength after suffering a knee injury three weeks prior.

Yet, rarely has so much success been greeted by so many doubters. When he backed up Nussmeier for two years, many expected UI would recruit a strong-armed quarterback who would send Hisaw to the secondary permanently.

After Nussmeier graduated last season, Hisaw claimed the starting job and most anticipated dropoffs in production. Instead, Idaho scored 43, 48, 58 and 70 points before Hisaw’s injury.

Sophomore Brian Brennan was the oddson favorite to win the starting job this fall. However, Hisaw won it, but not convincingly. He was pulled when the offense struggled in the season opener at Oregon State.

“I didn’t really know much about Eric, he didn’t take part in spring ball (rehabilitating his knee),” UI first-year coach Chris Tormey said. “It was hard to evaluate him because I wasn’t here (last year). I mean, I saw films and saw things he did, but I saw things that Brian did, too.”

Tormey said Hisaw also had some rough practices earlier this year. Said Hisaw: “I’ve never been a great practice player.”

Hisaw sat out a frustrating loss to Idaho State and missed most of another loss at Montana State that dropped Idaho to 1-3. He entered late against MSU and nearly pulled off a winning rally.

“At that point, we were looking for something to get us going in the right direction,” Tormey said. “We decided to go with Eric against Eastern (Washington) and the rest is history.”

Throughout his hard times, Hisaw has remained loyal to the program.

“It’s been a never-ending saga, but it makes you appreciate it more,” said Hisaw, stressing that the coaches have always been honest with him. “Things happen for a reason, I keep remembering that, but it’s difficult at times.

“For the first time in my life, I thought, ‘Was this worth it?’ I kept thinking I played five or six games (in 1994) and that would have been it, that was all my career was meant to be, all the memories I’d have. I would have played on some of the best Vandal teams ever, but not really contributed.”

That’s all changed now.

“I have at least four games left and hopefully we’ll make the playoffs,” he said. “I’m just enjoying being a Vandal.”

He’s earned that right.

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