Idaho Has Plan Should UW Hire Tormey

Just in case, Idaho athletic director Mike Bohn has a list of candidates should Washington snatch up football coach Chris Tormey.

One must think ahead.

Tormey doesn’t appear to be the front-runner at Washington. Toledo’s Gary Pinkel has more head coaching experience (eight years to four) and similar UW ties (12 years as an assistant to Tormey’s 11).

Oregon State’s Mike Riley has a strong resume, though he reportedly has told UW he’s not interested. He’s considered the front-runner for the San Diego Chargers job. There remains the possibility of a big-name college head coach or ex-NFL coach in the mix, too.

But Tormey’s a legitimate candidate in a search that likely will be wrapped up by this weekend.

If a search becomes necessary at Idaho, it would include internal candidates, said Bohn, who declined to identify names. Common sense suggests the leading in-house candidate would be offensive coordinator Phil Earley, or possibly defensive coordinator Jeff Mills. Both were first-year coordinators this season.

If Tormey remains at UI, there are growing indications he’ll receive a significant pay raise. UI has already said it wants to bump Tormey’s pay and add years to his contract, which has two years remaining.

Tormey’s salary is roughly $89,500, but it’s believed he’ll make close to $115,000 this season counting bonuses and other income.

Idaho’s appearance in the Humanitarian Bowl apparently has “loosened purse strings” from some prominent boosters and/or potential sponsors, according to a UI source.

That could make Tormey’s next contract comparable to, or more lucrative than, one being sought by Boise State coach Dirk Koetter.

Koetter is close to landing a three-year deal that will pay $150,000 annually in salary and perks.

Panhandling

How much impact does playing in a bowl game have on a program? A Vandals assistant coach had been diligently recruiting a player in Washington. The kid showed little interest in Idaho.

After Idaho beat Southern Miss, the coach had a message on his voice mail from the kid. Now he’s calling Idaho, instead of vice versa.

I don’t know who cferraris@prodigy.net is, but I strongly recommend he/she purchase lottery tickets ASAP. This reader e-mailed The Good Paper - apparently before the Humanitarian Bowl - and predicted Idaho, 42-35.

You are correct, sir.

This might be even more impressive. During media day last July, one media member predicted Idaho would win the Big West Conference. I’d like to take credit, but I selected UI fourth.

FYI: The media voted Idaho fourth; the coaches picked UI to tie with North Texas for last.

Basketball coach Hugh Watson wanted to add Demetrius Hunter, a talented wing from Georgia, to North Idaho College’s roster, but Hunter failed his GED.

Watson has other concerns - primarily the health of guard Jerry Petty, who continues to be slowed by a foot injury.

“Without Jerry, we don’t have any quickness on the ball,” Watson said.

Watson wasn’t pleased with NIC’s 0-3 effort at a tournament in Las Vegas last weekend. He said his team “didn’t show up” in its last game. Not an ideal impression for players to make with Division I recruiters in the stands.

And it didn’t help matters when three Cardinals lost their plane tickets before the flight home.

Tom Morris is headed back into the Idaho broadcast booth. Morris will be the color analyst for football broadcasts next fall with Bob Curtis, longtime Voice of the Vandals.

Morris did play-by-play for basketball and was the analyst for football for roughly a decade before leaving the booth a few years ago. He replaces John Ernst.

Front row

Take in Moscow at Lake City in Border League boys basketball Friday at 7:45 p.m. Both should be in the BL’s upper-echelon by season’s end.

Couch potatoes might want to check out Idaho’s men against Cal Poly at 11 a.m. Saturday on ESPN2. The high-scoring Mustangs haven’t met a shot they didn’t attempt.

Grad school

Laurie Turner, former UI women’s basketball coach, continues to thrive as senior women’s administrator at Toledo.

Turner was removed as basketball coach and reassigned at Idaho by then-UI athletic director Pete Liske. When Liske accepted the A.D. job at Toledo, one of his first hires was Turner.

“She does a great job,” Liske said.

Rumor du jour

Some are wondering why Micron, a Boise-based computer company, sponsored the Micron PC Bowl in Miami when the Humanitarian Bowl is in its backyard. This might explain why: Micron didn’t pay a cent to do so.

Word is Micron was handed a freebie this year in hopes it would sign up to sponsor future bowl games in Miami.