UI gets chance to answer pundits’ dire predictions
The preseason pundits have had their say about the University of Idaho football team. Per usual, the reviews haven’t been kind.
Beginning Monday, the Vandals have an opportunity to form their rebuttal.
Idaho opens practice with a 9 a.m. workout for returning players, followed by a 3 p.m. session for freshmen. The first full-team, full-pads practice is Friday at 3 p.m. Two-a-days begin Saturday (9 a.m. and 4 p.m.) and are also scheduled for Aug. 16, Aug. 18 and Aug. 20.
Sun Belt media, sports information directors and coaches picked Idaho to finish last (ninth) and most pre-season magazines tend to agree, pegging the Vandals among the worst in the Division I-A ranks. North Texas is heavily favored to repeat as Sun Belt champion for the fourth straight year.
The Vandals had just one player, sophomore offensive tackle Hank Therien, chosen preseason All-Sun Belt.
However, the Vandals are under new management and that, along with the school finding a home in the Western Athletic Conference beginning in 2005, has generated some interest in the long-suffering program.
Nick Holt, a former UI assistant, left co-national champion USC to take over the Vandals, who have suffered four straight losing seasons. Tom Cable was fired after last year’s 3-9 campaign.
Holt’s high-energy, full-throttle approach seemed to rejuvenate returning players in spring drills. Idaho’s work ethic and attention to detail will have to be resolute since its talent level isn’t likely to scare anyone on its rugged schedule. The Vandals have four 2003 bowl teams on their non-conference schedule (Boise State, Washington State, Oregon and Hawaii) and another (North Texas) in the Sun Belt.
Still, Holt has some pieces to work with and he’s expressed high regard for his initial recruiting class. Junior Michael Harrington is expected to start at quarterback, a position he held for nearly half of the 2003 season before losing the job to Brian Lindgren.
Harrington passed for 996 yards with five touchdowns and four interceptions. The probable starting running back is sophomore Cliff Mason, who had 138 yards and two touchdowns in limited duty last year.
Idaho’s top three pass-catchers (Orlando Winston, Mike McCoy and Zach Gerstner) are gone, but tight end Luke Smith-Anderson, a Lake City High grad, is healthy after missing virtually all of the last two seasons with knee injuries.
Lewiston’s Mike Anderson, who had a team-high 104 tackles last year, has moved from linebacker to defensive end. He’ll line up opposite senior Brandon Kania, who has been productive the last three years.
Nate Nichols and Cole Snyder should anchor the linebackers. Cornerbacks Chris Nathan and J.R. Ruffin and safety Simeon Stewart provide experience in the secondary.