Vandals looking in mirror
Idaho and Eastern Michigan have never met on a football field, and that’s where the dissimilarities end.
These programs are like twins. They’re struggling and trying to rebound with high-energy first-year coaches. They’re playing numerous true freshmen. They play in the shadow of BCS neighbors — Idaho is eight miles from Washington State, Eastern Michigan is seven miles from the University of Michigan.
The Vandals (0-4) have four straight losing seasons. EMU (1-3) has been under .500 for eight straight seasons and 13 of the last 14.
Both are ravenous for a win. Per NCAA rules, somebody will notch an elusive victory today when Idaho visits the Eagles at 11 a.m. PDT at Rynearson Stadium in Ypsilanti.
“My background is from Northwestern,” Eastern Michigan coach Jeff Genyk said. “When we got there in 1992 we hadn’t won in forever and we ended up turning that around. A vast majority of my job here is turning around the mindset of the student-athletes, the administration and the surrounding area.”
No doubt those thoughts have crossed Idaho coach Nick Holt’s mind.
“It’ll be a tough game against a program that is very similar to us,” Holt said.
The biggest difference between the two is that Eastern Michigan has played a manageable schedule and has made an enormous jump offensively. The Eagles were No. 116 (second to last) in total offense last season. This year’s crew is 38th, 33rd in rushing (187.25 yards) and 48th in passing (221.25).
The Eagles have dropped two straight at home by narrow margins.
“Toledo, our (Mid-American) Conference favorite, came in here and we played really well in the first half and had a chance to win the game,” Genyk said. “But we couldn’t find a way to do it and we had a bad third quarter. Eastern Illinois was a game we should have won. We’re up 14-0, but then we get that seed of doubt and it turns into a big crack.”
Genyk has installed the spread offense he learned at Northwestern. The results have been impressive with quarterback Matt Bohnet, a transfer from Iowa, throwing for eight touchdowns and running for 247 yards. His younger brother, Ken, is a backup quarterback who played in six games last year.
Bohnet’s passes often go to Eric Deslauriers, a 6-foot-4 native of Canada, who was recruited as a quarterback. He’s caught 24 passes, 23 in the last three games. The offensive line, considered a question mark before the season, has been strong, especially in pass protection, Genyk said.
“We’ll go no-huddle and we try to have the ball in playmakers’ hands every play, whether we run or pass,” Genyk said. “Matt has made significant strides from where he was four weeks ago. He hadn’t played since the fall of 2000.”
The defense hasn’t been as sharp. The line is undersized and susceptible to the run.
That’s forced EMU to bring up a linebacker or safety to help, leading to a high number of big passing plays. The Eagles have allowed 34, 49, 42 and 31 points.
The Vandals continue to hunt for offensive consistency. They played well in the first half against Oregon, but bogged down in the second.
“We’re trying to get the ball in the end zone; we’re working on that daily,” Holt said. “A lot has to do with our execution in the red zone and not having foolish penalties and things like that. A lot has to do with the last two opponents’ defenses. I think we’re making strides and hopefully it’ll show.”
If this one is close at the half, pay particular attention to the third quarter. EMU has been outscored 59-3 in that period; Idaho 50-0.
“We’re looking for our first win and I think it’s going to come soon,” Holt said. “Hopefully, our hard work will pay off.”