This guy sure looks familiar

Meet Michael Harrington.

If you already have, perhaps another introduction is in order since the University of Idaho’s junior quarterback seems to have undergone an extreme makeover since last season.

“It’s a new season,” Harrington said. “It’s a new me.”

How so? Let Harrington explain.

“I guess I’m not trying to put all the pressure on myself,” he said. “I’m expecting everyone around me to make plays.”

After two often turbulent seasons, including last year’s roller-coaster ride as the starter demoted to backup, there’s no doubt who will be behind center when Idaho faces Boise State on Saturday. The job is finally Harrington’s and he plans on sharing it – with the rest of the offense, anyway.

“I have confidence in the guys around me,” he said. “These guys have made plays in fall camp and they’ve shown they can do it.

“We’re not going to do too many things, but we’re going to be good at what we do. We’re going to run the ball well and we’re going to catch it. We’re expecting receivers to make things happen.”

Coaches expect Harrington to do his part.

“He doesn’t have to make all the plays for the offense, he doesn’t have to force the issue,” coach Nick Holt said. “Just let the offense come naturally. If something’s not there, don’t throw it into coverage, go run or throw it out of bounds. He needs to make better decisions and I think he’s done a better job with that. He has a really nice command of the offense.”

Harrington has always been likable, bright and confident. Now he’s a team captain and it is imperative that the Vandals keep the 6-foot-3, 210-pound Harrington upright. No. 2 quarterback Brian Nooy has never taken a college snap.

Harrington has taken numerous snaps, some perhaps before he was probably completely ready to assume the position. His promotion to starting quarterback over incumbent Brian Lindgren by former coach Tom Cable was one of the hot-button topics of the three-win 2003 season. It should be pointed out that Harrington played with a painful throwing elbow that required off-season surgery. He still feels pain in his arm, but nowhere near as much as last season.

Last season, of course, is the last thing on his mind.

“I just want to win this game so badly,” he said. “I want us to be successful and I think we’re going to be successful. It would be awesome if we started off the season with a win over Boise.”

UI-BSU future

Idaho athletic director Rob Spear said future UI-BSU games will be played in November, but when the Vandals host the contest it won’t be the regular-season finale on “Rivalry Weekend.” The reason? It doesn’t make sense for Idaho-BSU in Moscow to go head-to-head with Washington-Washington State in Pullman on the same day, Spear said.

Therefore, expect Idaho-BSU games in Moscow to be played in mid-November, well before the Thanksgiving holiday, and the Vandals to finish the regular season with a road game the following Saturday. When BSU hosts the game, it’s likely to fall on rivalry weekend.

“It’d would be crazy” to play on the same day as the Apple Cup, Spear said. “There wouldn’t be any hotel space. It’s a benefit to us because the students will still be there and they won’t be bailing out on that Friday to go home for break.”

Idaho, which joins the Broncos in the WAC next season, hoped to entertain BSU in 2005 but instead will play at Boise for the second straight year.

“We did push for that, but the scheduling impact within the WAC was too great and it would have impacted marquee games for other schools,” Spear said.

It appears UI will visit Hawaii again in 2005, Spear said. Idaho closes this season at Hawaii on Nov. 20.