Vandals, Trojans look set for 2007

Idaho and USC are on opposite ends of the NCAA Division I-A football spectrum, but it appears they’ll meet on the same field in 2007.

Nearly all the details have been worked out for a Sept. 1 contest at the Coliseum in Los Angeles, Idaho athletic director Rob Spear said. The contract arrived on Spear’s desk Friday and he expects to sign it to finalize the agreement. The Vandals would make $600,000.

The schools briefly discussed playing last season, but it would have required switching games to different dates. Idaho head coach Nick Holt was the Trojans’ linebackers coach from 2001-2003.

“I think Nick’s relationship (with USC) is the reason we were considered,” Spear said. “He is on board. I ask Nick what he thinks about playing games because I want him to be comfortable with it.”

Holt will take on John L. Smith, his former boss at Idaho and Louisville, when the Vandals face Michigan State this September to open the 2006 season.

Top-ranked USC has won 34 straight games and can earn its third consecutive national championship with a victory over Texas in the Rose Bowl. USC has non-conference dates with Nebraska and Notre Dame in 2007.

Idaho, 5-18 in Holt’s first two seasons, is expected to play Washington State, USC, Cal Poly and Eastern Michigan in 2007.

“We’re trying to get our schedule where we continue playing WSU, where we play one marquee game and then we have two games that are with a I-AA or a midmajor like ourselves,” Spear said. “We don’t want to have these schedules where we play three Pac-10s.

“If you look at the positives, playing in the Coliseum will be good for the kids, it’ll be good for recruiting and it’s good for alums because we have a lot of Vandals in California.”

Harrison, Derting selected

Running back Jerome Harrison and linebacker Will Derting of Washington State have been selected to play in the East-West Shrine Game on Jan 21. The game moves to the Alamodome in San Antonio after being staged in San Francisco for its first 80 years.

Linebacker commits to EWU

Shane Colley, a linebacker from Pendleton, Ore., has committed to Eastern Washington. A three-year starter and four-year letterman, he was his league’s defensive player of the year. The 6-foot-1, 192-pounder chose the Eagles over Idaho State and Portland State.

Staff writer Dave Trimmer contributed to this report.