A happy combination

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Aside from the final score, Idaho football coach Dennis Erickson enjoyed his return to the sidelines.

“It’s where I belong,” Erickson said after his Vandals threw a scare into Michigan State before falling 27-17 Saturday at Spartan Stadium. “And I’m glad I chose the University of Idaho because we’re going to get this program going and it’s going to be something special here soon.”

Safe to say the feeling is mutual with his players.

“His schemes are so great offensively,” sophomore running back Jayson Bird said. “Our blocking schemes and so many other things have improved.”

Steve Wichman said Erickson’s system makes it “real easy for a quarterback to come into the game confident, because you know exactly what you’re executing and you know where you need to go with the ball. It’s right there in your hands.”

Wichman also pointed out the play of the offensive line. He was only sacked twice and Idaho rushed for 113 yards.

Erickson sat out last season for the first time in his coaching career, which stretches back to 1969 when he was a grad assistant at Montana State.

“It was nice to be on the sideline, it really was. People yelling at me, cussing at me, I miss that so much,” he deadpanned.

Back in the game

Erickson wasn’t the only one to celebrate a return to the game. Tight end Luke Smith-Anderson, who missed last season because of a ruptured spleen, had four catches for 29 yards.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” said Smith-Anderson, a Lake City High graduate who missed nearly all of the 2002 and 2003 seasons with knee injuries. “It’s what I’ve been waiting for for two years. I’ll get in the training room (today). I’m a little sore, but that’s the way it goes.”

Bird, who sat out most of last season with a fractured collarbone, had 88 yards on 20 carries.

“I thought I’d be a bundle of nerves, but I came out and was relaxed,” Bird said. “I realized that we were in that game and I saw our potential.”

On second thought …

When Michigan State quarterback Drew Stanton considered skipping his senior season, his dad asked Erickson’s advice through an intermediary. Erickson told Stanton’s dad that if Drew was enjoying his time in college, stay put. The pros would still be there in a year.

Shortly thereafter, Erickson took the Idaho job and learned that his opening game was against the Spartans. He reportedly told the go-between he’d reconsidered and jokingly suggested Stanton turn pro.

Two-way threat

Stanton showed off his strong passing arm, but he also stung the Vandals with scrambles or designed runs at key times. The 230-pounder made a nifty cutback to gain 9 yards on third-and-7 at Idaho’s 16, leading to MSU’s second touchdown.

In the fourth quarter, he had runs of 19 and 9 yards, and also bought time in the pocket to complete a 23-yard pass on MSU’s last touchdown drive.

“He kept moving around and making big plays out of nothing,” Spartans coach John L. Smith said.

Notes

Idaho safety Shiloh Keo had a rough series early, getting run over by MSU’s Jehuu Caulcrick on one play and losing track of Kerry Reed on a 27-yard touchdown pass. Keo then seemed to settle down and finished with three tackles. “For a true freshman in front of this crowd, I thought he did pretty well,” Erickson said. … The Vandals, who picked up $650,000 for playing the Spartans, appeared to escape without injury. … Former Idaho quarterback John Welsh and offensive linemen Rick DeMulling (Detroit Lions) and Jake Scott (Indianapolis Colts) watched the game from Idaho’s sideline.