Vandals: Enderle endures challenging day
MOSCOW, Idaho – Nathan Enderle has taken almost every meaningful snap for the Idaho offense, but Saturday against Hawaii the Vandals quarterback watched the end of the first half from the sidelines as senior Brian Nooy took over.
“He’s a fifth-year senior. He’s been around the block. He knows what he’s doing,” said Enderle, a redshirt freshman. “For me, whoever is going to help the team win I want in the game, whether it is me or Brian or anybody else.”
At that point Enderle was 5 of 16 for 52 yards with four interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns.
“We got him out of there to look at it and settle down,” Vandals coach Robb Akey said. “We’ve got to do a better job taking care of the football. We did a nice job taking the football away. Six takeaways, that’s a great positive, but we operate as a team. We live and die as a team.”
Nooy moved the offense 31 yards before Tino Amanico kicked a 50-yard field goal, but Hawaii led 41-10 at the break on its way to a 48-20 win Saturday afternoon in the Kibbie Dome.
Enderle returned in the second half and was 5 of 9 for 87 yards and a touchdown, but he threw one more interception before Nooy took the last series.
“I think he was frustrated,” Akey said of Enderle. “He doesn’t like to throw interceptions. He doesn’t like when we’re not having success. I think he got a little down on himself. He doesn’t need to get down on himself.”
Enderle was prepared to return to the game.
“My mind-set didn’t change. I felt I could still help the team out,” he said. “We’re making too many mistakes. When we do things right and don’t make mistakes, we can play against anybody. But we have too many mistakes right now to play well.
“(Hawaii) played hard … mainly our offense is hurting itself right now. If we can clean it up, we can be a good team.”
The people’s choice
Hawaii had a small but vocal following at the Kibbie Dome.
After Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan finished talking with the media, he was engulfed by a modest throng of autograph seekers. He spent 10 minutes signing his John Hancock on ESPN magazines donning a picture of him and footballs. He also posed for a couple of pictures before heading to the locker room.
He was disappointed with his play – he threw for 369 yards but had more interceptions (five) than touchdown passes (three) – but had nothing but praise for his team.
“For us to not go out and kind of have the game we want on offense, (and) for the defense and special teams to play the way they did let’s everyone know how good of a team we have this year,” Brennan said. “That’s what it’s all about – having a great team. I’m just excited about the way we won and the fashion we did it.”
Quick kicks
Redshirt freshman running back Deonte Jackson, who suffered a high ankle sprain last week and was doubtful for this game, got in late in the second quarter and ended up leading the Vandals with 49 yards on seven carries. “I had to coax the coaches a little bit,” Jackson said. “They still hesitated. The last thing you want is to make a bad thing worse.” … The Vandals were without starting receiver Max Komar, who was given a one-game suspension for violation of team rules. Akey didn’t elaborate. … Leon Wright-Jackson carried seven times for 20 yards and caught two passes for 13 for Hawaii. The former state sprint champion from Pasco originally signed with Nebraska. … Offensive lineman Marcis Fennell was the only Vandal who had to be helped off the field, but the extent of his leg injury is unknown.
Final word
Saying he didn’t know if the media would print this, Idaho linebacker David Vorbora said, “I’d just like to send a special thank you to everyone in the Kibbie Dome who was still in the Kibbie Dome in the fourth quarter. That kind of stuff means a lot because I know, no matter what, I will be there until the very last second I have in the Kibbie Dome.”