Vandals need huge upset to get first WAC victory

MOSCOW, Idaho – Prompted by a single question from an out-of-town reporter, Robb Akey devoted a healthy portion of his news conference this week to one subject: reinforcing the Vandals’ strong points, position by position.

The Idaho coach touched on quarterback Nathan Enderle’s progress. He mentioned the improved depth at running back, and he focused on Shiloh Keo’s leadership.

But near the end of an upbeat message that lasted several minutes, a bottom-line reality set in.

“The only thing that people are going to judge Robb Akey off of is the win-loss record,” Akey said. “So right now that doesn’t look very good. … I’ve got to produce that.”

Akey is 2-15 in a season-plus at Idaho, including a 0-9 mark against WAC competition. To avoid another conference loss this afternoon, his club will have to spring a big-time upset.

The battered Vandals (1-4, 0-1) are 24-point underdogs to Nevada (2-2, 0-0). The teams headed in opposite directions will face off at 2 p.m. at the Kibbie Dome.

For the second straight week, Idaho is expected to be without two of its best players because of injuries in Keo (shoulder) and wideout Maurice Shaw (ankle). No. 1 tailback Deonte Jackson should play, but he’s been slow to shake off a persistent back ailment.

Last week the sophomore managed just five carries in a blowout loss at San Diego State.

Those health concerns make today’s task even more overwhelming. Nevada figures to be an upper-tier WAC team this fall, largely because of lethal quarterback Colin Kaepernick. He’s the triggerman for a rushing offense that ranks third in the nation averaging 319 yards per game.

Last week the rangy 6-foot-6, 215-pound sophomore, romped for 416 total yards (240 rushing, 176 passing) and five touchdowns in a win over archrival UNLV. Thanks to his monstrous numbers, he was named the WAC’s offensive player of the week and might be an early favorite for the conference’s player of the year.

While gushing about Kaepernick’s skills, Akey compared him to Vince Young and said he looked taller and faster than a year ago.

“He managed the game so very well,” Wolf Pack coach Chris Ault said of his QB’s performance last week. “Much like he did the first half of the Missouri game, which I felt was his best game for us in terms of managing the offense.”

Nevada was steamrolled by then-No.6 Missouri 69-17 last month, and was also slowed by Texas Tech. But the Reno school must be eager to exploit an Idaho defense that’s failed to contain much less accomplished offenses.

The Vandals are second to last in the nation in scoring defense, having yielded 208 points to four FBS opponents. That wobbly defense is a big reason why they’ve lost 20 straight games to divisional peers.