Things to watch: Idaho run defense must return to form against Utah Tech
MOSCOW, Idaho – Well, there are no “Fightin’ Taters” helmet decals this weekend that will get Idaho on ESPN’s College GameDay, as the first home game against St. Thomas did.
But the game against Utah Tech celebrating the 50th anniversary of the P1FCU Kibbie Dome is expected to get a nod on other ESPN programming, and the Vandals will be wearing replica jerseys from their first time under their roof in 1975.
It is clutter, but probably not huge clutter as Idaho really leans into a season it hopes will result in a fourth straight trip to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
The Trailblazers, however, are no easy mark. Their 0-2 record is deceiving. They battled two Big Sky Conference 2024 playoff teams, UC Davis and Northern Arizona, to within a touchdown to open the season.
Here are three things to look for as the Vandals (1-1) look to build on their 37-30 victory over the Tommies a week ago.
1. Which Idaho run defense will show up? In a frustrating 13-10 season opening loss to Washington State, in which Idaho looked to be the dominant team, the Vandals took the game down to the final 10 seconds, and they limited WSU to a net 3 yards rushing. Against St. Thomas the next week, however, they gave up 208 yards on the ground, including 79 to quarterback Andy Peters and 72 to running back Joseph Koch. Utah Tech also has a running quarterback. Reggie Graff has rushed for 98 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the first two games to lead the Trailblazers’ ground attack. Utah Tech likes to play up tempo and run misdirection plays on offense, and Idaho coach Thomas Ford Jr. and defensive coordinator Cort Dennison have harped all season about the Vandals’ defenders doing a better job maintaining eye discipline and not getting caught up in exceeding their defensive responsibilities.
2. Idaho has a downfield passing attack and might really be able to exploit it against Utah Tech. The Trailblazers play more man-to-man pass defense than the Vandals saw against either WSU or St. Thomas, according to Ford. That ought to light up receivers’ eyes. Idaho quarterback Joshua Wood threw for 281 yards and three touchdowns against St. Thomas’ yielding zone defense, and wide receivers Tony Harste and Ryan Jezioro caught five passes for 92 yards and a touchdown and six catches for 83 yards and a score, respectively. The Vandals’ Michael Graves and Emmerson Cortez-Menjivar can also pick it, and both are expected to overcome early season injuries.
3. Have Idaho’s kicking teams settled down? Cameron Pope is on the watch list for national kicking awards but missed a 44-yard field goal against WSU before hitting a 21-yarder late in the fourth quarter, and he made a 33-yard kick against St. Thomas. Punter L.J. Harm has launched seven punts for a 38-yard average this season. But Idaho’s kicking teams were plagued in both games by less-than-ideal snaps. If the Utah Tech game comes down to a fourth quarter special teams play, the tension in the Kibbie Dome will be palpable.