Idaho Vandals
Preview 2009
By
Pete Fiutak
Interested in blogging about Idaho football? Let
us know
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2009 Idaho Preview |
2009 Idaho Offense
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2009 Idaho Defense |
2009 Idaho Depth
Chart
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2008 Idaho Preview |
2007 Idaho Preview |
2006 Idaho Preview
Head coach: Robb Akey
3rd year: 3-21
Returning Lettermen:
Off. 21, Def. 24, ST 0 |
Ten
Best Vandal Players
1. SS/PR Shiloh Keo, Jr.
2. RB Deonte
Jackson, Jr.
3. OG Mike Iupati, Sr.
4. S Virdell
Larkins, Sr..
5. OT Matt Cleveland, Soph.
6. QB Nathan
Enderle, Jr.
7. RB Princeton McCarty, Soph.
8. DT Oga
Faumui, Sr.
9. DT Joah Sataraka, Jr.
10. CB Isaac Butts, Jr. |
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2009
Schedule
CFN
Prediction:
1-11
2009 Record: 0-0
9/5 at New
Mexico State
9/12 at Washington
9/19 San Diego State
9/26 at Northern Illinois
930 OPEN DATE
10/3 Colorado State
10/10 at San Jose State
10/17 Hawaii
10/24 at Nevada
10/31 Louisiana Tech
11/7 Fresno State
11/14 at Boise State
11/21 OPEN DATE
11/28 Utah State
12/5 OPEN DATE |
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2008
Schedule
CFN
Prediction:
2-10
2008 Record:
2-10
8/30
at Arizona L 70-0
9/6 Idaho State W
42-27
9/13 Western Mich L 51-28
9/20 at Utah State L 42-17
9/27 at SDSU L 45-17
10/4 Nevada L 49-14
10/11 at Fresno State L 45-32
10/18 at La Tech L 46-14
10/25 New Mexico St W 20-14
11/1 San Jose State L
30-24
11/8 OPEN DATE
11/15 Boise State W 45-10
11/22 at Hawaii L 49-17
11/29 OPEN DATE
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In 1998, Idaho went
9-3 finishing off with a thrilling Humanitarian Bowl win over Southern
Miss. Along the way, there was even a win at Boise State. The program
followed it up with a 7-4 1999 season and a 5-6 2000 campaign. After
winning 21 games over those three years, Idaho fell hard and fast with
just 18 since over the last eight years with the nation's worst defense
over that span.
How bad have things been for the Vandals? Since
their last winning season, they've allowed fewer than 30 points to a
D-I/FBS team a mere 23 times in 96 games. Head coach Robb Akey hasn't
had much luck in turning things around over his first two seasons going
3-21 with two of those wins coming against FCSers and the third a 20-14
home victory over a woeful New Mexico State team last year. There's
nowhere to go but up, and this year's team has the potential to take a
nice step forward.
This won't be the year
the Vandals bust out a winning season, but there's enough experience and
enough speed and athleticism on both sides of the ball to get over a
hump and start winning some close games. Effort hasn't been a problem in
Moscow under Akey; talent, and the ability to stay in games, has been.
Idaho has a good stable of backs returning, but can the team stay
alive long enough to use them? Idaho allowed 255 points in the first
half and was completely out of most games after halftime. That put
pressure on the passing game, which put pressure on the line that
couldn't pass block, which led to multiple interceptions, no use of the
the ground game, and a spiral that happened game after game. And while
there will be times this year when the Vandals will be out of it four
minutes after the opening kickoff, they'll have opportunities in a few
close battles and they'll have to find a way to win.
It'll all
start on the lines with the offensive front needing to block someone
with a pass rush and the defensive line to at least breathe on a
quarterback once in a while. The skill players aren't bad and the
defensive back seven has good potential, led by one of the WAC's best
group of safeties in Shiloh Keo, Virdell Larkins, and Jeromy Jones. The
special teams will be solid, and Nathan Enderle is going into his third
year as the starting quarterback. There are some good pieces to work
around, there just aren't enough of them.
What to watch for on offense: The left side of the line. After
allowing 36 sacks, the O line has to get much tighter in a big hurry. It
wasn't bad for the running game, but it wasn't able to get into enough
of a lather to effectively pound away for a full 60 minutes. this year,
the left side of offensive front has the potential to be great, but
first, NFL prospect Mike Iupati, a 330-pound guard, has to get healthy.
If he's 100%, he's one of the best in the league, while sophomore left
tackle Matt Cleveland has the potential to be an anchor on the outside
for the next three years. If they're a strength, the offense could
quickly become far better.
What to watch for on defense: The knees of the defensive tackles.
Oga Faumui and Fono Sekona are two of the team's best tackles, with
Jonah Sataraka probably the best of the three, but they have knee
injuries to get over. Aaron Lavarias was out of position last year as a
small tackle, and now he'll be tried out as a big end. However, he might
have to move back inside if health is an overall issue for the line, and
that wouldn't be a plus. Idaho gave up 210 rushing yards per game last
season and didn't generate any sort of an interior pass rush. Both
things have to change.
The team will be far better if … the passing game can keep
up in firefights. Basically, Nathan Enderle
has to start punching his weight. It's not a fair burden for the Vandal
QB to deal with, considering he's always under pressure and his
receivers have been awful, but he needs to be able to use his big arm to
bomb away more effectively. The defense is what it is ... it's not going
to be a brick wall any time soon. Idaho has to start being able to
consistently put up 30 points a game it has to be able throw for more
than 300 yards an outing to keep up. That could be a problem considering
there was only one game against an FBS team, a 45-32 to Fresno State,
while the offense only generated more than 300 yards passing once.
The Schedule:
There isn't a sure-thing win on the lot. Starting off
the season at New Mexico State needs to be a must-win to set the
tone for the first half of the year. When Colorado State is your
toughest non-conference game, there shouldn't be too much to
worry about. However, Idaho can't take any game for granted and
has to go on the road to face Nevada and Boise State. Closing
out with four home games in the final six is as nice a break as
the team could ask for.
Best Offensive Player:
Junior RB Deonte Jackson.
After carrying the offense at times two years ago, he was spelled a bit
more last year in an attempt to keep the star fresh. Idaho got out of
games so quickly that Jackson wasn't allowed to work as much as he
should've but when he's able to be a part of the attack early on, he's
among the WAC's most dangerous backs.
Best Defensive Player:
Junior SS Shiloh Keo.
Hurt last year with a shoulder injury, he's back and should be among the
WAC's best defensive backs. While he's only 5-10 and 214 pounds, he's a
tackling machine with tremendous quickness. Not only the team's
defensive star, he's also an elite punt returner who's a weapon every
time he touches the ball.
Key player to a
successful season:
Junior QB Nathan Enderle.
He was the key to last year, too, and while he wasn't awful, he threw 17
interceptions and he wasn't able to make everyone around him any better.
He didn't have time, with pass rushers getting free shots on him way too
often, but he's going to have to use his two years of experience to make
quicker decisions and to get the ball out of his hands quicker.
The season will be a
success if …
the Vandals win four games. They haven’t won more than four since 2000,
but hitting the mark would be a nice step forward after last year's
disaster. However, they might not be favored in any game until the
season finale against Utah State. To get to four wins, the Vandals would
have to be the Aggies, the Utah State and New Mexico State versions, and
will need two big home wins along the way against teams like San Diego
State and Hawaii.
Key game:
Sept. 5 at New Mexico State. The win over the Aggies was the only one
over an FBS team in the Akey era, and another victory is needed to have
any hope of a decent year. With NMSU retooling, Idaho has to prove that
in year three under Akey, the rebuilding job is bearing fruit.
2008 Fun Stats:
- Second quarter
scoring: Opponents 162 - Idaho 47
- Touchdown rushes: Opponents 35 -
Idaho 9
- Sacks: Opponents 36 for 254 yards - Idaho 10 for 75 yards
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2009 Idaho Preview |
2009 Idaho Offense
-
2009 Idaho Defense |
2009 Idaho Depth
Chart
-
2008 Idaho Preview |
2007 Idaho Preview |
2006 Idaho Preview