It’s that time of year again where our team gets to share the joy of all the hard work we have done since basically last years signing day. Keeping track of every public offer Idaho have made to hopeful future Vandals. This story will remained pinned on our website, pending any other breaking news throughout signing season. Never hurts to bookmark it though.
We’ll update the list as swiftly as possible throughout the week, and even more so on National Letter of Intent day. This post will be receiving updates as commitments and news flows in. Though with head coach still vacant we expect a smaller class than normal in early signing period. We will make sure to update and transfer portal signings and high school recruits that sign between now and the close of NLI day in the spring. Stay tuned!
If wanting more recruiting content check out this piece about top in-state recruits that would make excellent Big Sky Prospects: Idaho Preps With FCS Potential
Sources close to University of Idaho Athletics report that head football coach Paul Petrino and his staff will not be retained for the 2022 season, making the Vandals’ game this Saturday at Idaho State Petrino’s final outing as head coach of Idaho football.
Additional sources report boosters have raised funds with the intention of paying out the remainder of Petrino’s contract. Our sources indicate the amount needed to payout the remainder of Petrino’s contract has been successfully raised.
Petrino coached the Vandals for nine seasons, compiling a 33-65 record. His best season came in 2016, the lone season in Petrino’s tenure the Vandals finished above .500 (9-4 overall, 6-2 in conference), which was capped with Idaho’s 61-50 win over Colorado State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
Idaho was unable to match its 2016 success in Petrino’s following four seasons. In Idaho’s final FBS season in 2017, the Vandals finished 4-8. Expectations for Idaho remained high in 2018, when Idaho became the first school to drop down from FBS to FCS classification and rejoined the Big Sky Conference. Since becoming a Big Sky member, Petrino’s Vandals have not finished a season with more than three conference wins, including a 1-13 record in conference away games.
Petrino’s contract runs through June 30, 2022, with a base salary of $446,214.40.
Sources spoke to Tubs at the Club under the condition of anonymity.
The University of Idaho Athletic Department did not return multiple requests for comment.
*** As always I”m not an journalist so, take your gramatical error comments, & put them in a beg some-Where. Hope you enjoyed the content regarless if you maid it too dis disclaimer
Reminder this is a “Power Ranking.” It means different things to different people. Some view it as the best team, some view it as hottest team at the moment. At the end of the year, the team that wins the conference may not be No. 1 in our rankings. We had 15 voters this week.
This week | Team | Point total (First Place Votes)
1. Montana
Last Week: Bye
This Week: vs Cal Poly
Hey @espn, we've kicked off a @ESPNCFB season on The Inferno before & Eag Nation would love to have you back!!!
Still Riding high after the stunner against the puppies on Lake Washington, where I may have been only FCS personality to take the Griz confidently. And Yes! I will continue to toot my own horn about it!
They get a warmup this week against Cal Poly before a top 10 FCS clash under the lights on ESPN next weekend. Rumor has it College Gameday may attend…
2. UC Davis
Last Week:W vs Dixie State 60-27
This Week: @ #14 Weber State
My Ranking: 2
UC Davis having a storybook OOC. Beat a Tulsa team that in 2020 played top ranked Cincinati for the AAC Title. Blow out rival San Diego and then pick up a 2nd FCS win last week vs Dixie State. The Aggies playoff resume sitting at 3.5 games after 3 weeks is huge.
If they can pick up a road win vs #13 Weber State, they will have an argument for the top spot next week.
3. Montana State
Last Week W vs San Diego 52-10
This Week: Bye
My Ranking 5
Bobcats had an impressive showing vs Wyoming (so did Idaho two seasons back…) and then beat up two teams that according to the VS Simulator would lose at home to Central Washington. The wins may count towards the playoffs, when Central Washington does not. But EWUs win over CWU is more impressive than either of Montana States.
As you can tell I am more in the minority here for the Big Sky Podcast Network as I have them as the tail team of the big 5 that should make the playoff, but as a last 4 in type of squad.
Matt McKay does look like an improvement from years past. But a 65% completion percentage against the teams he has faced does nothing to give this team a nod over the teams behind them on this list in my opinion.
4. Eastern Washington
Last Week: W @ Western Illinois 62-56
This Week: @ Southern Utah
My Ranking 4
The farewell tour for this band is off to a great start. The first three tour stops include a big showing in Vegas a gig that people from outside might be suprised by, but those that know the band, know they had it in them. Then they have a small show at their local bar and it goes as expected. Followed up with a bit of a mess last week where show went off, but not without so hiccups and eyebrow raising from its fans.
They get an amphitheatre show this week down in the desert. Should be a pretty tame show, but they can’t get caught looking ahead to maybe their headline show next week.
5. Weber State
Last Week: L vs #3 James Madison 24-37
This Week: vs #12 UC Davis
My Ranking: 3
They have lost to the teams they should have, and dominated the teams they should have. So what are they?
Photo: Chris Hammond
They are likely still going to grab a share of the Big Sky Title. You know you are the king when people start rooting against you, simply to make them feel better about their teams. Ask any Montana fan, they have been dealing with it for decades. But that is where people seem to be with Weber State. Starting to get some irrational takes that seem to be said, simple to try and speak them into existense. And I understand things dont last forever. But with Jay Hill still their, I am a little baffled people have turned on Wildcats so much. But like I mentioned earlier, alot of it feels like people just rooting against them out of either hope, fear or fatigue.
I still believe in this team more than most. They may actually preform better in the undercat role. A win vs a SURGING UC Davis team would probably put them back in the spotlight. a loss to UC Davis and expect them to be on the back peddle a bit and most likely fall out of top 5 next week.
6. Northern Arizona
Last Week: W @ Arizona 21-19
This Week: @ Northern Colorado
My Ranking: 7
This one is tough. NAU has gotten curb stomped by the teams they needed to beat and beat a team that really doesnt do anything for them. Im sure Lumberjack fans will disagree with me, but I would trade the UA win last week for a win vs South Dakota and a competetive game or W vs Sam Houston.
I dont think they are worthy of being this high. But everyone below them has done nothing to justify being at the 6 spot either.
If they lose to Northern Colorado and go 0-3 vs FCS to open the season they could find themselves at 12 or 13 next week.
7. Sacramento State
Last Week: L @ Cal 30-42
This Week: @ Idaho State
My Ranking: 11
It appears others in the Big Sky Podcast Network are coming around to the Sac State is back to being in a building stage, not a competing stage. 2019 was a flash in the pan and a few years early. Kevin Thompson had this team rolling in 2019, and when he went out, they didnt look the same.
Well he is gone now and that trend continues even with STUDS like Pierre Williams and Elijah Dotson.
Just to cement this point more.
Dixie State 7 Sacramento State 19
Dixie State 3 Weber State (& their awful offense) 41
Dixie State 27 UC Davis 60
8. Southern Utah
Last Week: W @ Tarleton St 40-35
This Week: vs #6 Montana
My Ranking: 13
Look, the Thunderbirds were about 1:41 seconds from being undefeated in the Spring Season. La’kea Kaho Ohanohano-Davis is a NFL type guy, Landom Measom is Mr.Realiable and Justin Miller is improving. Yet the rest of the team is just simply not good enough to compete vs middle to upper tier sky schools.
Not to mention they sold away their OOC playing two bodybag games within 5 days to open the season. Like, Why?!
9. Portland State
Last Week: W v Western Oregon 21-7
This Week: vs #13 Montana State
My Ranking: 8
#BarnysBeerGarden was a great pubilicty stunt to get students into the game and give this team a chance to win them over.
Not sure the 21-7 win vs D2 W.Oregon was the result to keep them there. Unless Barney brings this promotion back and adds Dots Pretzles to the mix, I think “Top 5 Big Sky Program” Portland State may be a team with about 500 fans and a .500 record.
10. Idaho State
Last Week: Bye
This Week: vs Sacramento State
My Ranking: 6
People are down on the Bengals, but not his guy.
They may be 0-2 to start the year but those loses are to #10 North Dakota and MWC frontrunner Nevada.
I think others will come around to Vanderwaal and the Bengal-Cats if they can pull off a thorough stomping of Sac State.
11. Idaho
Last Week: L @ Oregon State 0-42
This Week: Bye
My Ranking: 9
Look Idaho has done nothing to earn a higher spot on this list. But much like Weber they are exactly where we thought they would be.
The glass half full outlook is 1-2 with a lower division win (tighter) and P5 blowouts losses (by more) was how the 2016 Vandal campaign started. They ended the year 9-4 on a 5 game win streak with the crown jewel being 2 touchdown dogs and blowing out a MWC side in Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
If you want to know more listen to our podcast episode this week.
12. Northern Colorado
Last Week: L vs Lamar 10-17 (OT)
This Week: vs Northern Arizona
My Ranking: 10
Start the year down, put together some road preformance that got people to take notice and then they lose home opener vs a bad Lamar side.
Northern Colorado may just be Northern Colorado still. The hope was fun while it lasted.
13. Cal Poly
Last Week: L vs South Dakota 14-48
This Week: @ #4 Montana
My Ranking:12
I mean, people believe in Baldwin, just not yet.
*** As always I”m not an journalist so, take your gramatical error comments, & put them in a beg some-Where. Hope you enjoyed the content regarless if you maid it too dis disclaimer
One body bag game down, one to go! Idaho heads to Corvallis, Oregon for a face-off with the Oregon State Beavers.
Last Game: The Vandals went down to Bloomington, Indiana for their first ever game against the Indiana Hoosiers. Indiana went up 35-0 on their way to a 56-14 victory.
Oregon State hosted Hawaii and led from start to finish, winning 45-27.
Last Meeting: Oregon State shut out Idaho 38-0 in 2006 and have won 16 of the last 17 matchups in the series, with Idaho’s last win coming in 1984.
Quarterbacks: For Idaho, it was the Mike Beaudry show as the senior took almost every snap behind center while posting a stat line of 23 for 36 (63.9%), 196 yards, and two TDs. CJ Jordan threw three passes and had one rush for five yards between two drives. Zach Borisch (#LetBorischThrow) ran twice with the read option and lost one yard. Idaho’s plan was to use the first three games as a quarterback competition – with two games down, has Beaudry taken the lead? Or, will CJ Jordan receive the bulk of the snaps against the Beavers as the contest winds down? Will we ever see Borisch throw? [editor’s note: If you ask the Tubs team, we all believe CJ will get the vast majority of the snaps this week.]
Oregon State has taken a long and windy road to current starter Chance Nolan. Incumbent starter Tristan Gebbia injured a hamstring against Oregon last season and has yet to fully recover. 2020 All-Pac-12 second team QB Sam Noyer transferred in from Colorado over the summer and started in the Beavers’ season-opening loss to Purdue, but went just 10 for 21 with 94 yards and an interception before being replaced in the third quarter by Nolan. Nolan, who started three games last season after Gebbia’s injury, received the start last week against Hawaii and went 21 for 29 with 302 yards and two TDs.
Idaho’s Key Players/Statistics: The Vandals managed just 261 yards of offense against the Hoosiers. Hayden Hatten was yet again the focal point of the Idaho offense, with ten receptions for 94 yards and two TDs. Terez Traynor had a pair of snags for 36 yards, while Cutrell Haywood made his first appearance of the season with two catches for 16 yards. Elisha Cummings led the running backs with seven carries, while Nick Romano led the team in rushing with 20 yards.
Idaho’s defense was led by Tre Walker’s 16 total tackles, followed closely by Fa’Avae Fa’Avae’s 11. Noah Elliss continued to break out, leading the defensive linemen with six tackles. Charles Akanno threw it back to 2019 with a sack and three tackles for loss, and Nate DeGraw also added a sack.
Special teams struggled against Indiana, with two blocked punts (one returned for a touchdown) and plenty of head shakes from Tubs at the Club’s special teams coordinator Alex Boatman. Outside of the blocks, Caleb Lightbourn (former Oregon State Beaver) averaged over 50 yards per punt with two punts pinned inside the 20.
Oregon State’s Key Players/Statistics: Yes, this section is for players and statistics, but this article can’t be written without mention of Beaver head coach Jonathan Smith and offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren. Smith was the Idaho quarterbacks coach from 2004-2009 under Nick Holt, Dennis Erickson, and Robb Akey, before departing after the 2009 Humanitarian Bowl victory. Lindgren was the Vandal starting quarterback from 2001-2003 and co-owns Idaho’s record for touchdown passes in a game with six. [editor’s note: Lindgren is frequently mentioned on the Tubs at the Club wishlist for next Idaho head coach after Paul Petrino.]
The Beaver offense currently leads the Pac-12 with 460 yards per game, bolstered by the top passing attack in the conference. 2020 All-Pac-12 first teamer Nathan Eldridge and 2020 All-Pac-12 second teamer Joshua Gray block up front for Nolan, while eight different receivers/tight ends have registered multiple receptions so far, led by Trevon Bradford’s 11 catches for 154 yards, and Anthony Gould’s eight catches for 127 yards. B.J. Baylor heads the rushing game, with 27 carries for 197 yards and five TDs on the season.
Defensively, Oregon State is led by All-Pac-12 linebacker Avery Roberts with 22 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and a sack. Andrezj Hughes-Murray leads the Beavers with two sacks. Defensive backs Alex Austin, Jaydon Grant, and linebacker Riley Sharp all have an interception on the season.
Key to the Game: Come out firing, score on the first few possessions, and avoid the special teams gaffes.
Game Predictions: Producer Dallas: I don’t think anyone is expecting a win or even a close game, but I wouldn’t expect Oregon State to jump out to a 35-0 lead like Indiana did. If the Vandals can score a few times early, they might be able to hang for a bit. Ultimately though, the depth of a Pac-12 school will be too much to overcome, and Oregon State wins 48-17. Boatman: OSU by 3.5 scores Brian: OSU 45-24 Chris: OSU 45-20
Tubs at The Club 