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Petrino accepts blame for Vandals shortcomings

Idaho head coach Paul Petrino reacts as Vandals quarterback Matt Linehan (10) exits the field after a failure to convert on a fourth down pass during the second half of Saturday’s 56-6 loss at WSU. (Tyler Tjomsland / The Spokesman-Review)
By Josh Wright

PULLMAN – Paul Petrino shouldered all of the blame. The backbreaking blocked field goal, the poor execution on offense, the shoddy special teams?

“That all just goes back to me,” the Idaho coach said Saturday afternoon after a second straight Pac-12 school overwhelmed the Vandals.

This time it was border rival Washington State that ran away from UI, 56-6, in front of perhaps 20,000 rain-soaked fans at Martin Stadium. (The paid attendance was 28,477.)

Like they did last week at Washington, the Vandals (1-2) challenged the Cougars (1-2) for the first quarter-plus. Again, though, they weren’t competitive in the second half.

The difference on Saturday was the Vandals had a chance to keep pace with WSU through the second quarter. But that’s when they started piling miscues on top of each of other.

“We kind of set up two of their early touchdowns (with mistakes) offensively or (on) special teams,” Petrino said. “And that catches up to you when you’re playing a team like that.”

Down 7-3, Idaho cobbled together a 17-play drive that consumed more than seven minutes of the second quarter. On first down at the WSU 12, Vandals quarterback Matt Linehan kept the ball on a read-option and slipped for no gain. Running back Aaron Duckworth was then smothered in the backfield for a loss of 3.

Facing third-and-13 at the 15, Idaho called time out so an apparently bleeding Linehan could get treated on the sideline. (Petrino said he wasn’t sure what happened.) Backup Gunnar Amos came in and threw in the direction of wide receiver Jacob Sannon, who was open but dropped the pass.

Austin Rehkow lined up for a 32-yard field goal attempt – a kick that would have made it 7-6. Instead, WSU nose tackle Robert Barber blew through the line and easily blocked the field goal attempt.

Marcellus Pippins recovered the blocked kick and outraced Rekhow and Buck Cowan for a 72-yard touchdown return.

WSU 14, Idaho 3.

Rehkow, one of the country’s best kickers, jogged off the field shaking his head. The 10-point swing put UI in a tailspin and energized a previously uninspired WSU.

“We were already going as a team,” Pippins said. “That just shot it over the fence.”