Mathias Bertram, defensive backs shine during Idaho’s first spring practice

MOSCOW, Idaho – The temperature never ventured out of the 30s for the University of Idaho’s first spring football practice Tuesday.

But the energy of getting together on a field as a team and running plays for the first time since November carried the Vandals through a chilly morning.

As is his habit, Vandals coach Jason Eck likes to get work on the field done early. The team met before 7 a.m. and finished in time for interested players to catch the second half of an NFL pro day for former teammates, to hit the UI nutrition station in the Kibbie Dome for a quick breakfast and get on to classes. The team practiced outdoors for its first spring workout because the turf in the dome is not quite set up for football .

“It was a good first day,” Eck said. “Now, where do we go from here?”

Idaho’s Jerry Rice Award-winning quarterback Gevani McCoy, the outstanding freshman in NCAA Football Championship Subdivision football last season, was throwing as well as he was a year ago. The highlight of the opening practice, however, was an interception over the middle on a long pass by Mathais Bertram, a redshirt junior safety, against McCoy and the first team offense. It earned Bertram a pat on the back from Eck and the Vandals battle ax, awarded daily to the player who had the best practice.

Junior safety Tommy McCormick also snagged an interception against the second-team offense late in the session.

On the other side , sophomore receiver Trais Higgins, made a bid to get noticed early with a diving reception against redshirt junior cornerback Cam Stephens, a transfer from Victor Valley (California) College. All-America wide receiver Hayden Hatten had an efficient, if not flashy, debut and caught several passes.

Idaho has 12 practices and a spring game April 28. The Vandals had a pair of practices taken away by the NCAA after holding a workout that wasn’t permitted, Eck said. One of the lost practices is a workout in pads, the other is a walk through. The padded practice is the more important of the two, but losing both is not a major setback, Eck said.

“(The spring goal) is to get every individual better,” Eck said. “We have 79 players this spring. We want to get all 79 better.”

Spring is also a time for players deep on the depth chart to get noticed.

“Who has made a jump? Who was a redshirt who has improved?” Eck asked.

He noted All-Big Sky Conference receiver Jermaine Jackson, a redshirt senior who had a breakout season last year with 54 catches for 1,049 yards and six touchdowns, had been slowed by injuries until he showed what he could when healthy last spring.

The Vandals have a dozen new players going through spring workouts, including a pair of defensive linemen, Jahkari Larmond, 6-foot-3, 330-pounder, a transfer from Lincoln (Missouri) University, and Malakai Railton-Stewart (6-5, 260), a freshman from Brisbane, Australia. In addition, Abe Christensen, who started every game as an offensive lineman last season, has moved to defense.

“We need to get better on the line of scrimmage,” Eck said.

For the first spring workout, the Vandals lined up regularly with four defensive linemen.

A few players are either sitting out spring practices or have reduced workloads. The most notable is redshirt sophomore tight end Alex Moore, projected as a starter. He will miss spring practices as he continues to recover from a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Other players expected to contribute next season who are cutting back this spring are junior wide receiver Terez Traynor and offensive lineman Jason Hahlbeck.