Idaho picks itself up off the mat after blowout loss to Montana State

MOSCOW, Idaho – Wounded and embarrassed following a 38-7 shellacking at the hands of Montana State that cost Idaho a starting quarterback and its top-10 ranking in the Football Championship Subdivision, the Vandals (4-3, 1-2 in the Big Sky Conference and now 13th-ranked) will look to get their season back on track Saturday in Moscow against Cal Poly, which is challenged in its own right. The Mustangs are 2-4 overall, 1-2 in the Big Sky.

In his weekly press conference Monday, Idaho coach Jason Eck acknowledged of the 6-0, league-leading and 3rd-ranked Bobcats “that was a tough game for us the other night. It was like a heavyweight fight. Hyped up. We got our butts knocked out.”

Nonetheless, he was quick to add “we are not going to lose our confidence. The three teams we lost to (Oregon, California Davis and Montana State) are a combined 20-1. We have got a resilient bunch. I think we will respond well and practice well this week.”

The Vandals will have to do so with a seriously depleted roster at quarterback. The season starter, Jack Layne, is still out with a broken collarbone suffered against Oregon. His backup, Jack Wagner, has had a hand in all four Vandals victories but is still battling the lingering effects of a shoulder injury suffered against Wyoming in the season’s second week. Wagner gave way to walk on Nick Josifek as the starter against the Bobcats. But Josifek was lost for the season with a collarbone injury himself in the first quarter.

Wagner came on in relief against MSU, and Eck said “we have got a lot of confidence in Jack Wagner.” Behind him, the Vandals have only freshman Rocco Koch, who has spent the season running the scout team. Idaho will work to get Koch ready to play this week if he is needed. To replace Koch on the scout team, the Vandals will tap one of several freshmen recruited to other positions but who had experience playing quarterback in high school, Eck said.

Starting running back Elisha Cummings was also knocked out of the MSU game in the second half with an injury. But Eck is hopeful he will be available against the Mustangs. The Vandals’ this season had success rotating Nate Thomas with Cummings at tailback, but Thomas hurt a shoulder two weeks ago against Northern Arizona and has not played since. Eck said Cummings “has a better chance than Nate of getting back this week.”

Redshirt freshman running back Deshaun Buchanan got in against the Bobcats in the second half after Cummings was hurt. Buchanan used the opportunity to run for 49 yards on nine carries and scored Idaho’s only touchdown on a nine-yard pass from Wagner.

“He was our offensive player of the game,” Eck said of Buchanan.

In Idaho’s opening game against Football Bowl Subdivision 3rd-ranked Oregon, which outlasted 2nd-ranked Ohio State last week, the Vandals stayed in contention well into the fourth quarter before falling 24-14. Against the Ducks, Idaho looked physically capable of matching up. This was in contrast to FCS Montana State, against whom Idaho looked notably slower on both sides of the ball.

Eck pointed out the Vandals have played seven weeks without a bye, against six ranked opponents and five games on the road. It may all be taking a toll.

“We have got to play enough guys to keep guys fresh,” he said.

Against Cal Poly, Eck expects Idaho to see either last year’s starting quarterback against the Vandals, Bo Kelly, who threw for 262 yards and two touchdowns in a game Idaho won 42-14, or Richie Watts. In three games this year Watts has completed 9 of 16 passes for 139 yards and a touchdown. He has also rushed for 139 yards and four touchdowns.

“He does a good job with their run game,” said Eck. In league games against Northern Colorado, which the Mustangs won 28-7, and Idaho State, which they lost 41-38, the Mustangs made a determined effort to run the ball, and Eck expects to see more of the same, especially since Idaho gave up 361 yards on the ground and three touchdowns against Montana State.

On defense, Cal Poly features redshirt senior Elijah Ponder, who got a pair of sacks against the Vandals last season. So far this year, Ponder has 26 tackles, including 7.5 tackles for loss, four sacks and a fumble recovery. He ranges across the defensive line as an end with a hand down or standing up, and as an interior lineman playing over an offensive guard, according to Eck.

The Vandals, at home, will certainly be favored. But Eck said Idaho, after getting rolled by Montana State, cannot be taking anyone lightly.

“A lot of underdogs won last week,” he said.