The Vandals are looking to reach their first bowl game this decade as its FBS clock continues to tick. The Bobcats are looking to rectify their first losing season in 14 years as a new era begins.
On Thursday, Idaho hosts Montana State in a matchup of old Big Sky Conference rivals who have not played since 2000. The two schools are charter members of the Big Sky, founded in 1963, but the Vandals jumped to the FBS in 1996 with middling results. Idaho has played in just two Humanitarian Bowls since making the jump, most recently in 2009, the last time UI had a winning record.
September 1 in the Kibbie Dome will mark the beginning of seasons filled with renewed optimism for both programs. Idaho won just one game in each of Paul Petrino’s first two seasons but posted four wins last season. If not for an overtime loss to New Mexico State and a one-score loss to South Alabama the next week, Idaho might’ve gone bowling.
“They are a senior-laden team and the one thing I know is anyone who has stuck around that place for four years is tough,” said MSU first-year head coach Jeff Choate following his team’s final practice of fall camp. “Coach Petrino is going to demand a certain level of toughness and discipline. They believe, and rightfully so, that they’ve positioned themselves for an excellent season. With a few breaks, they go to a bowl last year.”
UI head coach Paul Petrino/by UI Athletics
In Bozeman, Montana State is trying to get back on track after a 5-6 finish in 2015. The Bobcats began last season with sky-high expectations. After four playoff appearances and three Big Sky titles in five seasons, MSU entered last fall as the preseason favorite to win the Big Sky once again. But a porous defense and a no-brakes offense that did not strike in clutch moments resulted in a disappointing finish and the firing of Rob Ash, the school’s all-time leader in wins.
The last time Montana State and Idaho faced off, Idaho quarterback John Welsh threw for 385 yards and six touchdowns on just 13 completions in a 56-7 rout. The loss marked the fourth straight loss for MSU in Mike Kramer’s first season at the helm, causing the Big Human to cry in the post-game press conference after losing to his alma mater. MSU gave up 620 yards on just 69 plays that afternoon during a season in which the Bobcats lost all 11 games.
The first matchup in 16 seasons will feature an Idaho team that loses just 10 lettermen off last year’s squad. UI returns 41 lettermen and 20 starters — 10 on offense, eight on defense and two on special teams. Idaho features 20 seniors and a collection of other productive players, including junior quarterback Matt Linehan.
Montana State returns nine players who started on defense a season ago and five players offensively from a unit that averaged 41.9 points and 519 yards per game.
QUICK HITS
Location: Moscow, Idaho
Nickname: Vandals
Founded: 1889. Idaho is the state’s oldest public university, as well as the state’s land-grant and primary research institution. From its founding until 1963, the school was the only university in Idaho. UI’s College of Law was established in 1909 and was the first to receive accreditation from the American Bar Association in 1925. The school now offers 30 areas of study with a strong reputation in engineering, agricultural science and education.
Enrollment: The school has 12,493 students between its four campuses, including 10,474 in Moscow. UI has a $241 million endowment.
Stadium: The Kibbie Dome holds 16,000 fans for football games and 7,000 for basketball games. The venue is the second-smallest in all of FBS football. The dome opened originally as an outdoor concrete stadium in 1971. Built on the same site as the demolished wooden Neale Stadium, the school built the dome following the 1974 football season. Idaho averaged 11,846 fans during the 2015 season.
THE TEAM (4-8 in 2015, 3-5 in Sun Belt; September 1 is UI opener)
The Coach: Paul Petrino, fourth season at Idaho. After spending 1995 until 2012 as an FBS assistant — the Butte, MT native made stops as Utah State, Louisville twice, Southern Miss, the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL, Illinois and Arkansas — Petrino took over at Idaho in 2013. That season, Idaho played an FBS independent schedule that included games against No. 23 Fresno State in Moscow, at Ole Miss and at No. 2 Florida State and finished 1-10. The next season, Idaho joined the Sun Belt Conference and won just one game again. Last season, Idaho performed more admirably, posting wins over Wofford, Troy, Louisiana-Monroe and Texas State while narrowly losing to South Alabama (52-45) and New Mexico State (55-48) in overtime.
WHAT TO WATCH — THE OFFENSE
Matt Linehan, quarterback, 6-3, 214, junior — The son of current Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Scott Linehan has posted two of the most productive freshman and sophomore seasons for any quarterback in school history. As a freshman, Linehan threw for 2,540 yards and 11 touchdowns. His 381 yards against Ohio served as a single-game record for a freshman.
Linehan
Last season, Linehan finished 21st in the FBS with 293 yards of total offense per game. He completed 62.5 percent of his passes for 2,972 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also rushed for 234 yards and scored five times on the ground. His yardage total was the fourth-highest in the FBS era for an Idaho quarterback. He is a preseason second-team All-Sun Belt Conference selection.
Linehan threw at least 35 passes in five separate games in Petrino’s up-tempo spread offense. He threw for more than 300 yards against Louisiana-Monroe, New Mexico State, Texas State and South Alabama. Linehan’s 5,512 career passing yards already rank eighth in school history, just 1,506 behind his father for sixth in school history and more than half-way to Doug Nussmeier’s school record of 10,824 set between 1990 and 1993. John Friez, who took over for Scott Linehan following the 1986 season, threw for 10,697 yards.
Scott Linehan backed up former UI All-America Ken Hobart during the 1983 season before taking over in 1984. Scott Linehan’s sophomore and junior seasons were marred by injury but Idaho still won the 1985 Big Sky title, one of nine the Vandals claimed before moving up. In 1986, Scott Linehan threw for 2,954 yards and earned a brief shot with the Dallas Cowboys before transitioning into coaching.
The elder Linehan earned his first coaching job on John. L Smith’s staff at Idaho in 1989. By 1992, he was UI’s offensive coordinator, sparking a successful rise through the coaching ranks that included stops as the OC at Washington and Louisville before joining Mike Tice’s staff as the offensive play-caller for the Minnesota Vikings in 2002. He has coached as the OC for the Miami Dolphins, the Detroit Lions and now the Cowboys. He served as the head coach of the St. Louis Rams from 2006-2008.
Callen Hightower, wide receiver, 5-10, 177, senior — The former junior college transfer proved to be Idaho’s most productive wide receiver in 2015.
Hightower
After transferring from Butler (Kansas) Community College, Hightower hauled in 57 catches for 749 yards and two touchdowns. He caught nine passes for 128 yards against Texas State, caught 10 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown against New Mexico State and caught eight balls for 161 yards, including a 71-yard touchdown against Auburn.
The preseason second-team All-Sun Belt selection earned offers from Mississippi State, Georgia State and Murray State out of Loganville, Georgia. He was the player of the game in the Georgia-Florida high school all-star game following his senior season.
Deon Watson Jr., tight end, 6-2, 222, senior — The son of former Idaho basketball standout Deon Watson, still the school’s all-time leader in rebounds and blocked shots, has been a steady contributor for the Vandals for the last four seasons.
Last season, Watson Jr. had 42 receptions for 551 yards and seven touchdowns. He had seven receptions for 109 yards against South Alabama and a career-high 124 yards on five catches and two touchdowns against Texas State.
As a sophomore, Watson caught 37 balls for 343 yards and a touchdown. As a freshman, the Coeur d’Alene product had 24 catches for 279 yards and a touchdown. Watson’s 103 receptions is two away from breaking into Idaho’s all-time Top 20. With a season like 2015, he would finish in the top five in school history in catches.
Buck Cowan, tight end, 6-3, 224, senior — The former wide receiver made the transition to tight end last season and thrived while splitting time and passes with Watson.
In 2015, Cowan caught 48 passes for 624 yards, the fourth-highest total among FBS tight ends. He scored four touchdowns. He had 10 catches for 118 yards against Auburn.
WHAT TO WATCH — THE DEFENSE
Lupeamanu
Tueni Lupeamanu, defensive line, 6-1, 305, senior — The four-year contributor enters his second full year as a starter.
The powerful interior defensive lineman was named a Polynesian All-America at defensive tackle before the 2016 season. Last fall, he notched 28 tackles, including 24 solo stops, a sack and two tackles for loss. He also notched two quarterback hurries, recovered one fumble and notched one pass breakup.
Kaden Elliss, linebacker, 6-3, 216, sophomore — As a true freshman, the Salt Lake, City native was a bright spot on an otherwise struggling defensive unit.
Last fall, Idaho surrendered 41.5 points per game, allowing nearly 500 yards per outing, including 262 rushing yards per contest.
Ellis did is best to slow the bleeding, notching 83 tackles, including 66 solo tackles, eight tackles for loss and a sack. He was Idaho’s second-leading tackler behind Broc Westlake.
Russell Siavii, safety, 6-2, 220, senior — The Wahaiwa, Hawai’i native enters his final season with 17 career starts at safety.
Last season, he notched 43 tackles, 37 solo tackles, one tackle for loss and a team-high two interceptions while starting all 12 games. As a sophomore, Siavii had 52 tackles, 38 solo tackles and two interceptions.
Dorian Clark, cornerback, 6-0, 182, junior — In his first year as a starter, Clark was Idaho’s most productive cornerback. In 12 starts, he notched 50 tackles, including three tackles for loss and a sack. He had an interception, two fumble recovers and a team-high five pass breakups.
