‘We took a huge step’: Idaho continues to improve in second year under Jason Eck

MOSCOW, Idaho – Idaho’s football team lived up to the expectations this season. There’s no question about that.

It’d also be fair to say that the Vandals surpassed expectations this year.

Coming into the season, Idaho fans had high hopes for their team. Big Sky Conference and Football Championship Subdivision media members considered Idaho a fast-rising program that had the potential to make some noise in one of the top conferences in the nation, and claim a postseason berth for the second consecutive season.

The Vandals did just that – plus a bit more.

Idaho was expected to be a Big Sky/FCS playoff contender in its second year under coach Jason Eck. The Vandals went a step further, emerging as one of the top squads in the nation.

Idaho came up just one win shy of sharing the Big Sky title. The Vandals earned a top-four seed in the FCS playoff bracket, and made a run to the quarterfinal round for the fifth time in program history.

A 30-22 loss to fifth-seeded Albany last weekend in the Kibbie Dome ended Idaho’s season. The Vandals went 9-4 overall and 6-2 against Big Sky competition.

“I think we took another huge step,” said Eck, who led Idaho to a 7-5 record in 2021, when the Vandals bowed out of the FCS playoffs in the first round. “The seniors who are moving on have a lot to be proud of from what we’ve been able to accomplish these past two years.”

Eck’s Vandals restored enthusiasm to the fan base. Idaho averaged nearly 11,000 fans per home game this year. The Vandals averaged about 9,000 fans per home game in 2022 and just over 6,000 the year before. The Kibbie Dome hosted two sellout crowds this season – it’d been 13 years since the dome had seen a sellout.

Postseason games returned to Moscow after a 30-year hiatus. Idaho opened its playoff run with a 20-17 overtime win at home against Southern Illinois in the second round.

“Our fans need to start training themselves for weekends in December, keeping those weekends free,” Eck said. “I plan on having a lot more playoff games in the Kibbie Dome over the next few years. They should be proud of this team. They brought a lot of pride to this university and a lot of great exposure, and we gotta keep building.”

Idaho was a Big Sky/FCS power during its heyday in the 1980s and ’90s. The program moved to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 1996 and had five winning seasons during its 22-year stay in the FBS. The Vandals moved back to the Big Sky in 2018 and spent four years in the depths of FCS obscurity before breaking through last year. The 2023 season proved that Idaho has fully re-established itself as a top-tier program in the Big Sky/FCS ranks.

A star-studded corps of skill players headlined the Vandals’ season. Quarterback Gevani McCoy, tailback Anthony Woods, and receivers Hayden Hatten and Jermaine Jackson all landed on the All-Big Sky team.

McCoy, a sophomore, passed for 2,910 yards and 15 touchdowns against eight interceptions. Woods rushed for 1,182 yards and 16 touchdowns – tied for fourth in single-season program history. Hatten, a fifth-year Vandal, amassed 1,231 receiving yards and nine touchdowns, pushing his program record receiving TD total to 33. Jackson, a fourth-year Vandal, had 593 receiving yards and one TD, and added two return touchdowns.

The Vandals will have to replace almost all of their power on offense.

McCoy, Woods and No. 3 receiver Terez Traynor (370 yards, two TDs) all entered the transfer portal earlier this week. It’s hard to blame them. They’ll probably be recruited by FBS schools and offered financial incentives through name, image and likeness (NIL) deals.

Hatten, an AP All-American and one of the best receivers in program history, has one year of eligibility remaining, but he’s apparently deciding to move on. He’ll end his career with 3,449 receiving yards on 244 catches – he ranks No. 2 in program history in both categories.

“I’m proud that I’m able to say I played five years at the University of Idaho and truly found a second home outside of Phoenix,” Hatten said after the loss to Albany. “I came to this university with 45 (other recruits). Six of us stayed all five years – my twin brother (long snapper Hogan Hatten) being one of them. It’s very sad, but it’s an accomplishment. I set out to play college football. This is my dream, and being able to live it and being a Vandal has been me living my dream.”

Jackson is out of eligibility. He recorded 1,687 receiving yards, six receiving TDs and four return TDs during his time at Idaho. He’s being targeted by the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League, according to a report from 3DownNation.

The Vandals will need to recruit some receivers during the offseason. As of now, they’re only bringing back one notable receiver – Jordan Dwyer, who logged 328 yards and four TDs as a redshirt freshman this year.

With Woods and senior Nick Romano (519 yards, four TDs) on the way out, Idaho’s running back room is thin. But the Vandals will likely promote Elisha Cummings, who sat out this year after recording 579 yards and six TDs from scrimmage as a sophomore in 2022.

As for Idaho’s quarterback situation, the Vandals may have found their new starter. Eck is high on sophomore Jack Layne, who starred in the Vandals’ regular-season finale. Layne tied a single-game program record with six touchdown passes in Idaho’s blowout win over Idaho State on Nov. 18.

“I think he’s the best backup quarterback I’ve ever been around, as far as a guy who’s really smart, really works his tail off, is committed and a guy you can really trust,” Eck said after that game.

Up front, Idaho will enjoy consistency next season. The Vandals are set to return all but one of their six main offensive linemen. The group, made up of mostly freshmen and sophomores, was up and down this season, allowing 32 sacks (87th in the FCS). But the young line gained valuable experience this year, and should be improved in 2024.

Overall, it was a solid year for the Idaho offense. The Vandals ranked in the top 20 nationally in total offense (417.7 yards per game), scoring offense (32.3 points per game) and passing offense (257.9 yards per game). But considering its players, Idaho’s offense could have been better. The Vandals failed to score more than 30 points in six of their last seven games, and their ground game had a few tough outings.

It’ll be interesting to see how the Vandals rebuild on offense.

Idaho won’t have to overhaul its defense, but the unit will need to find a new leader.

Defensive coordinator Rob Aurich, who spent two years at Idaho, is heading to San Diego State to coach edge rushers, according to multiple reports Thursday.

So it’s good news that only a few key players are leaving the program – All-American cornerback Marcus Harris, who’s transferring out for his final season of eligibility; middle linebacker Tre Thomas, who led the team in tackles (81) in his final season of eligibility; safety Murvin Kenion III, a two-year starter; and senior edge rusher Tylen Coleman, who recorded four sacks in his only season at Idaho.

The Vandals are set to return most of their other defensive backs, including standout safety Tommy McCormick and starting cornerback Ormanie Arnold, who had a breakout season in 2023.

Idaho will bring back a deep and talented group of linebackers, headlined by Xe’ree Alexander. As a true freshman this year, Alexander flashed star potential, finishing second on the team with 75 tackles.

The Vandals rotated seven or eight defensive linemen in most games this year, and the majority of them are likely coming back. Some of the Vandals’ best defensive linemen are still young, such as sophomore edge Keyshawn James-Newby and freshman tackle Dallas Afalava, both of whom had five sacks this year.

The Vandals’ defense experienced some growing pains as its young players developed, but the unit was a pleasant surprise this season, finishing in the top 25 in total defense (306.8 yards per game) and passing defense (182.2 yards per game). Idaho will presumably be looking for an experienced linebacker and cornerback in the transfer portal this offseason.

The Vandals will also need a new kicker/punter. Ricardo Chavez is graduating after an All-American season.

There’s plenty of work to do, but as Eck said on multiple occasions, “The future is bright for Idaho football.”

The team has a talented corps of underclassmen and a rejuvenated fan base.

The program has established itself as a winner and an attractive destination in the FCS under its proven coach.