Spring football came and went, ending with a 70-20 spring game blowout April 19.
The scrimmage can be a good indicator of what players will be able to do next season and what improvements players have made since last season.
The format of the scrimmage was the first team offense versus the second team defense and the second team offense versus the first team defense.
While it is a normal setup for a spring game, it may not be an ideal approach to gauge the talent of the current team. It was puzzling to see how starters on both sides of the ball against bench players will truly show how the team can perform.
Braedon Cain
It is understandable the desire to reduce the risk of injury in a no-stakes game — something that has plagued the Vandals in the past. However, it looks more like an opportunity for head coach Paul Petrino to give him and his team an ego boost, watching the first team offense score 70 points against a bunch of players who have seen little to no real game action.
It is the same for the defense, who for the most part, dominated the second team offense. But they still gave up 20 points to the second-string squad, which is almost alarming.
The defense lost some key players from last year, but that doesn’t warrant allowing third-string quarterback Nikhil Nayar to throw a pair of touchdown passes against a defensive secondary with the most returning experience for the Vandal defense.
But it was far from all negative.
Quarterbacks Colton Richardson and Mason Petrino split reps for the game, both showing signs of improvement from this past fall. Wideout’s Cutrell Haywood and Jeff Cotton proved they will be the biggest threats for Idaho next season. The Vandals put more trust in the run game last season after the departure of three-year starter quarterback Matt Linehan, reducing the number of downfield passes in the offense. Plus, with a workhorse running back like Isaiah Saunders, this offensive trend of running the ball made sense.
On to the opposite side of the ball, the defense has a lot of new faces but some promising ones. Linebacker Robert Miller, a junior-college transfer from Mississippi Community College, showcased his ability to cover well in the passing game and utilize his somewhat smaller frame with speed and agility. Miller could pass as a “nickel-back” type player for the Vandals next year being a hybrid between defensive back and linebacker. Continuing with the linebacking core, Charles Akanno and Tre Walker punished the run game during the scrimmage with big hits and tackles for loss. Both Akanno and Walker were split out as defensive ends on some plays displaying their pass rush ability, which is always a major bonus for a defense.
And for the defensive backs, returning starters Jalen Hoover rand Lloyd Hightower proved their ability to cover receivers in the passing game and let their experience dictate their play for the game. Sedrick Thomas also played very well catching an interception early in the first quarter. The secondary for the defense will be the unit with the most experience heading into next year.
It is likely amuch better season is in store for the Vandals second year in the Big Sky, with a high probability of snatching a winning record, making Vandal fans and faithful alike very happy by the end of the season.
Braedon Cain can be reached at [email protected]