The Idaho football team had a lot of holes to fill on its roster throughout the offseason after the departure of head coach Jason Eck and various key role players from 2024. One of the things Vandal fans anxiously anticipated was how the 2025 offense would look with a new quarterback leading the way.
Joshua Wood, a dual-threat transfer from Fresno State, won the starting job and immediately made his mark in his first game in the P1FCU Kibbie Dome. Along with Montana running back Eli Gillman, Wood was named the Big Sky Conference co-offensive player of the week after compiling 368 total yards and four total touchdowns. Wood led the Vandals to their first win under head coach Thomas Ford Jr. in a scrappy 37-30 win against St. Thomas.
“I definitely think having a guy that’s as dynamic as him, both running and throwing, is going to help us throughout the season the rest of the way,” Ford said in a press conference.
While Wood immediately became a ground threat in his first Idaho game against Washington State as part of an offense that was already known for running the ball, he looked exponentially more comfortable slinging the rock in the home opener. After only being called to throw 20 pass attempts in Pullman, Wood completed 20 passes for 281 yards and three passing touchdowns against St. Thomas.
“It felt great,” Wood said in press conference. “The running backs opened up chances for me. The guys in our receiving room stepped up, and I just have to put balls in the right place so that they can step up and make plays.”
Wood’s top three targets in the game each caught at least five passes and combined for 253 receiving yards. Not only did he display his chemistry with these receivers, but he also had several deep connections with them. Ryan Jezioro, Tony Harste and Emmerson Cortez-Menjivar each had a catch of 37 yards or longer.
While the St. Thomas game was a statement showing from Wood in the passing game, it was his second consecutive game as Idaho’s leading rusher. He was over 100 yards in week one and he had 87 in week two, including a late 59-yard touchdown run to seal the win for the Vandals. Wood’s ability to hurt defenses in a variety of ways will be one of the offense’s primary strengths down the road in Big Sky play.
Liam Bradford can be reached at [email protected].