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Oct. 21—MOSCOW, Idaho — Saturday’s home game against Eastern Washington may determine for 5-3 Idaho, 2-2 in the Big Sky Conference, whether its glass is half empty or half full.
Half empty, and the Vandals’ struggle to defeat Cal Poly (2-5, 1-3) last week should result in a loss against an Eagles team that is better than its record (2-5-1-2), according to Idaho coach Jason Eck, a team that has been able to score prolifically against virtually everyone it has played.
Half full, and an Idaho team depleted by injuries demonstrated the resolve of Vandals reserves to step up, overcome a first-half 14-6 deficit against the Mustangs and withstand their late-game rally to keep Idaho’s goal of a deep playoff run intact. This Vandals team should be able to handle EWU before a desperately needed bye and emerge from the respite with the ability to run the table in its remaining games against Portland State, Weber State and Idaho State and finish 9-3, 6-2 and qualify for a favorable playoff seeding.
“We are ready for a bye week,” Eck acknowledged in a weekly press conference. “We have got to suck it up and get through this one.
“You can throw the records out. This is a big rivalry game,” he said of the impending battle with the Eagles.
EWU’s potent offense has Idaho wary. Eck called senior wide receiver Efton Chism, “probably the best receiver in our conference.” Heading into the Idaho game, Chism has 69 receptions for 750 yards and eight touchdowns.
“They are really trying to get him the ball,” Eck said.
Eck said the Vandals are preparing to face three EWU quarterbacks, seniors Kekoa Visperas, Jared Taylor and Michael Wortham. Visperas “is one of the better quarterbacks in the conference.” Taylor “played well against us last year (in a game Idaho won 44-36),” and with Wortham, “they do a little bit of everything with him,” said…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/idaho-coach-jason-eck-prepares-020300079.html
Author : The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash.
Publish date : 2024-10-22 02:03:00
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