MOSCOW, Idaho – The University of Idaho heads into preseason camp with three seasons of momentum, the legacy of Jason Eck’s short era as Vandals’ coach.
In that time, Idaho was 26-13 overall, 18-6 in the Big Sky with fourth, second and third finishes respectively in the conference. The Vandals made three Football Championship Subdivision playoff appearances and reached the quarterfinals in 2023 and 2024. Idaho also posted wins over Football Bowl Subdivision members Nevada and Wyoming, of the Mountain West Conference, and it gave Washington State and Oregon stern tests.
But Eck has moved on to the University of New Mexico, and in the Big Sky preseason coaches and media polls the Vandals are expected to slide under new coach Thomas Ford Jr.
Coaches have Idaho finishing fifth, and the media has the Vandals fourth.
The big question to be answered in camp is whether the predictors are correct or if past performance forecast continued success.
Here are three things to watch that will bear the answer.
Is Joshua Wood the answer at quarterback?
Ford has all but awarded the starting job to Wood, a redshirt sophomore transfer from Fresno State, saying it would be a surprise if he’s not the top QB. Wood threw for a touchdown and ran for another score for Fresno in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, and after Ford went through spring ball with redshirt sophomores Nick Josifek and Jack Wagner battling it out to start, the Vandals’ coach apparently thought the position could benefit from an upgrade.
Ford says Wood hit the ground running in Moscow this summer and has both mastered Idaho’s offense and emerged as a team leader in summer workouts. Camp will be his opportunity to show he is the answer. He has a pair of experienced running backs in seniors Elisha Cummings and Nate Thomas to rely on as well as…
Source link : http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/jul/28/things-to-watch-will-idaho-qb-joshua-wood-run-away/
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Publish date : 2025-07-29 02:04:00
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