For the first time this season, the Vandals defense played a near-perfect game.
The problem for the University of Idaho football team and coach Robb Akey was it looked as though the offense was left in Moscow.
The 21-20 overtime loss Saturday afternoon the University of Virginia Cavaliers (3-2) dropped the Vandals to 1-4 on the season going into this weekend’s Homecoming game against La. Tech.
The Vandals battled through three time zone changes and a hostile environment to push the game into overtime after trailing 14-0 after the first quarter. The Idaho defense then went on to play it’s best game of the season, not allowing Virginia to score again in regulation.
“I think our defense played some things very, very well in this game,” Akey said. “Our defense allowed those two touchdowns early on, and then played pretty stout from there on. They played a very good game overall.”
The Vandals were able to tighten up the game going into halftime after kicker Trey Farquhar nailed two field goals from 19 and 42 yards in the second quarter, and the UI special teams squad was able to block and force a miss on two Cavalier field goal attempts.
Throughout the game, the Vandal offense struggled to establish consistency. Senior quarterback Brian Reader was 17-41 through the air, for one touchdown and two interceptions. Running back Princeton McCarty led the team with 14 carries for 90 yards on the ground, and receiver Mike Scott led the team in receptions, catching five passes for 74 yards. Virginia accumulated 496 total yards compared to the Vandals’ 296.
“We needed to see more from the offense this week. We needed eight points to tie that ball game up, and our offense couldn’t do it,” Akey said.
The game-changing play came courtesy of two UI walk-ons, Justin Hernandez and Daniel Micheletti, when Hernandez came off the edge on a Virginia punt and was able to pick the ball off the boot of Cavalier punter Jimmy Howell. The ball bounced straight into the hands of Micheletti who ran it in from four yards out. Reader then found receiver Marsel Posey in the flat on the two-point conversion attempt to tie the game up at 14-14 with 3:11 left in the game.
“Both Hernandez and Micheletti are busting their tails for us,” Akey said. “And they are both two of the hardest workers on our football team.”
For the punt-block, Hernandez was awarded WAC special teams player of the week honors.
Both teams had another shot to win the game in regulation, but punts from both sides bled the clock to zero and overtime.
After winning the coin toss, UI decided to play defense first, but Virginia was able to score on third and goal with a 28-yard screen pass. Virginia added the extra point to go up 21-14.
Idaho’s OT offense started with two downs and no progress, leaving Reader with a third and eight from the 23. Virginia put strong pressure on Reader who lofted a ball over the heads of two Cavalier defenders and into the hands of Armauni Johnson for the first offensive touchdown of the game.
Akey decided to forgo kicking an extra point and go for the win right away with the team’s second two-point-conversion attempt of the game. Reader was pressured again and lobbed a ball toward tight end Michael LaGrone. This time, the ball fell to the ground, ending the game.
“We went down there to win the football game,” Akey said. “One thing I stressed was to lay everything out on the line during the game, and our boys did that. We had the chance to win the game, and we went for it. It was an easy decision to make, and had we made that catch everyone would be happy with our team.”
Akey said that even though his team played a solid and full football game, the team and coaching staff is still unhappy with the outcome.
“It’s a team game out there. It’s the team’s responsibility to go out there and win the game, and the team is very upset,” Akey said. “That’s the only way to put it. We’re all upset and disappointed.”
The Vandals return to the action at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Kibbie Dome where they face La. Tech who fell 44-26 to Hawaii last weekend in Ruston, La.