Idaho’s record gives a perfect snapshot into the first half of the season, but Idaho coach Robb Akey said it is time to leave it behind.
The Vandals will attempt to do just that at 2 p.m. Saturday when they take on Hawaii in the Kibbie Dome.
“The stuff in the past … it’s gotta be history,” Akey said.
In the week leading up to Saturday, Akey closed practice completely, including to the media. He said he needs his players focused on regaining confidence and beating Hawaii.
“In life, and in everything that you do, pay attention to what you can do. Everybody is so damn negative,” Akey said. “I want (the players) to pay attention to what it is we’re trying to do. What it is that we’re capable of doing.”
Idaho has shown it is capable of competing, but has yet to close out close games. Akey said he believes Hawaii is similar to previous opponents with a quarterback that will test the Idaho defense.
“They’ve got one of the best quarterbacks around — (Bryant) Moniz — the guy’s a stud,” Akey said. “I see a good football team in Hawaii. I see a team that I’ve got a lot of respect for.”
Moniz has proved himself as a dual threat quarterback who can carve up opposing defenses with his arm and legs. Halfway through the season, Moniz has already accumulated 2,324 all-purpose yards and 19 touchdowns — 13 passing and six rushing — with just four interceptions.
“His running beat Colorado — sealed the New Mexico State game, alone,” Akey said. “He’s very talented. He’s got good wide-outs to get the ball, too. When you throw the ball that many times a game, that’s big-play
potential.”
Akey said the whole team is physical, but especially on defense. Hawaii linebacker Aaron Brown said physicality is always in the game plan.
“We’re physical. We’re all gonna run to the ball, sideline to sideline. That’s what we try to do. Just be ball hawks out there and just play with aggression,” Brown said.
Brown gave credit to the Idaho offense saying it
has potential to do everything well.
“They disguise what they’re doing by the formation that they have,” Brown said. “They have a great running back, he’s a physical running back. Great receivers, they have No. 1 — Justin Veltung, my little brother.”
Brown and Veltung went to Puyallup High School in Puyallup, Wash. and were both recruited to Idaho among other area schools.
Brown said the Hawaii staff has prepared and scouted for Idaho quarterback Brian Reader in the No. 1 spot, something Akey has not wavered from.
“Our coaches told us that he’s gonna start,” Brown said. “I think maybe he’s thrown 10 touchdowns, or maybe nine, and seven interceptions. Obviously there’s room to make plays and we’ve just been focusing on that.”
Akey said Reader should have more confidence after the New Mexico State loss because for a majority of the game, the offense executed well.
“He’s got confidence in his ability or he wouldn’t be a Division 1 player,” Akey said. “I look at a guy that is a damn good player. I’ve said that for a long, long time. And I maintain that he’s going to finish things in a strong way.”
Hawaii faces a unique challenge in that it travels more than every team in the country nearly every year, something Brown said Hawaii is prepared for.
“It’s tough at times to travel to away games, but we’ve traveled so much this year,” Brown said. “It’s gonna be loud. It’s enclosed. So we just gotta prepare for that. And you just gotta stay focused and execute what we need to do in those away games.”
Hawaii coach Greg McMackin said playing in an environment like the Kibbie Dome is something the team is ready to handle.
“It’s just like any dome,” McMackin said. “I coached there a long time ago when I was starting out. It can get noisy in there, but that’s what you got to do when you are on the road — keep the noise down and stay on top of them. It’s a neat facility — I always thought it was a nice facility.”
McMackin said the team’s goal is to start fast and stay on the gas pedal.
“You always want to start on top. When we go away, that’s our philosophy — we want to take over the stadium,” McMackin said. “The crowd is going to be on us when we are going in and you have to feed off of that. … at a certain point when you get on them, they are going to be quiet … Then, hopefully, a little later they’ll be walking out of the stadium and really be quiet.”
During the bye week, Akey said some of the players that were banged up took the time get healthy. He said Michael Cosgrove, Benson Mayowa and Jordan Johnson will be able to have a more full-time role Saturday.
Akey said the matchup is an opportunity to finish the season on a positive note.
“Obviously we’ve been on the furthest you can get from hot,” Akey said. “We’re as cold as the damn ice cubes in the freezer the way things have been going. If we get that thing switched, we could be the team to get hot. That’s why I had the blowtorch out all this week.”