For a team desperately calling for leadership, the Idaho Vandals sure aren’t getting a lot of it from their sideline.
After suffering their first shutout of the season, a 42-0 loss to Palouse rival Washington State, Idaho coach Paul Petrino shook Mike Leach’s hand with choice words neither coach cared to repeat in postgame media sessions.
But based on video footage available online, it was clear that Petrino was the instigator, making it even more evident that a man who’s coached the game at the highest level still has a substantial learning curve ahead of him.
The confrontation with Leach comes a week after Petrino was flagged for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that cost the Vandals 12 yards after Idaho had already gifted Northern Illinois 15 from a personal foul by Bradley Njoku.
Petrino has had a difficult time clearing the maturity hurdle. Fielding one of the youngest squads Idaho has seen in recent history, it’s only a matter of time before the attitude from the sideline becomes detrimental to the program — if it hasn’t already. A program that is desperately seeking respect from its FBS counterparts.
It’s obvious that Petrino’s style isn’t meshing with the culture that was built in Moscow during Robb Akey’s tenure. Akey, a charismatic figure who maintains strong relationships with his ex-players as well as the Moscow community, was the traditional people’s person.
Idaho doesn’t get that with Petrino, something that must have been evident when hiring the ex-Arkansas offensive coordinator.
What Idaho got is someone who has X’s and O’s engrained into his skull — a man who lives and breathes the sport he manages on fall Saturdays. And in terms of on-field management, Petrino has exhibited flashes of promise. Sure, a good chunk of those came against Northern Illinois, but they were existent nonetheless.
What Idaho finds itself still calling for is a person who can build comradery around a team that may have already drowned in its overwhelming early-season deficit. Petrino has yet to fill that void.
A core group of leaders has yet to emerge, as is expected with a team consisting heavily of true freshmen and junior college transfers.
Like any program building from the bottom up, a first-year coach won’t transform into the man fans want to see overnight. Petrino isn’t expected to do that, but he’s sent a few signals that would lead some to believe this program is going backward in a hurry, rather than forward.
Granted, I’m not one of those people, but I’m a strong believer in the trickling effect that the leadership at the top can have on a football team, negatively and positively.
If unsportsmanlike conduct calls and post game verbal scuffles become a theme, that type of leadership won’t translate well.
And with the young group that Petrino has on his hands, demonstrating poise should come before perfecting the dual-quarterback system.
Theo Lawson can be reached at [email protected]