Every time Idaho coach Paul Petrino blew his whistle, Josh McCain and Dezmon Epps would hit the plunge to the ground, get back up and continue running laps down the sideline. The top two wide receivers on the Idaho depth chart were getting some extra hands-on work with their head coach, following Wednesday’s practice at the Kibbie Dome. Over to the corner of the West endzone were the two quarterbacks, Chad Chalich and Matt Linehan, getting extra work in with quarterbacks coach Bryce Erickson.
Across from the quarterbacks at the other endzone was sophomore kicker Austin Rehkow, working with offensive coordinator Kris Cinkovich on his technique of running up to the ball on field goals.
These coaches will only get four more practices and opportunities for hands-on work like this before the April 25 Silver and Gold Scrimmage. One of those opportunities is the final scrimmage on Saturday, where Petrino will likely to run the Vandals through another 150-plus plays.
“It’s just another chance first of all for us to get a whole bunch more reps, and there’s some guys or two that’s really close. The competition is really tight so, just another day for us to go out there, get better,” Petrino said.
The second-year coach will have plenty to mull over after the third scrimmage when it comes to his depth chart, in which multiple positions are tightly contested. The offensive line, defensive line, secondary and linebacker spots are some of the most competitive positions.
The previous scrimmage began the movement on the depth chart.
“It just made a couple things a little tighter. A couple guys on the offensive line stepped up a little more than the others,” Petrino said.
At the depth chart position with the most attention on it, the quarterbacks, there hasn’t been enough movement for Petrino to make a decision. He’s likely to wait until the fall to name a starter between sophomore Chalich and redshirt freshman Linehan.
“I thought maybe I was going to (name a starter in spring), but it’s too close so it won’t be happening,” Petrino said.
Through two scrimmages, the Vandals have run nearly four games’ worth of plays between the first and second team offense and defense. The third should present more of the same — a scrimmage where “halftime will come around two hours after the start of it.
To one junior defensive end, it will be a telling sign of which players the Vandals will be able to count on when the fourth quarter comes around on Saturdays this fall.
“It gets pretty taxing on the body with as many plays as we go and the way we practice,” Quinton Bradley said. “We need to see who’s going to be out there with you, who’s going to fight with you, who’s not going to give up. It’s just a way to see who’s there for you, how we’ve come together as a team, that’s what I think it’s about.”
Sean Kramer can be reached at [email protected]