Josh Grissom | Staff Writer
After falling 44-20 in a game dominated by the Georgia Southern option attack, the Idaho Vandals begin a long stretch of road games with a trip to Jonesboro, Arkansas, this weekend.
The matchup pits two of the Sun Belt’s struggling teams against one another, as the two programs both look to gain an edge and improve their position in the conference standings.
The Vandals (1-3) are hoping to rebound following a difficult loss to Georgia Southern last Saturday, when the defense allowed 441 total yards and five rushing touchdowns against the Eagles. The Vandals offense was also suppressed early in the game, only converting two of their third-down attempts the entire game.
Despite the difficulties for the Vandals, there were several positive performances from Idaho’s last two games.
The chemistry between sophomore quarterback Matt Linehan and senior receiver Dezmon Epps was readily apparent Saturday, as the two connected for 165 yards and two touchdowns against the Eagles.
In addition, junior tight end Trent Cowan has developed into a viable offensive threat for the Vandals, catching seven passes for 107 yards and a touchdown in the game against Wofford.
The upcoming opponent for Idaho is a conference foe that also began the season with a rocky start. Arkansas State (1-3) has had five separate coaches in a six-year span, leading to continuity issues that have plagued the program in recent seasons.
However, Arkansas State has reached a bowl game consecutively for four years, which is a testament to the program’s resilience in the face of a consistently changing environment.
Arkansas State has already experienced extreme highs and lows this season, losing to USC by a score of 55-6, but then following it up two weeks later with a 70-7 drubbing of Missouri State. The inconsistent nature of the Red Wolves has made them difficult for the Vandals to gauge heading into the weekend.
The key for Idaho this Saturday will be the presence of a commanding passing attack. Arkansas State has struggled in defending the pass all season, allowing an average of 235.5 passing yards per game.
The Vandals possess a prolific passer in Linehan, who is questionable for Saturday’s game with an injury. He will seek to exploit the holes in the Red Wolves’ secondary if he is declared the starter on Saturday.
After allowing an average of 46.5 points this season, the Idaho defense looks to redefine its image and develop a successful game plan to stifle the Arkansas State offense.
The Vandals have had relative success defending against the pass this season, and will be aided by the fact that they face a sputtering Red Wolves offense that has barely averaged 200 passing yards per game.
All eyes will be on Linehan this weekend as he faces an inconsistent Arkansas State defense.
If Idaho is able to produce a commanding passing attack early in the game, then the team has a great chance of coming away with a victory Saturday.
However, if the Vandals allow the Red Wolves to develop an offensive rhythm, then it is likely that Idaho will kick off the long stretch of road games with a grueling loss in Jonesboro.
Josh Grissom can be reached at [email protected]