The Idaho football team surprised the Sun Belt Conference last season, finishing with a 4-8 record and winning three conference games.
But the stakes are much higher for the Vandals this fall. The team was left without a conference after Sun Belt officials declined a contract extension with the university in March.
After two months with an unclear future, Idaho President Chuck Staben announced that the Vandal football team would join the Big Sky Conference at the conclusion of the 2017 season. The transition marks a drop from the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) to the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
With two years remaining in college football’s highest division, the Vandals enter 2016 with the goal of reaching the program’s first bowl game in seven years.
Junior quarterback Matt Linehan will lead the Idaho offense after sitting out the spring with a lingering foot injury. The junior finished the 2015 season just shy of 3,000 passing yards, tossing 16 touchdowns with a 63.4 completion percentage.
The statistics earned the quarterback a spot on the All-Sun Belt Preseason Team, along with senior kicker Austin Rehkow and senior wide receiver Callen Hightower.
Although Linehan has been taking reps during practice, he said he is not quite back to his earlier form.
“I’m getting there,” Linehan said. “I’m almost there, I’m still sort of feeling like I’m a couple steps away from being totally back, but nothing’s holding me back right now from doing everything, so I’m about as confident as I can be and ready for the season.”
Linehan said he has to remain aware of his previous injury but avoid hesitation on the field.
“I think there’s an aspect of that you have to focus on,” he said.
“But if you focus more on your own safety, I think that’s really going to hold you back. So I’ve just got to go out and play like I know how to play, protect myself, but continue to make plays the way I know I can.”
Recent injuries have also affected the Vandal backfield. Redshirt freshman Denzal Brantley and sophomore Isaiah Saunders did not participate in Tuesday’s practice, while junior Aaron Duckworth wore a no-contact red shirt.
“It concerns you a little bit, I think the good thing is that none of them are any injuries that are season-long,” Idaho head coach Paul Petrino said. “I think they’ll all be back by the first game.”
With the backfield core limited on Tuesday, senior wide receiver Jordan Frysinger took reps at running back.
“He’s been working really hard, he was a running back in high school so I think he can help there,” Petrino said. “He’s been doing a good job and playing really well.”
Junior running back Doug Coman and redshirt linebacker Zach Bafus also saw time at the position during Tuesday’s practice.
“The depth always concerns you as the head coach, because a couple of those guys could get nixed and you get worried,” Petrino said. “Right now it concerns me, but I think we’ll end up being okay.”
Linebackers senior Khalin Smith, redshirt sophomore Tony Lashley and sophomore Kaden Elliss also did not participate on Tuesday.
“They should be good in a couple of days, they should be fine,” Petrino said. “Sometimes you have some guys miss a couple of days and it ends up being a really good thing because it gives you more depth.”
The absence of the trio allowed freshman safety Ty Graham to spend a significant amount of time with the first-team defense.
“A freshman coming in at any level, they usually don’t have that opportunity to come and shine that quickly in my mind,” Idaho inside linebackers coach Troy Purcell said. “Ty Graham showed up the first day and he understands.”
Graham signed a national letter-of-intent with the Vandal football team after earning Great Northern League Defensive Player of the Year honors with Cheney High School in 2015.
“He just has great effort and a great motor,” Purcell said. “Right now he’s flying around and getting it done, it’s just real impressive to see. He’s making a few freshman mistakes here and there, but he’s battling and getting better.”
Petrino said a positive aspect from recent practices has been the energy level from his players.
“It’s way better than it’s ever been in the past, but our expectations are way higher than they’ve ever been,” Petrino said. “They slipped a little bit, but I think for the most part they’ve been working really hard and focusing really well this fall camp.”
Josh Grissom can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @GoshJrissom