Football: Ambitious beginnings

After four years with quarterback Matt Linehan, the presence of the new quarterback on campus did not go unnoticed.

Sophomore quarterback Colton Richardson made a splash on the Idaho scene when he arrived on campus last fall, all before showcasing his talents late in the 2017 season.

Richardson said his humble upbringing in the neighboring town of Lewiston shaped him into the player he one day wants to become. His passion for the sport is nothing new.

“From when I was born I always had a football in my hand and would play catch in the living room with my dad from as long as I could remember,” Richardson said.

Beginning with tackle football in the third grade, throughout his childhood Richardson said he always had a strong connection with Idaho football.

“Some of our home games would be up here in the Kibbie Dome,” Richardson said. “I’ve played here my whole life pretty much and have always enjoyed it.”

The bright lights of the Kibbie Dome always interested Richardson as a kid.

“When I was younger from third to sixth grade, the championship games would always be here,” Richardson said. “You feel like you’re playing in a big NFL stadium when you’re that young so that was pretty fun.”

After a life chock-full of football, the possibility of playing at the next level did not look like a reality in one window of time, Richardson said.

“Toward the end of my senior year my chances were going downhill,” Richardson said. “I had great stats through- out high school, but I just wasn’t getting the looks.

His trajectory toward a collegiate career began to change when he caught the at- tention of Idaho Head Coach Paul Petrino.

“Coach (Petrino) believed in me and gave me a chance,” Richardson said.

When he arrived on campus, learning behind the likes of Linehan and former quarterback A.J Wooden helped Rich- ardson catch on to the Idaho football ways.

Coming into the season as a redshirt freshman, Richardson said he didn’t think his debut would come so soon.

After Linehan went down late in the 2017 season, then sophomore quarterback Mason Petrino was up next to start and that is when Richardson started to realize his redshirt may be burned.

“Before the New Mexico State game, I was thinking there is no way. We weren’t going to

a bowl game and thought they would just put (Wooden) in.” Richardson said. “Me, Mason and (Wooden) sat there and we kept talking about it. I wanted to keep my redshirt, but if I had to play I was going to and I wanted to.”

A brief period of time went by before the younger Petrino went down during the game, leaving only two quarterbacks on the depth chart.

Seeing an ailing Petrino on the sideline, Richardson said he thought his foray into Idaho football could be a possibil- ity, but still assumed Wooden would be taking the snaps ahead of him.

“Then I was told ‘Colton go throw.’ I still didn’t think it would happen because I thought that Mason was going back in,” Richardson said. “Then I hear Coach Petrino say ‘Colton get over here.’ I went and running out there I was thinking, ‘Well, here it goes.’”

Nerves sat in quickly for Richardson before he finally started to get comfortable, despite the final outcome of the game not as desired.

“My hands were shaking throughout the first drive,” Richardson said. “After that first drive I went back in and (Linehan) and (Wooden) just told me to calm down and relax. I started to feel more calm and as the game went on I felt better and better.”