For better or for worse, the dynamic in the landscape of collegiate athletics has changed dramatically in the past four years. With the NCAA allowing its players the opportunity to make money through their own name, image and likeness (NIL), college athletes are constantly looking for better opportunities.
The common consensus among college athletes is that they deserve to be paid for the hard work and effort they put in on a daily basis. Vandals’ offensive lineman Nate Azzopardi is one such player who feels that athletes deserve a portion of the money that they make for their schools and for the NCAA. Azzopardi, however, also feels that “chemistry and relationships matter.”
With players often looking for chances to increase their income, it is difficult being a Division I FCS program, especially in football, where the NIL opportunities in Power 5 conferences are abundant. Under Head Coach Jason Eck, Idaho made the FCS playoffs in all three of his seasons at the helm. However, this success inevitably led to a plethora of departures of key personnel from the 2024 team when Eck signed with New Mexico and took several players with him.
With a head coaching vacancy in Moscow, the Vandals quickly named former Running Backs Coach Thomas Ford Jr. as the 37th head coach in school history. Ford is a prestigious recruiter who helped land a handful of current players during his time on the staff in 2022 and 2023.
Ford attributes his recruiting skills to his honesty and transparency with recruits and their families. He does not sugarcoat anything; he simply tells it as it is, and players seem to appreciate that. Ford’s straightforward attitude has made a lasting impact on his players.
“He was always real with me, and I appreciated that,” Azzopardi said. “I respect Coach Ford a lot, and he’s shown belief in me from the jump, even when others didn’t.”
Ford is well aware of the challenges of recruiting in today’s college football landscape, and he stresses the importance of role players staying put and developing team chemistry.
“I am under the guise of ‘If you’re not going to go make six figures to play at an FBS school, then you should stay here and help us win a championship.’ This is somewhere where we can win and be a part of something bigger than ourselves,” Ford said. “If our guys have a great experience here in Moscow, it gives them less reason to want to leave.”
The 2024 Vandals won 10 games, including a home playoff win, and were consistently one of the top teams in the Big Sky. As expected in the NIL era, after such a successful season, the Vandals anticipated having to replace a handful of its top players.
“You’ve got to probably plan to lose around 10 guys each year, but that’s a testament to the development we have here in our program,” Ford said. “We have a ton of kids on this roster that could totally play at FBS schools.”
This year’s list of key departures includes game-changers like Jordan Dwyer, Mark Hamper, Keyshawn James-Newby, Jaxton Eck, Deshaun Buchanan, Zach Johnson, Ayden Knapik, Dallas Afalava, Diezel Wilkinson and others. All of these players transferred to FBS programs, with Dwyer, Hamper, Johnson, Knapik and Afalava all joining Power 5 programs, while most of the other transfers followed Eck to Albuquerque.
While Ford understands that the team faces an uphill battle this offseason, he is enthusiastically looking forward to the future of this program. He has coached at all levels of college football and embraces the high level of competition in the Big Sky. The ultimate goal for the Vandals is to win the Big Sky for the first time since 1992, something Ford is confident his team can do.
“The last 10 years have really shaped my outlook on what it takes to be a successful head coach,” Ford said. “The number one thing that I have learned is to delegate. Hire really good people and let them do their jobs.”
His prior coaching experience has put Ford in a lot of rebuilding situations, and he has made it clear that Idaho is not rebuilding. He is confident in the system, especially after keeping Matt Linehan, whose familiarity with the offense will be critical to how smooth of a transition this offseason ends up being.
“I know this place has everything you could possibly ask for to be successful at the FCS level,” Ford said. “The way to do it is having a process-oriented mentality. There are a lot of battles to be won before we ever actually step on the field.”
Ford has a special appreciation for Vandal football and the P1FCU Kibbie Dome. He says the magic of the dome and the impact it has on the fanbase, which he claims is the best in the FCS, made it easy for Ford to return to Moscow.
“The Kibbie Dome is the coolest place I’ve ever played in,” Ford said. “There is just something special about the dome. Maybe it’s the floating goalposts, maybe it is the lack of wind and perfect conditions, but when that dome is packed, and the Vandal Nation is rocking, I mean, there are not a lot of places more special than the Kibbie Dome.”
“I think what Idaho football has meant specifically to the Palouse is just a place of belonging,” Ford said. “Regardless of the outcome of the game, the Vandals are going to play really hard, and it is going to be a lot of fun to watch. It is a brand of entertainment that is just different than anything else in the area.”
Ford is the first African American head coach in program history, a significant milestone for the school and the football community. Ford acknowledges the importance of representation, and he hopes to inspire younger people with similar coaching aspirations.
“Whether I was black, brown, green or orange, I was the right person. Obviously, it is a bit overwhelming when you look at the perspective of it, the gravity of it, but I think for me, I am just so blessed to be able to wear that hat. There could be 10 black coaches to come after me, but I was the first, so the significance is not lost on me at all.”
Ford’s message to Vandal fans? The blueprint is set. A team coached by Ford is going to play physical, hard and smart. A catchphrase coined by Eck that Ford has adopted is, “We can’t let the Vandals beat the Vandals.”
With so many new faces, a veteran presence is an extremely key step towards success for Idaho. It all starts in the trenches with the offensive line, which is led by three-time captain Azzopardi, who Ford says, “embodies what it means to be a Vandal.”
Azzopardi plays a crucial role in mentoring a young group of linemen, a role that he claims would not be his if it had not been for Eck’s impact on him.
“He honestly changed my life,” Azzopardi said. “I would not be here where I am today as a leader and football player without him. He and Coach Ford are different, but I view them both as great motivators who know how to lead men and instill a championship mentality in them.”
Following Idaho’s FCS quarterfinal loss to Montana State, Azzopardi was unsure about his future. He entered the transfer portal and debated retiring from football. The incoming senior lineman says his heart is in Moscow, and his appreciation for loyalty led Azzopardi to return to his role as a captain of the Vandals offense.
To Azzopardi, the bottom line is not losing players to the portal but rather the lack of postseason success the Vandals have had in recent years.
“We know what we’ve been doing isn’t good enough,” Azzopardi said. “I do not have a Big Sky ring on my finger, and I have not played in a national championship. We have to elevate to another level if we want to go even further, and that is a price that the guys in this locker room are willing to pay.”
Another offensive weapon that will be crucial to Idaho’s success in 2025 is running back Elisha Cummings. He ran for over 500 yards on 5.3 yards per carry in 2024 and put together strong showings against some of the toughest teams on the schedule.
Cummings emphasizes the importance of sticking together with a core group of guys who share a common goal. Ford said Cummings is like a son to him and anticipates a breakout season from the fourth year running back out of Waco, Texas.
“For a team to stay consistent, it is so valuable for everyone to stick together and accomplish something with the people you started with,” Cummings said.
Cummings mulled the notion of transferring multiple times throughout his Idaho tenure, including this offseason when he remained in the portal until Ford’s hiring.
“I didn’t really want to start anywhere new for my last year,” Cummings said. “I felt it was only right to end this thing with the ones I came in with.”
Cummings described Ford as a father figure and a great coach. He even contemplated following Ford to Oregon State after his first coaching stint in Moscow. He ultimately decided to stay in Moscow, and everything has now come full circle for Ford and Cummings.
“The changes on the coaching staff will bring a lot of different energy to this team because the culture is there, and I think Coach Ford and the rest of the offensive staff have an excellent plan to get us going on that side of the ball,” Cummings said. “Idaho is really elevating this offseason to try and get ready. I believe with all my heart if we can run the ball, we can beat anybody.”
Idaho’s starting quarterback in 2024, Jack Layne, was among a handful of Vandals to follow Eck to New Mexico. Layne described Idaho as a great place with special people. His time as a Vandal was meaningful to him, and it was challenging for him to close the book on this chapter of his career.
Layne said New Mexico is a great fit for him because he believes in Eck’s vision, and he looks forward to playing FBS teams consistently. He also looks forward to being reunited with some of his former teammates on Eck’s squad down in Albuquerque.
“Coach Eck was one of a few coaches to take a chance on me out of high school. His leadership, drive and passion for his players is contagious,” Layne said. “UNM football is pretty much the NFL team in town. It is cool to have a major city fully supporting a college team.”
Layne said he loved the culture of Idaho football and the relationships he developed during his time in Moscow.
“The Vandals are in great hands. The returning guys bring back great leadership and experience,” Layne said. “The young guys are hungry and love to work. It is an exciting time to be a Vandal, trust me.”
The player who had the biggest impact on Idaho’s offensive success in 2024, Dwyer, received a variety of offers from top-tier Division I schools and elected to transfer to Texas Christian University.
TCU stood out to Dwyer because of their prolific passing offense and the receivers who made up most of their production in 2024 have since left. He felt a connection to the wide receivers coach, as well as the starting signal-caller, Josh Hoover. Dwyer feels he is rounding out one of the best passing offenses in the nation and that it was the perfect move for him.
Dwyer said that under Ford and with Linehan as the offensive coordinator, the future of Vandal football is bright and emphasizes that the reason for his departure is primarily due to his ultimate goal of playing in the National Football League.
“I have played a lot of meaningful football and learned a lot of things from the talented receivers that came before me. I accomplished great things here, but the coaches I came in with leaving was really hard for me. Really, everything I knew at Idaho had walked out the door.”
In the past two years, the Vandals’ offense has benefited from a variety of star power in the receiving room. In 2023, it was Hayden Hatten and Jermaine Jackson who produced at an all-conference level, and in 2024, it was Dwyer and Hamper.
After losing Dwyer and Hamper, watch for Emmerson Cortez-Menjivar to make an impact in the receiving game for the Vandals in 2025.
“I love and appreciate all the fans that pack the dome and support us week in and week out,” Azzopardi said. “I remember what those crowds looked like my first two years here, and I do not want to ever go back to that. Idaho is a program that needs to be winning and successful. This fan base and community deserves it.”
David Bradford
Excellent article! Let’s go Vandals!