Idaho Vandals finally set to open season against Cal Poly on national television

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Aug. 28—It's been 279 days since the Idaho football team last saw a live snap against an opponent.

That changes today as the Vandals gear up for their first contest of the year against the Cal Poly Mustangs at 7 p.m. today at Mustang Memorial Field in San Luis Obispo, Calif.

The Big Sky Conference clash will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

The start of the season marks new beginnings for three new coordinators: offensive coordinator Ian Shoemaker, defensive coordinator Lee Stalker and special teams coordinator Joe Begnal.

Idaho headman Thomas Ford Jr. said that he is "super excited to be back." He said that the team did a "phenomenal job" of staying disciplined and focused throughout camp and is excited to take on a brand new season with a fresh slate.

"Obviously, fall season kind of signifies a lot of things — start of the school year, start of the athletic season, and just really excited to be back in regular football mode," Ford said. "Fall camp was very successful for us, getting a chance to really install more in depth our offense, defense, and special teams. Having all three kind of new systems with new coordinators in all three phases, (I'm) very excited about the way the group worked."

Previewing the Vandals' offensive attack

Shoemaker has nearly 30 years of coaching experience at the FBS, FCS and Division II levels.

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Most recently in the Big Sky, Shoemaker was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Eastern Washington in 2019-21.

During his time in Cheney, the Eagles averaged 537 yards per game and 38 points per game.

"I think the biggest thing for us is being able to complete passes consistently from spring till now. Through the summer session, those guys really worked on the drop-back game and completing passes and how we attack the ball and things like that," Shoemaker said about the offense's biggest improvement. "From a cultural standpoint, I think just from how we operate, how we play the game, how fast can we play at times with our tempo and how we view the game of football from the offensive side. I think most of the guys now are seeing my vision."

That vision?

To first and foremost be as physical as possible, which Shoemaker said has been the whole program's message from Ford, Stalker and himself.

He said that physicality is going to be "paramount" to the offense's success.

Then once that is established, it will develop plays for RPOs (run-pass-options), and then downfield passing will be open off play-action concepts.

Ford mentioned junior wide receiver Ryan Jezioro as taking a big step forward this offseason, along with the "three-headed monster" of running backs in junior transfers Damonte Bias and Ferrari Miller mixed with fifth-year power back Hayden Kincheloe.

Jezioro led the team in receiving last season, with 27 receptions, 347 yards and four touchdowns.

Shoemaker said that senior quarterback Joshua Wood has also taken steps forward.

Ford said he wants to see Wood work well in the new offensive system and wants to see him be more efficient when passing. However, he wants Wood to continue to be a running threat too.

Wood had 1,898 passing yards a year ago (14 TDs, five interceptions), and rushed for a team-high 589 yards and seven scores.

"Taking what the defense has given him, not having to rely so much on hero ball plays, where he's got to extend the play when he could have just thrown a boundary hitch, for example," Ford said of what he wants Wood to do. "I think the ability to operate in the system, the ability to make really quick and fast decisions with the ball, especially in the passing game, and then continue to be a running threat. … But the consistency and efficiency is really most important for him."

Idaho's new-look defense in Game 1

Ford said that he is excited to see the defense play someone else and to "go tackle someone else."

"Just getting an opportunity to really compete (and) go show the growth that I think that this group has really had over the course of the last kind of six to seven months (will be great)," Ford said. "I think our guys are really ready to get after someone else."

Stalker said the defense's success relies on the player's ability to stay disciplined, which has been some heavy messaging from the coaches to the players.

He said that the players should not let the moment or the arena alter their mindset or process.

"We'll get a chance to go out there and get them set up in a great position and start the game strong, but they've got to find their footing a little bit, and allow the environment, the excitement, still to be controlled violence or controlled chaos on our side of the ball," Stalker said. "That's the challenge, I think, anywhere as you start the year."

Going against a new coaching staff that Cal Poly has with many new players, there will be a need for a plan A, a plan B and a plan C, Stalker said. However, Stalker said with the defense's preparation since he's arrived, he feels confident in the group.

Scouting the Mustangs

When scouting for Cal Poly, Ford, Shoemaker and Stalker had a similar sentiment: there are a lot of unknowns.

Almost any time you play in the first game of the season, there are a lot of unknowns. But it is especially more difficult with the Mustangs because of a new coaching staff and many new players.

Shoemaker said that he has been watching tape of defenses from Bowling Green, Fresno State and UCLA, where Cal Poly head coach Tim Skipper was previously.

"You've got to put together a plan that hopefully is guessed right, but if you guessed wrong, then you better have the flexibility and the ingenuity to fix it on the fly, and hopefully we have that built into our system just week to week," Shoemaker said.

Stalker said the Vandals are confident in their players, the discipline and the scheme, ready to overcome some of the unknown things.

"Yeah, I mean it's very new. They're a brand new staff," Ford said. "Coach (Tim) Skipper, first time as a head coach, but certainly not a stranger to being a head coach. (He was) the interim head coach at UCLA last year, and before that was interim head coach at Fresno State. … Anytime it's the first game, there's a lot of unknowns. But anytime it's a first game against a brand new staff, there's going to be even more unknowns."

The basics

What: Idaho at Cal Poly

Where: Mustang Memorial Field in San Luis Obispo, Calif.

When: 7 p.m. today

TV: ESPN

Radio: KOZE-AM/FM (950/95.5), KZFN-FM (106.1), KORT-AM (1230), KLER-AM (1300), Vandal Football Radio Network, The Varsity Network App

Spread: Idaho -5.5 (FanDuel)

Junt can be reached at 208-848-2258, tjunt@lmtribune.com or on X (formerly Twitter) @TrevorJunt.

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