Things to watch: Idaho's run defense key to road win against Hornets
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Nov. 14—With two games remaining, after seeing its playoff hopes dashed, Idaho (4-6, 2-4 Big Sky Conference) has to recalibrate the remainder of its season. The Vandals' efforts to go out on a winning streak and a .500 record begin with a road trip to Sacramento State. Here are three things to watch as the Vandals face the Hornets (6-4, 4-2).
1. What Idaho team shows up? Following three straight trips to the Football Championship Subdivision and a top-10 preseason ranking, the Vandals, under new coach Thomas Ford Jr., had grand hopes of continuing their roll. Narrow losses to Football Bowl Subdivision rivals Washington State and San Jose State, bracketing a pair of victories against FCS second-tier members St. Thomas and Utah Tech to start the season, suggested the Vandals' goals were still in front of them. Things changed after a 41-30 loss to Montana in which starting quarterback Joshua Wood suffered a sprained knee. With Wood sidelined, Idaho lost the next two against Big Sky members Northern Colorado and Eastern Washington. It put their playoff hopes on life support, but Wood's return and back-to-back wins against Portland State and Northern Arizona kept them alive until UC Davis dispatched the Vandals at home, 28-14. Does Idaho phone in the remaining two games or does a corps of seniors who reached the FCS quarterfinals the past two years have other ideas? Offensive guard Nate Azzopardi, defensive linemen Zach Krotzer and Sam Brown, running back Elisha Cummings and linebacker Isiah King have put in a full shift as Vandals redshirt seniors. The Hornets might find them to be an exceptionally salty bunch who are determined to go out as winners.
2. Michael Graves' homecoming: Graves, another senior, has had a frustrating career interrupted by injuries, including this year. He finally served notice he is healthy. The wide receiver accounted for both of Idaho's scores against UC Davis with touchdown receptions of 34 and 68 yards. Ford has touted Graves' speed and said the Vandals plan to feature him in the offense for the remaining two games. A native of Sacramento, Graves might well be in a position to give the hometown a show.
3. Idaho has one of the top run defenses in the Big Sky: The Vandals are giving up an average of only 143.8 yards per game. However, they can expect a test against Sacramento State. The Hornets have a productive running attack, averaging 254.3 ypg, headed by graduate transfer Rodney Hammond Jr. He is playing a final season with the Hornets after four years at Pitt. Hammond is the most recent Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week and won the conference special-teams award a month ago. Against Portland State in the Hornets' last outing, a 52-24 decisive win, Hammond ran for 191 yards, including 131 in the third quarter. For the season, he has run for 953 yards and 11 touchdowns, averaging 95.3 yards per game.
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