Tuesday, December 16, 2025
42.0°F

Vandals in a rush versus Troy on Senior Day

MARK NELKE | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 11 years, 1 month AGO
by MARK NELKE
Mark Nelke covers high school and North Idaho College sports, University of Idaho football and other local/regional sports as a writer, photographer, paginator and editor at the Coeur d’Alene Press. He has been at The Press since 1998 and sports editor since 2002. Before that, Mark was the one-man sports staff for 16 years at the Bonner County Daily Bee in Sandpoint. Earlier, he was sports editor for student newspapers at Spokane Falls Community College and Eastern Washington University. Mark enjoys the NCAA men's basketball tournament and wiener dogs — and not necessarily in that order. | November 15, 2014 8:00 PM

Troy is allowing 247.9 yards rushing per game.

Idaho has rushed for 746 in its last three games.

Imagine what the Vandals' game plan might be today, when Idaho (1-8, 1-5 Sun Belt) plays host to Troy (2-8, 2-4) on Senior Day at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow.

"They probably struggle more against the run," Idaho coach Paul Petrino said of Troy. "They have tried to change up a few things lately, get more guys down in the box to stop the run. But overall, if you look at their stats, they struggle more against the run."

Troy is ranked 120th out of 125 teams in FBS against the run.

Of course, it's not like Idaho is a stone wall against the run either. The Vandals are allowing 245 yards on the ground per game (118th in FBS), 458.8 per game total (107th). Troy is allowing 454.2 total yards per game (104th).

Notes: Idaho sophomore punter/kicker Austin Rehkow is one of 10 semifinalists for the Ray Guy Award, given to the nation's top punter. ... Troy coach Larry Blakeney has announced this is his final season. In his 24th season at Troy, he is 177-112-1. He oversaw Troy's transition from NCAA Division II to I-AA in 1992, and from I-AA to I-A in 2001. He started as an assistant coach at Auburn in 1977, and was there until coming to Troy in 1991. After today, the Trojans have one more game left this season - Nov. 29 at home vs. Louisiana-Lafayette.

ARTICLES BY MARK NELKE

BIG SKY FOOTBALL KICKOFF: Vandals expect big things from Priest River's McLain
July 23, 2025 1 a.m.

BIG SKY FOOTBALL KICKOFF: Vandals expect big things from Priest River's McLain

BIG SKY FOOTBALL KICKOFF: Vandals expect big things from Priest River's McLain

Former Clark Fork High star athlete undergoes successful heart transplant surgery
July 10, 2025 1 a.m.

Former Clark Fork High star athlete undergoes successful heart transplant surgery

The former Windy Eagle, a star athlete at Clark Fork High, had been awaiting a new heart since 2022, when she was diagnosed with cardiac sarcoidosis, an autoimmune disease which attacks the electrical system of her heart.

PREP FOOTBALL: Post Falls runs past Sandpoint
September 6, 2024 11:30 p.m.

PREP FOOTBALL: Post Falls runs past Sandpoint

Sandpoint (2-1) hosts Davis High of Yakima on Friday.