Matt Linehan and his injured right thumb will get a little more time to heal.

Idaho’s senior quarterback has been ruled out for Saturday’s home finale between the Vandals (3-6, 2-3 Sun Belt) and Coastal Carolina (1-9, 0-6) at the Kibbie Dome.

Linehan was injured late in Idaho’s loss at Troy on Nov. 2. The Vandals haven’t played since.

“He’s really upbeat,” Idaho coach Paul Petrino said. “He’s been working hard and it’s good that he’s had the rest, but he’s not going to play this week. So he won’t play this week and it’ll just be something we continue to monitor. Unfortunately for him and everyone else he won’t be able to go this week ... There is a chance he comes back this year.”

Petrino declined to get specific about the severity of Linehan’s injury.

After Saturday’s senior day game, Idaho wraps up the regular season Nov. 25 at New Mexico State and Dec. 2 at Georgia State.

Idaho needs to win all three games to be bowl eligible for a second straight year.

Petrino said sophomore Mason Petrino, the coach’s son, will be the starting quarterback Saturday. True freshman Colton Richardson will serve as the backup. Richardson, the former Lewiston High star, has yet to play this season, as the Vandals hope to redshirt him this year.

Other QBs on the roster are junior A.J. Woodin, the holder, and freshman Dylan Lemle, whom the Vandals hope to redshirt as well.

“He took a lot of reps in fall camp,” Petrino said of Mason. “It’s good that we’ve had those two weeks; he’s taken a lot of reps.”

Asked if he would change the offense with his son at QB, Petrino said — with a wide smile — “No, we’re going to run the same exact offense.”

Coastal Carolina has lost nine straight, but five of its losses have been by eight points or less.

“You watch the cutups, and they’re a very talented team,” Petrino said. “They had Arkansas beat (before losing 39-38); they’ve been in every game but two.”

Petrino praised this year’s 15-member senior class, some of them fifth-year seniors who were part of his first recruiting class, others who came in the following year, for playing through the tough times, getting the Vandals to a bowl game (only their third in school history) and winning that bowl game.

“They’re going to leave it (the program) in a lot better place than when they showed up,” Petrino said.