Vandals looking to keep slim FCS playoff hopes alive

Today, UC Davis at Idaho, 4 p.m. • TV: SWX, ESPN+ 

By MARK NELKE 

Sports editor 

After Idaho’s 21-14 loss at Eastern Washington on Oct. 18, Vandals head coach Thomas Ford Jr. said he’s been “a little bit more involved with the offense.” 

“Just trying to get us to do things that we’re really good at, and having a bunch of things off of those looks,” Ford said.

Idaho (4-5, 2-3 Big Sky Conference) has won twice since then, routing Portland State 42-6 at home, then beating Northern Arizona 35-32 in overtime on Halloween night in Flagstaff. 

“I think (offensive coordinator Matt) Linehan has done a great job calling plays the last couple of weeks ... really opening up our playbook a little more,” Ford said. 

Of course ...  

“It certainly helps to have (quarterback) Joshua (Wood) back almost fully healthy, and now (running back) Eli (Cummings) is fully healthy,” Ford added. “And you saw that in the last two weeks. Those two guys are dynamic. You’re also seeing our receiving corps starting to grow up a little bit ... Ryan Jezioro, Marquawn McCraney, true freshman Nolan McWilliams have really stepped up. (We’re) getting things more dialed schematically, and getting our playmakers the ball.” 

If Idaho has any hopes of a fourth straight trip to the FCS playoffs, the Vandals face a must-win for the third straight week today, when No. 11 UC Davis (6-2, 4-1) visits the Kibbie Dome for a 4 p.m. kickoff. 

And whether winning their final three games would even get the Vandals into the playoffs depends on who you read. 

In insider Sam Herder’s FCS Bracketology 2.0 posted on Wednesday, Montana, Montana State and UC Davis were in the 24-team field, and Northern Arizona was the first team out. 

Timothy Rosario from si.com said Idaho needs to win out, but even if that happens, the Vandals are not a lock for the playoffs. 

A key today, Ford said, is keeping dual-threat UC Davis redshirt freshman quarterback Caden Pinnick in the pocket. 

Pinnick, who returned for last week’s surprising 38-36 home loss to Idaho State after missing the previous game due to illness, has thrown for 17 touchdowns with four interceptions, and rushed for 327 yards and two scores. 

“When he’s been at his best is when he’s been allowed to extend plays, get out of the pocket with some of their boot and naked stuff,” Ford said. “I think he does a good job in their RPO game. If we can force him into being a pocket passer, not allowing him to create and extend plays, that’s going to be critical.” 

Of UC Davis’ top rusher, junior Jordan Fisher (684 yards, four TDs) from Portland, “we recruited him hard here,” Ford said. 

UC Davis is banged up in the secondary, its biggest loss being safety Rex Connors, the Big Sky preseason Defensive Player of the Year, out for the year with a knee injury. 

“I think we’re starting to get more healthy in our receiving corps,” Ford said. “We want to get after their secondary a little bit.”