Vandals look for balance as Utah Tech visits

Utah Tech at Idaho • Today, 1 p.m. • SWX, ESPN+ 

By MARK NELKE 

Sports editor 

In Week 1, the offense was imbalanced (188 yards rushing, 33 yards passing), while the defense was stingy for the most part (3 rushing yards allowed). 

In Week 2, the offense was more balanced (186 yards rushing, 281 passing) but the defense gave up 208 rushing yards and 264 through the air. 

This week’s goal for the Idaho Vandals (1-1), with Utah Tech (0-2) visiting today for a 1 p.m. matchup at the P1FCU Kibbie Dome in Moscow?  

A game where the defense plays like it did in the opener, and the offense plays like it did last week. 

“Offensively we were just way more composed (last week),” first-year Idaho coach Thomas Ford Jr. said. “The defense, we saw the reverse — things we did well the first week, we didn’t do well the second week. They ran for over 200 yards.”

Utah Tech, which along with Southern Utah joins the Big Sky Conference next year, has played two ranked Big Sky teams this year, losing 31-24 to No. 7 (STATS Perform FCS poll) UC Davis 31-24, and falling 38-31 last week at No. 19 Northern Arizona. 

Idaho is ranked 10th this week by STATS Perform, and eighth in the AFCA coaches poll. 

“There's no question they’ll be a challenge,” Ford said of Utah Tech. “What I do know is they’re going to fly around, and they’re going to be disciplined.” 

The Trailblazers have played two quarterbacks nearly an equal number of snaps in their first two games. 

Bronson Barben, a redshirt freshman, is 27 of 46 for 283 yards and one touchdown, with four interceptions. 

Reggie Graff, a redshirt junior, is 16 of 29 for 125 yards and two TDs, with one interception. Graff is the team’s leading rusher, with 97 yards and two scores. 

Both hail from Dixie High in St. George, Utah, site of Utah Tech (previously called Dixie State). 

“They’re going to be similar no matter who’s in there,” Ford said. 

Last week, with running back Eli Cummings banged up early in the St. Thomas game, Nate Thomas saw his first action of the season. Ford said having Thomas and Art Williams, from Rocky Mountain High in Meridian, in the backfield allowed him to not have to use Cummings later in the game. 

“Anytime you have those three you don’t have to press your bell cow running back in a Week 2 game,” Ford said. 

Idaho QB Joshua Wood, who rushed for 101 yards and passed for only 33 against Washington State, ran for 87 yards and a touchdown, and passed for 281 and three scores against the Tommies last week. 

“What you saw from him last week, we should see that from him every game,” Ford said. “He’s a true dual-threat quarterback.”