Vandals to begin spring practice Tuesday

MOSCOW — Second-year head coach Thomas Ford Jr. and the Idaho Vandals are set to kick off the 2026 spring football practice schedule on Tuesday, the first of a series of 14 sessions that will culminate in the 2026 spring game on Friday, May 1.

"Really excited to get going with spring ball," Ford said. "Our guys have done a great job this winter in the weight room, learning our new schemes within OTAs, and now it's time for us to put it all together and do it full speed."

Practices over the next four weeks will take place on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Weekday sessions will start at 6 a.m. and Saturdays will be at 10 a.m., except the April 11 practice which will be at noon.

The spring game is currently scheduled for 6 p.m. All practices will be open to the public.

"We have a much more experienced group than we did a year ago, especially on the offensive side of the ball," Ford said. "A lot of our guys have now played 500-plus snaps as opposed to 200 or less." 

Said offense will feature the return of starting quarterback Joshua Wood, who completed nearly 60% of his passes across 10 starts while rushing for 59 yards per contest. Sawyer Teeney and Jack Wagner, who each saw snaps in 2025, return. 

Four starters return on the offensive line.

Ryan Jezioro, Idaho's leading receiver from a year ago as a freshman, is back for his second season following a redshirt. Marquawn McCraney, Tony Harste, and Trais Higgins highlight a trio of returning pass-catchers who will be back in Moscow this spring. The offense will be led by new offensive coordinator Ian Shoemaker. 

Defensively, Mitch Jaskowiak and Titus Ringor anchor a defensive front that was one of the most stout against the run in the league. Lewiston native Cruz Hepburn returns at linebacker after totaling 71 tackles in 2025, and Tim Jackson, Zach Wusstig, and Hysan Dalton return among the most experienced DBs back.

"I'm also fired up to see our new guys on the defensive side of the ball get after it with pads on. We've had a great start to the '26 season and looking forward to seeing our guys improve their consistency, and master the fundamentals of their position," Ford said.

This defense will be led by first-year defensive coordinator Lee Stalker, who spent the last three seasons at Iowa State where he coached five defensive players to All-Big IX accolades. 

Newly minted special teams coordinator Joe Begnal inherits a returning class of specialists with at least a season's worth of experience in Moscow, including punter Cameron Pope, kicker Owen Forsman (from Lakeland High), and long snapper Dylan Fischer.