2011-2012 Football Previews – WAC Conference – Idaho Vandals
Just over a month before the regular season starts, the Idaho Vandals are gearing up for a new season with a revamped roster at key positions. Sixth-year coach Robb Akey will no doubt have his team ready when game time arrives this fall.
2011 WAC| Idaho Vandals Football Preview
Coach: Robb Akey
2010-11 Record: 6-7 (3-5)
Idaho Vandals Gambling Odds from Bodog.com to win BCS: 50-1
Idaho Team Page – Players Stats – Roster – 2011 Schedule –>
The Idaho Vandals’ 2010 season can be summed up with one word: inconsistency.
The team failed to win two games in a row all year, and the final scoring for games would be polar opposites from week to week.
There really wasn’t any excuses for the Vandals to perform like they did in 2010, and it was a surprise to most the coach Robb Akey returned for his sixth season on the sideline, but nonetheless he will be in the top spot yet again.
There is one main goal that Akey will have for his team, and that’s to be consistent on a game-to-game basis.
It will be a lot harder this year, and let’s take a look at the roster of both sides of the ball to see why.
Offense:
The Vandals’ passing attack was the lone bright spot for the team last year, and finished the season ranked a surprising 10th in the nation. This season will be a huge turnover though, as the team lost four-year starting quarterback Nathan Enderle to the NFL.
Enderle was the constant on an otherwise incoherent team where no one knew how the rest of the team would perform in any given game.
Without Enderle, the Vandals are likely to roll with junior quarterback Brian Reader in 2011. Reader has had chances to show what he can do, but never seemed to come into his own when the opportunity presented itself. Despite this, he is still the best option at the most important position on the team.
Reader will have limited help, with a very weak supporting cast going into 2011.
Enderle was known for spreading the ball around to all of his receiving targets, but loosing top receiver Eric Greenwood, who caught 46 passes in 2010 for 741 yards, will be tough.
The running game, like the receiving corps, lacks a true number one option, and will loose their most consistent running back, senior Deonte’ Jackson who was the only running back on the roster to have over 100 carries.
Defense:
Much like the offense, the Vandals’ defense was a huge disappointment in 2010. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
A unit that was expected to be one of the best in the WAC, the defense was a major letdown allowing nearly 30 points per game through the year.
A strong line backing squad with Robert Siabii leading the way in 2010 with 91 tackles is the most dominant unit in the defense. Unfortunately, the rest of their defense is not nearly as talented.
Another mentionable player on defense is junior defensive back Aaron Grymes, who is a tackling machine, and has a knack for being wherever the ball it. He finished his sophomore year with 78 tackles and a pair of INTs.
2011 Idaho Prediction: 5th WAC –
It’s hard to put this team any higher with the loss of their four-year starting quarterback. The offense will take a major step back in 2011, but the defense retains the majority of its starters, so they will look to improve with experience.
Nevertheless, I don’t expect the defense to be able to shut out every team they play, and that’s what it will take for this team to win games.
2011 Idaho Vandals Schedule
9/1/11 9:00 PM ET BGREN
9/10/11 5:00 PM ET UND
9/17/11 7:00 PM ET @TXAM
9/24/11 5:00 PM ET FRSST
10/1/11 12:00 PM ET @VIRG
10/8/11 5:00 PM ET LTECH
10/15/11 12:00 PM ET @NMXST
10/29/11 5:00 PM ET HAW
11/5/11 4:00 PM ET @SJST
11/12/11 12:00 PM ET @BYU
11/19/11 5:00 PM ET UTAST
12/3/11 12:00 PM ET @NEV
