Idaho’s ‘path’ continues with first-round FCS playoff game

At the moment, Idaho at Southeastern Louisiana, 4 p.m. Streaming: ESPN+. Radio: 92.5 FM

After a pair many years of principally frustration from the Idaho Vandal soccer program, vitality was excessive when Jason Eck was introduced in from a profitable FCS program, South Dakota State, in an try and return the Vandals to the glory days of the Nineteen Eighties and early ’90s.

However a playoff look so quickly? In Eck’s first season?

Who knew?

Seems, Eck believed it.

“I did,” Eck mentioned earlier within the week. “I by no means instructed the gamers this, however I instructed our employees — right here’s our pathway to the playoffs. I knew we’d be fairly massive underdogs within the two FBS video games (vs. Washington State and Indiana). Montana and Sac State, we’ve bought to determine a solution to win a kind of video games. And everybody else is rather like us. …everybody else goes to have those self same warts … It may be unrealistic to go 7-0, however we’ve bought to go 6-1. That’s our path to the playoffs, and that’s the way it labored out.”

Nearly.

Idaho beat Montana, however misplaced to Sacramento State, then received each different Large Sky Convention sport — apart from the slipup at dwelling vs. UC Davis.

Ultimately, Idaho completed 7-4, 5-2 within the Large Sky, and was considered one of 5 Large Sky groups to earn bids to the 24-team FCS playoffs.

Idaho, again within the playoffs for the primary time since 1995, performs at Southeastern Louisiana (8-3) tonight at 4 p.m. PST in a first-round sport on the SprinTurf at 7,408-seat Strawberry Stadium in Hammond, La.

Idaho completed tied for third within the Large Sky with Weber State, whom the Vandals didn’t play within the common season. Montana State and Sac State each went undefeated in convention play, and earned first-round byes and can host second-round video games.

“I wouldn’t have been discouraged or disillusioned if we had been 6-5 or 5-6; I wished to positively present progress over the place we had been final yr (4-7),” Eck mentioned. “I did assume it (the playoffs) was a risk, and I feel it grew to become extra actual after we bought into the season, and I might see the children had been bettering. They had been shopping for in and believing in what we had been doing. I actually wished to do it for our seniors … as a result of they don’t have a three-year plan to make the playoffs.

“I did assume it was necessary for me to make the playoffs as a brand new head coach in my first three years, however I wished to make it the primary yr for these guys.”

Senior offensive lineman Logan Floyd, who was moved to middle earlier within the season, mentioned the gamers didn’t know what to anticipate with the teaching change — till they bought to know the brand new teaching employees.

“Exhibiting that they take care of us, it actually meant one thing,” Floyd mentioned. “Realizing how a lot they take care of you, it makes you need to exit and play your greatest for them.

“Making the playoffs is one thing particular, it simply reveals how a lot we’ve purchased into the method that these coaches try to point out us,” Floyd added. “We’re altering the tradition round right here on the College of Idaho … I’m tremendous excited to see the place it goes.”

Southeastern Louisiana, within the playoffs for the third time in 4 seasons, owns a win over Incarnate Phrase, one of many eight seeded groups within the playoffs. The Lions play two quarterbacks — senior Cephus Johnson III, who’s “a bit extra of a runner, however they nonetheless throw it loads,” Eck mentioned, and redshirt freshman Eli Sawyer., who’s “not as a lot of a runner, however they run a variety of RPO with him,” Eck added.

Eck mentioned the Lions’ three operating backs — Taron Jones, Carlos Washington Jr. and Jessie Britt — ought to be among the many greatest the Vandals have confronted this season.

Johnson is the crew’s second-leading rusher, behind Washington.

Eck mentioned redshirt freshman quarterback Gevani McCoy, who missed final week’s win at Idaho State, ought to have the ability to go this week. But when not, he mentioned the Vandals have faith in true freshman Jack Layne, who led Idaho to the simple win in Pocatello.

“You noticed them get higher and higher because the yr’s gone on, you possibly can see the crew develop and develop an id on either side of the ball,” fifth-year Southeastern Louisiana coach Frank Scalfo mentioned.

“With them on protection, we’ve to handle the soccer,” he added. “They don’t play a variety of snaps, as a result of they hold the soccer on offense, so that they hold you from getting on the sector on offense. And it retains them off the sector on protection. We are able to’t flip it over, as a result of they’re not going to present it up.”

Idaho has turned the ball over simply eight occasions this season; the Vandals have 21 takeaways.

“Now, we will’t be patting ourselves on the again an excessive amount of for making the playoffs,” Eck mentioned. “We’ve bought a really winnable sport, and we’ve bought to go on the highway, however we’ve bought an important alternative and we’ve to play rather well, and never simply be completely happy to be right here.”