College football is a lot of fun, except when it’s not. Like when your four biggest stars on offense graduate or turn pro. Or worse, graduate and opt out of their last year of eligibility. Or more worse, enter the transfer portal. Or worst, do all three of those things.
After the 2023 season saw the University of Idaho just miss a semifinal appearance in the FCS playoffs, the Vandals were considered a team that might be the favorite to win the 2024 Big Sky Conference title.
Then on December 11, 2023, the NCAA’s transfer portal opened.
Three main cogs in the Vandals offensive arsenal – quarterback Gevani McCoy, running back Anthony Woods and wide receiver Terez Traynor – entered the portal that day. All-Big Sky transfer Marcus Harris followed.
Then, four days later, Idaho’s all-time leader in touchdowns receptions decided to forgo his remaining eligibility as Hayden Hatten elected to enter the NFL draft.
The organic and “normal” graduation of wide receiver Jermaine Jackson emphasized the attrition. Jackson, one of the best returners and inside receivers in the Big Sky, now plays for the New Orleans Saints.
Instead of being set for the 2024 season, the Vandals suddenly found themselves in rebuild mode offensively. That remains a work in progress as No. 7 UI makes its way to Bozeman for a Top 10 matchup with No. 3 Montana State on Saturday night.
McCoy was the FCS Jerry Rice Award winner as the nation’s top freshman in 2022 and a first-team All-Big Sky selection last season. Losing the charismatic and elusive quarterback was a considerable blow for the Vandals as he had passed for nearly 6,000 yards and 43 touchdowns in his 26 games.
McCoy is now at Oregon State and he is starting quarterback on the 4-1 Beavers’ team. His passer rating is just 118.1 and he only has two touchdown passes for a team that runs twice as much as it throws.
Woods had over 2,000 yards rushing and 20 total touchdowns at UI. He’s with the Utah Utes but hasn’t seen the field this season.
The receiving trio comprised the top three receivers in 2023. Hatten had 33 career touchdown catches and over 3,000 career yards receiving, while raking in 93 catches for 1,231 yards and nine touchdowns in 2023. Jackson caught 48 for 593 yards and a score. Traynor tallied 24 receptions for 381 yards and two touchdowns. That’s 165 catches for 2,105 yards and 12 touchdowns of production.
Replacing that offensive quintet is no small task.
The quarterback position has been a carousel as Jack Layne, who won the starting position in the spring and fall, suffered a broken collarbone in Idaho’s 24-14 loss at then-No. 3 Oregon. The Vandals have gone back and forth with backups Jack Wagner and Nick Josifek. Combined, the trio has a low passer rating of 120.1 and are averaging 182 yards per game. Layne and Josifek joined UI as walk-ons while Idaho beat Montana State, among others, for Wagner’s services in recruiting.
Elisha Cumming and Nate Thomas, who’ve combined for 734 yards on 144 carries while averaging 5.1 yard per carry, have done a solid job. Thomas has run for five touchdowns, while Cummings has had moments catching passes with eight for 74 yards.
Jordan Dwyer and Mark Hamper have the primary targets for Wagner, Josifek and Layne. But they’re still a far cry from Hatten and Jackson halfway through the season. Dwyer has 27 catches for 38 and four touchdowns while Hamper has 16 grabs for 342 yards and one touchdown.
The Vandals are replacing those stars from 2023 primarily with players in-house. The only transfer out of the bunch is Thomas, who came over from South Dakota. He burst onto the scene with the Coyotes his freshman season in 2021 with 717 yards and five touchdowns on just 114 carries.
Idaho is averaging 24.7 points per game this season and is second to last in the Big Sky in both total offense and passing offense. Their run game ranks seventh. A year ago, the Vandals were the third in the league in scoring at 32.3, third in total offense and second in pass efficiency.
The Vandals invade Bobcat Stadium tomorrow night at 8:15 in a highly anticipated showdown with Montana State in a nationally televised game on ESPN2.
