Akey happy with UI scrimmage
MOSCOW — What a difference a couple days made. After a ragged scrimmage to start the week, Idaho football coach Robb Akey was smiling again Saturday.
“It was a good scrimmage,” Akey said. “I was happy with it. The defense is playing their tails off right now. We were much cleaner today. Things were much improved from what they were in the last scrimmage.”
One of the reasons is the solidifying offensive line. The lone returning starter, junior left tackle Matt Cleveland, has been seeing the same faces in the huddle lately as junior Sam Tupua has claimed the left guard spot, senior Clell Hasenbank is taking over at center, senior Tevita Halaholo is at right guard and junior Tyrone Novikoff is at right tackle.
“That will be the crew,” Akey said as the Vandals officially wrapped up fall camp. “We’ve gotten them some time to start working together as a wall. There was some good protection out there today. We’ve gained some good ground.”
The defense, with 10 of 11 returning, had the early edge during fall camp and continued to show a feisty demeanor its head coach likes.
“They’re playing physical. They’re playing aggressive,” said Akey of the unit that netted three interceptions Saturday and tallied 10 sacks.
Returning safety Shiloh Keo said the defense is the beneficiary of time together.
“This is the first time in a while we’ve had all the guys understand the ins and outs of the defense,” Keo said. “It shows out there. It’s a great feeling to have everyone on the same page.”
Kicker Trey Farquhar was busy as five of seven scoring opportunities were field goals — and he was on target on all of them with a 50-yarder his long of the day. The other scores were when senior quarterback Nathan Enderle hooked up with senior receiver Eric Greenwood for a 10-yard TD and when junior running back Kama Bailey pushed his way across the goal line from the 2.
Collectively, the quarterbacks were 25 of 47 for 228 yards. Enderle was 11 of 20 for 105 yards with redshirt freshman Taylor Davis seven of 13 for 76, and sophomore Logan Bushnell seven of 14 for 47 yards. Junior Brian Reader was at a wedding. Transfer John Roberson led the receivers with six catches for 29 yards with junior Marsel Posey the yardage leader with 60 yards on three catches.
Junior linebacker Robert Siavii had one of the interceptions in addition to forcing a fumble. Sophomore defensive end Benson Mayowa had one of the other inceptions and freshman James Randall had the other. JC transfer Elliott Chapman led all tacklers with six.
SCORING
Farquhar 50 FG
Farquhar 34 FG
Farquhar 33 FG
Greenwood 10 pass from Enderle (Farquhar kick)
Farquhar 38 FG
Farquhar 43 FG
Bailey 2 rush (run failed)
PASSING — Nate Enderle 11-20-1-105, Taylor Davis 7-13-0-76, Logan Bushnell 7-14-2-47.
RUSHING — Ryan Bass 1-13, Jayson Washington 2-9, Princeton McCarty 3-9, John Roberson 1-5, Troy Vital 1-4, Kama Bailey 5-1, Bryce Davis 2-0, Nate Enderle 3-(-10), Deonte Jackson 3-(-12), Taylor Davis 6-(-26), Logan Bushnell 3-(-31).
RECEIVING — Daniel Hardy 2-20, Kama Bailey 2-10, Princeton McCarty 1-0, John Roberson 6-29, Marsel Posey 3-60, Maurice Shaw 2-14, Armauni Johnson 1-23, Justin Veltung 2-10, Clayton Homme 1-3, Robert Hatchett 1-11, Eric Greenwood 1-10, Taylor Elmo 1-8, Ryan Bass 2-30.