Vandals not fazed after narrow loss

Deciding to go for two points and the win is a great call - when it works.

Idaho football coach Robb Akey made the gutsy call in the closing seconds at the 2009 Humanitarian Bowl, and the two-point completion for the winning points against Bowling Green became an instant part of recent Vandal lore.

Last Saturday, after scoring in overtime at Virginia to pull within one point, Akey opted to go for two and the win again. But this time the pass fell incomplete, and the Vandals lost 21-20.

Two days later, when asked again about his decision earlier in the week, Akey said there was "no doubt in my mind" it was the right call for the Vandals.

"We fought our tails off to give ourselves an opportunity to win the game," he said. "There was the opportunity to win the game, and that was why we elected to do what we did."

But Idaho quarterback Brian Reader was pressured on the play, and his desperation pass bounced off the outstretched hand of a leaning tight end Michael LaGrone and fell to the turf.

"They covered it well," Akey said. "Could we have run a route better within it? That would have helped. We still were able to get the throw off and give a guy an opportunity to try to make a play."

Idaho (1-4, 0-1 Western Athletic Conference) plays host to Louisiana Tech (1-4, 0-1) on Saturday in the Vandals homecoming game at the Kibbie Dome.

"If I'm going to stand there in front of them telling them we need to be laying it all on the line," Akey said, "I'm talking out of both sides of my mouth if I don't coach them that same way."

Not a moral victory, but ... : Had the play worked, Idaho would have ended a 22-game losing streak against teams from BCS conferences. But Akey mentioned some positives from the loss.

The Vandals came into the game with just two sacks in four games, but had three sacks vs. Virginia. Idaho's special teams blocked a punt. The Vandals struggled offensively for much of the game, but stepped up with a TD in overtime.

“It’s going to be big that our football team grows from last week’s game,” Akey said. “You talk about being one play away from beating a BCS opponent, an ACC opponent three time zones away on the road. Our football team has found out that if we go out and play our tails off, leave it all out on the football field, that we’ve got the ability to beat anybody that we line up and play against.”

Notes: The Vandal who blocked the punt late in the fourth quarter at Virginia — Justin Hernandez — and the one who recovered it for a touchdown — Daniel Micheletti — are both walkons. Hernandez is a junior from Lapwai High. ... Akey said he hopes injured running back Ryan Bass will be back this week, but Preston Davis, who hasn’t played this season because of a knee injury, probably won’t be back this week. Defensive tackle Michael Cosgrove suffered a groin injury in the first half at Virginia, and did not play in the second half. ... Akey praised the play of sophomore defensive lineman QuayShawne Buckley, who had a sack last week in his first start.