Amid distractions, Vandals open season

With the start of the season finally here, Idaho football coach Robb Akey was hoping that the actual games would take the Vandals' minds off the distractions of where the program was headed after this season.

But a report from Idaho's student newspaper that quarterback Dominique Blackman would not start has fans wondering if the Vandals will be at full strength when they open the season tonight vs. Eastern Washington at 6 p.m. at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow.

Idaho officials declined comment on the report. Akey said on two radio shows Tuesday that Blackman was the starter, and spoke of Blackman as if he were the starter on Monday during his two teleconferences with the media.

And earlier this week, Akey found himself having to issue a statement apologizing to "unwanted red-headed stepchildren," after an Associated Press story which showed up on si.com apparently ruffled some feathers.

Akey was venting his frustration at teams bailing on the Western Athletic Conference, and no other conference seemingly interested in the Vandals, when he was quoted as saying, "We are the unwanted red-headed stepchild, no offense to any redheads. Nobody seems to want the Vandals right now."

Akey had actually uttered that quote about a month ago, when Idaho was first considering going independent in football, which they will in 2013, in hopes of landing in another conference in a couple of years. On Monday, the Vandals issued a statement.

"I had no intention of offending anyone with my comments, which were used in a recent SI.com article," Akey said in a statement. "I am very proud of the University of Idaho and I am very proud of our football team. I said at the time that I did not mean to offend anyone and I genuinely and sincerely did not mean to affront anyone.”

Eastern, despite playing in the lower Football Championship Subdivision, figures to be a formidable foe even with the Vandals’ full attention. The Eagles won the FCS national title two seasons ago, and nearly upset the Washington Huskies in last year’s season opener in Seattle.

“I remember watching that game and thinking, ‘They have a chance to win it,’” Akey said.

Akey said Eastern definitely has the Vandals’ attention, and that the talent level between mid-level FBS teams and good FCS teams is pretty similar.

“I played at that level (at Weber State),” Akey said. “I’ve coached at both levels. “Generally speaking, the starters at that level are capable of being starters at our level. Where you see the difference is in the depth, because we have more scholarships (85, vs. 63 at the FCS level).”

If Blackman doesn’t start, the listed backup is senior Logan Bushnell, who has never started a college game.

Once again, Eastern is turning to an SMU transfer to run its show at quarterback. After two seasons of Bo Levi Mitchell at the helm, Kyle Padron takes over for the Eagles this season.

Padron, as a true freshman, took over the starting job from Mitchell when he was a sophomore, so Mitchell transferred to EWU. When Padron lost his job at SMU, after making 21 starts there, and was looking for a new place to play, he reached out to Mitchell.

“It was, for us, somewhat of a blessing,” Eastern coach Beau Baldwin said, “but it started with Bo being at SMU.”

At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, Padron is “probably the biggest and strongest quarterback I’ve ever coached,” Baldwin said. “He can throw a real ‘soft’ ball, and he’s a little more mobile than he probably gets credit for.”

One thing that will help Padron is his three top receivers — Nicholas Edwards, Brandon Kaufman and Greg Herd — all received preseason All-America honors. They have a combined 56 touchdown catches.

“I don’t want to put it all on his (Kyle’s) shoulders, but if you’re playing quarterback here, you’re not expected just to manage the game,” Baldwin said. “There’s a high level you’re expected to play at.”

EWU senior linebacker Zach Johnson was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA. He was injured last season, and also missed the entire 2009 season with a knee injury.

The teams last met in 2003, with EWU winning 8-5 in the Kibbie Dome.