Can't have enough quarterbacks
The quarterback position at Idaho got a lot more crowded on Wednesday, the first day high school football players could sign letters of intent.
First-year Vandals coach Paul Petrino announced the signing of two more signal-callers, in addition to a junior college QB who signed earlier.
They'll join the three returning quarterbacks from last year's Vandal team, which includes former Coeur d'Alene High star Chad Chalich, who redshirted as a freshman last fall, bringing the total number of quarterbacks on the roster to 6.
"Watching basketball, if you don't have a great point guard, you're not going to win games," Petrino said in a news conference from Moscow. "If you don't have a great quarterback, you're not going to win games."
Petrino signed high school QB Matt Linehan, son of former Vandal quarterback Scott Linehan, and Josh McCain from DeAnza College in San Jose, Calif. Earlier, he signed Anthony Neyer from Pierce College in Los Angeles.
Asked why he signed two JC quarterbacks instead of one, Petrino replied, "I just made the odds a little better" of having a great quarterback.
The other returning QBs from last year are senior Taylor Davis and redshirt freshman Austin DeCoud.
Petrino said Neyer and Linehan were more traditional passers, while McCain is more of a runner/passer.
"He's this generation's double threat," Petrino said.
Petrino announced a 20-member class on Wednesday. Those don't include at least seven junior college players who signed earlier, and a couple who plan to grayshirt and enroll next January.
Of the new recruits, six are linebackers, four are running backs and three are (or can play) wide receiver.
"We had to get running backs and linebackers - that was huge," Petrino said. "We always are looking to get speed. Getting three kids out of Florida who can flat fly was a big deal. It was good to get a couple of Idaho kids, and we hope to get a couple more to grayshirt."
Other notes:
• Petrino signed three sons of former Vandals. In addition to Linehan, the others are defensive tackle Zach Cable, whose dad Tom also coached the Vandals; and running back Isaiah Saunders, whose dad, Walt, played receiver at Idaho from 1991-93 when Petrino was a Vandal assistant.
“To me, any time you can recruit a coach’s kid ... they’re going to be leaders,” said Petrino, a coach’s kid himself. But they also have to be able to play, he added. “It probably would have been hard to get any of them if their dads hadn’t played here.”
• The signees from Florida are defensive back Jordan Grabski (”He runs on their 4x100 relay and anyone who runs on the 4x100 at Southeast [High] has to be fast,” Petrino said, running back Richard Montgomery and receiver Jacob Sannon, also from Southeast High. Through his previous coaching jobs, Petrino has recruited Southeast for two decades.
• Petrino said Austin Rehkow from Central Valley High, who kicked a 67-yard field goal last fall, could contend immediately for the kicking and punting jobs.
The only returning placekicker on the roster is redshirt freshman Jace Johnson, from Eagle High.
There are no returning punters on the roster, though Petrino said Will Schmidt, who was recruited as an “athlete,” can also punt. Trent Cowan, brother of departed All-America punter Bobby Cowan, can also punt, but would rather play receiver at Idaho.
• Petrino said wide receiver/defensive back Dezmon Epps, from City College of San Francisco, can make a big impact as a punt/kickoff returner. “He is probably as big a recruit as we got,” Petrino said.
• Saunders and cornerback Armond Hawkins were being recruited hard by Nevada, a former conference rival of Idaho, just before signing day.
“Everybody tries to steal everybody else’s commitments at the end,” Petrino said. “We got the fax (letter of intent) and they didn’t.”
See Idaho’s complete signing list in Scoreboard.