IDAHO FOOTBALL: Everything to see, with one exception
MOSCOW - Saturday's first scrimmage for the Idaho Vandals had everything coach Paul Petrino wanted to see - with one exception. There were three interceptions thrown by the two quarterbacks.
All in all, though, it met his wish list for a first scrimmage.
"I liked it today because the two biggest things I wanted to see today was for us to run the ball well and for the defense to really hit and tackle," he said. "They did that."
Both quarterbacks completed about 55 percent of their passes with Linehan throwing for 199 yards on 20 of 36 throws, and Jake Luton throwing for 196 on 12 of 22.
They combined for six passing touchdowns (two from Linehan and four from Luton), while there were five rushing TDs - two apiece from Elijhaa Penny and Aaron Duckworth, and one by Linehan.
David Ungerer was the leading receiver - as he has been throughout camp, was the leading receiver with 12 catches for 104 yards. Newcomer Callen Hightower had five for 66, and Jacob Sannon had four for 49.
On the ground, Penny covered 43 yards on 13 carries, and Duckworth had 16 carries for 55.
The intangible was an unbending mentality on both sides of the ball.
"I told the guys when we finished that we're a lot tougher football team right now," Petrino said. "That's how you win games in the fourth quarter - being tough. That's what we're becoming."
As many positives as there were on the offensive side of the ball, the defense had its share, too. Broc Westlake had nine tackles to lead the unit with Leonard Hazewood and Kaden Elliss adding eight each, Tueni Lupeamanu finishing with seven, and Zach Cable and Emmanuel Jones with six each.
Russell Siavii, Desmond Banks and Jordan Frysinger accounted for the interceptions with Jones and Lupeamanu each with two quarterback hurries.
The ability for both sides of the ball to have highlights is what a coach wants to see.
"When it was the running game," Petrino said, "the offense got after it. When it was the passing game, the defense got after it."
The Vandals continue fall camp with 9 a.m. practices next week with their second scrimmage next Saturday at 10 a.m. They open the 2015 campaign on Thursday, Sept. 3, against Ohio University in their Tackle Cancer game.
SCORING PLAYS
Penny 7 run
Penny 1 run
Hightower 14 pass from Luton
Duckworth 6 pass from Luton
Duckworth 9 run
Cowan 4 pass from Linehan
FG, Rehkow 42
Sannon 6 pass from Linehan
Boston 19 pass from Luton
Pugh 50 pass from Luton
Linehan 12 run
Duckworth 1 run
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING - Linehan 2-20, Luton 1-4, Saunders 9-34, Penny 13-43, Duckworth 16-55, Bamis 4-3.
PASSING - Linehan, 20-36-1-199, Luton, 12-22-2-196.
RECEIVING - Ungerer 12-104, Pugh 1-50, Hightower 5-66, Sannon 4-49, Cowan 2-13, Boston 1-19, Saunders 1-13, Penny 2-32, Duckworth 1-6, Mwehla 2-33, Watson 1-8.