VANDAL NOTES: Filling the pass-catching void

With arguably Idaho’s three top receivers out — including top receiver Dezmon Epps, who was suspended earlier in the week — it’s up to the remaining pass catchers to pick up the slack if the Vandals want to continue their winning ways.

One of those receivers is Deon Watson, the redshirt junior from Coeur d’Alene High.

Playing on the day of his grandfather’s funeral, Watson caught three passes for 72 and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score in last Saturday’s 27-13 victory over Louisiana-Monroe.

In six games — he missed one due to injury — Watson has 21 receptions for 241 yards and three TDs. This despite having to swing between wide receiver and tight end.

“He’s playing both outside and in the slot,” Idaho coach Paul Petrino said. “What he has to do now is, he’s being an ultimate team player. He has to practice at tight end. He has to go to the tight end meetings, because if something happens to Trent (Cowan), our other tight end (Khalin Smith) is now playing linebacker. But predominantly he’s playing more of a receiver, and that’ll even pick up more this week.”

Watson is Idaho’s second-leading receiver, well behind Epps, who has 61 catches for 757 yards and two TDs. Epps has 35 percent of the Vandals’ receptions, and 41 percent of the yardage.

Petrino said he’s also seen good things from wideouts Jante Boston and Rueben Mwhela, as well as Cowan at tight end. And with receivers Jacob Sannon and David Ungerer also sidelined with injuries, Petrino is confident the remaining receivers can pick up the slack as a group.

Epps was suspended after being accused of hitting his girlfriend over the weekend, adding to the list of troubles with the law Epps has gotten into during his time in Moscow.

Petrino said he spoke with Epps and “He denies it … I hope that’s true.”

“It’s something I tell my players over and over again -- we will never have any violence with women, it will not be tolerated, and I stand firmly on that,” Petrino said. “Right now, I’m just going to let the legal process take its course. … I really can’t say anything else.”

Idaho (3-4, 2-2 Sun Belt) plays at New Mexico State (0-7, 0-3) on Saturday.

“The most important thing we need to understand as a team is to go our third win in a row, and that’s where we’ve got to put all our focus,” Petrino said. “Guys got to step up, we’ve got to have a great week of practice … and then flying down there and getting a win.”

Ah, winning. A victory Saturday would give Idaho its first three-game winning streak since 2009, when the Vandals won the Humanitarian Bowl.

Wins the last two weeks have given the Vandals a confidence they may not have had earlier in the season, Petrino said.

“That’s what App State did last year,” he said. “They were 1-5, and that fifth loss was to a I-AA team. And they won and they won, and they haven’t stopped since. Their confidence got better and better and better, and that’s what we want. We want to be App State.”

Appalachian State, which visits Idaho on Nov. 14, finished 7-5 last year after six straight wins, and is 6-1 this season, 3-0 in the Sun Belt.