Ex-Post Falls standout DeGraw stepping up for Vandals

Nate DeGraw had a bit of a breakout game for Idaho in last week’s 42-17 loss at Montana in Missoula.

The redshirt sophomore defensive lineman from Post Falls High led the team with 12 total tackles (two solo), and he and Christian Elliss combined on the Vandals’ lone sack.

“On Friday nights we have a ‘punish tape’ of big plays the guys make, and probably the last four weeks he’s been showing up on that more and more and more,” Idaho coach Paul Petrino said. “He played with great effort and great passion ... you’re really happy to see in-state kids, his father (Mike) played here ... Nate’s been playing really good football here as of late.”

For the season, the 6-foot-3, 269-pound DeGraw is sixth with 34 total tackles, and also has 3.5 tackles for loss. His dad played for the Vandals during Petrino’s first stint in Moscow, as an assistant coach in the early 1990s.

SENIOR DAY: Idaho (4-6, 2-4 Big Sky) will honor 11 seniors on Saturday when the Vandals host sixth-ranked Sacramento State (7-3, 5-1) in the Kibbie Dome. Over the last four years, Idaho is 14-7 in home games, the best overall record by a class since the 1990s.

One of those seniors who will be honored is Noah Johnson, a 6-4, 311-pound offensive lineman who was a third-team All-American last year by HERO Sports.

“So proud of him, how he handles himself, goes about his business,” Petrino said. “He’s the perfect guy you want, really. On the field he plays with tenacious toughness, gets after people, and off the field he’s about as nice a guy as you’ll ever meet in your life. I think the world of noah, and we’ll miss him, but it’s been awesome to be a part of his life the last 4 1/2 years.”