Idaho’s ‘path’ continues with first-round FCS playoff game

Today, Idaho at Southeastern Louisiana, 4 p.m. Streaming: ESPN+. Radio: 92.5 FM

After a couple decades of mostly frustration from the Idaho Vandal football program, energy was high when Jason Eck was brought in from a successful FCS program, South Dakota State, in an attempt to return the Vandals to the glory days of the 1980s and early ’90s.

But a playoff appearance so soon? In Eck’s first season?

Who knew?

Turns out, Eck believed it.

“I did,” Eck said earlier in the week. “I never told the players this, but I told our staff — here’s our pathway to the playoffs. I knew we’d be pretty big underdogs in the two FBS games (vs. Washington State and Indiana). Montana and Sac State, we’ve got to figure out a way to win one of those games. And everyone else is just like us. …everyone else is going to have those same warts … It might be unrealistic to go 7-0, but we’ve got to go 6-1. That’s our path to the playoffs, and that’s how it worked out.”

Almost.

Idaho beat Montana, but lost to Sacramento State, then won every other Big Sky Conference game — except for the slipup at home vs. UC Davis.

In the end, Idaho finished 7-4, 5-2 in the Big Sky, and was one of five Big Sky teams to earn bids to the 24-team FCS playoffs.

Idaho, back in the playoffs for the first time since 1995, plays at Southeastern Louisiana (8-3) tonight at 4 p.m. PST in a first-round game on the SprinTurf at 7,408-seat Strawberry Stadium in Hammond, La.

Idaho finished tied for third in the Big Sky with Weber State, whom the Vandals did not play in the regular season. Montana State and Sac State both went undefeated in conference play, and earned first-round byes and will host second-round games.

“I wouldn’t have been discouraged or disappointed if we were 6-5 or 5-6; I wanted to definitely show progress over where we were last year (4-7),” Eck said. “I did think it (the playoffs) was a possibility, and I think it became more real when we got into the season, and I could see the kids were improving. They were buying in and believing in what we were doing. I really wanted to do it for our seniors … because they don’t have a three-year plan to make the playoffs.

“I did think it was important for me to make the playoffs as a new head coach in my first three years, but I wanted to make it the first year for these guys.”

Senior offensive lineman Logan Floyd, who was moved to center earlier in the season, said the players didn’t know what to expect with the coaching change — until they got to know the new coaching staff.

“Showing that they care for us, it really meant something,” Floyd said. “Knowing how much they care for you, it makes you want to go out and play your best for them.

“Making the playoffs is something special, it just shows how much we’ve bought into the process that these coaches are trying to show us,” Floyd added. “We’re changing the culture around here at the University of Idaho … I’m super excited to see where it goes.”

Southeastern Louisiana, in the playoffs for the third time in four seasons, owns a win over Incarnate Word, one of the eight seeded teams in the playoffs. The Lions play two quarterbacks — senior Cephus Johnson III, who is “a little more of a runner, but they still throw it a lot,” Eck said, and redshirt freshman Eli Sawyer., who is “not as much of a runner, but they run a lot of RPO with him,” Eck added.

Eck said the Lions’ three running backs — Taron Jones, Carlos Washington Jr. and Jessie Britt — should be among the best the Vandals have faced this season.

Johnson is the team’s second-leading rusher, behind Washington.

Eck said redshirt freshman quarterback Gevani McCoy, who missed last week’s win at Idaho State, should be able to go this week. But if not, he said the Vandals have confidence in true freshman Jack Layne, who led Idaho to the easy win in Pocatello.

“You saw them get better and better as the year’s gone on, you could see the team grow and develop an identity on both sides of the ball,” fifth-year Southeastern Louisiana coach Frank Scalfo said.

“With them on defense, we have to take care of the football,” he added. “They don’t play a lot of snaps, because they keep the football on offense, so they keep you from getting on the field on offense. And it keeps them off the field on defense. We can’t turn it over, because they’re not going to give it up.”

Idaho has turned the ball over just eight times this season; the Vandals have 21 takeaways.

“Now, we can’t be patting ourselves on the back too much for making the playoffs,” Eck said. “We’ve got a very winnable game, and we’ve got to go on the road, but we’ve got a great opportunity and we have to play really well, and not just be happy to be here.”