Idaho spring football game: Johnson displays an 'edge'

By MARK NELKE

Sports editor

MOSCOW — Zach Johnson did a lot of things during his celebrated career at Lake City High, but being an edge rusher was not one of them.

However, you wouldn’t have known it from watching the 6-foot-3, 220-pound redshirt freshman get after the quarterback during Idaho’s spring football game on Friday night at the Kibbie Dome.

Playing some on the edge and some at middle linebacker, Johnson finished with 2.5 “sacks” (quarterbacks were not “live” to be tackled) and several other QB hurries while playing for the Black team, comprised mostly of first-team players and key backups.

“He played great today,” third-year Idaho coach Jason Eck said of Johnson, who came to Idaho as a linebacker, but the Vandals have been trying him more and more at edge rusher. 

“He’s just got a natural knack for rushing the passer. And that’s something that is tough to teach. Truly, to get a great, great pass rusher at this level, you need someone who didn’t do it in high school. And that wasn’t his job in high school. If you show you’re a great pass rusher on high school film, you’re going to get recruited by big places. I think we’ve got to keep using him there, and find a way to get our best guys on the field. But certainly, I thought he was a difference-maker for us. Obviously when the quarterback’s not live it’s different; we have to make sure in the fall, against other people, he’s finishing those plays. But I thought he did a tremendous job today, and was one of our shining moments.”

For those keeping score at home, the Black won the finale to Idaho’s spring football drills, defeating the White team 35-21.

The White team was comprised mostly of second- and third-teamers, and started the game with a 14-0 lead.

Sophomore Jack Layne, taking over as starting quarterback after Gevani McCoy, the starter the past two seasons, transferred to Oregon State, threw three touchdown passes.

Running back Elisha Cummings, who sat out last season, took one to the house on a screen pass, and also ran one in from 3 yards out.

Layne also tossed a short pass to tight end Mason Mini, who took it in for a 10-yard scoring play. Layne then hooked up with Jordan Dwyer, one of the few returning experienced receivers, on a 50-yard deep ball for six points.

“We were waiting for that one,” Dwyer said. “We ran that a couple times earlier, but we didn’t get to the read, but he (Layne) let it go, and I just saw the ball in the air and had to go get it.” 

Sophomore linebacker Jaxton Eck, son of the coach, scored on a 20-yard pick-6 early in the third quarter for the Black team. 

Jaxton Eck and Johnson are roommates.

“Zach’s awesome; he’s a really talented player, very athletic,” Jaxton Eck said of Johnson. “Proud of him, and great to see him make some plays.”

Jason Eck, who mostly “observed” during the scrimmage (assistant coaches mostly handled their-game decisions), was up in the press box on the radio broadcast in the third quarter when Jaxton Eck scored. 

“It was a good play by Jaxton; his mom was really fired up. I like the way he’s responded,” Jason Eck said.

Midway through spring ball, Vandal coaches moved him to second string, and Jaxton responded. 

“I really thought the first half of spring, he wasn’t making a ton of plays,” Jason Eck said. “That one scrimmage with the 2s, he played really well, (we) put him back with the 1s, and the second half of the spring he’s made more plays. We need a lot of guys to make a jump from last year to this year to get us where we want to go.”

After the pick-6, the White responded with a nice drive for its only score, a 31-yard pass-and-run from redshirt freshman Hogan Carmichael to redshirt freshman Seth Shook.

“The Black team defense played well,” Jason Eck said. “They had one lapse, and it was a great learning moment. The scoring drive they gave up was helped by foolish penalties. It was the Vandals beating the Vandals. A 15-yard penalty, couple lined up in the neutral zone, but when they took care of their business they were very good. D-line was very good, and Black offense moved the ball consistently. Good to see the big play to Dwyer at the end. We have to get better at creating big plays.”

Amari Notice also had 2.5 sacks for the Black team, which finished with 10 sacks.

Johnson wasn’t the lone local product to see action in the spring game.

The other locals all suited up for the White team. 

True freshman Owen Foreman (Lakeland) kicked off. 

Redshirt freshman Alex Green (Lake City) saw action at left tackle, and blocked against Johnson, his high school teammate, on a few plays.

Redshirt freshman Trevor Miller (Post Falls) saw action both at edge rusher and tight end.

Redshirt freshman Weston Benefield (Sandpoint) saw action at linebacker.

Idaho opens its season Aug. 31 at Oregon.

SCORING PLAYS

FIRST QUARTER

Black — Elisha Cummings 3 run (Cameron Pope kick)

SECOND QUARTER

Black — Mason Mini 10 pass from Jack Layne (Pope kick)

Black — Cummings 23 pass from Layne (LJ Harm kick)

THIRD QUARTER

Black — Jaxton Eck 20 interception return (Pope kick)

White — Seth Shook 31 pass from Hogan Carmichael (Pope kick)

FOURTH QUARTER

Black — Jordan Dwyer 50 pass from Layne (Pope kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — White, Wagner 2-(minus 21), Carmichael 7-(minus 30), Williams 6-4, Matheney 5-10, Thomas 1-(minus 3). Black, Layne 3-26, Buchanan 6-31, Cummings 6-12, Thomas 5-29.

PASSING — White, Wagner 5-11-0-30, Carmichael 4-5-1-56. Black, Layne 17-26-0-186, Wagner 3-5-0-53, Higgins 0-1-0-0. 

RECEIVING — White, Williams 1-10, Clark 2-8, Fry 20-14, Stromberg 1-8, Rice 2-15, Shook 1-31. Black, Dwyer 5-94, Buchanan 2-11, Higgins 1-12, Cortez-Menjivar 1-4, Hamper 3-48, Cummings 1-23, Moore 5-37, Mini 2-15.

    MARK NELKE/Press Jordan Dwyer (6) of the Black team makes a leaping catch for a touchdown in the fourth quarter as Abraham Williams, rear, defends, and Jacob Skobis (39) looks on during Idaho's spring football game Friday night at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow.