Aug. 26—It is an infinitesimal chance.
But as it prepares to kick off 2024 against Oregon Saturday, Idaho, at least theoretically, can take the first steps toward winning two national championships, one official and the other unofficial.
In the Football Championship Subdivision, the Vandals are seventh in the preseason ranking. They are a team that could win an FCS crown.
If they pull the upset of all time and steal a win from Oregon, who sit third in the Football Bowl Subdivision preseason ranking, and if the Ducks recover from such a mortifying defeat to go on and win the FBS title, wouldn’t that make the Vandals the improbable people’s champion?
Staring at a 44.5 point spread against his team, however, Idaho coach Jason Eck isn’t entertaining such whimsy.
“I don’t think we have any pressure on us in this game,” he said at a Monday news conference. “We could lose by 100, and it is not going to affect us winning a conference championship.”
He said he plans to “coach loose and be aggressive.”
What he wants to see from the Vandals is competent play and to measure his team against a superior opponent.
“We want to make sure we are going to the right people assignment wise,” he said.
“If they make one-on-one plays because they are better than us, I am not going to lose sleep over that.”
The Vandals are going to Eugene with only one key play listed as questionable. Redshirt sophomore linebacker Dylan Lane has a hamstring injury.
Layne and his brother, Jack, Idaho’s starting quarterback, “might be setting the record for tickets they are trying to get for this game,” Eck said. The Laynes are from Lake Oswego and for them and other Vandals from Oregon, like redshirt freshman receiver Mark Hamper, from West Linn, going home to play the Ducks is special.
“They are excited about the opportunity, about taking our shot,” said Eck.
The…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/idahos-jason-eck-vows-coach-035900173.html
Author : The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash.
Publish date : 2024-08-27 03:59:00
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