The Career of J.D. Clark (NCAA 14)

[Knickerbocker91]

Rough loss, I know how you feel about the CPU scoring on that quick drives. Being a stats nut, it annoys me to see the CPU score drives under two minutes regardless of how many plays the drive consists of.

Still some winnable games on the schedule though, just going to have to bounce back in a big way.

[Hellisan]

Quote: Originally Posted by Knickerbocker91

Rough loss....

Yep, we just have eyes on the prize and that is winning the games the team is capable of winning. Believe it or not we've pretty much done that so far and we have landed some decent players in recruiting. Thanks for reading.

[Hellisan]

Coverage of Week 9

[Hellisan]

[Hellisan]

Moscow, ID – For a few minutes yesterday, it appeared the hometown football team that plays in the big barrel was going to win a game by a relatively large margin. That thought vanished within minutes with a furious Texas State comeback, and the Vandals ended up winning by a whisker in a single thrilling overtime period by the final score of 28-25.

The Vandals did a great job in the early going of controlling the ball, the clock, and the Texas State offense. After two quarters, the score was 10-0 and Texas State had registered just six first downs.

Coach Clark made a decision in the early going to punt the ball on 4th and short, and it set the tone for a slow paced, carefully played first half. Punter Austin Rehkow made the decision pay off by burying the ball at the Texas State 9 yard line. The Bobcats looked like they would go three and out until QB Arndt found TE Bradley Miller for a 39 yard gain, right over the top of Mark Millan, the Vandals’ best coverage linebacker. A few plays later the Bobcats were faced with a 4th and 1 at the 10 yard line, and decided to go for it. That plan backfired as they turned the ball over on downs.

Idaho responded with their first points of the game on a field goal, and on the ensuing drive DE Anthony Rice forced a fumble which the Vandals recovered. QB Chad Chalich gave the ball right back going deep a couple plays later (an “aggressive” INT, as Coach Clark later called it), but the Vandal defense forced a punt. The offense then put together a 12 play, 69 yard drive spanning 3:31 to take a 10-0 lead which lasted until halftime.

Texas State was listless on offense again to open the second half, settling for a three and out and looking predictable in so doing. Idaho could manage only a field goal to take a 13-0 lead, but they were looking solid. That is, until Arndt kept on a read option, got perfect blocking, and yet again Idaho was burned by a big play on a QB keeper as he went 60 yards in about 20 seconds and the Vandals couldn’t track him down.

The teams then traded a pair of touchdown passes. With a 19-7 lead, Idaho went for the two points and failed before the Bobcats scrambled back to striking distance at 19-14 on a 12 play, 69-yard drive. Idaho got a nice return and looked to score a touchdown to put the game away, but were forced to kick a field goal by a Texas State defense that forced a couple of key drops. The score was 22-14 with 1:50 left in the game.

Preparing for a long drive, Idaho was surprised when Arndt fired a strike over the top of the defense to WR B. Ijah, who went 58-yards to make it 22-20. Needing an extra point, Arndt then found an open man in the back of the end zone to tie the game.

The crowd was stunned, but the Vandals had 48 seconds left and a kicker with a howitzer attached to his right hip. Deon Watson returned the kick to the 37, but the team went three and out after the Bobcat defense forced a pair of highly contested drops by Dezmon Epps, and after a punt the game went to overtime.

The Vandals pulled off a major win with an open field tackle by Trey Williams that forced a field goal to open the overtime period. Kristoffer Olugbode then eased the tension by reeling off a 9-yard run on first down. Still, the defense recovered and forced a 3rd and 8 from the 10-yard line. Chalich dropped back and found a wide open Dezmon Epps on a quick hitch as the corner anticipated something deeper into the end zone, and Epps sauntered in practically untouched for the game winning score.

[Hellisan]

[Hellisan]

Coverage of Week 10

[Hellisan]

Seniors

#86 TE Michael Lagrone - He's had a fairly pedestrian season but is a great blocker, maybe the best we line up including the actual linemen.

#2 WR Najee Lovett - Has 20 Rec, 288 Yds, 1 TD and has delivered when called upon

#7 HB James Baker - Leads team with 639 Yds (4.3), 4 TD

#57 DT Quayshawne Buckley - Has been the only decent interior lineman fighting a losing battle all season, but we would be much worse off without him.

#39 OLB Matthew Willis - Has seen some spot starting work and racked up 33 tackles, 1 sack, 3 Pass deflections.

#12 QB Taylor Davis - Beaten out for the starting role by the much younger Chalich, he has manned the clipboard this season.

#87 WR Roman Runner - He's caught 18 balls for 299 yds, 2 TD, mostly early in the season. Punt returner has done a solid job with 9.6 yards per return.

#81 TE Taylor Elmo - Injured early in the year, he has played the role of #2 TE when healthy and doesn't stand out, in a good or bad way.

#70 RT Nick Von Rotz - He hasn't ended up playing much after getting beaten out in the spring.

#7 SS Trey Williams - Despite a lack of speed, he has been key to the defense, making 54 stops, 5 TFL, 2 sacks, and 2 INT. His work has earned him the role of impact player on D this year.

#85 TE Clayton Homme - Depth guy

#91 RE Vince Keener - Depth guy

#69 RG Larry Dugan - Depth guy

#20 CB Christian Whitehead - Sees the field in some dime and quarter packages, has registered 17 Tackles and a sack.

#98 DT Aaron Lazaro - The team mascot, he recovered an important fumble in the win against Texas State. The fact that he plays occasionally manifests our lack of talent on the D line. Nevertheless, we'll always want guys like Aaron Lazaro on the team!