1987 Idaho Vandals football team

The 1987 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1987 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals, led by second-year head coach Keith Gilbertson, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.

1987 Idaho Vandals football
Big Sky champion
ConferenceBig Sky Conference
1987 record9–3 (7–1 Big Sky)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorBill Diedrick (2nd season)
Defensive coordinatorBarry Lamb (1st season)
Base defense4–3
Home stadiumKibbie Dome
1987 Big Sky Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW L T  W L T
No. 5 Idaho $^ 7 –1 –0  9 –3 –0
No. 10 Weber State ^ 7 –1 –0  10 –3 –0
Montana 5 –3 –0  6 –5 –0
Boise State 4 –4 –0  6 –5 –0
Nevada 4 –4 –0  5 –6 –0
Northern Arizona 4 –4 –0  7 –4 –0
Idaho State 3 –5 –0  3 –7 –1
Eastern Washington 2 –6 –0  4 –7 –0
Montana State 0 –8 –0  1 –10 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Poll

The Vandals won their second conference title in three seasons, and made the I-AA playoffs for the third consecutive season. Led by redshirt sophomore quarterback John Friesz, Idaho finished the regular season at 9–2 and 7–1 in the Big Sky.

Notable games

Following a non-conference loss at home to Central Michigan and a road loss to intrastate rival Idaho State,[1] Idaho won its final six games of the regular season. The Vandals defeated Nevada for only the second time in the ten meetings since the Wolf Pack joined the Big Sky in 1979. The Vandals defeated rival Boise State for the sixth consecutive year, the sixth of twelve straight over the Broncos.

Division I-AA playoffs

For the third consecutive season, Idaho returned to the 16-team I-AA playoffs. The Vandals hosted conference foe Weber State, whom they had defeated in Utah four weeks earlier by three points. The Wildcats won the rematch 59–30, before a sparse crowd at the Kibbie Dome two days after Thanksgiving, ending the Vandals' season at 9–3.[2]

Notable players

The 1987 team included two future NFL players with lengthy pro careers: guard Mark Schlereth and redshirt sophomore John Friesz, a future collegiate hall of fame quarterback as a three-year starter (1987–89).

Schedule
DateTimeOpponentRankSiteResultAttendance
September 57:00 pmMankato State*No. 20
W 31–177,600
September 127:00 pmCentral Michigan*No. 20
  • Kibbie Dome
  • Moscow, Idaho
L 18–308,000
September 197:00 pmat No. 6 Portland State*
W 17–108,535
September 267:00 pmat Northern Arizona
W 46–379,029
October 36:30 pmat Idaho StateNo. 15
L 21–3010,764
October 107:00 pmMontana
W 31–259,500
October 171:00 pmNo. 11 Nevada
  • Kibbie Dome
  • Moscow, Idaho
W 38–2815,100
October 247:00 pmEastern WashingtonNo. 14
  • Kibbie Dome
  • Moscow, Idaho
W 31–2411,500
October 3112:00 pmat No. 7 Weber StateNo. 12
W 41–3813,486
November 712:00 pmat Montana StateNo. 10
W 14–76,007
November 214:30 pmBoise StateNo. 5
W 40–3416,500
November 2812:30 pmNo. 10 Weber State*No. 5
L 30–594,900

Source:[3]

Roster
1987 Idaho Vandals football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
FL 6 Eric Jorgensen Jr
SE John Jake
QB Steve Nolan Fr
QB 17 John Friesz So
RB Todd Hoiness Jr
RB Larry Leverett So
TE Craig Robinson Sr
TE Chris Slater Jr
T 70 Greg Hale Jr
G Todd Neu So
C Steve Unger So
G 60 Mark Schlereth Jr
T 63 Troy Wright So
 Defense
Pos.#NameClass
CB 1 Richard Carey Jr
FS 8 Ernest Sanders Sr
CB 29 Virgil Paulsen Sr
SS Dan McCanna Sr
LB Jerry Medved Jr
LB Jim Medved Jr
LB Mark Matthews Fr
LB 31 Kevin Johnson Sr
DE Pete Wilkins Sr
DT Craig Dowdy Sr
DT Michael Bailey Jr
DE Kord Smith Sr
 Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
K Brian Decicio Jr
P John Pleas Jr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
  • Bill Diedrick (OC)
  • Barry Lamb (DC)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured
  • Redshirt
Source:[4][5][6][7]

All-conference

Six Vandals were named to the all-conference team: quarterback John Friesz, tackle Greg Hale, guard Todd Neu, defensive end Pete Wilkins, safety Ernest Sanders, and cornerback Virgil Paulsen. Second team selections were wide receiver Eric Jorgensen, tight end Craig Robinson, and punter John Pleas. Honorable mention were wide receiver/kick returner John Jake, running back Todd Hoiness, center Steve Unger, defensive linemen Kord Smith and Jim Routos, and placekicker Brian Decicio.[8][9][10][11]

Friesz, from Coeur d'Alene, was also named the Big Sky's outstanding offensive player.[12][13]

References
  1. Tatko, Mike (October 4, 1987). "ISU's bad luck ends with Idaho". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1B.
  2. "Weber State 59, Idaho 30". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. November 29, 1987. p. 3B.
  3. College Football Data Warehouse Archived 2010-02-16 at the Wayback Machine – Idaho 1985–89 – accessed August 14, 2010
  4. "UI: Medved twins have big shoes to fill in the middle". Idahonian. (Moscow). September 1, 1987. p. 1C.
  5. "UI: Vandals should be strong at defensive end". Idahonian. (Moscow). September 2, 1987. p. 6A.
  6. "UI: Secondary is a strength". Idahonian. (Moscow). September 3, 1987. p. 1C.
  7. "Starting line-ups". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). October 3, 1987. p. 4B.
  8. "All-Big Sky teams". Spokane Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. December 2, 1987. p. D3.
  9. "EWU's Stein makes All-Big Sky". Spokane Chronicle. (Washington). staff and wire reports. December 2, 1987. p. D1.
  10. "Six Vandals on Big Sky first team". Idahonian. (Moscow). Associated Press. December 2, 1987. p. 10A.
  11. "Friesz, Buenzli top All=Big Sky teams". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). December 2, 1987. p. D2.
  12. "Idaho's Friesz best in Big Sky". Idahonian. (Moscow). Associated Press. December 4, 1987. p. 1B.
  13. "Friesz captures Big Sky MVP award". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. December 4, 1987. p. 33.
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