The quarterback (Doug Nussmeier) was rated above Weber State's Jamie Martin in some preseason polls. The running back (Devon Pearce) was co-Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Year for 1990 with Martin. The receiver (Kasey Dunn) will soon - perhaps Saturday - become the Big Sky career leader in receptions, needing 10, and ranks No. 2 nationally in I-AA with 499 yards on 37 catches. The defensive end (Jeff Robinson) makes a four-man line the equivalent of a five-man line.
Yes, the 3-2, 1-1 Idaho Vandals have fallen on hard times, losing two home games in a row for the first time since 1981 and going scoreless in the second halves of their last two games to drop from second in the rankings to 19th.But consider Idaho's opposition: No. 1-ranked and unbeaten Nevada and No. 7-ranked Northern Iowa (4-1).
Saturday night's confrontation with 4-1, 3-0 Weber State, 6:05 p.m. at Wildcat Stadium, is Idaho's opportunity to get back into the Big Sky race.
Clearly, the Vandals have the personnel and the tradition (they've won six of the last seven against the Wildcats). Coach John L. Smith just wasn't sure if they had the bounce-backability since nothing like the last two weeks ever happens in Moscow.
Smith, a Weber alum, uses virtually the same offense as the Wildcats. "We get to work against our offense every day in practice. That's one good thing about facing each other at this point," he says.
"The bad thing is the guy pulling the trigger on the other side of the ball (Martin) is about as good as I've seen."
Martin ranks first in the country in total offense (355.4 yards a game); Nussmeier is fourth (306.4).
Weber Coach Dave Arslanian has similar respect for Smith's defensive end Robinson. "When you've got one really great lineman that can force a double team, all of a sudden with a four-man rush you've created a five-on-five matchup," Arslanian says.