Before their walkthrough. Before their news conference. The Vandals reached out to the Boise Community and to a very special Vandal.

After starting their day at an FCA breakfast at which former Nebraska coach Tom Osborne was the keynote speaker, Buck Cowan loaded up some of his best Vandal friends and headed to the Touchstone Retirement Village where his 98-year old grandmother Peggy lives. In June, Cowan sent her a birthday card promising he would be playing in a bowl game his senior year and he would be playing in Boise so she could watch. He surprised her with his visit at what was billed to the residents as a Vandal Spirit party.

She clearly was surprised and touched as Cowan came out from behind a curtain to greet her. He, along with quarterback Matt Linehan, defensive lineman Aikeem Coleman, running back Isaiah Saunders and receiver Jordan Frysinger, gave her a stack of Vandal memorabilia and signed a football for her.

Across town, linebacker Ed Hall, defensive lineman Tueni Lupeamanu, defensive lineman/fullback Kevin Shelton, linebacker Kaden Elliss, defensive lineman Zach Cable, offensive lineman Mason Woods, running back Aaron Duckworth, kicker/punter Austin Rehkow, receiver Reuben Mwehla and receiver Jacob Sannon visited St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center and the Veteran's Administration Medical Center to greet patients and share Vandal gifts with them.