MOSCOW, Idaho – Idaho football got back to field on Friday night for its first official practice of the season. The squad was fired up and ready to get back to work, with just four weeks until the season-opener.
Practice looks a little different this year. With COVID protocols in place, the Vandals have split up some of the practices to minimize traffic on and around the field. Special face shields have also been installed in each helmet as an extra precaution.
"I thought it went good," said head coach
Paul Petrino. "Right now we kind of have separate practices. For the first two days we kind of broke it up with an offensive practice and a defensive practice. When we get shoulder pads on we'll go ones-on-ones and twos-on-twos.
"I thought the offense did a lot of good things. There was some good execution, some nice throws and catches and some runs. Defense was flying around and doing some good things. For the first day I thought it went well. I was excited."
Petrino and the Vandals will be replacing a lot on offense, including star wide receiver
Jeff Cotton, who led the nation in receptions per game a season ago. Transfer quarterback,
Mike Beaudry, will look to step in right away with some of those new options at receiver, but will certainly rely on veteran
Cutrell Haywood as well.
The defense is more secure, by comparison. With most of the defensive side of the ball coming back, including a pair of Preseason-All America linebackers in
Tre Walker and
Christian Elliss, The Vandals look ready to be physical this spring.
The Vandals return to action on Saturday morning for a closed practice.
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