MOSCOW, Idaho – Despite the close on Saturday to No. 9 Eastern Washington the Idaho Vandals saw a number of impressive performances in all three phases of the game.
Zach Borisch – Borisch stepped in as quarterback on Saturday against EWU. The Vandals changed up the offense to suit his skillset and it worked wonders. Borisch carried the ball 33 times, the 10
th most rushes in a single game in Vandal history. He finished with 205 yards, also the 10
th most ever by a Vandal. It was the 13
th time in program history that a Vandal rushed for 200-plus yards, and the first occurrence since 2007. His 205 yards are the most by a Big Sky student-athlete this season.
His 205 yards on the ground were the eighth most by a Vandal against an opponent in the same division. Idaho's all-time rushing record belongs to Russell Davis, who churned out 345 against Division II Portland State in 1981.
Records dating back to the 1930's are difficult to come by, but in all likelihood Borisch's 205 yards are the second most ever by a Vandal quarterback in a game. Willis "Wee Willie" Smith is listed as a quarterback in some record books, and went off for 282 yards against Gonzaga on October 8, 1932.
Cade Coffey – Coffey is second in the Big Sky in punting, averaging 47.5 yards per punt. On Saturday, he was called on three times. He landed all inside the EWU 20 and averaged 43.3 yards per punt. EWU's average starting field position after Coffey punts was its own 11.
Nick Romano – Romano was tremendous in the return game on Saturday. He averaged 30.3 yards per return on the day, and currently leads the Big Sky Conference with an average of 27.1 yards per return on the season.
Christian Elliss – Elliss led the way for the Vandals with 13 tackles. It is the 12
th time in his career that he has recorded double-digit tackles, the most of any current Vandal.
Team – Idaho ranks atop the Big Sky Conference in a handful of categories. The Vandal defense allows the fewest rushing yards per game of any Big Sky school at 118.8. Idaho also leads the conference in kickoff return, averaging 24.6 yards per return, and punting while averaging 44.5 yards per punt. The Vandal red zone offense is still perfect at 18-of-18, and the red zone defense leads the conference as well.
The Vandals close the season at Northern Arizona on Saturday.
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All-Time Rushing – Single Game
1. 345 Russell Davis at Portland State* Oct. 3, 1981
2. 282 Willis Smith vs. Gonzaga Oct. 8, 1932
3. 273 Joel Thomas at Boise State Nov. 23, 1996
4. 255 Ray McDonald vs. Weber State Nov. 19, 1966
5. 241 Ray McDonald at Montana Oct. 23, 1965
6. 226 Devon Pearce at Boise State Nov. 17, 1990
7. 221 Mark Fredback vs. Weber State Oct. 20. 1973
221 Blair Lewis vs. Middle Tennessee Oct. 26, 2002
9. 214 Deonte` Jackson vs. Cal Poly** Sept. 8, 2007
10. 205 Zach Borisch at EWU April 10, 2021
11. 204 Sherriden May at Weber State Sept. 18, 1993
12. 201 Robert Taylor vs. Northern Arizona Nov. 20, 1976
202 Sherriden May vs. Weber State Sept. 19, 1992
* - Portland State competed at the Division II level in 1981
** - Cal Poly competed at the FCS level in 2007, with the Vandals competing at the FBS level
