MOSCOW, Idaho - The playoff push is in full swing for the No. 15 Vandals and Idaho welcomes in the red-hot UC Davis Aggies for a game Saturday at 4 p.m. for Senior Day. The Vandals are now 6-3 on the year and 5-1 in Big Sky play with an electric offense and a stingy defense. UC Davis comes into the game after winning four-straight games, three of them at home. The Aggies are fourth in the FCS in total offense at nearly 500 yards per game and their defense has held their last three opponents under 20 points.
ABOUT IDAHO: The Vandals put a shellacking on Eastern Washington last Saturday at the dome on the back of
Hayden Hatten's record day. The Idaho offense has shown the ability to score points, behind freshman quarterback Gevani McCoy, receiving duo Hatten and
Jermaine Jackson and a stable of running backs. Mccoy is 15th in the FCS in completion percentage while still stretching the field at 11th in the FCS in yards per completion. The Vandals are first in time of possession, fifth in turnover margin and sixth in redzone offense in the FCS. The Vandals are 17th in the FCS in total defense. Fa'avae Fa'avae is seventh in the Big Sky in tackles and
Tommy McCormick and Paul Moala have five takeaways on the year each, including four interceptions.
ABOUT UC DAVIS: UC Davis has faced a schedule of haves and have nots. Every loss has come to a team that is either a power-five team or teams that are currently in the FCS top-10. Their wins however are against four of the bottom five teams in the Big Sky standings and non-scholarship San Diego. The stats say that despite playing some tough teams, the Aggies can still put up points, UCD is fourth in total offense and 13th in scoring offense. Their defense is allowing nearly 380 yards per games but holding teams to just 20.7 points per game. Coach Dan Hawkins is familiar with the Kibbie Dome as head coach of Boise State from 2001-05.
PICK SIX
1. QB PERFORMANCE: In just eight games this season, Gevani McCoy has been a revelation. He is 11th in the FCS in completion percentage (68.6%) and fifth in the FCS in efficiency (171.1). When you include just FCS games, those numbers jump to 71.1% completion percentage and 181.8 efficiency rating. In just six games, he passed for more yards (1,359) than any Vandal player a year ago. McCoy was named to the Jerry Rice Award Watch List and was the Big Sky Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Week after leading the Vandals to the win over Montana. Idaho still has a pair of quarterbacks with game experience to back him up in
CJ Jordan and J'Borre Gibbs. True freshman quarterback Jack Layne was given time at the QB position against Drake in a chance to get him playing experience while preserving his redshirt.
2. INTO THE RANKINGS: The Vandals jumped into the FCS Rankings after topping Montana 30-23 on the road in the Battle for the Little Brown Stein. Idaho is now 15th in the FCS stats poll and 20th in the AFCA Coaches Poll.
3. TURNOVERS: Despite playing games against Power Five opponents, the Vandals are up big time in the turnover margin. Idaho has 17 takeaways to just seven turnovers. Good enough for the fourth-best turnover margin in the FCS. In just five games, the Vandals topped the takeaway number from a season ago. Combined with the best time of possession mark in the FCS, Idaho is controlling the ball. Paul Moala and
Tommy McCormick have four interceptions each, tied for third in the FCS and Idaho is the only team in the FCS with two players to have four or more interceptions. Murvin Kenion III is right behind them with three.
4. IMPACT TRANSFERS: Six transfers are listed on the Vandal defensive two-deep, two transfers are listed on the offensive list and one special teams player. Paul Moala, a linebacker transfer from Notre Dame forced a fumble against WSU, made a goalline stop against Indiana and has four interceptions on the season. Juliano Falaniko, a defensive end transfer from USC had 29 tackles, including 4.5 TFLS and two sacks. Mathias Bertram a safety from New Mexico has 42 total tackles. Former NAIA All-American Jason Hahlbeck, a transfer from Morningside College, has missed games due to injury. Junior college transfer Ricardo Chavez is 12-15 on the year for field goals and is among the leaders in the FCS in made field goals and percentage. JC transfer Murvin Kenion III has three interceptions and a forced fumble this year and led Idaho in tackles against Portland State.
5. RECEIVERS: Hayden Hatten had a record performance against Eastern Washington, scoring four touchdowns in the first half, tying three others for touchdowns in a game. He is now second on the single-season touchdown record book and fourth on the career mark. He is now tied for the top spot in the FCS for TDs this season.
Jermaine Jackson He is second in the Big Sky in yards per reception at 19.50. Jackson is third in the Big Sky in Yards per game and Hatten is fifth. Terez Traynor and Jordan Dwyer have all had big impacts, but have had injuries that have limited their availability.
6. NEW BUT VETERAN STAFF: With the coaching staff change, head coach Jason Eck changed the entire staff. Among the 10 assistant coaches, seven have served as a coordinator in a college football setting and running backs coach Thomas Ford is a former DII head coach. Stanley Franks Jr. and Matt Linehan both had outstanding careers as players at the University of Idaho.
