MOSCOW, Idaho – The Idaho Vandals football team named its captains in a team meeting on Tuesday afternoon. Captains are voted on by the team. Idaho named six captains and will rotate them each game.

For the third-consecutive year, offensive lineman Nate Azzopardi has been named a captain. Azzopardi is joined in his captaincy by junior linebacker Dylan Layne, sophomore quarterback Joshua Wood, fifth-year defensive end Sam Brown, tight end Jake Cox, and fifth-year defensive lineman Zach Krotzer. 

Azzopardi, a fifth-year senior from Pacifica, Calif., has played nearly 2,200 snaps for the Vandals over his career, and has played 26 games for the Vandals over the past two seasons. Last season, "Zo" recorded an elite 87.7 pass block rating per Pro Football Focus. He was recently one of eight Big Sky players to be named to the Shrine Bowl 1000 Watchlist. 

A junior linebacker from Lake Oswego, Ore., Layne steps into a leadership role on the defense this season. Layne has played in 24 games for the Vandals over the last two seasons and has racked up 49 tackles in that same time frame. During fall camp, wide receiver Tony Harste stated, "Dylan Layne, he is the guy on defense. I think all our defensive players have confidence with him being on the field." 

After transferring in from Fresno State following spring ball, Joshua Wood immediately made an impact and brought leadership to the offensive side of the ball. He was named starting quarterback in the middle of fall camp and has added a running element to the offense that the Vandals haven't seen in a long time.

Spokane, Wash. native Sam Brown enters his fifth year with the Vandals, starring Idaho's stout defensive line. Brown, a defensive leader, was recently selected to represent the Vandals at Big Sky Kickoff last month. Brown came to Idaho as a walk-on and ultimately earned a scholarship following a fantastic spring camp in 2022.

A senior from Manhattan, Kan., Cox has seen action in 19 games in 2022-23 and averaged 7.9 yards per catch in 2023. Cox, the most-tenured tight end on the Vandals roster, has been seen as a leader on the team for several years.

Krotzer has spent his entire five-year career with Idaho and has been vital in the Vandal defense for the past several seasons. Last year, Krotzer played in 14 games and tallied 40 tackles throughout the season. He was recently named to the Big Sky
Preseason All-Conference team. 

COACHES SHOW

The Latah Credit Union Vandal Coaches Show, Live from Forty-Two Bar Kitchen in Partnership with the Fairfield by Marriott is back for another year. Coaches and student-athletes will be featured with The Voice of the Vandals, Dennis Patchin. The Coaches Show will take place every Tuesday from 7-8 p.m. starting tonight. Head Coach Thomas Ford Jr., defensive coordinator Cort Dennison, and linebacker Dylan Layne will join the show. 

The Coaches Show will be live-streamed on Facebook, YouTube, and GoVandals.com.

SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow the Vandals on Facebook, Instagram, and X for the latest updates.

TICKETS: Season tickets, mini plans, and single-game tickets are available here or by calling the Idaho Ticket Office at (208) 885-6466.