Tony Spencer enters his fourth season at Idaho and is now serving as the tight end and fullback coach. A coaching veteran of more than 20 years, Spencer joined the Vandal coaching staff in August 2018.
Spencer’s group was led by unanimous All-Big Sky First Team selection Logan Kendall. The bruiser from Cheney caught six passes for 91 yards and two scores in the 2021 spring season and averaged one rush per game as well. His greatest impact came in the run game, clearing lanes for fellow Vandals like Nick Romano, Roshaun Johnson and Zach Borisch. Tight end Connor Whitney also had a solid year, catching 10 passes in five games.
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Jeff Cotton led the Vandals in all receiving categories in 2019. He averaged 8.8 receptions per game, the most in the FCS. His 114.1 yards per game were the second most in the nation. Sophomore Cutrell Haywood continued to improve and stepped up when needed with Cotton missing some games, and looks to take over as the Vandals’ number one option in 2020.
Idaho's wide receivers were among its most productive groups in 2018. Senior David Ungerer earned third-team All-Big Sky accolades after leading the team with 69 catches for 697 yards. Jeff Cotton and Cutrell Haywood each made an instant impact in their debut seasons after redshirting the previous year. Cotton hauled in 49 receptions for 656 yards and a team-best seven touchdowns. Haywood had 51 grabs for 489 yards and six scores.
Prior to Idaho, Spencer's career included stops at Wyoming (2003-04), South Dakota (2005-10), the University of Mary (2011-2013), Winona State (2013-2015), and Alfred State College (2015-2017). He has vast experience coaching the offensive side of the ball, primarily wide receivers and offensive line.
At Winona State, Spencer helped coach offensive lineman Vance Ross to first team-all conference honors while senior Richard Lilla was an all-league and all-region honoree. The Warrior line helped the team average 434 yards and 35 points per game. At the University of Mary, Spencer tutored All-American receiver Tyler Steffan during the 2011 and 12 seasons, with Steffan catching a school-record 17 touchdowns as a junior in 2011. Steffan caught 163 passes for 2,494 yards and 30 touchdowns in his UM career.
Spencer spent six seasons as the offensive line coach at South Dakota (2005-10). He helped lead an offense that finished fifth nationally in total offense (460.3 yards per game) in 2009, fourth in scoring (37.5 ppg) in 2008 and fourth in rushing yards (253.4 ypg in 2006 and 297.5 ypg in 2005). Spencer tutored 14 all-conference linemen at South Dakota, including a Rimington Award winner, two Gene Upshaw Award finalists and four All-Americans.
Spencer spent two seasons (2003-04) at the University of Wyoming as a graduate assistant, working with the team’s offensive line. He coached Chase Johnson, who later played for the Minnesota Vikings, while also helping lead the team to a 24-21 win over UCLA in the 2004 Pioneer Pure Vision Bowl.
After an All-America playing career at Carroll College, Spencer began his coaching career at his alma mater. He was the team’s defensive backs coach in 1996 and coached wide receivers from 1999-2002, helping Carroll win the NAIA National Championship in 2002.
Spencer started on both sides of the ball while playing for Carroll, earning All-America honors at defensive back while leading the nation in interceptions as a senior. He was also an all-conference selection at wide receiver.
Spencer earned his bachelor’s degree in business from Carroll College in 1996 and his master’s degree in Health, Physical Education and Recreation from South Dakota in 2011.
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