[Vision2020] Idaho's Winning Two-Step

Thu Dec 31 06:58:34 PST 2009

Courtesy of today's (December 31, 2009) Spokesman-Review.

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UI’s winning two-step
Akey’s gutsy conversion play gives Vandals bowl triumph
Josh Wright, Correspondent

BOISE – In the postgame circus, with jubilant Idaho fans strewn all about
Bronco Stadium, Robb Akey emerged from a mass of people on a makeshift
stage and got right to the point.

“This is the best I’ve seen this stadium look,” the Vandals’ football
coach roared.

Thousands of UI supporters cheered in agreement, knowing they had just
witnessed a Humanitarian Bowl finish on their dreaded rival’s field that
will be chiseled in their memories.

Heck, much of ESPN’s audience might not forget it, either.

Harkening back to the drama-filled close to the 1998 season, the Vandals
snatched a 43-42 victory away from Bowling Green on Wednesday by rallying
for a touchdown and two-point conversion with 4 seconds left.

Haunted by drops all afternoon, Max Komar made a sliding 16-yard grab to
draw Idaho within 42-41. Then Akey’s bold move paid off: Preston Davis,
who had caught a 50-yard heave to set up the score, secured a laser from
Enderle in the back of the end zone on the two-point try.

Davis was immediately bombarded by teammates behind the uprights. Other
Vandals boogied onto the field, and even a couple of the 26,726 fans in
attendance slipped onto the blue turf in a premature celebration.

The Vandals’ comeback – after the Falcons of Ohio scored the go-ahead TD
with 32 seconds left on Freddie Barnes’ 51-yard reception – punctuated an
8-5 season that was full of rallies.

Eleven years to the day that Idaho upended Southern Mississippi 42-35 in
the HumBowl – and used a two-point conversion in overtime to beat Boise
State to get there – the Vandals stirred up more magic.

It started with 26 seconds left. Enderle rolled to his left and launched a
desperation pass down the sideline to Davis. The sophomore receiver, who
finished with 119 receiving yards, came back for the ball and hauled it in
despite defensive pass interference.

Two plays later, Komar managed to cleanly pluck Enderle’s TD fling just
inches off the turf. UI had come to expect skilled catches like that from
the senior wideout – not a batch of drops.

“Compared to the ones I was dropping, it was a lot harder,” Komar said. “

Nate has faith in me. If I was him, I would stop throwing to me after all
those drops, making him look bad at the same time.”

Akey said he thought about going for two even before Idaho received the
kickoff. He ended up calling a timeout before the play, and BG (7-6)
followed suit after seeing the Vandals’ formation.

“You know, my staff had confidence in the play,” Akey said. “My players
had confidence in that play. They wanted to do it. 
 So that was what we
elected to do. We thought, ‘Why make everybody wait for overtime? Let’s
get it done now.’&#8194;”

Bowling Green coach Dave Clawson was a bit surprised the Vandals went for
it, but he said it made sense seeing how the defenses had been performing.

UI in particular was unable to slow down Barnes, who set an NCAA
single-season record with his 143rd reception in the first quarter and
finished with 17 catches for 219 yards. Both marks were HumBowl records.

“At the end we were praying that what happened didn’t happen,” Barnes said.

After sputtering early on offense, the Vandals couldn’t have scripted a
better start to the second half. UI forced a three-and-out then reeled of
a 70-yard drive fueled by Vandals MVP DeMaundray Woolridge. He carried a
BG defender for an 18-yard gain, then finished the TD march with an 8-yard
scamper.

Things only got better from there. Safety Jeromy Jones lunged in front of
receiver Chris Wright for an interception inside the Falcons’ 30, and
Woolridge came right back with a lightning-quick 13-yard jaunt up the
middle to make it 28-14.

Woolridge had 126 yards on 22 carries while Enderle tossed for 240 yards
and four TDs.

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Idaho 43, Bowling Green 42
Bowling Green 14 0 7 21 — 42
Idaho 7 7 14 15 — 43

BG—Barnes 35 pass from Sheehan (Norsic kick)

ID—Bjorvik 3 pass from Enderle (Farquhar kick)

BG—Geter 59 run (Norsic kick)

ID—Greenwood 7 pass from Enderle (Farquhar kick)

ID—Woolridge 8 run (Farquhar kick)

ID—Woolridge 13 run (Farquhar kick)

BG—Scheidler 15 pass from Sheehan (Norsic kick)

BG—Barnes 5 pass from Sheehan (Norsic kick)

ID—P. Davis 30 pass from Enderle (Farquhar kick)

BG—Geter 2 run (Norsic kick)

BG—Barnes 51 pass from Sheehan (Norsic kick)

ID—Komar 16 pass from Enderle (P. Davis pass from Enderle), :04.

A—26,726.

 BG / ID
First downs 27 / 19
Rushes-yards 24-150 / 38-212
Passing 388 / 240
Comp-Att-Int 34-48-1 / 15-28-0
Return Yards 2 / 2
Punts-Avg. 3-34.0 / 7-40.0
Fumbles-Lost 1-0 / 0-0
Penalties-Yards 5-35 / 9-79
Time of Possession 29:28 / 30:32

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—Bowling Green, Geter 14-96, Hodges 1-26, Sheehan 8-25,

Barnes 1-3. Idaho, Woolridge 22-126, McCarty 9-75, Komar 1-6,

Jackson 4-6, Enderle 2-(minus 1).

PASSING—Bowling Green, Sheehan 33-47-1-387, Barnes 1-1-0-1. Idaho,

Enderle 15-28-0-240.

RECEIVING—Bowling Green, Barnes 17-219, C.Wright 7-72, Geter 5-65,

Scheidler 2-16, Hutson 2-9, Hodges 1-7. Idaho, P.Davis 4-119, Shaw 4-61,
Greenwood 3-19, Hardy 1-17, Komar 1-16, McCarty 1-5, Bjorvik 1-3.

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Vandals receiver Preston Davis evades Bowling Green’s secondary during
first-half play Wednesday at Bronco Stadium in Boise.

http://tinyurl.com/Preston-Davis

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Idaho coach Robb Akey, who called for the winning two-point conversion
play, leads the cheers Wednesday after the Vandals’ Humanitarian Bowl win
over Bowling Green.

http://tinyurl.com/CoachAkey

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Idaho head coach Robb Akey hugs All- American senior lineman Mike Iupati
after the Humanitarian Bowl victory.

http://tinyurl.com/Coach-Akey-and-Mike-Iupati

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Next Game: September 11, 2010 at Nebraska
http://www.fbschedules.com/ncaa-10/wac/2010-idaho-vandals-football-schedule.php

Seeya round town, Moscow.

Be proud, Vandals.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho
UI '96

Came a tribe from the north brave and bold . . .

"Here We Have Idaho"
http://www.tomandrodna.com/HWHI.mp3

"I-D-A-H-O Idaho Idaho Go Go Go"
http://www.tomandrodna.com/Vandals.mp3