Transfer QBs lead Idaho State, U of I into spring season; brothers compete for C of I job
Former Wyoming quarterback Tyler Vander Waal said Monday that transferring to Idaho State last January was a “no-brainer.”
Vander Waal put his name in the transfer portal before Wyoming played in the Arizona Bowl in December 2019. He announced last January that he was heading to Pocatello, and he enrolled at Idaho State that month.
“It meant a lot for them to take a chance on me given everything that happened at Wyoming,” Vander Waal told reporters on Monday. “They were so persistent with everything they did, and they were really respectful of me.”
Vander Waal started the first eight games of the 2018 season at Wyoming, but lost the job the following year and was behind Sean Chambers and Levi Williams on the depth chart by the time he transferred.
The most difficult part of the transition for Vander Waal was that he arrived at Idaho State not long before COVID-19 shut everything down. He called the added practice time last fall a blessing in disguise, but he’s itching to feel live game speed again.
“I’ve been here for over a year now and I haven’t played a snap of football,” he said.
Luckily for him, the wait is over. After the Big Sky Conference announced last August that it was postponing football season, Idaho State and the University of Idaho are scheduled to open six-game spring seasons Saturday against ranked teams.
Idaho State welcomes Weber State (4 p.m.), which is ranked No. 4 in the STATS FCS Top 25 Poll, and Idaho is set to host Eastern Washington (4 p.m.), which is ranked No. 12.
The Big Sky announced in January that nine teams will play a full six-game schedule and compete for the conference championship. Joining the Vandals and Bengals are Weber State, Eastern Washington, UC Davis, Northern Arizona, Cal Poly, Southern Utah and Northern Colorado.
Montana, Montana State and Portland State will play smaller non-conference schedules and won’t be eligible for the conference title, and Sacramento State announced last October that it will not compete this season.
The FCS playoffs will feature 16 teams this year, with 11 automatic qualifiers — one coming from the Big Sky — and five at-large bids. The bracket is expected to be announced April 18, and the national championship game is expected to be played in Frisco, Texas, sometime between May 14 and May 16.
College of Idaho — which competes in the NAIA — is scheduled to begin its season March 13 at home against Montana State-Northern (1 p.m.).
Here’s a look at the Bengals, Vandals and Yotes and the many COVID-19 protocols that teams playing this spring are left to handle.
Idaho State
After going 3-9 in 2019, the Bengals have plenty of key pieces to replace, including leading rusher Ty Flanagan, top wide receiver Michael Dean and their top four tacklers on defense.
COVID-19 protocols
Testing — Beginning this week, the Bengals will be tested three times a week.
Masks — Masks are required on campus and in the facilities.
Fans — About 2,800 fans will be admitted into Holt Arena for each of the Bengals’ three home games, but tickets will not be sold to the general public. The limited capacity will allow seating for students, members of the Bengals Athletic Boosters club, corporate sponsors and a player pass list, which mostly includes family members of players.
Tickets are $75 each and will only be sold as a three-game set to BAB members. If games are canceled because of COVID-19, or local health orders prohibit fans from attending games, refunds will be issued at $25 per ticket, according to a press release from Idaho State.
After not admitting fans at the beginning of the season, Idaho State’s men’s and women’s basketball teams are allowing about 50 family members of players and coaches to attend games, but tickets aren’t being sold to the general public.
Players to watch
QB Tyler Vander Waal, Jr., Elk Grove, California — A transfer from Wyoming, Vander Waal is immediately eligible to play because he transferred from an FBS program to one that competes in the FCS. He opened the 2018 season as the Cowboys’ starter but he lost the job to Sean Chambers.
RB Malakai Rango, So., San Mateo, California — Rango was No. 2 on the team in 2019 with 508 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He also caught 11 passes for 67 yards and another score and was the team’s top kick returner.
WR Tanner Conner, Sr., Kent, Washington — Conner was No. 2 on the team in 2019 with 47 catches for 792 yards and eight touchdowns — three of which he scored against Portland State.
WR Isaiah Walter, Sr., Yakima, Washington — Walter appeared in 10 games in 2019, catching six passes for 45 yards. He should see more targets this season as the Bengals have to replace four of their top six receivers.
LB Oshea Trujillo, Sr., Seattle — The Bengals’ top returning tackler, Trujillo ranked No. 5 on the team in 2019 with 64 tackles. He also posted 6.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, and he tied for the team lead with two interceptions. He has appeared in 34 games since 2017.
Full schedule
Feb. 27 — vs. Weber State, 4 p.m.
March 6 — at Southern Utah, noon
March 13 — vs. Eastern Washington, 4 p.m.
March 27 — at UC Davis, TBA
April 3 — vs. Idaho, 4 p.m.
April 10 — at Weber State, 1 p.m.
Idaho
After going 5-7 in 2019, the Vandals have plenty to replace on offense, including quarterback Mason Petrino, leading rusher Aundre Carter and top wide receiver Jeff Cotton, who led the FCS in receptions per game. On the bright side, the defense returns its top five tacklers from 2019, and they’re eager to get back on the field after not playing a game since Nov. 23, 2019 — a 60-53 overtime win at Northern Arizona.
COVID-19 protocols
Testing — Beginning this week, the Vandals will be tested three times a week.
Masks — Masks are required on campus and in the facilities. A face shield has been installed in every players’ helmet, and practice has been split into small groups to increase social distancing.
Fans — About 3,100 fans will be admitted into the Kibbie Dome for each of the Vandals’ three home games. A limited number of tickets were made available Feb. 16, with those who purchased season tickets for the 2020 fall season having priority. Tickets went on sale to the general public Monday morning, going for $32 a ticket. Fans can purchase up to eight tickets per game, but they’ll be seated in separate groups of four. All fans will be required to wear face masks at all times, and they will be seated to ensure optimal social distancing. There will be no tailgating allowed.
Fans are not currently being admitted into men’s and women’s basketball games because of facility limitations, a spokesperson for the school confirmed.
Players to watch
QB Mike Beaudry, Gr., Orlando, Florida — A transfer from UConn, Beaudry appeared in five games for the Huskies in 2019 before he suffered a season-ending injury. He began his college career at Western Florida, where he not only helped start the program but led it to a Division II national championship in 2017.
WR Cutrell Haywood, R-Jr., Stockton, California — Haywood was second on the team in 2019 with 60 receptions for 570 yards and six touchdowns. He enters the season with 111 career receptions for 1,059 yards and 12 touchdowns.
WR Hayden Hatten, So., Scottsdale, Arizona — A converted tight end, Hatten appeared in 12 games as a freshman in 2019 and started three. He ended the season with a breakout performance, catching five passes for 47 yards and two touchdowns at Northern Arizona.
RB Nick Romano, So., Meridian — A former standout at Rocky Mountain High, Romano was No. 2 on the team in 2019 with 513 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and No. 4 with 16 receptions for 171 yards and two more scores. He also earned Hero Sports Honorable Mention All-America and first-team All-Big Sky honors as a kick returner.
LB Tre Walker, Jr., Dos Palos, California — Walker was a Hero Sports All-American and a second-team All-Big Sky pick in 2019 after leading the Vandals with 138 tackles, which tied for sixth-most in a single-season in program history.
LB Christian Elliss, Sr., Highlands Ranch, Colorado — A first-team All-Big Sky pick in 2019, Elliss led the team with 4.5 sacks and finished the season No. 2 with 104 tackles. He also ranked No. 2 on the team with 12.5 tackles for loss and racked up more than 10 tackles in six of the final seven games of the season.
Full schedule
Feb. 27 — vs. Eastern Washington, 4 p.m.
March 6 — vs. UC Davis, 1 p.m.
March 13 — at Northern Arizona, 1 p.m.
March 27 — vs. Southern Utah, 1 p.m.
April 3 — at Idaho State, 4 p.m.
April 10 — at Eastern Washington, 2 p.m.
College of Idaho
The Yotes still have a couple weeks to figure it out before their season opener, but the starting quarterback job is still wide open, coach Mike Moroski said Monday.
A pair of brothers are currently vying for the job in junior Nathaniel Holcomb and sophomore Jacob Holcomb, and Moroski said as many as three quarterbacks could see playing time. Former Capital High quarterback Ryan Hibbs is also in the mix as a redshirt freshman. Jacob Holcomb appeared in three games in 2019, but his only pass attempt of the year fell incomplete.
College of Idaho went 10-0 last season, winning a Frontier Conference championship and completing its fifth undefeated regular season in program history. The Yotes then won their opening-round game in the NAIA playoffs before falling to Grand View (Iowa) in the quarterfinals.
The Yotes will open this season ranked No. 5 in the NAIA Top 25 Coaches Poll.
COVID-19 protocols
Testing — The Yotes will be tested once a week throughout the season.
Masks — Masks are required on campus and in the facilities, and players and coaches are required to wear them during practice.
Fans — As of now, no fans will be admitted to either of the Yotes’ scheduled home games, according to a spokesperson for the program. Fans are not being admitted to men’s and women’s basketball games, either.
Players to watch
RB Nick Calzaretta, Sr., Larkspur, California — Heading into his senior season, Calzaretta ranks in the top five in program history in career rushing yards (2,252) and rushing touchdowns (24). In 2019, he posted 1,221 rushing yards, which ranks No. 2 in a single season in program history.
WR Hunter Juarez, Jr., Mill Valley, California — In his third season with the Yotes, Juarez ranks in the top 10 in program history in career receptions (63), receiving yards (1,372) and receiving touchdowns (11). In 2019, he led the team with 41 catches for 811 yards and seven touchdowns.
S Taeson Hardin, Jr., Oak Harbor, Washington — Hardin has a chance to be Frontier Conference Defensive Player of the Year, according to Moroski. In 2019, he led the Yotes with four interceptions and posted 49 tackles. His younger brother, Dorian, will start at cornerback, Moroski said.
DE Keagan McCoy, Jr., Boise — Another likely candidate for conference defensive player of the year, according to Moroski, McCoy ranked No. 2 on the team with seven sacks in 2019 and added 11 tackles for loss. The former standout at Capital High has appeared in 22 games since 2018 and heads into this season with 10.5 career sacks.
Full schedule
March 13 — vs. Montana State-Northern, 1 p.m.
March 20 — vs. Rocky Mountain, 1 p.m.
April 3 — at Eastern Oregon, 2 p.m.
April 10 — at Carroll College, 1 p.m.
This story was originally published February 23, 2021 at 4:00 AM.
