Things to keep an eye on: Idaho’s receivers could benefit from Portland State’s new defensive philosophy

MOSCOW, Idaho – Idaho’s bye week couldn’t have been more welcome.

After a grueling nine-week losing streak that began with a season-opening 24-14 loss to Oregon, the No. 1 team in the Football Bowl Subdivision, Idaho posted an overall record of 6-3 and 3-2 in the Big Sky Conference . The losses were suffered by ranked UC Davis and Montana State, and the Vandals finished in the top 10 and finished ninth in the Football Championship Subdivision.

But the Vandals suffered numerous injuries along the way and were exhausted both mentally and physically, according to coach Jason Eck.

After defeating conference rival Eastern Washington 38-28 on Oct. 26, the Vandals now have a week to recover. Now it’s on to the final three-game sprint that they hope will see them secure a spot in the FCS playoffs for the third year in a row. and a high seeding to secure a bye and a home game.

However, you face an interesting test. While they recovered, their next opponent, Portland State, found some momentum in a 2-6 season (2-3 Big Sky) that saw the Vikings go 2-2 in their last four games, including a 58-38 victory over Sacramento State a week ago.

Will a rested Idaho defeat a suddenly resilient PSU in Hillsboro? Here are three things to keep in mind.

1. Idaho’s defense against Vikings quarterback Dante Chachere. Against Sacramento State, Chachere totaled 410 yards of offense and five touchdowns, including four rushing touchdowns and 165 yards on the ground, as well as 245 passing yards and a touchdown. This earned him National Player and Big Sky Player of the Week honors. Eck said Idaho needs to use a speedy spy for Chachere and a dominant defensive line, led by defensive end Keyshawn James-Newby with 7.6 sacks, to keep the Vikings’ potent option-oriented attack in check.

2. Will Idaho’s receivers benefit from a change in PSU’s defensive strategy? Eck said the Vikings’ defenders are now focused on keeping everything in front of them. It could give the Vandals opportunities for short completions and yards after the catch. UI redshirt sophomore Jordan Dwyer enters this game with 40 catches for 560 yards and six touchdowns, and redshirt freshman Mark Hamper has 26 catches for 548 yards and a score. Redshirt freshman Emmerson Cortez-Menjivar also caught three touchdowns, including two against UC Davis.

3. How much does traveling cost the vandal? Idaho is not flying to the away game. Instead, the vandals take the bus on the six-hour trip (under optimal circumstances) to Portland.