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Jul. 29—MOSCOW, Idaho — In addressing his team after practices, Idaho coach Thomas Ford Jr. frequently emphasizes the positives.
But in his remarks following the 2026 season-opening practice Wednesday, Ford let the Vandals know if the glass was half full, that is no longer good enough. Coming off a 4-8 season, the goal now is to fill it to the rim.
He addressed what he saw was a fall-off of energy late in the workout.
"I don't know how we're tired," he said. "We haven't even practiced. This practice was just OK. We have to work harder. We have to get better.
"I am going to be hard on the coaches to coach you. Here's the thing: I need you guys to handle business."
Afterwards, he said while the players came out on fire, he was dissatisfied it wasn't maintained late into a two-hour session when the team was in shorts, jerseys and helmets in low 70s temperatures.
"It was not good enough to where we want to get back to," Ford said.
Starting quarterback Joshua Wood saw it the same way.
"There was just a little bit of energy. It just died down at the end of practice," he said.
Which is not to suggest the Vandals were terrible. Wood, for instance, connected with junior wide receiver Marquawn McCraney on a 40-yard touchdown in a team 11-on-11 period.
"Marquawn is a guy that is a playmaker. I like to see that connection continue," Ford said.
"Our chemistry is coming in every single time. It was a gut feeling," Wood said of his completion to McCraney.
As a senior going into his second season at Idaho, Wood says he is embracing the role of being a leader, especially in the quarterback room. But if he now sees himself as a mentor, he doesn't plan on lording it over Idaho's other quarterbacks.
"I've still got to do some work, as well," he said, and (offensive coordinator Ian Shoemaker) "is going to get on me hard in that room."
On defense, in 11-on-11 periods, linebacker Davon Donaldson just missed an interception with a diving pass breakup, and senior safety Hysan Dalton broke up another pass over the middle. Donaldson, a junior college transfer from Sacramento City College, "is one of our most physical linebackers," Ford said. He added he challenged Dalton, a senior transfer from Furman, "in terms of his preparation and how he is preparing." Dalton met it "in being a guy that can consistently be good," said Ford.
Two potentially key players for the Vandals this season are being eased back into practice. Senior running back Art Williams and senior transfer offensive lineman Howard Stedford, both coming off injuries, were held out of 11-on-11 sessions and, in the case of Williams, pass skeleton drills.
"It makes sense to do this the right way," Ford said. For both players "we want them to play all of our games and make it to the end of the season."
A freshman linebacker in his first college practice, Geovoney Burks caught Ford's eye for going hard through the whole practice. He won the battle axe, the daily practice award. Adjusting to the speed of college football is an initial challenge, Burks said, and added "I'm grateful to win the axe today."
Now that he has his coach's attention, "just keep it rolling," he said.
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But in his remarks following the 2026 season-opening practice Wednesday, Ford let the Vandals know if the glass was half full, that is no longer good enough. Coming off a 4-8 season, the goal now is to fill it to the rim.
He addressed what he saw was a fall-off of energy late in the workout.
"I don't know how we're tired," he said. "We haven't even practiced. This practice was just OK. We have to work harder. We have to get better.
"I am going to be hard on the coaches to coach you. Here's the thing: I need you guys to handle business."
Afterwards, he said while the players came out on fire, he was dissatisfied it wasn't maintained late into a two-hour session when the team was in shorts, jerseys and helmets in low 70s temperatures.
"It was not good enough to where we want to get back to," Ford said.
Starting quarterback Joshua Wood saw it the same way.
"There was just a little bit of energy. It just died down at the end of practice," he said.
Which is not to suggest the Vandals were terrible. Wood, for instance, connected with junior wide receiver Marquawn McCraney on a 40-yard touchdown in a team 11-on-11 period.
"Marquawn is a guy that is a playmaker. I like to see that connection continue," Ford said.
"Our chemistry is coming in every single time. It was a gut feeling," Wood said of his completion to McCraney.
As a senior going into his second season at Idaho, Wood says he is embracing the role of being a leader, especially in the quarterback room. But if he now sees himself as a mentor, he doesn't plan on lording it over Idaho's other quarterbacks.
"I've still got to do some work, as well," he said, and (offensive coordinator Ian Shoemaker) "is going to get on me hard in that room."
On defense, in 11-on-11 periods, linebacker Davon Donaldson just missed an interception with a diving pass breakup, and senior safety Hysan Dalton broke up another pass over the middle. Donaldson, a junior college transfer from Sacramento City College, "is one of our most physical linebackers," Ford said. He added he challenged Dalton, a senior transfer from Furman, "in terms of his preparation and how he is preparing." Dalton met it "in being a guy that can consistently be good," said Ford.
Two potentially key players for the Vandals this season are being eased back into practice. Senior running back Art Williams and senior transfer offensive lineman Howard Stedford, both coming off injuries, were held out of 11-on-11 sessions and, in the case of Williams, pass skeleton drills.
"It makes sense to do this the right way," Ford said. For both players "we want them to play all of our games and make it to the end of the season."
A freshman linebacker in his first college practice, Geovoney Burks caught Ford's eye for going hard through the whole practice. He won the battle axe, the daily practice award. Adjusting to the speed of college football is an initial challenge, Burks said, and added "I'm grateful to win the axe today."
Now that he has his coach's attention, "just keep it rolling," he said.
Continue reading...
