1986 Idaho Vandals football team
Coordinates: 46°43′34″N 117°01′05″W / 46.726°N 117.018°W
| 1986 Idaho Vandals football | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Conference | Big Sky Conference |
| 1986 record | 8-4 (5-2, 2nd in Big Sky) |
| Head coach | Keith Gilbertson |
| Offensive coordinator | Bill Diedrick |
| Defensive coordinator | Kent Baer |
| Home stadium | Kibbie Dome |
The 1986 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1986 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals, led by first-year head coach Keith Gilbertson, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow.
Continuing upon the success of the previous four seasons under Dennis Erickson, the Vandals were defending conference champions and finished the regular season at 8-3 and 5-2 in the Big Sky, tied for second. Led by senior quarterback Scott Linehan, Idaho qualified for the I-AA playoffs for the second straight season.
Notable games
The Vandals defeated rival Boise State for the fifth consecutive year, the fifth of twelve straight over the Broncos, but lost twice to nemesis Nevada.[1] Uncommon for a playoff team, the Vandals were shut out at home 24-0 by Northern Arizona in late October.[2]
Division I-AA playoffs
The I-AA playoffs were expanded from 12 to 16 teams in 1986, eliminating the first round bye for the top four seeds. Idaho and Big Sky champion Nevada were the only two teams selected from the West, and were paired up in the first round in Reno two days after Thanksgiving. In mid-October the teams played a close defensive game, and the Vandals came up short by four points. The rematch in the post-season was not close as the Wolf Pack prevailed 27-7,[1] improving their record over Idaho to 8-1 since Nevada joined the Big Sky in 1979.
Notable players
The 1986 team included two future NFL head coaches: quarterback Scott Linehan[3] and offensive lineman Tom Cable. Future NFL players with lengthy pro careers included guard Mark Schlereth (redshirt sophomore) and redshirt freshman John Friesz, a future collegiate hall of fame quarterback was Linehan's back-up in 1986. Friesz was a three-year starter (1987–89) and defeated Nevada all three seasons, including the first-ever victory in Reno in 1988.
1986 season schedule
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 6 | Portland State* | Kibbie Dome • Moscow, ID | W 42–10 | – | |||||
| September 13 | at Central Michigan* | Perry Shorts Stadium • Mount Pleasant, MI | L 21–34 | – | |||||
| September 20 | Cal State Fullerton* | Kibbie Dome • Moscow, ID | W 25–17 | – | |||||
| September 27 | at Eastern Washington* | Joe Albi Stadium • Spokane, WA | W 27–10 | – | |||||
| October 4 | Idaho State | Kibbie Dome • Moscow, ID | W 38–26 | – | |||||
| October 18 | at Nevada | Mackay Stadium • Reno, NV | L 17–23 | ||||||
| October 25 | Northern Arizona | Kibbie Dome • Moscow, ID | L 0–24 | – | |||||
| November 1 | at Montana | Washington–Grizzly Stadium • Missoula, MT (Little Brown Stein) | W 38–31 | – | |||||
| November 8 | Montana State | Kibbie Dome • Moscow, ID | W 44–17 | – | |||||
| November 15 | Weber State | Kibbie Dome • Moscow, ID | W 31–17 | – | |||||
| November 22 | at Boise State | Bronco Stadium • Boise, ID (BSU-UI rivalry) | W 21–14 | ||||||
| November 29 | at Nevada | Mackay Stadium • Reno, NV (I-AA playoffs - 1st round) | L 7–27 | ||||||
*Non-conference game.  Homecoming. #Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to game. | |||||||||
References
- 1 2 3 Stoffer, Jeff (December 1, 1986). "UI no obstruction for top-rated Reno". Idahonian (Moscow). p. 9.
- 1 2 "Idaho 1985-89". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
- ↑ "Hennessey again on first team". Idahonian (Moscow). Associated Press. December 3, 1986. p. 8.
External links
- Gem of the Mountains: 1987 University of Idaho yearbook - 1986 football season
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