1989 Idaho Vandals football team
Coordinates: 46°43′34″N 117°01′05″W / 46.726°N 117.018°W
| 1989 Idaho Vandals football | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Conference | Big Sky Conference |
| 1989 record | 9–3 (8–0 Big Sky) |
| Head coach | John L. Smith |
| Offensive coordinator | Dan Cozzetto |
| Defensive coordinator | Craig Bray |
| Home stadium | Kibbie Dome |
The 1989 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1989 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals, led by first-year head coach John L. Smith, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.
The Vandals won their third consecutive conference title (fourth in five years), and made the I-AA playoffs for the fifth consecutive season. Led by senior All-American quarterback John Friesz, Idaho finished the regular season at 9-2 and 8-0 in the Big Sky.
Notable games
Following two non-conference road losses to open the season at Washington State and Portland State, the Vandals won nine straight, which included an undefeated conference record of 8-0. It was the only time in school history that the football team has posted an unblemished conference record. The Vandals defeated Montana, their only conference loss the previous season, on a Thursday night in the Kibbie Dome, televised by ESPN.[1] Idaho beat long-time nemesis Nevada-Reno for the third straight year, only the fourth time in the twelve meetings since the Wolf Pack joined the Big Sky in 1979. The Vandals defeated rival Boise State for the eighth consecutive year, the eighth of twelve straight over the Broncos before a record crowd of 17,600 in the Kibbie Dome.
Division I-AA playoffs
For the fifth consecutive season, Idaho returned to the 16-team I-AA playoffs. The Vandals, on a nine-game winning streak, hosted Eastern Illinois at home but lost 21-38. The game was played before a sparse crowd at the Kibbie Dome two days after Thanksgiving and ended the Vandals' season at 9-3.
Notable players
The 1989 team included John Friesz, a future collegiate hall of fame quarterback as a three-year starter (1987–89). Friesz was the winner of the Walter Payton Award in 1989 and was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the 1990 NFL Draft. He was in the NFL for the next decade with four teams.
1989 season schedule
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2 | at Washington State* | Martin Stadium • Pullman, WA | L 7–41 | 33,914 | |||||
| September 9 | at Portland State* | Civic Stadium • Portland, OR | L 20–29 | 13,359 | |||||
| September 16 | Sacramento State* | Kibbie Dome • Moscow, ID | W 45–3 | ||||||
| September 23 | at Weber State | Stewart Stadium • Ogden, UT | W 46–33 | ||||||
| September 28 | Montana | Kibbie Dome • Moscow, ID - (Little Brown Stein) | W 30–24 | 13,000 | |||||
| October 7 | at Northern Arizona | Walkup Skydome • Flagstaff, AZ | W 41–31 | 10,842 | |||||
| October 14 | at Montana State | Reno H. Sales Stadium • Bozeman, MT | W 41–7 | 11,187 | |||||
| October 21 | Eastern Washington | Kibbie Dome • Moscow, ID | W 41–34 | 12,500 | |||||
| October 28 | Nevada-Reno | Kibbie Dome • Moscow, ID | W 42–22 | 15,500 | |||||
| November 4 | at Idaho State | ISU MiniDome • Pocatello, ID | W 47–31 | 10,380 | |||||
| November 18 | Boise State | Kibbie Dome • Moscow, ID - (rivalry) | W 26–21 | 17,600 | |||||
| November 25 | Eastern Illinois* | Kibbie Dome • Moscow, ID - (Div. I-AA playoffs - 1st round) | L 21–38 | 8,025 | |||||
*Non-conference game.  Homecoming. #Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to game. | |||||||||
References
- ↑ (Moscow) Idahonian - Friesz, defense help UI short-circuit Griz - 1989-09-29 - p.1B
- ↑ College Football Data Warehouse - Idaho 1985-89 - accessed 2011-09-02
External links
- Gem of the Mountains: 1990 University of Idaho yearbook - 1989 football season
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