1994 Idaho Vandals football team

The 1994 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1994 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals, led by sixth-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.

1994 Idaho Vandals football
ConferenceBig Sky Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. T-9
Sports NetworkNo. 6
1994 record9–3 (5–2 Big Sky)
Head coachJohn L. Smith (6th season)
Offensive coordinatorArt Valero (1st season)
Defensive coordinatorNick Holt (1st season)
Home stadiumKibbie Dome
1994 Big Sky Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW L T  W L T
No. 3 Boise State $^ 6 –1 –0  13 –2 –0
No. 6 Idaho ^ 5 –2 –0  9 –3 –0
No. 8 Montana ^ 5 –2 –0  11 –3 –0
No. 25 Northern Arizona 4 –3 –0  7 –4 –0
Idaho State 4 –3 –0  6 –5 –0
Weber State 2 –5 –0  5 –6 –0
Eastern Washington 2 –5 –0  4 –7 –0
Montana State 0 –7 –0  3 –8 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network poll

Led by quarterbacks Eric Hisaw and Brian Brennan, Idaho finished the regular season at 9–2 and 5–2 in the Big Sky, and the Vandals again made the Division I-AA playoffs.[1]

Notable games

After advancing to the semifinals in 1993, Idaho was ranked tenth in the preseason I-AA poll, won their first seven games, and climbed to third in late October.[2] They traveled to Missoula and top-ranked Montana won the Little Brown Stein for the fourth consecutive year.[3] The Grizzlies then lost two in a row to fall to third in the Big Sky standings.[4][5]

In the regular season finale for the conference title,[6][7] the Vandals lost to rival Boise State for first time since 1981, as the Broncos won 27–24 in Boise.[8][9]

Division I-AA playoffs

For the ninth time in ten seasons, the Vandals made the 16-team I-AA playoffs and were ranked sixth in the regular season's final poll.[10]

With Boise State and Montana hosting, Idaho was sent on the road in the first round,[11] and they lost 21–38 at fifth-ranked McNeese State in Lake Charles, Louisiana.[12] Montana advanced to the semifinals but fell to Youngstown State, who defeated Boise State in the championship game.[13][14]

Notable players and coaches

Sophomore defensive end Ryan Phillips was a four-year starter;[15] he moved to outside linebacker as a senior in 1996,[16][17] and was selected in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. He played five seasons in the NFL, including Super Bowl XXXV in January 2001.

Two future Vandal head coaches were on the staff: Nick Holt (defensive coordinator/defensive line) and Paul Petrino (receivers).

This was Smith's final year as head coach at Idaho and his 53 wins leads the Vandals' all-time list; Dennis Erickson is next, with 36 in five seasons.

Schedule
DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
September 36:00 pmat Southern Utah*No. 10
W 43–10
September 177:00 pmat UNLV*No. 6
W 48–388,820
September 241:05 pmNo. 15 Stephen F. Austin*No. 7
W 58–2610,200
October 11:07 pmIdaho StateNo. 6
  • Kibbie Dome
  • Moscow, Idaho [24]
W 70–218,750
October 811:07 amat Eastern WashingtonNo. 4
PSNW 40–155,873
October 151:07 pmMontana StateNo. 4
  • Kibbie Dome
  • Moscow, Idaho [26]
W 27–139,076
October 221:07 pmNorthern ArizonaNo. 4
  • Kibbie Dome
  • Moscow, Idaho [27]
W 41–1414,252
October 2911:07 amat No. 1 MontanaNo. 3
L 21–4515,466
November 51:05 pmNorthern Iowa*No. 6
  • Kibbie Dome
  • Moscow, Idaho [28]
W 21–1210,200
November 121:05 pmWeber StateNo. 4
  • Kibbie Dome
  • Moscow, Idaho [29]
W 79–309,300
November 1912:05 pmat No. 6 Boise StateNo. 3
KUIDL 24–2723,701
November 265:00 pmat No. 5 McNeese State*No. 6
L 20–2316,000
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References
  1. Sahlberg, Bert (November 21, 1994). "Vandals open at McNeese State". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1B.
  2. "UI rises to No. 3". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. Associated Press. October 25, 1994. p. 1B.
  3. Sahlberg, Bert (October 30, 1994). "Grizzly outcome". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1B.
  4. "ISU 28, Montana 23". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Idaho-Washington. Associated Press. November 14, 1994. p. 5C.
  5. "College football standings". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. Associated Press. November 15, 1994. p. 2B.
  6. Sahlberg, Bert (November 19, 1994). "Intrastate arch-rivals go at it". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1B.
  7. Sullivan, Tim (November 19, 1994). "It's title time for Idaho, Boise State". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Idaho-Washington. p. 1D.
  8. Sahlberg, Bert (November 20, 1994). "End of the line". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1B.
  9. Sullivan, Tim (November 21, 1994). "Streak snapped as BSU tops Vandals for crown". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Idaho-Washington. p. 1C.
  10. "Sports Network final I-AA poll". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. Associated Press. November 22, 1994. p. 2B.
  11. Sahlberg, Bert (November 27, 1994). "Vandals singing in the rain". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1B.
  12. Sahlberg, Bert (November 27, 1994). "Ambushed". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1B.
  13. "Youngstown St. powers past Boise St. in I-AA title game". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Idaho-Washington. Associated Press. December 19, 1994. p. 4C.
  14. "Youngstown State wins". Sunday Gazette. Schenectady, New York. wire services. December 18, 1994. p. D3.
  15. Sullivan, Tim (August 18, 1994). "Vandals boast experience on talented defensive line". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Idaho-Washington. p. 1D.
  16. Sullivan, Tim (August 28, 1996). "Linebacker life suits Idaho sack-master Phillips". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Idaho-Washington. p. 1B.
  17. Sahlberg, Bert (April 19, 1997). "Idaho: Phillips' daredevil hobby catches recruiters' eyes". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1B.
  18. Sullivan, Tim (September 3, 1994). "Defense holds key in Idaho's opener". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Idaho-Washington. p. 1C.
  19. Sullivan, Tim (September 6, 1994). "Vandals fulfill prophecy". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Idaho-Washington. p. 1C.
  20. Sullivan, Tim (September 16, 1994). "Vandals look to strike down UNLV". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Idaho-Washington. p. 1D.
  21. Sullivan, Tim (September 19, 1994). "Vandals 3/4's good in win". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Idaho-Washington. p. 1C.
  22. Sullivan, Tim (September 24, 1994). "Vandals face true test in 'Jacks". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Idaho-Washington. p. 1D.
  23. Sullivan, Tim (September 26, 1994). "UI puts second-half shelling on SFU". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Idaho-Washington. p. 1C.
  24. Robinson, Jeff (October 2, 1994). "Vandals get rough with ISU". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1B.
  25. Sahlberg, Bert (October 23, 1994). "Vandals give Eagles no refuge". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1B.
  26. Sahlberg, Bert (October 16, 1994). "Vandals get by". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1B.
  27. Sahlberg, Bert (October 23, 1994). "Marauding Vandals level NAU". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1B.
  28. Sahlberg, Bert (November 6, 1994). "Vandals shake lethargy, UNI". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1B.
  29. Sullivan, Tim (November 14, 1994). "Vandals put the hurt on Weber, 79-30". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Idaho-Washington. p. 1C.
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