1987 Idaho Vandals football team

1987 Big Sky Conference football standings
	$ – Conference champion; ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant; Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Poll

1987 Idaho Vandals football
1987 Idaho Vandals football
Big Sky champion
Conference	Big Sky Conference
1987 record	9–3 (7–1 Big Sky)
Head coach	Keith Gilbertson (2nd season);
Offensive coordinator	Bill Diedrick (2nd season)
Defensive coordinator	Barry Lamb (1st season)
Base defense	4–3
Home stadium	Kibbie Dome
	Seasons ← 1986 1988 →

Coordinates: 46°43′34″N 117°01′05″W / 46.726°N 117.018°W / 46.726; -117.018

The 1987 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1987 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals, led by second-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, Idaho.

The Vandals won their second conference title in three seasons, and made the I-AA playoffs for the third consecutive season. Led by redshirt sophomore quarterback John Friesz, Idaho finished the regular season at 9–2 and 7–1 in the Big Sky.

Notable games[]

Following a non-conference loss at home to Central Michigan and a road loss to intrastate rival Idaho State,^[1] Idaho won its final six games of the regular season. The Vandals defeated Nevada for only the second time in the ten meetings since the Wolf Pack joined the Big Sky in 1979. The Vandals defeated rival Boise State for the sixth consecutive year, the sixth of twelve straight over the Broncos.

Division I-AA playoffs[]

For the third consecutive season, Idaho returned to the 16-team I-AA playoffs. The Vandals hosted conference foe Weber State, whom they had defeated in Utah four weeks earlier by three points. The Wildcats won the rematch 59–30, before a sparse crowd at the Kibbie Dome two days after Thanksgiving, ending the Vandals' season at 9–3.^[2]

Notable players[]

The 1987 team included two future NFL players with lengthy pro careers: guard Mark Schlereth and redshirt sophomore John Friesz, a future collegiate hall of fame quarterback as a three-year starter (1987–89).

Schedule[]

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance
September 5	7:00 pm	Mankato State*	No. 20	Kibbie Dome Moscow, Idaho	W 31–17	7,600
September 12	7:00 pm	Central Michigan*	No. 20	Kibbie Dome Moscow, Idaho	L 18–30	8,000
September 19	7:00 pm	at No. 6 Portland State*		Civic Stadium Portland, Oregon	W 17–10	8,535
September 26	7:00 pm	at Northern Arizona		Walkup Skydome Flagstaff, Arizona	W 46–37	9,029
October 3	6:30 pm	at Idaho State	No. 15	ISU MiniDome Pocatello, Idaho^[1] (Rivalry)	L 21–30	10,764
October 10	7:00 pm	Montana		Kibbie Dome Moscow, Idaho (Little Brown Stein)	W 31–25	9,500
October 17	1:00 pm	No. 11 Nevada		Kibbie Dome Moscow, Idaho	W 38–28	15,100
October 24	7:00 pm	Eastern Washington	No. 14	Kibbie Dome Moscow, Idaho	W 31–24	11,500
October 31	12:00 pm	at No. 7 Weber State	No. 12	Wildcat Stadium Ogden, Utah	W 41–38	13,486
November 7	12:00 pm	at Montana State	No. 10	Reno H. Sales Stadium Bozeman, Montana	W 14–7	6,007
November 21	4:30 pm	Boise State	No. 5	Kibbie Dome Moscow, Idaho (Rivalry)	W 40–34	16,500
November 28	12:30 pm	No. 10 Weber State*	No. 5	Kibbie Dome Moscow, Idaho ^[2] (Div. I-AA playoffs)	L 30–59	4,900
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from NCAA (Div. I-AA) All times are in Pacific time

Source:^[3]

Roster[]

1987 Idaho Vandals football team roster

Players

Coaches

Offense

Pos.	#	Name	Class
FL	`6`	Eric Jorgensen	Jr
SE		John Jake
QB		Steve Nolan	Fr
QB	`17`	John Friesz	So
RB		Todd Hoiness	Jr
RB		Larry Leverett	So
TE		Craig Robinson	Sr
TE		Chris Slater	Jr
T	`70`	Greg Hale	Jr
G		Todd Neu	So
C		Steve Unger	So
G	`60`	Mark Schlereth	Jr
T	`63`	Troy Wright	So

Defense

Pos.	#	Name	Class
CB	`1`	Richard Carey	Jr
FS	`8`	Ernest Sanders	Sr
CB	`29`	Virgil Paulsen	Sr
SS		Dan McCanna	Sr
LB		Jerry Medved	Jr
LB		Jim Medved	Jr
LB		Mark Matthews	Fr
LB	`31`	Kevin Johnson	Sr
DE		Pete Wilkins	Sr
DT		Craig Dowdy	Sr
DT		Michael Bailey	Jr
DE		Kord Smith	Sr

Special teams

Pos.	#	Name	Class
K		Brian Decicio	Jr
P		John Pleas	Jr

Head coach

Keith Gilbertson (2nd year)

Coordinators/assistant coaches

Bill Diedrick (OC)
Barry Lamb (DC)

Legend

(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible

Injured
Redshirt

Source:^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]

All-conference[]

Six Vandals were named to the all-conference team: quarterback John Friesz, tackle Greg Hale, guard Todd Neu, defensive end Pete Wilkins, safety Ernest Sanders, and cornerback Virgil Paulsen. Second team selections were wide receiver Eric Jorgensen, tight end Craig Robinson, and punter John Pleas. Honorable mention were wide receiver/kick returner John Jake, running back Todd Hoiness, center Steve Unger, defensive linemen Kord Smith and Jim Routos, and placekicker Brian Decicio.^[8]^[9]^[10]^[11]

Friesz, from Coeur d'Alene, was also named the Big Sky's outstanding offensive player.^[12]^[13]

References[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Tatko, Mike (October 4, 1987). "ISU's bad luck ends with Idaho". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1B.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "Weber State 59, Idaho 30". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. November 29, 1987. p. 3B.
^ College Football Data Warehouse Archived 2010-02-16 at the Wayback Machine – Idaho 1985–89 – accessed August 14, 2010
^ "UI: Medved twins have big shoes to fill in the middle". Idahonian. (Moscow). September 1, 1987. p. 1C.
^ "UI: Vandals should be strong at defensive end". Idahonian. (Moscow). September 2, 1987. p. 6A.
^ "UI: Secondary is a strength". Idahonian. (Moscow). September 3, 1987. p. 1C.
^ "Starting line-ups". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). October 3, 1987. p. 4B.
^ "All-Big Sky teams". Spokane Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. December 2, 1987. p. D3.
^ "EWU's Stein makes All-Big Sky". Spokane Chronicle. (Washington). staff and wire reports. December 2, 1987. p. D1.
^ "Six Vandals on Big Sky first team". Idahonian. (Moscow). Associated Press. December 2, 1987. p. 10A.
^ "Friesz, Buenzli top All=Big Sky teams". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). December 2, 1987. p. D2.
^ "Idaho's Friesz best in Big Sky". Idahonian. (Moscow). Associated Press. December 4, 1987. p. 1B.
^ "Friesz captures Big Sky MVP award". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. December 4, 1987. p. 33.

External links[]

Gem of the Mountains: 1988 University of Idaho yearbook – 1987 football season
Idaho Argonaut – student newspaper – 1987 editions

[blewid-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b Tatko, Mike (October 4, 1987). "ISU's bad luck ends with Idaho". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1B.

[ergwbrpo-2] Jump up to: ^a ^b "Weber State 59, Idaho 30". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. November 29, 1987. p. 3B.

[3] College Football Data Warehouse Archived 2010-02-16 at the Wayback Machine – Idaho 1985–89 – accessed August 14, 2010

[mvtwns-4] "UI: Medved twins have big shoes to fill in the middle". Idahonian. (Moscow). September 1, 1987. p. 1C.

[vsstrg-5] "UI: Vandals should be strong at defensive end". Idahonian. (Moscow). September 2, 1987. p. 6A.

[secstre-6] "UI: Secondary is a strength". Idahonian. (Moscow). September 3, 1987. p. 1C.

[isulups-7] "Starting line-ups". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). October 3, 1987. p. 4B.

[scbdabs-8] "All-Big Sky teams". Spokane Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. December 2, 1987. p. D3.

[ewustn-9] "EWU's Stein makes All-Big Sky". Spokane Chronicle. (Washington). staff and wire reports. December 2, 1987. p. D1.

[svobs-10] "Six Vandals on Big Sky first team". Idahonian. (Moscow). Associated Press. December 2, 1987. p. 10A.

[srabs-11] "Friesz, Buenzli top All=Big Sky teams". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). December 2, 1987. p. D2.

[bibsk-12] "Idaho's Friesz best in Big Sky". Idahonian. (Moscow). Associated Press. December 4, 1987. p. 1B.

[fcapt-13] "Friesz captures Big Sky MVP award". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. December 4, 1987. p. 33.

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show v t Idaho Vandals football
Venues	MacLean Field (1914–1936) Neale Stadium (1937–1968) Rogers Field (1969–1970) Joe Albi Stadium (1971) Kibbie Dome (1971–present) Martin Stadium (1999–2001)
Bowls and rivalries	Bowl games Boise State (Governor's Trophy) Gonzaga (defunct) Idaho State (Battle of the Domes) Montana (Little Brown Stein) Washington State (Battle of the Palouse)
Culture and lore	History Go, Vandals, Go
People	Head coaches NFL draftees Starting quarterbacks
Seasons	1896 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

1987 Big Sky Conference football standings
v t	Conf					Overall
Team	W		L		T	W		L		T
No. 5 Idaho $^	7	–	1	–	0	9	–	3	–	0
No. 10 Weber State ^	7	–	1	–	0	10	–	3	–	0
Montana	5	–	3	–	0	6	–	5	–	0
Boise State	4	–	4	–	0	6	–	5	–	0
Nevada	4	–	4	–	0	5	–	6	–	0
Northern Arizona	4	–	4	–	0	7	–	4	–	0
Idaho State	3	–	5	–	0	3	–	7	–	1
Eastern Washington	2	–	6	–	0	4	–	7	–	0
Montana State	0	–	8	–	0	1	–	10	–	0

$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Poll

show v t 1987 NCAA Division I-AA football playoff participants
Appalachian State Arkansas State Eastern Kentucky Georgia Southern Idaho Jackson State James Madison Maine Marshall North Texas Northeast Louisiana Northern Iowa Richmond Weber State Western Kentucky Youngstown State
Champion – Northeast Louisiana Indians