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

1982 Idaho Vandals football
ConferenceBig Sky Conference
1982 record9–4 (5–2 Big Sky)
Head coachDennis Erickson
(1st season)
Offensive coordinatorKeith Gilbertson
(1st season)
Defensive coordinatorJohn L. Smith (1st season)
CaptainKen Hobart, QB
CaptainSam Merriman, LB
CaptainSteve Seman, G [1][2]
Home stadiumKibbie Dome
Seasons
← 1981
1983 →

Template:1982 Big Sky football standings The 1982 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1982 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals, led by first-year head coach Dennis Erickson, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.

Led by junior quarterback Ken Hobart, the Vandals finished 8–3 in the regular season and 5–2 in the Big Sky in a three-way tie for first, and qualified for the post-season for the first time in school history. Idaho defeated rival Boise State for the first time in six years,[3][4] the first of twelve straight over the Broncos. The Vandals also defeated Idaho State, the defending conference and national champions; the consecutive intrastate games were both on the road.[5][6]

Idaho rebounded from the previous season, in which they were preseason favorites, but finished 3–8 overall and winless in conference play under fourth-year head coach Jerry Davitch. The 1981 team lost their final six games, finishing with a fifth consecutive loss to Boise State.

The Vandals won all six home games in 1982 and finished at 9–4 overall. The nine victories were the most in school history,[7] later surpassed only by the 1988 and 1993 teams, both of which won 11 games and reached the I-AA semifinals.[8]

Division I-AA playoffs[]

After recent Big Sky domination by Boise State, Idaho State, and Nevada, the 1982 season finished with three other teams at the top at 5–2; Idaho, Montana, and Montana State. After Idaho finished the regular season with a conference loss at Reno,[9] Montana was declared the conference champion as it defeated the other two. (Montana State was the odd team out, as the Bobcats lost to both Montana and Idaho.) Montana and Idaho were both selected for the first time to participate in the Division I-AA playoffs, newly expanded to 12 teams for the fifth season of I-AA.

Although the Grizzlies (6–5, 5–2) were the conference champions due to their 40–16 win over Idaho in Missoula in mid-October,[10] the Vandals were chosen by the NCAA to host the late November game, primarily due to their indoor stadium.[11][12][13][14][15] Idaho won the rematch 21–7, played before a sparse afternoon crowd in Moscow two days after Thanksgiving, and advanced to the quarterfinals on the road against eventual champion Eastern Kentucky.[16][17]

EKU was a I-AA finalist the previous three seasons; they won the title in 1979, but lost to Big Sky champions Boise State in 1980 and Idaho State in 1981. Down by a large margin early, Idaho mounted a comeback and nearly became the third team from the state to defeat EKU in the playoffs in as many years. The Vandals were well into EKU territory with 31 seconds remaining, but came up 8 points short after a controversial interception.[18][19]

Notable players[]

Linebacker Sam Merriman from Tucson[20] was selected in the seventh round (177th overall) of the 1983 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks.[21] A four-year starter for the Vandals, he played five seasons with Seattle, primarily on special teams.[22][23][24] A serious knee injury in a 1988 preseason game ended his playing career.[25][26][27] Junior quarterback Ken Hobart led the Vandals to an 8–3 record as a senior in 1983, then played a season in the USFL with Jacksonville in 1984 and several in the CFL.[28]

Coaches[]

The 1982 season was the first as a collegiate head coach for Dennis Erickson, age 35, who was previously the offensive coordinator at San Jose State under Jack Elway. Both of Erickson's coordinators for the 1982 Vandals were future head coaches at Idaho and other programs. Keith Gilbertson left after the 1982 season for Los Angeles of the new USFL, returned to Idaho in 1985, and was promoted after the season when Erickson left for Wyoming.

Defensive coordinator John L. Smith followed Erickson to Wyoming in 1986 and Washington State in 1987. Smith returned to the Vandals in January 1989 to succeed Gilbertson, who had left a month before to coach the offensive line for the Washington Huskies under Don James. Erickson left WSU for Miami in early March. Alumnus Chris Tormey was the Vandals' defensive line coach in 1982 and 1983; he left for Washington, then returned in 1995 as head coach for five seasons.

Schedule[]

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
Sep 116:30 pmvs. Washington State (Div. I-A)*L 14–3425,321
Sep 187:30 pmPacific (CA) (Div. I-A)*W 36–1710,500
Sep 257:30 pmPortland State (Div. II)*
  • Kibbie Dome
  • Moscow, Idaho
W 56–011,000
Oct 021:30 pmWeber Statedagger
  • Kibbie Dome
  • Moscow, Idaho
W 35–3415,000
Oct 0911:30 amat Northern Iowa*No. 15
  • UNI-Dome
  • Cedar Falls, Iowa
W 38–1311,438
Oct 161:00 pmat MontanaNo. 14L 16–4011,033
Oct 237:30 pmMontana State
  • Kibbie Dome
  • Moscow, Idaho
W 36–2013,000
Oct 306:00 pmat Boise StateNo. 17
W 24–1721,415
Nov 066:30 pmat Idaho StateNo. 14
  • ISU MiniDome
  • Pocatello, Idaho
W 20–1711,010
Nov 137:30 pmNorthern ArizonaNo. 10
W 55–3713,000
Nov 201:00 pmat Nevada-RenoNo. 9L 16–257,333
Nov 271:30 pmNo. 19 MontanaNo. 11
W 21–78,000
Dec 045:12 pmat No. 1 Eastern Kentucky*No. 11
WTBSL 30–3810,893
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from NCAA (Div. I-AA)
  • All times are in Pacific time

Roster[]

1982 Idaho Vandals football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
QB 9 Hobart, KenKen Hobart (C) Jr
QB 10 Linehan, ScottScott Linehan Fr
QB 11 Knudsen, SeanSean Knudsen Jr
TE 12 Auker, ScottScott Auker Fr
RB 34 Hickey, KerryKerry Hickey Jr
RB 35 Jones, WallyWally Jones Sr
RB 45 Payne, TimTim Payne Sr
G 55 West, LanceLance West So
C 60 Jackson, ShawnShawn Jackson Jr
G 62 Seman, SteveSteve Seman Injured (C) File:Redshirt.svg Sr
T 63 Frohnen, DaveDave Frohnen Sr
T 76 Diehl, GregGreg Diehl Jr
G 77 Thorsen, DaveDave Thorsen Sr
TE 87 Vestman, KurtKurt Vestman Jr
WR 88 Wallace, VicVic Wallace Sr
WR 89 Whittenburg, RonRon Whittenburg Jr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
FS 1 Pitre, PaulPaul Pitre So
FS, CB 2 Loveall, CalvinCalvin Loveall So
CB Bishop, MyronMyron Bishop Jr
OLB 33 Crout, JohnJohn Crout Jr
CB 36 Davis, DeanDean Davis Sr
SS 42 Bailey, BoyceBoyce Bailey Jr
RDT 44 Moreno, FrankFrank Moreno Jr
ILB 47 Lewis, DarbyDarby Lewis Jr
ILB 52 Merriman, SamSam Merriman (C) Sr
RDT 53 Wolf, JayJay Wolf Injured Jr
NG 69 Coffin, CharlieCharlie Coffin Injured Jr
DT Nelson, JerryJerry Nelson Injured
LDT 78 Auxier, KevinKevin Auxier Sr
NG 79 Griffin, PaulPaul Griffin Sr
OLB 85 Fortner, JohnJohn Fortner Sr
OLB 90 Williamson, LloydLloyd Williamson Sr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
K 3 McMonigle, TimTim McMonigle So
P Ball, PatPat Ball Fr
KR,PR 88 Wallace, VicVic Wallace Sr
KR,PR 2 Loveall, CalvinCalvin Loveall So
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt
Source:[3][15][17][29][30][31][32][33]

All-conference[]

Quarterback Ken Hobart, tight end Kurt Vestman, wide receiver Vic Wallace, and linebacker Sam Merriman were named to the Big Sky all-conference team;[34] Hobart was the league's outstanding offensive player (and repeated in 1983).[35] Vandals named to the second team were wide receiver Ron Whittenburg, nose guard Paul Griffin, linebacker John Fortner, and safety Boyce Bailey.[34]

NFL Draft[]

One Vandal senior was selected in the 1983 NFL Draft, which lasted twelve rounds (335 selections).

Player Position Round Overall Franchise
Sam Merriman LB 7th 177 Seattle Seahawks
Source:[21]

References[]

  1. "Merriman, Seman, Hobart Vandal captains". Lewiston Morning Tribune ((Idaho)): p. 3C. August 31, 1982. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8IJfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oTAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2541%2C6153247.
  2. "Idaho tabs captains, coach lauds players". Spokesman-Review ((Spokane, Washington)): p. 16. September 1, 1982. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UVVOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2u4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=7200%2C78158.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Ramsdell, Paul (October 30, 1982). "Vandals' destiny lies in outcome of BSU game". Lewiston Morning Tribune ((Idaho)): p. 3B. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=f79eAAAAIBAJ&sjid=STEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4069%2C5262130.
  4. Ramsdell, Paul (October 31, 1982). "Vandals end drought with 24–17 win over BSU". Lewiston Morning Tribune ((Idaho)): p. 1B. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gL9eAAAAIBAJ&sjid=STEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4106%2C5523383.
  5. Ramsdell, Paul (November 6, 1982). "Vandals: Idaho championship can be theirs today". Lewiston Morning Tribune ((Idaho)): p. 3B. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=z6pfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pTIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4115%2C1648035.
  6. Ramsdell, Paul (November 7, 1982). "Idaho escapes with 20-17 win over Bengals". Lewiston Morning Tribune ((Idaho)): p. 1C. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0KpfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pTIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2490%2C1941724.
  7. Ramsdell, Paul (December 12, 1982). "Dennis Erickson put Idaho on the road to success – and he plans more". Lewiston Morning Tribune ((Idaho)): p. 1B. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Ab1eAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CDEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4547%2C4373599.
  8. CFB Data Warehouse Archived 2010-02-16 at the Wayback Machine – Idaho – yearly totals
  9. Ramsdell, Paul (November 21, 1982). "Wolf Pack bumps off Idaho, 25-16". Lewiston Morning Tribune (Idaho): p. 1B. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dqhfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hTIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3778%2C1900877.
  10. Ramsdell, Paul (October 17, 1982). "Idaho goes dull, loses at Montana". Lewiston Morning Tribune ((Idaho)): p. 1C. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=cr9eAAAAIBAJ&sjid=STEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4327%2C402444.
  11. Missildine, Harry (November 22, 1982). "Surprise! Vandal gridders headed for playoffs". Spokesman-Review ((Spokane, Washington)): p. C1. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zAQwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ze4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6934%2C3256572.
  12. Ramsdell, Paul (November 22, 1982). "Vandals' cloud develops a silver lining with Division I-AA berth". Lewiston Morning Tribune ((Idaho)): p. 1B. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=d6hfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hTIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4686%2C2389903.
  13. Ramsdell, Paul (November 23, 1982). "Vandals' joy brings ire elsewhere". Lewiston Morning Tribune ((Idaho)): p. 1B. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eKhfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hTIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2951%2C2636853.
  14. Missildine, Harry (November 27, 1982). "Vandals and Grizzlies deserve each other". Spokesman-Review ((Spokane, Washington)): p. 19. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0QQwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ze4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=1937%2C5426265.
  15. 15.0 15.1 Ramsdell, Paul (November 27, 1982). "Both Idaho and Montana want a shot at No. 1". Lewiston Morning Tribune ((Idaho)): p. C1. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fKhfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hTIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3251%2C3985985.
  16. Ramsdell, Paul (November 28, 1982). "Case for the defense: Idaho 21-7". Lewiston Morning Tribune ((Idaho)): p. B1. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fahfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hTIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4194%2C4187110.
  17. 17.0 17.1 Ramsdell, Paul (December 4, 1982). "Vandals in the playoffs". Lewiston Morning Tribune ((Idaho)): p. B1. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-bxeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CDEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5217%2C1327186.
  18. Ramsdell, Paul (December 5, 1982). "Controversial EKU interception ends Idaho hopes". Lewiston Morning Tribune ((Idaho)): p. 1B. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-rxeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CDEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4182%2C1633153.
  19. Ramsdell, Paul (December 6, 1982). "An unsavory end to a successful season". Lewiston Morning Tribune ((Idaho)): p. 1B. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-7xeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CDEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4932%2C2109062.
  20. Ramsdell, Paul (November 27, 1982). "Lucky Sam Merriman". Lewiston Morning Tribune ((Idaho)): p. 1C. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fKhfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hTIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3251%2C3985985.
  21. 21.0 21.1 "Seahawks grab UI's Merriman; LA Rams select WSU's Casper". Spokesman-Review ((Spokane, Washington)): p. C3. April 27, 1983. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YflLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pu4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5740%2C6274537.
  22. "Sam Merriman". Database Football. Archived from the original on October 10, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161010003915/http://databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=MERRISAM01. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  23. Weaver, Dan (July 18, 1984). "Low in the draft, high on the team". Spokesman-Review ((Spokane, Washington)): p. 15. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YFhWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=--4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6619%2C1254133.
  24. Jacobson, Bryan (December 20, 1986). "Like riding a bike". Idahonian ((Moscow)): p. 25. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gZUrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=B9EFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2173%2C2658686.
  25. "Seahawks lose Merriman for year". Spokesman-Review. Associated Press (Spokane, Washington): p. B1. August 13, 1988. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hllWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0e8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3294%2C7137755.
  26. Pierce, Oliver (September 14, 1988). "Merriman isn't merry on sidelines". Idahonian ((Moscow)): p. 9A. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=55MrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=x9AFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6095%2C1460297.
  27. "Seahawks cut Merriman, two others". Spokesman-Review. Associated Press ((Spokane, Washington)): p. C3. April 18, 1989. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=g7syAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zu8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=1477%2C2091417.
  28. Wright, Josh (October 6, 2009). "Ken Hobart – A family man now". Spokesman-Review ((Spokane, Washington)). http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/oct/06/a-family-man-now/. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  29. 29.0 29.1 Missildine, Harry (November 13, 1982). "Vandals face biggest battle". Spokesman-Review ((Spokane, Washington)): p. 17. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JPhLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=se4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=2203%2C5619059.
  30. 30.0 30.1 Ramsdell, Paul (November 13, 1982). "Vandals have a shot at Big Sky title tonight". Lewiston Morning Tribune ((Idaho)): p. 1C. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1qpfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pTIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4504%2C3872902.
  31. "Starting line-ups". Lewiston Morning Tribune ((Idaho)): p. 3C. September 11, 1982. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1bheAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oDAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5809%2C4088714.
  32. "Probable starters". Spokesman-Review ((Spokane, Washington)): p. 19. November 27, 1982. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0QQwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ze4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=1770%2C5425034.
  33. Missildine, Harry (November 25, 1982). "Idaho's defense led by 'survivors'". Spokesman-Review ((Spokane, Washington)): p. 34. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zwQwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ze4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5842%2C4313853.
  34. 34.0 34.1 "All-Big Sky". Lewiston Morning Tribune ((Idaho)): p. 1B. December 2, 1982. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=97xeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CDEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4201%2C629811.
  35. "Hobart grabs conference's top honor". Lewiston Morning Tribune ((Idaho)): p. 1B. December 3, 1983. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6IBfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZDAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2071%2C811656.

External links[]

Template:Big Sky Conference football champions

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