Story by
Lewiston Tribune, Idaho
VANDAL NOTES: When Idaho needed him most, Joshua Wood delivered again
- Story byLewiston Tribune, Idaho
- VANDAL NOTES: When Idaho needed him most, Joshua Wood delivered again
Oct. 8—Belief drove the Idaho Vandals football team over the No. 1 Montana State Bobcats in a 35-34 upset victory in a Big Sky Conference contest on Friday in the P1FCU Kibbie Dome.
Idaho coach Thomas Ford Jr. has said that the team had stuck together through the hardship of the first four weeks of the season after an 0-4 start, and that during the last drive of the game with 80 yards to go with 49 seconds left and no timeouts, the whole team was said to "believe."
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Ford said that there was not a "soul on that sideline" that did not believe that the Vandals were going to drive down and score a touchdown.
"I told the offense, 'When we score a touchdown, we're going for 2. We're going to go win this football game,'" Ford said in the postgame news conference. "The belief on that sideline is incredible. These guys truly do love one another. They play really hard for each other, and you've seen that in all five of our games.
"Doesn't matter that our results weren't great the first four weeks, but you've seen a team that's together. You see a team that really plays hard for each other, and it was just awesome to be on the winning side tonight."
Joshua Wood continues his excellence
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Senior quarterback Joshua Wood earned the Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week award for the second time in his career on Monday.
On the final drive, Wood was responsible for all of the Vandals' yards. He ran for 22 yards and passed for 58, including a 25-yard touchdown pass to junior receiver Ryan Jezioro as time ran out.
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With no time left on the clock, Idaho decided to go for the 2-point conversion, and the play broke down, so Wood took the ball and rushed it into the end zone himself for an Idaho victory.
Wood said the 2-point conversion was supposed to be a shovel pass to junior tight end Noah West-Baranco, but the play broke down, so he ran it in himself.
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"(Wood) has this competitive mentality that I just haven't seen from many guys in my 20 years coaching," Ford said. "He has a will to win that I've witnessed since he's probably been in like his seventh, eighth grade. ... He gets the ball last, and he gets the opportunity to score, and he's going to take that opportunity, and he just refuses to lose.
"He's been that way all season, really all year last year, and I think you're starting to see his confidence really build. And it was pretty awesome to see because they did have it snuffed out. Joshua told me they called the play out; they knew what we were running, and he just happened to be the best player on the field at that moment and made a play."
Wood completed 19-of-25 passes for 315 yards with two passing touchdowns and one interception. He also ran 15 times for 41 yards with one touchdown and the crucial 2-point conversion to win the game.
Ford said on Sept. 28 that the offense needs to go away from the off-schedule plays; however, that happened multiple times on Friday, and it worked out well for Idaho.
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Ford pointed to Wood and answered why those off-schedule plays were working.
"Him. Him. He is the best off-schedule quarterback I've ever coached," Ford said of Wood.
Ford also said that he was proud of how Wood was handling the on-schedule plays, stepping up in the pocket and delivering.
"But the off-schedule stuff, that's all Joshua," Ford said. "He is a phenomenal talent, and I love him like a son. He's someone that I really look forward to coaching every single day, and he's also someone that holds me accountable."
After the 41-39 loss to Abilene Christian, Ford said he was "pretty upset," but Wood took him aside and helped him reset.
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"That's the accountability coming from a player that you just love because you know they're listening to what you're saying every day," Ford said. "I know that he believes in the things that we're trying to preach in our program, and I'm forever grateful to this young man for choosing Idaho and believing in me as his coach."
Jezioro's career day was foreseen
Jezioro had a career-high 147 receiving yards with another career-high of two touchdowns, including a career-long catch for a 75-yard score on the Vandals' first offensive play from scrimmage. He did this all on six catches.
On the 75-yarder, Wood stepped up in the pocket and broke a tackle and then saw the boundary safety cover West-Baranco, so he fired to a wide-open Jezioro.
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"Just being able to throw him like a little lollipop, let him catch it, and just go and run," Wood said.
Jezioro biggest catch, though, came as time expired to put Idaho within a point.
Wood said the last play call was called "Winner," which is a progression read and he knew that he had plenty of time with a six-man protection. So Wood checked the boundaries and brought the middle safety down with his eyes, then he stepped up in the pocket and found Jezioro, who was his second read, who "snuck over the top" and caught the TD pass.
Wood said that the hard work that Jezioro puts in during the week, watching film, preparing and getting on the same page with the quarterback, has been the biggest key to success.
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Ford said the night before he knew Jezioro was going to have a special day.
"And what's crazy about that is I promise you, I told (Jezioro) this morning, I had a dream last night that he was going to have just an explosive play, and he had one of the first play the game," Ford said. "So I just felt like everything that we talk about in this program is true. You have to have belief. You have to work hard. You have to give all of your effort and everything that you do, and it was just amazing to see those guys do that tonight."
Elation while the field was rushed
Wood said that the victory was the biggest win of his career and that he'll remember it forever.
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After the game, in the postgame news conference, the locker room could be heard from the loud blasting music and with a lot of shouting. Wood said that there was a "whole lot of jumping around" and "enjoying the moment."
Wood said that both his parents were at the upset victory and before the game his father, Victor Wood, a former Washington State receiver, told him to keep believing in himself.
He said after he scored the 2-point conversion and when fans were rushing the field, he immediately looked for his parents.
"For me, it was crazy. I'm not gonna lie. All my teammates that came and ran to me, I was just trying to catch a breath," Wood said. "And then yeah, I (saw) the fans were running on the field, and it was just like, man, trying to enjoy this with my teammates, and then go and find my mom and dad. Go give them a hug and just tell them that we did it, we got our first win, and many more to come."
Junt can be reached at 208-848-2258, tjunt@lmtribune.com or on X @TrevorJunt.
