1981 Idaho Vandals football team

Notable players

Sophomore quarterback Ken Hobart of Kamiah changed from an option quarterback in the veer to a prolific passer under Erickson. He led the Vandals to a 9–4 record in 1982 and an 8–3 record in 1983 as a senior, when he was a Division I-AA All-American. Hobart played a season in the USFL with Jacksonville in 1984 and several in the CFL.

Junior linebacker Sam Merriman from Tucson was selected in the seventh round (177th overall) of the 1983 NFL draft by the Seattle Seahawks. A four-year starter for the Vandals, he played five seasons with Seattle, primarily on special teams. A serious knee injury in a 1988 preseason game ended his playing career.

Fallen teammate

At the close of the 1981 spring semester, Vandal wide receiver Joe Keogh, age 20, was killed in a mid-morning automobile accident. En route to Seattle on Saturday, May 16, he was one of four occupants in a vehicle westbound on Interstate 90, west of Ellensburg. The driver, a family friend, lost control and veered off the road and the car ended on its side. Keogh, a 1979 graduate of Gonzaga Prep in Spokane, was the only fatality.

Keogh's Vandal teammates wore his number 4 on the right side of their helmets during the 1981 season. It was the second death for the football team in less than ten months: prior to his senior season, standout running back Glen White had died in August 1980 after a brief battle with aplastic anemia.

Schedule

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Roster

• Bill Tripp (OC)
• Leland Kendall (DC) :Source:{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=j7JeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4C8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=4783%2C2091578

All-conference

No Vandals made the first team; second team selections included quarterback Ken Hobart, wide receiver Jack Klein, and linebackers Sam Merriman and Jay Hayes. Honorable mention were tackle Bruce Fery, guard Steve Seman, defensive linemen John Fortner and Dan Saso, and safety Kelly Miller. Despite leading the conference with over 111 yards rushing per game, running back Russell Davis was overlooked.

NFL draft

Two Vandal seniors were selected in the 1982 NFL draft, which lasted twelve rounds (334 selections).

References

References

1. (October 4, 1981). "Davis rewrites record book in UI romp". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
2. (October 4, 1981). "Idaho rocks Portland State". Eugene Register-Guard.
3. (October 6, 1981). "UI's Davis tops nation's rushers". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
4. Mike, DeInagro. (August 31, 1981). "Small colleges".
5. (September 1, 1981). "Sports Illustrated picks Vandals to win Big Sky". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
6. Missildine, Harry. (September 4, 1981). "Jerry Davitch's big secret: 'Ignorance keeps us going'". Spokesman-Review.
7. (November 13, 1981). "UI fires Davitch". Spokesman-Review.
8. Ramsdell, Paul. (November 27, 1982). "Lucky Sam Merriman". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
9. "Sam Merriman". Database Football.
10. Weaver, Dan. (July 18, 1984). "Low in the draft, high on the team". Spokesman-Review.
11. Jacobson, Bryan. (December 20, 1986). "Like riding a bike". Idahonian.
12. (August 13, 1988). "Seahawks lose Merriman for year". Spokesman-Review.
13. Pierce, Oliver. (September 14, 1988). "Merriman isn't merry on sidelines". Idahonian.
14. (April 18, 1989). "Seahawks cut Merriman, two others". Spokesman-Review.
15. (February 22, 1979). "Football signings". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
16. (May 17, 1981). "Car accident kills UI football player". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
17. (May 18, 1981). "13 are killed on highways". Spokane Daily Chronicle.
18. Emerson, Paul. (October 27, 1981). "An instinct for the ball". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
19. (April 28, 1996). "'96 Vandals will sport new look". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
20. (August 10, 1980). "UI running back dies". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
21. (September 6, 1981). "Clan clipped in grid debut". The Province.
22. (September 13, 1981). "Weber St. stuns Idaho in opener". Great Falls Tribune.
23. (September 20, 1981). "Idaho drills Northern Iowa". The Times-News.
24. (September 27, 1981). "Idaho gives Rainbows a 21–6 fight". Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
25. (October 4, 1981). "Davis, Vandals romp 56–9". The Idaho Statesman.
26. (October 11, 1981). "Grizzlies stun Idaho Vandals, 16–14". Arizona Daily Sun.
27. Wintrode, Warren. (October 18, 1981). "MSU nips Idaho 29-28". [[The Independent-Record]].
28. (October 25, 1981). "Reno topples Vandals". The Times-News.
29. Emerson, Paul. (November 1, 1981). "Machurek guides ISU past Idaho". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
30. (November 8, 1981). "NAU rips Idaho". The Times-News.
31. Ramsdell, Paul. (November 22, 1981). "Idaho bids farewell to Davitch with loss". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
32. (September 26, 1981). "Probable starters". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
33. (October 10, 1981). "Probable starters". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
34. (October 31, 1981). "Probable starters". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
35. (November 21, 1981). "Probable starters". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
36. Missildine, Harry. (November 21, 1981). "Davitch's last Idaho hurrah". Spokesman-Review.
37. Stewart, Chuck. (November 20, 1981). "Memories". Spokane Daily Chronicle.
38. (December 1, 1981). "Former I.E. stars on Big Sky team". Spokane Daily Chronicle.
39. (December 2, 1981). "Idaho's Davis overlooked". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
40. (December 3, 1981). "Idaho not ignored on defense". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
41. (April 29, 1981). "NFL teams grab best local talent". Spokesman-Review.
42. (April 29, 1982). "Four Cougars, two Vandals picked". Spokane Chronicle.
43. (April 29, 1982). "NFL teams add Idaho players in late rounds". Lewiston Morning Tribune.