1988 Idaho Vandals football team

Notable games

Following a sole loss on the road to conference rival Montana, Idaho won its final seven games of the regular season. The Vandals defeated Nevada for a second consecutive year, only the third time in the eleven meetings since the Wolf Pack joined the Big Sky in 1979. The Vandals defeated rival Boise State for the seventh consecutive year,

Division I-AA playoffs

For the fourth consecutive season, Idaho returned to the I-AA playoffs. In the first round, the Vandals hosted conference foe Montana, who had handed the Vandals their only defeat. The Vandals won the rematch 38–19 at the Kibbie Dome two days after Thanksgiving. Idaho also hosted in the quarterfinals, and defeated Northwestern State (La.) 38–30, but lost quarterback John Friesz with an ankle sprain in the third quarter.

In the semifinals Idaho was eliminated 38–7 on the road at Furman in Greenville, South Carolina, ending the Vandals' season at 11–2. With their third-string quarterback and many other reserves playing against the top-ranked defense in Division I-AA, the Vandals were only down 10–0 at the half, but the score mounted to 38–0 before the Vandals scored. The Vandal defense gave up 320 rushing yards to the Paladins. Furman went on to win the I-AA title the following week.

Notable players

The 1988 team included three future NFL players with lengthy pro careers: defensive end Marvin Washington, guard Mark Schlereth, and junior John Friesz, the future collegiate hall of fame quarterback was a three-year starter (1987–89). Washington was on a basketball scholarship and this was his only season of Vandal football.

Schedule

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Roster

https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4ltWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ye8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6588%2C7486421 --

walk-on, redshirt in '84 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7YxfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WC8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=3950%2C3641502 --

• Bill Diedrick (OC)
• Barry Lamb (DC)
• Mike Cox (LB) | access-date= :Source:

All-conference

Quarterback John Friesz and tackle Greg Hale returned to the all-conference team as unanimous selections. Also on the first team were wide receiver John Jake, center Steve Unger, defensive end Marvin Washington, and safety Brian Smith. Vandals on the second team were tackle Todd Neu, guard Mark Schlereth, cornerback Richard Carey, and linebackers Roger Cecil and Jerry Medved. Honorable mention were wide receiver Lee Allen, guard Troy Wright, running back Bruce Harris, placekicker Thayne Doyle, and defensive linemen Kord Smith, Jim Routos, and Mike Zeller.

Friesz repeated as the Big Sky's outstanding offensive player, and was a first-team Kodak All-American in Division I-AA.

NFL draft

Two Vandal seniors were selected in the 1989 NFL draft, which lasted twelve rounds (335 selections).

One Vandal junior was selected in the following year's draft in 1990, also twelve rounds (332 selections).

References

References

1. Tatko, Mike. (November 19, 1988). "Vandals, BSU play for Big Sky title". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
2. Tatko, Mike. (November 20, 1988). "Idaho victory twice as nice". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
3. Meehan, Jim. (November 21, 1988). "No. 1-ranked Vandals Sky-high". Idahonian.
4. Jacobson. (March 29, 1988). "Wind chill doesn't ground Vandals". Idahonian.
5. Tatko, Mike. (November 6, 1988). "Idaho pulls off magic 32-31 victory over UNR". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
6. Meehan, Jim. (November 22, 1988). "Gilbertson lashes out at BSC coaches". Idahonian.
7. (November 22, 1988). "Vandals enter playoffs as No. 1". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
8. Barrows, Bob. (November 27, 1988). "Shock the monkey". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
9. Meehan, Jim. (November 28, 1988). "Round two: Vandals deck Grizzlies". Idahonian.
10. Meehan, Jim. (December 5, 1988). "Vandals: Plenty of pain and gain". Idahonian.
11. Meehan, Jim. (December 12, 1988). "UI dream year ends with nightmare". Idahonian.
12. (September 11, 1988). "Idaho defense tough when it counts". The Spokesman-Review.
13. (September 18, 1988). "Vandals breeze past Pacific". The Idaho Statesman.
14. (September 19, 1988). "Vandals run to 2-0, ground Pacific". Idahonian.
15. (September 25, 1988). "Montana hangs on". Great Falls Tribune.
16. (October 2, 1988). "Third-down conversions key Vandal victory". Bonner County Daily Bee.
17. (October 9, 1988). "Friesz leads Idaho to win over Bobcats". The Billings Gazette.
18. (October 16, 1988). "Defense helps Vandals shoot down Eagles". The Coeur d'Alene Press.
19. (October 23, 1988). "Doyle kicks UI back into catbird seat". The Times-News.
20. (November 13, 1988). "Idaho wallops Idaho State". The Idaho Statesman.
21. (December 4, 1987). "Vandals advance, but lose Friesz, Harris". The Times-News.
22. (December 11, 1988). "Furman advances to final". The Charlotte Observer.
23. (November 19, 1988). "Idaho at Boise State: probable starting lineups". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
24. (November 26, 1988). "Montana at Idaho: probable starting lineups". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
25. (November 30, 1988). "All-BSC: Six Vandals make first team". Idahonian.
26. (November 30, 1988). "UI's Friesz named Big Sky first-team quarterback". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
27. (November 30, 1988). "Friesz and Hale unanimous picks". Spokesman-Review.
28. (November 30, 1988). "Dozen Vandals land on Big Sky all-stars". Spokane Chronicle.
29. (December 2, 1988). "Surprised Friesz gains more awards". Idahonian.
30. (December 2, 1988). "Friesz named All-American, MVP". Spokesman-Review.