Idaho Coach Jason Eck and His Players Amped Up to Face the Ducks; Oregon Better Be Too

On Monday back in Moscow, Idaho, Vandal coach Jason Eck met the media at the Kibbie Dome at said he plans to “coach loose and be aggressive” against the Oregon Ducks.

He told the press, “I don’t think we have any pressure on us in this game. We could lose by 100, and it is not going to affect us winning a conference championship.”

Three of his players are from the state of Oregon. Starting quarterback Jack Layne was a Gatorade Player of the Year and First Team All-State with at Lake Oswego. As a prep Layne completed 72 percent of his passes, threw for 3,400 yards and 44 touchdowns while only throwing four interceptions. The Lakers won a state title in 2018.

Last year as a Vandal redshirt sophomore he started one game and mopped up in a couple of others while displaying the same ability to sling it. In a 63-21 win over Idaho State he tossed six touchdown passes, completing 20-26 for 275 yards. On the season, 8 TDs, 25-32, 325 yards through the air, 52 on the ground.

Layne's twin brother Dylan starts at linebacker for the team, but he's doubtful this Saturday due to a hamstring injury. Redshirt freshman receiver Mark Hamper is from nearby West Linn, a Three Rivers League rival.

The Vandals leading receiver last year was Hayden Hatten, who caught 92 passes for 1,226 yards and 9 touchdowns. He's graduated, cut down by the Seattle Seahawks on the last day to trim rosters. Second target Jermaine Jackson caught on with the Saints, landing a three-year, $2.8 million dollar contract and a $10,000 signing bonus.

So the Vandals have produced some good players, and they like to put the ball in the air. Which makes them a great opening-day test for Oregon's rebuilt secondary, particularly in the areas of coverage, assignments and communication.

Asked about his Oregon contingent, Eck said, “They are excited about the opportunity, about taking our shot.”

Idaho is 7th in the FCS preseason poll, a legitimate title contender at their own level of competition.

Last season they played Cal in Berkeley September 16 and jumped out to a 17-0 lead. The Bears D-1 size and athletic ability began to tell as the game went on, and Cal wound up winning 31-17, pulling out ahead with two touchdowns in the third quarter and two in the second, adding a field goal in the fourth.

The Vandals didn't back down in that game, though. Quarterback Gevani McCoy, since transferred to Oregon State, completed 27-46 for 269 yards. Leading rusher Anthony Woods, since transferred to Utah, broke open for 56 yards on 11 carries, including a 19-yard touchdown with 2:44 to play in the first.

Playing Oregon is a different level of competition than the hapless Bears, who have since migrated to the ACC. Still, that contest is a solid indication of the intensity Eck's squad will bring to the game, and that's good for Oregon's growth and development in a season of high expectations.