Vandals' QB still unknown

Who’s the starting quarterback at Idaho?

Vandal football coach Paul Petrino offered no clues again Sunday.

“I don’t have a timeline, exactly,” Petrino said when asked when he might determine a starter between redshirt sophomore Chad Chalich and redshirt freshman Matt Linehan. “And to be honest with you, I could see both of them playing in the Florida game.”

Both QBs received a fairly equal amount of reps during spring ball. Petrino said if one moves clearly ahead of the other, he’ll name a starter.

“It’s too bad it wasn’t two receivers ...... ,” Petrino said. “You can only play one quarterback.”

Chalich’s reps were somewhat limited in the spring as he recovered from a shoulder injury suffered in the Vandals’ seventh game of the season last fall. Chalich, the former Coeur d’Alene High star, started the first seven games before the injury knocked him out for the season. Idaho finished 1-11.

“I think it’s something we’re going to have to keep an eye on in fall camp,”  Petrino said. “The biggest thing is, I don’t want him to get tired ... technique ... ”

Petrino, beginning his second year as Vandal coach, said he expects his offensive line, anchored by four-year starting center Mike Marboe, to “play way better this fall.”

“They’ve made strides in the weight room ... in pass protection,” Petrino said. “They’ve got to take it to the next level.”

Petrino is also looking for improved play from his secondary, which he said has more depth than last year. One addition is Joe Smith, a fifth-year transfer who graduated from Utah. He played mostly nickelback for the Utes, but figures to play cornerback at Idaho.

“We can run mor nickel and dime (five- and six-DB packages), which we didn’t run enough of last year,” Petrino said.

With the receiving corps hurt by top receiver Dezmon Epps being kicked off the team recently, Petrino is looking for former Coeur d’Alene High standout Deon Watson, along with Jacob Sannon and Josh McCain, among others, to pick up the slack.

Two Vandals underwent shoulder surgeries in the offseason. Safety Desmond Banks played last year as a true freshman and will likely redshirt this year, as his injury could keep him out most of the season. Defensive lineman Will Schmidt redshirted last year.

Senior Jerrel Brown returns at running back, and Petrino said he is excited to see what junior college transfer Elijhaa Perry and freshman Aaron Duckworth can do back there.

Robert Asencio, a 6-foot-9 basketball player who tried out at receiver last fall, has been moved to defensive line, Petrino said.

Austin Rehkow handled punting and placekicking duties last year as a true freshman. Jordan Burke, a juco transfer and son of former Vandal tight end Paul Burke, will compete for placekicking and kickoff duties.