Spear leading 'Vandal Family' to prosperity

Longtime Idaho athletic director pays visit to Dover

By ERIC PLUMMER

Sports editor

SANDPOINT — It’s tough to say which is in better shape these days, the University of Idaho athletic program, or it’s chief steward, Rob Spear.

The Vandals are coming off a stellar season that saw men’s and women’s golf, women’s basketball, women’s soccer and women’s tennis all claim Big Sky Championships, while its flagship program football team went 8-4 in the FBS and dispatched Colorado State in an ESPN bowl game. Perhaps most impressively, Vandal student-athletes averaged better than a 3.0 GPA for the 14th consecutive year.

And oh by the way, the school plans to break ground within the year on a brand new, all-wooden basketball arena that will generate 7-8 million dollars in local revenue before it’s finished in 2020. The Mass Timber Production project will be the first of its kind in the U.S.

A brand new turf surface is currently being installed in the Kibbie Dome, the same turf owner Jerry Jones used in the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium. The Vandals will now use the new turf for soccer, becoming the first Division 1 soccer program to play indoors.

In short, times are great for the black and gold.

Ditto for Spear, a Butte, Montana native who looks like he could still pad up and play some linebacker despite being in his 50s and entering his 15th season leading Idaho athletics.

The former college basketball player at the University of Great Falls was in Dover Bay on Thursday for what was termed a Vandal Gathering, as a couple dozen locals with university ties showed up to shoot the breeze with Spear.

Not surprisingly, the topic of the Vandals’ 61-50 drubbing of Colorado State in a bowl game not nearly as close as the score was a quick topic of discussion. For many in the area, seeing Coeur d’Alene product Deon Watson Jr. haul in 140 yards on five catches and a score was a welcome sight, as the Vandals have been decidedly more homegrown lately.

“We got them on that cold blue turf and kicked their tail,” Spear told the group about the marquee national TV win. “Such a satisfying day. With the challenges we had, to see it come together on that day was very rewarding.”

If you think the Vandals, and red-hot coaching prospect Paul Petrino are about to rest on their laurels, think again. This season marks their final year in the Sun Belt Conference, before the Vandals return to their old stomping grounds in the Bis Sky.

Like Petrino, Spear isn’t about to give the southern FBS league any bulletin board material, but rest assured the Vandals would love nothing more than to leave tire tracks on the backs of the Sun Belt opposition in their swan song. If the present trend continues, another rock solid season could be in the cards.

“The theme for the football team is ‘raise the bar,’ not be satisfied with success,” claimed Spear. “There’s a real positive feel about the team.”

Sandpoint has a rich history of sending football players down to Moscow, and 6-foot-5 sophomore tackle Carlos Collado and 6-foot-2 linebacker Kyle Perry are the latest to swap Bulldog red for the black and gold.

Collado earned praise from Petrino in the spring scrimmages, and could vie for a starting tackle spot if all goes well. Perry hopes to find playing time anyway possible after gray-shirting with Collado last year.

“I watched them all year and was impressed with how hard they worked in the weight room. The sky’s the limit, their best years are ahead of them,” lauded Spear of the Sandpoint duo. “Carlos needs to gain some weight, but he’s athletic and has a bright future. Kyle carries himself well, a natural leader who will find a spot in the field.”

Another strong Sandpoint connection comes in the form of Litehouse and the Hawkins family paying for the naming rights to the Kibbie Dome. Many a Hawkins has attended Idaho, and Spear said their loyal sponsorship of the stadium has been huge.

“They’ve been unbelievable. They stepped up at a time when we were having struggles in football. To put their name on the product was huge,” admitted Spear. “To get that strong Idaho family, and the Hawkins having that legacy meant everything to us.”

Spear was asked about yet another Sandpoint connection, and what he thought about Vandals and Green Bay Packers legend Jerry Kramer not being in the NFL Hall of Fame. His sentiment was similar to many in the region, especially in Kramer’s hometown.

“It makes no sense he’s not in the Hall of Fame,” said Spear, who recently had a chance to talk at length with Kramer. “Great guy, a legend. He played in an era where guys had to go get jobs in the off-season. They never forget their roots.”

A lot of amazing and talented people have come through the University of Idaho, including scores of young coaches who went on to national acclaim, including the likes of Dennis Erickson, Tom Cable and John L. Smith to name just a few.

Like the current crop of Vandals, they’ll always be family.

“We always say ‘Vandal Family,’ not ‘Vandal Nation.’ Nations can get divided, but family sticks together,” claimed Spear. “When people come there (Idaho), they’re part of the Vandal Family for life.”