Idaho ranks No. 10 in HERO Sports’ FCS Preseason Top 25.
The Vandals finished 10-4 last year, losing 52-19 at Montana State in the FCS second round.
Here’s a look at the 2025 Idaho football squad.
Returning 2024 FCS All-Conference Players (2)
Honorable Mention
OL Nate Azzopardi
LB Isiah King
D1 Transfer Portal Movement
Transfers Coming In From The FCS (4)
| Player | Pos. | Previous School |
| Hysan Dalton | CB | Furman |
| Lonyatta Alexander Jr. | WR | Montana State |
| Donovan Parham | DE | MVSU |
| Zach Wusstig | DB | Portland State |
Transfers Coming In From The FBS (7)
| Player | Pos. | Previous School |
| Oliver Fisher | TE | Boise State |
| Gabe Hoffmann | TE | Eastern Michigan |
| Joshua Wood | QB | Fresno State |
| Kai Richardson | LB | Oregon State |
| Zakhari Spears | DB | UConn |
| Maurice Heims | DE | Washington |
| Nathan Pritchard | OL | Washington State |
Transfers Lost To The FCS (1)
| Player | Pos. | New School |
| Diezel Wilkinson | DB | Montana |
Transfers Lost To The FBS (20)
| Player | Pos. | New School |
| Malakai Williams | DE | Boise State |
| Mason Mini | TE | Cal |
| Mark Hamper | WR | Cal |
| Aamarii Notice | DL | Coastal Carolina |
| Ayden Knapik | OL | Illinois |
| Nathan Knapik | OL | Illinois |
| Andrew Marshall | DB | Nebraska |
| Jack Foster | OL | Nevada |
| Kaden Robnett | OL | New Mexico |
| Jack Layne | QB | New Mexico |
| Deshaun Buchanan | RB | New Mexico |
| Abraham Williams | DB | New Mexico |
| Jaxton Eck | LB | New Mexico |
| Xavier Slayton | DL | New Mexico |
| Keyshawn James-Newby | DE | New Mexico |
| Dwayne McDougle | DB | San Diego State |
| Zach Johnson | LB | Stanford |
| Jordan Dwyer | WR | TCU |
| Dallas Afalava | DT | Wake Forest |
| Sone Falealo | OL | Washington State |
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Offensive Outlook
After three seasons and three straight FCS playoff appearances, the Jason Eck era at Idaho ended when he took the New Mexico head coach job. Eck rejuvenated a floundering Idaho football program and turned it into a Top 10 FCS team. After he left, 20 Idaho players transferred to FBS teams, including seven that followed Eck.
Thomas Ford Jr. now takes over as head coach, a former Idaho assistant who is popular with players and fans and is known to be a great recruiter.
Offensively, the Vandals lose their top starting quarterback and their top two wide receivers. Idaho returns two of its top running backs and three of its top five offensive linemen.
QB Jack Layne departed for New Mexico after being Idaho’s top signal-caller. He dealt with injuries last fall, and Jack Wagner was inserted as the starter as a redshirt freshman for most of the first two months of the season. Wagner finished 94/172 for 1,389 yards, 12 touchdowns, and five interceptions. Wagner and Nick Josifek battled this spring for the starting spot. But Idaho then brought in redshirt sophomore Joshua Wood, a transfer from Fresno State.
Wood appears to be the frontrunner to win the starting job as a highly coveted transfer. Last year at Fresno State, he saw his most action in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl against Northern Illinois, where he went 16/23 for 180 yards and a touchdown along with 32 yards rushing and another score.
The Vandals lost their two standout wide receivers, Jordan Dwyer and Mark Hamper, to P4 schools. They were in a similar position last year before Dwyer and Hamper stepped into lead roles. Two names who could step up this fall are Tony Harste and Emmerson Cortez-Menjivar, who flashed as freshmen players last season. Harste had 10 catches for 203 yards. Cortez-Menjivar had 14 receptions for 200 yards and four touchdowns.
Lonyatta Alexander Jr. looks to be an impact addition after transferring from Montana State, where last year he had 22 catches for 264 yards.
Idaho should boast a strong rushing attack.
Last year’s squad had three running backs in the 500-yard range. Two of them return. Deshaun Buchanan and his 567 yards transferred to New Mexico. Nate Thomas is back after rushing for 543 yards and five touchdowns. Elisha Cummings also returns after going for 523 yards and a score. Art Williams adds depth after rushing for 370 yards a year ago.
They’ll run behind an offensive line with solid experience. Three of the top five linemen in snaps are back, led by All-Big Sky performer Nate Azzopardi (6’3″ 296 lbs), who has played more than 800 snaps in both the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Layton Vining (6’2″ 285 lbs) played 470+ snaps in 2023 and 770+ snaps last fall. Kiegan Henson (6’5″ 290 lbs) added nearly 400 snaps in 2024.
Nathan Pritchard (6’5″ 317 lbs) could play a role after transferring from Washington State. He’s just a redshirt sophomore with limited playing time at WSU. But he isn’t far removed from being a three-star high school recruit and the No. 17 overall prospect in Washington.
Defensive Outlook
Idaho’s defense will need some revamping, returning only two of its top 15 tacklers and three of the 19 players who played 200 or more snaps last fall.
Linebacker Isiah King leads the unit after an All-Big Sky season, totaling 48 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, two interceptions, and two pass breakups last fall.
Zach Krotzer is an experienced defensive tackle, playing nearly 200 snaps in 2023 and 500 snaps last year. He had 40 tackles, three TFLs, and five QB hurries in 2024. Defensive end Sam Brown has nearly 1,000 career snaps for the Vandals, including more than 300 in both 2023 and 2024. Brown recorded 18 tackles and 1.5 TFLs last season.
Those three are the most experienced returning players. The Vandals hope to reload with their younger talent and transfer portal help.
Donovan Parham could be a splash addition from Mississippi Valley State. The defensive end had 47 tackles, eight TFLs, and five sacks for MVSU in 2024. Hysan Dalton comes in after playing 385 cornerback snaps for Furman in 2024 as a redshirt freshman, totaling 29 tackles. Zach Wusstig is an incoming safety from Portland State. A year ago, he played over 400 snaps as a redshirt freshman with 30 tackles.
From the FBS ranks, defensive Kai Richardson arrives from Oregon State, defensive back Zakhari Spears comes from UConn, and defensive lineman Maurice Heims arrives from Washington. All saw limited reps at their previous schools.
2025 Preseason Preview Central
Idaho Football Schedule
8/30 at Washington State
9/6 vs St. Thomas
9/13 vs Utah Tech
9/20 at San Jose State
9/27 at No. 7 Montana
10/11 vs Northern Colorado
10/18 at Eastern Washington
10/25 vs Portland State
10/31 at No. 19 Northern Arizona
11/8 vs No. 11 UC Davis
11/15 at No. 12 Sacramento State
11/22 vs Idaho State
Bold indicates Big Sky games
HERO Sports’ rankings
