PETERS - A DUAL-THREAT QUARTERBACK: Quarterback
Andy Peters has moved ino the top 10 all-time in pass attempts (356, fifth) and pass completions (235, fifth) and passing TDs (19, sixth).
For the second time on the season, Peters ran for over 100 yards - including a 57-yard touchdown run - in the win over Rocky Mountain. His 57-yard touchdown run is the fifth longest in program history since the return of football. Two weeks ago, against Montana Tech, Peters completed 28 passes (4th) on 42 attempts (3rd) for 354 yards (6th) among the best single-game efforts in program history.
SCHOFIELD FINDS END ZONE: Senior wide receiver
Jon Schofield has scored seven touchdowns on the ground and five through the air. His 12 touchdowns leads the Frontier Conference and is second in the NAIA. Schofield has scored three touchdowns each in the last four games. Based on information available, this is the first time that a player has scored three touchdowns in four-consecutive games. Also, he is just the ninth player in program history to score at least 12 touchdowns in a season.
THIRD QUARTER SUCCESS: Through the first five games, College of Idaho has outscored its opponents, 58-3 in the third quarter. In 2022, the Yotes scored a team-best 117 points against opponents in the third quarter. Every year since 2015, College of Idaho has outscored its opponents in the third quarter - 603 to 339.
POTENT OFFENSE: College of Idaho has scored 27 TDs (leads the Frontier Conference; tied for 15th nationally; 17th all-time in program history) and 196 points (39.2 ppg / leads the Frontier Conference; 20th nationally; 15th all-time in program history).
NIGHT GAME: College of Idaho and Arizona Christian will kickoff on Saturday at 7 p.m. (PT)/8 p.m. (MT) for the first time since 2018. Three of the last four night games have been against local rival and fellow Frontier Conference foe, Eastern Oregon (2014-2016-2018) and an non-conference game against Willamette (2016).
HOMECOMING HISTORY UPDATE: With last Saturday's win, since 1933, the Yotes are a combined 27-18-2 on Homecoming Weekend – including a string of 10-straight wins from 1946-55. College of Idaho has won five of its last six homecoming tilts.
79 YEARS OF COYOTE FOOTBALL IN THE BOOKS: The 2023 season will mark the 79th year of Coyote football as a collegiate program (C of I competed as an Academy from 1905-16 against high school and local town teams), recording an all-time record of 310-291-28. The Yotes had a football program every season from 1905-77 (minus the 1917 season, due to World War I, and the 1943, 1944 and 1945 seasons due to World War II). The team was disbanded following the 1977 season, with the squad returning to the gridiron in 2014.
TENTH YEAR BACK: 2023 marks the 10th year since the return of football to the Caldwell campus and head coach
Mike Moroski has led the Yotes to a 55-38 mark including six-straight straight winning seasons (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022), including the record-setting 11-1 campaign in 2019.
POLL TALK: In Monday's announcement of the latest 2023 NAIA Football FirstDown PlayBook Coaches' Top 25 Rating, College of Idaho is No. 12 for the second-straight week before rising to as high as No. 7. The two Yotes along with Carroll at No. 8 and Montana Tech at No. 11 put three Frontier Conference teams in the top 25 poll. College of Idaho has been ranked 44 times since 1999 and as high as No. 5 on four occasions.
GRINDING IT ON THE GROUND: College of Idaho holds a 5.7 to 3.3 advantage in average yards per rush, 160.6 to 115 in average yards per game rushing and 15 to 5 in rushing touchdowns.
PUNTING BOMBS: Punter
Andrew McKague is averaging 36.9 yards per punt through the first five games. Two of his punts prompted a fair catch by Battlin' Bears return personnel. Special teams coach
Jacob Johnson prompted opponents to call for a fair catch on 18 occasion in 2022. McKague and the Yotes did not punt in the game against Montana Tech. Based on information available, this is the first time that College of Idaho not have a punt in a game.
GRANDPA BEN: Graduate student
Ben Hruby has been around the College of Idaho football program since 2017. Hruby suited up for the Yotes in 2017 where as a true freshman, he caught six passes for 129 yards and a touchdown. Hruby stepped away from the game in 2018 and in 2019 while serving a church mission in London, England. Prior to the 2023 season, Hruby worked with Provision Events where he was involved in the setup and fan engagement at prestigious events such as the Masters and the U.S. Open for golf. In addition to his work on a certificate in sport administration, he is a substitute teacher in the Boise School District. Hruby caught a career-high five passes earlier this year against Montana Tech.
SUCCESS AT SIMPLOT: With a 4-1 mark in 2022 and wins in all four of its home games in 2023, the Yotes have posted a 33-15 record at Simplot Stadium since football returned to the College in 2014. Dating back to their first game at the facility in 1964, the Coyotes have an all-time record of 53-51-2 at the venue.
END ZONE NOTE: In 18 of the last 19 games, College of Idaho has recorded at least one rushing touchdown. In the last five games, College of Idaho has had at least two rushing touchdowns in each of the contests.
TANNER TERROR: The College of Idaho features three individuals with the first name, Tanner. Thru three games,
Tanner Leaf (#39) has made 35 tackles including two TFLs;
Tanner Sackman (#82) has been involved in 11 tackles - including eight against Montana Western to go along with a pair of tackles for loss;
Tanner Steele (#31) has made 14 tackles with a sack and 1.5 TFLs.
PICKING UP THE FUN: Boise State transfer
Chip Mitchell picked off his second pass of the season, last Saturday against Rocky Mountain. The active career leader is
Keegan Croteau, who had four interceptions as a freshman in 2022. With his next interception, Croteau would be one of 21 players in program history with at least five career interceptions.
MAKING IT TO THE NFL: Segun Olubi of the Indianapolis Colts will begin his second season in the NFL. Olubi started his college career at College of Idaho before matriculating to Saddleback College, Harding and San Diego State. In his one season with the Yotes, he was second on the team in tackles with 85 and recorded 10 pass breakups.
BRAINS and FOOTBALL: Tight end
Ben Hruby (Boise, Idaho / Bishop Kelly HS) and wide receiver
Brock Richardson (Fallon, Nev. / Churchill County) were named to the 2022 Academic All-America football teams selected by the College Sports Communicators. Hruby and Richardson are the sixth and seventh Academic All-Americans in the history of the program. The program also had 47 student-athletes earn Academic All-Frontier Conference honors. To be eligible for the team, the student-athlete must be at least a sophomore in standing and maintain a 3.25 GPA or greater. Furthemore, 20 student-athletes on the 2022 Daktronics NAIA Football Scholar-Athlete list as announced by the NAIA National Office. In order to be named as a Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athlete, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, must appear on the eligibility certificate for the sport and have attended one full year at said institution, and have achieved sophomore academic status prior to the start of the academic year. The NAIA Scholar-Athlete program is sponsored by Daktronics.
