When sophomores Jack Wagner and Nick Josifek were competing early in the spring, Josifek looked like he was getting the upper hand on Wagner during the scrimmages.
Wagner threw two interceptions in the second Idaho scrimmage and Josifek was able to move the offense better with the intermediate throws and short passes.
However, a transfer quarterback could shake up the competition. Former Fresno State quarterback Joshua Wood announced his transfer to Idaho on Saturday night.
Wood previously spent three years with the Bulldogs, but he missed 2023 with an injury. He played mostly as a special-play situational quarterback in 2024, but started in Fresno State’s bowl game, the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl against Northern Illinois.
Wood finished the bowl game 16-for-23 passing with 180 yards and a touchdown and ran the ball 11 times for 32 yards and another score.
He will not play in the spring game but will be at the event and will not be in a uniform. That means Josifek and Wagner will be at the forefront.
Offensive coordinator Matt Linehan said that there are going to be growing pains, and that the two quarterbacks need to build up more experience.
“We got a lot of young guys at that (quarterback) position as well,” Linehan said. “Those guys got to keep building and have experience, right? So the growing pains of spring ball — often, I went through them as a player (too). I think they’re going through them right now.”
Evolution of football beyond spring
If there is one thing for fans to take away during spring ball it’s that something can look one way in Friday’s spring game and then totally different come fall.
Linehan said that as they are trying to install the offense, it is still constantly evolving.
“I feel confident about the installation that we have; we’re going to continue to build on that,” he said. “And as an offense constantly evolves, it looks one way in spring ball and can look entirely different as you get throughout the season.”
Idaho will continue to try to find its identity with the new coaching staff. Under Ford, it looks like physicality will be the team’s main strong point, both offensively with the offensive line and running the ball and defensively as they fly to the ball and try to make as much contact as possible.
It’ll all be on display Friday night.
Trevor Junt can be reached at 208-848-2258, tjunt@lmtribune.com or on X (formerly Twitter) @TrevorJunt.
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