Things to keep an eye on: Vandals and Eagles prepare for game with uncertainty at quarterback

After their game Saturday night in Moscow, someone will take possession of the former Governor’s Cup trophy that Idaho coach Jason Eck took out of storage and converted into the “Che Scow Cup” with a strip of white sports tape and a black marker.

However, Idaho and Eastern Washington depend far more heavily on the outcome. The vandals suffered serious injuries. The group of injured players working out in a corner of the Kibbie Dome, some on crutches, some with braces, doing rehab and conditioning exercises, numbered more than a dozen this week. After disappointing league losses to UC Davis and Montana State, Idaho sits at 5-3 overall, 2-2 in league play and remains in 11th place in the Football Championship Subdivision as it figures to get a much-needed bye following its rivalry game against Montana Eagles .

EWU’s potent offense, which averages nearly 36 points per game, could not fully offset its defense, which gives up nearly 38 points per game. With a score of 2-5, 1-2 in the league, the Eagles are looking to start what has been a disappointing season. “They score points with everyone. “They are a better football team than their record suggests,” Eck said.

Here are three things to keep in mind as you battle for the Che Scow Cup.

1. Who will play quarterback for the Vandals? Jack Layne opened the season as the starter for Idaho, but left the first game against Oregon with a broken collarbone. He appeared as Idaho’s emergency quarterback against Cal Poly a week ago. But Eck was noncommittal about Layne’s role this week. In Layne’s absence, Jack Wagner, Nick Josifek and Rocco Koch took turns on Idaho’s offense. Josifek himself is out for this season due to a collarbone injury. However, Eck had good things to say about both Wagner and Koch after Wagner passed for three touchdowns and Koch scored one and two points in Idaho’s win over Cal Poly.

2. Who will play quarterback for the Eagles? Redshirt junior Kekoa Visperas has been the go-to guy for EWU this season. He has 149 completions on 202 attempts for 1,536 yards and 13 touchdowns with a single interception. He was injured last year when Idaho beat EWU 44-36. Senior Jared Taylor took Visperas’ spot at the time and “he played well against us,” rushing for 121 yards and two touchdowns, Eck said. Taylor has completed eight of 11 pass attempts for 66 yards this season, rushing for 308 yards and five touchdowns. The Eagles also signed another senior, Michael Wortham. In three games this year, he has thrown two touchdowns and ran for two. “They do a little bit of everything to him,” Eck says.

3. How many Vandals receivers equal one Efton Chism? The Eagles’ senior slot receiver graces the EWU record book. This season alone, he has caught 69 passes for 750 yards and eight touchdowns. For Idaho, redshirt sophomore Jordan Dwyer has 36 catches for 482 yards and five touchdowns, redshirt freshman Mark Hamper has 23 catches for 487 yards and a score, and while another redshirt freshman, Emmerson Cortez-Menjivar, has just seven catches for He had 76 yards and three touchdowns and was a competent scorer.