THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Vandals: The receivers, the portal, the locals

Jordan Dwyer served as a reminder Friday night that the Idaho Vandals still have some pretty good receivers this year, after their three top receivers moved on after last season.

All-American Hayden Hatten, Idaho’s career leader in touchdown receptions, could have returned for a fifth season in Moscow, but opted for the NFL.

Jermaine Jackson, an exciting kick returner and receiver, exhausted his eligibility.

And Terez Traynor chose to transfer to Tulane for his final college season.

Dwyer caught five passes for 94 yards, including a leaping catch on a 50-yard scoring play, in Idaho’s spring football game Friday night at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow.

“I feel like a lot of people think, losing JJ and losing Hayden, losing Terez, we did lose a lot of talent,” said Dwyer, a redshirt sophomore. “But we got some guys to come in here and step up and pick up where we left off.”

Dwyer showed signs as a true freshman in 2022, catching a touchdown pass in the season opener at Washington State. An injury cut short his first season at Idaho, and he finished with 12 catches for 136 yards and two TDs.

Last year, playing time was scarce with Hatten, Jackson and Traynor around. Dwyer finished with 20 catches for 328 and four TDs. 

This year?

“I took a lot of things from Hayden and JJ over the last couple of years, but it’s amazing to have that role this year and have a bigger role on this team,” the 5-foot-11, 180-pound Dwyer said. “I’m excited and I’m ready for it.”

“He (Dwyer) told me today; I’ve got to get in better shape,” third-year Idaho football coach Jason Eck said. “Hayden Hatten played 75 snaps a game and almost never game out. He had to be in elite physical condition to do that. … I told him (Dwyer) he has to have a good summer conditioning, so he can be that No. 1 receiver that doesn’t come off the field.”

IN THE old days after spring practice was completed, coaches could take a deep breath, relax, and come back in a few weeks and start preparing for preseason camp.

Not any more.

Not with the transfer portal.

“It’s a goofy time of year,” Eck said.

There’s a spring transfer portal which began April 16 and runs through April 30 (Tuesday).

He said this past week, two starters reached out to him to see if he was in his office.

“And when that happens this time of year, your heart sinks,” Eck said. “Right away you think (the worst).”

As it turned out, one player wanted to let him know he had a cousin that was interested in walking on at Idaho. Another wanted to make sure his flight coming back to Moscow from home was booked on the right day, so he didn’t miss practice.

“I’m already crafting in my mind what I’m going to say to this kid when he tells me he wants to transfer,” Eck said.

“I’m not going to sleep really good until May 1 is done, because then we’re out of the woods and we know who we have for next year,” Eck added. “But I think we have a great thing going; obviously everyone has their own options now. We have to make sure they know we have a great thing going and they’re a big part of it. But we’ll see.”

On the flip side, Eck and his assistants have to be ready to recruit in the portal, should more players leave — Idaho lost nearly a dozen to the portal in the weeks following the end of last season, which ended with the Vandals in the FCS playoffs for the second straight year.

“Kids will reach out to you,” Eck said. “Our practices go two weeks after the portal window (opens), and there’s been some pretty good players that have reached out and said, ‘We want to come,’ and I’m like, ‘I don’t know if I have a scholarship for you.’ So we may move up spring ball next year just to help with that.”

THE VANDALS appeal to North Idaho fans more when they’re winning, obviously, but also when local kids are playing.

Zach Johnson, a redshirt freshman from Lake City, had 2.5 sacks for the Black team, comprised of starters and key reserves. He came to Idaho as a linebacker, but is also making a niche as an edge rusher. 

Now, the Idaho coaches need to figure out how to use him best.

“Whatever we do, we have to get him rushing the passer more,” Jason Eck said. “If he’s in some sub packages, we can’t wait until third and long, maybe second and long; if they’re going to throw it more, we’ve got to get him in. He’s doing a solid job at linebacker, but he could really be a difference maker at end.”

Also cool to see redshirt freshman Alex Green (left tackle) playing left tackle for the White team, comprised of second- and third-teamers — and also cool to see him blocking Johnson on the edge on a few plays. 

Other locals also saw action on the White team, including true freshman Owen Foreman (Lakeland), who kicked off; redshirt freshman Trevor Miller (Post Falls), who played some at edge rusher and some at tight end; and redshirt freshman Weston Benefield (Sandpoint), who saw plenty of action at linebacker.

Linebacker Wayne Queen (Lake City) and defensive lineman Matyus McLain (Priest River), both redshirt freshman, also suited up for the White team.

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 208-664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at mnelke@cdapress.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @CdAPressSports.