Most of state's top 2023 football prospects make University of Idaho a destination point

Vandals, who play in FCS Big Sky Conference, reel in state-best 13 signees on national letter of intent day

Author:
Brandon Walton
Publish date:
Feb 1, 2023 11:43 PM EST

Dozens of football athletes all across the "Gem State" put pen to paper for National Signing Day on Wednesday.

Choices ranged from the University of Oregon to Kansas State. But in a stacked class, there was one school that had more of those signings than anyone else.

The University of Idaho scooped up nine players in 247Sports’ top 25 - and 13 overall in a seemingly reprioritization of landing most of the state’s best talent.

"While other schools in the conference maybe focused on out-of-state guys, Idaho did a great job of really focusing on the in-state guys and getting them in early," said Brandon Huffman, the national recruiting editor for 247Sports.com. "There wasn’t any, ‘Hey, we need to look at the Idaho guys after we go after the out-of-state, out-of-area guys.’ It was making our in-state guys a priority, and they did that."

Which, not that long ago, wasn’t the case.

The Vandals had only inked nine players from their own state during their previous four classes combined. Of them, only one was at least a three-star recruit or a top-10 prospect. They even let under-the-radar guys, such as Century’s Titan Fleischmann, leave for rival Montana State.

"Let’s just say that the previous coaching staff had really no identity when it came to in-state recruiting, and really regional recruiting," Huffman said.

Rocky Mountain coach Chris Culig added that Idaho was even hesitant to offer his guy Nick Romano, who was the 2018 Class 5A player of the year after rushing for more than 2,200 yards and 32 touchdowns on an undefeated state championship team. Romano went on to earn All-American honors as a kick returner his freshman year.

"I was just surprised by the fact that it's been a long time since somebody besides Boise State has kind of really shown much love to the guys in the state," Culig said. "We’ve always felt like we’ve had guys who could play. So when they’re not getting looks or recruited very hard or taken for granted, it’s kind of frustrating for sure.:

But when Jason Eck came over from perennial power South Dakota State as the new coach of Idaho late in 2021, things changed.

That was demonstrated when Zach Penner, who had just finished up his junior season at Rocky Mountain High School at the time, liked a social media post of him becoming the new coach.

Within minutes, Eck followed him. And a few months later, the 6-foot-4, 275-pound offensive lineman was participating in the Vandals’ annual "Junior Day."

They gave him his first-ever offer that same day. By July of 2022, he had officially committed.

"It was a really, really special moment for me," Penner said. "My dad’s an alum at (Idaho) and I’ve wanted to be a Vandal for a long time. So it’s just super special to be a part of this program and be recognized as a Vandal.”

But Penner is far from alone.

Linebacker Zach Johnson (Lake City), running back Art Williams (Rocky Mountain) and Penner are ranked the seventh, ninth and 10th highest prospects in the state. They, along with fellow Idaho signees, Payton Gunter (Nampa), tight end James White (Lewiston) and linebacker Ethan Beard (Meridian) are also all rated three-star recruits. And seven, Penner, Johnson, Williams, Gunter, defensive lineman Trevor Miller (Post Falls), defensive back Ty Hirrlinger (Sugar-Salem) and defensive lineman Matyus McLain (Priest River), made all-state this past season, as well.

The rest of the 2023 class features defensive back Lincoln Gee (Cole Valley Christian), offensive lineman Alex Green (Lake City), offensive lineman Kiegan Henson (Mountain View) and wide receiver Brayden Rice (Lewiston).

"What I love is the geographical versatility," Huffman said. "You’ve got guys in the Boise area, which is important, but you’ve also got all the non-Power 5 kids in the western part of the state. The Coeur d’Alene and Lewiston kids, those kids are now staying on that side of the border, where in years’ past (others) would have maybe got them."

Most of them are pretty familiar with each other, too.

Penner had to block Miller during a state quarterfinal game in November. Miller, Johnson, White, Green and Rice are all part of the same 5A Inland Empire League, as well. There is even a group chat.

And now they’ll walk into a program coming off its best season in years. Idaho went 7-5 - two of those losses were to FBS schools Washington State and Indiana - and qualified for the FCS playoffs for the first time in 27 years.

"You saw success in one year," Penner said. "They recruited a big class this year because they want to get guys out and their guys in. So, I think that the future of the program is very bright."