Conference Big Sky Conference Head coach Ed Troxel (3rd year) | 1976 record 7–4 (5–1 Big Sky) Offensive scheme Veer | |
Offensive coordinator John McMahon (1st year) Defensive coordinator Andy Christoff (3rd year) | ||
The 1976 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. The Vandals were led by third-year head coach Ed Troxel and were members of the Big Sky Conference, then in Division II. They played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.
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Season
With quarterbacks Rocky Tuttle and Craig Juntunen running the veer offense, the Vandals were 7–4 overall and 5–1 in the Big Sky in 1976. The only conference loss was to Montana State in Bozeman; the Bobcats went undefeated in the Big Sky and won the Division II national championship.
The season opened with a road win over Boise State, the three-time defending conference champions, in the debut of Jim Criner as head coach of the Broncos. In the Battle of the Palouse, the Vandals suffered a ninth straight loss to neighbor Washington State of the Pac-8, falling 45–6 at Martin Stadium in Pullman on October 2. The Cougars were led by quarterback Jack Thompson and fullback Dan Doornink.
Outside of the 1971 season (8–3), the Vandals' 7–4 record in 1976 was the best since 1938 (6–3–1).
Center John Yarno was selected to the AP All-American team, which included a prime-time appearance on Bob Hope's Christmas show on NBC on Monday, December 13. The All-America team was headlined by Heisman Trophy winner Tony Dorsett of Pittsburgh. Yarno was also selected to play in the East–West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl. His number 56 was retired the following year.
Division I
Through 1977, the Big Sky was a Division II conference for football, except for Division I member Idaho, which moved down to I-AA in 1978. Idaho maintained its upper division status in the NCAA by playing Division I non-conference opponents (and was ineligible for the Division II postseason).