The Idaho Vandals have given head coach Jason Eck a two-year extension that will keep him with the program through the 2028 season. Eck has been with Idaho for two seasons and led them to playoff appearances both years.
Eck had a long history as an assistant coach before getting the chance to lead a program. He spent a total of five years as a graduate assistant with Wisconsin and Colorado from 1999 through 2003 before becoming an assistant with Idaho. In 2004 and 2005, Eck was the offensive line coach followed by a season as the tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator in 2006.
After two years as an assistant with NCAA Division II Winona State in 2007 and 2008, he spent the next decade bouncing around FBS and FCS programs as an offensive line coach. From 2016 through 2018, he was with South Dakota State in the OL coach role and took over as offensive coordinator from 2019 through 2021.
In 2022, Eck became Idaho’s head coach and made an immediate impact. The Vandals were 4-7 overall and 3-5 in 2021 but Eck improved the team to 7-5 overall and 6-2 in conference. The Vandals made the FCS Playoffs for the first time since 1995 although they fell 45-42 to Southeastern Louisiana in the first round. Idaho improved further in 2023 as they reached the quarterfinals, which was the school’s best playoff performance since 1993 when they made the semifinal round. Idaho lost 30-22 to Albany in the 2023 Quarterfinals.
Eck is 16-9 overall with Idaho and has gone 12-4 in the Big Sky with a top-three conference finish in both seasons. Idaho will begin the 2024 season on the road against FBS foes Oregon and Wyoming before a rematch of last season’s quarterfinal opponent Albany on Saturday, September 14.
Photo Credit to University of Idaho Athletics
