ries z ▁won ▁the ▁Walter ▁Pay ton ▁Award ▁after ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁season ▁and ▁was ▁draft ed ▁in ▁the ▁sixth ▁round ▁with ▁the ▁ 1 3 8 th ▁overall ▁pick ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁NFL ▁D raft ▁by ▁the ▁San ▁Diego ▁Ch arg ers ▁and ▁spent ▁a ▁de cade ▁playing ▁in ▁the ▁NFL . ▁ ▁Id aho ▁finished ▁ 9 – 4 ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 . ▁They ▁began ▁the ▁season ▁with ▁a ▁ 2 7 – 2 4 ▁loss ▁to ▁Mont ana ▁State . ▁After ▁defe ating ▁Texas ▁State ▁by ▁a ▁score ▁of ▁ 3 8 – 3 5 , ▁the ▁V and als ▁lost ▁to ▁I - A ▁oppon ent ▁Oregon ▁by ▁a ▁blow out ▁score ▁of ▁ 5 5 – 2 3 . ▁Smith ' s ▁squad ▁then ▁defeated ▁We ber ▁State ▁by ▁a ▁score ▁of ▁ 3 7 – 2 7 ▁and ▁lost ▁to ▁Nev ada ▁by ▁a ▁margin ▁of ▁ 3 1 – 2 8 . ▁The ▁V and als ▁then ▁emb ark ed ▁upon ▁a ▁seven - game ▁winning ▁stre ak , ▁defe ating ▁Ch ico ▁State ▁by ▁a ▁margin ▁of ▁ 5 9 – 2 1 , ▁Id aho ▁State ▁by ▁a ▁count ▁of ▁ 4 1 – 2 0 , ▁Eastern ▁Washington ▁by ▁a ▁score ▁of ▁ 5 1 – 2 8 , ▁Northern ▁Arizona ▁by ▁a ▁blow out ▁score ▁of ▁ 5 2 – 7 , ▁Mont ana ▁by ▁a ▁score ▁of ▁ 3 5 –