▁had ▁been ▁fired ▁after ▁three ▁or ▁four ▁seasons . ▁In ▁addition , ▁no ▁V andal ▁head ▁football ▁coach ▁had ▁left ▁with ▁a ▁winning ▁record ▁since ▁ 1 9 2 8 . ▁ ▁Dav itch ▁retained ▁the ▁ve er ▁option ▁on ▁off ense , ▁but ▁the ▁progress ▁was ▁slow ▁in ▁his ▁first ▁two ▁seasons . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁the ▁V and als ▁finished ▁ 2 – 9 . ▁They ▁began ▁the ▁season ▁by ▁losing ▁their ▁first ▁five ▁games ; ▁a ▁ 3 1 – 1 4 ▁loss ▁to ▁I - A ▁oppon ent ▁San ▁Jose ▁State , ▁a ▁ 2 8 – 0 ▁shut out ▁to ▁their ▁I - A ▁rival ▁Washington ▁State ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁Pal ouse , ▁a ▁ 2 8 – 6 ▁loss ▁to ▁W ich ita ▁State , ▁a ▁ 3 4 – 2 9 ▁defeat ▁at ▁the ▁hands ▁of ▁Northern ▁Arizona ▁and ▁a ▁ 5 3 – 1 4 ▁blow out ▁by ▁I - A ▁UN L V . ▁Id aho ▁broke ▁through ▁with ▁their ▁first ▁on ▁October ▁ 1 4 ▁with ▁a ▁ 3 4 – 3 0 ▁win ▁over ▁rival ▁Mont ana ▁for ▁Little ▁Brown ▁Stein . ▁Dav itch ' s ▁team ▁then ▁lost ▁their ▁next ▁three ; ▁ 5 7 – 2 1 ▁to ▁Mont ana ▁State , ▁ 5 1 – 6 ▁to ▁We ber ▁State ▁and ▁ 4 8 – 1 0 ▁to ▁in - state ▁arch rival ▁Bo ise ▁State . ▁The ▁V and als ' ▁final