▁In ▁ 1 9 0 2 , ▁John ▁G . ▁Griff ith ▁was ▁h ired ▁as ▁head ▁football ▁coach ▁and ▁athlet ic ▁director ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Id aho . ▁When ▁Iowa ▁football ▁coach ▁Ald en ▁K ni pe ▁retired ▁after ▁the ▁ 1 9 0 2 ▁season , ▁school ▁officials ▁considered ▁h iring ▁Griff ith ▁but ▁went ▁with ▁John ▁Chal mers ▁instead . ▁Griff ith ▁continued ▁as ▁Id aho ' s ▁head ▁football ▁coach ▁through ▁ 1 9 0 6 , ▁and ▁is ▁Id aho ' s ▁longest ▁ten ured ▁head ▁football ▁coach ▁to ▁date . ▁The ▁V and als ' ▁first - ever ▁forward ▁pass ▁was ▁attempted ▁against ▁Washington ▁State ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 7 : ▁it ▁was ▁completed ▁for ▁a ▁touch down ▁from ▁a ▁drop - k ick ▁formation ▁in ▁the ▁fourth ▁quarter ▁and ▁led ▁to ▁a ▁ 5 – 4 ▁victory . ▁Following ▁the ▁First ▁World ▁War , ▁Thomas ▁K elle y ▁led ▁the ▁V and als ▁for ▁two ▁years , ▁then ▁left ▁for ▁Missouri . ▁He ▁played ▁college ▁football ▁as ▁a ▁tack le ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Chicago ▁under ▁head ▁coach ▁Am os ▁Al on zo ▁St agg , ▁and ▁was ▁previously ▁the ▁head ▁coach ▁at ▁Alabama . ▁In ▁coach ▁Robert ▁Mat he ws ' ▁four ▁seasons ▁as ▁head ▁coach , ▁the ▁V and als ' ▁first ▁years ▁in ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Coast ▁Conference , ▁they ▁won ▁three ▁consecutive ▁rival ry ▁games ▁over ▁Washington ▁State . ▁Id aho ▁lost ▁the ▁other , ▁Mat he ws ' ▁first ▁in