Vandalized: Broncos add grad transfer from Moscow

A few years back, bad blood might’ve precluded a Moscow to Boise transfer. It’s one thing for Vandal grads to transfer to the Treasure Valley post-graduation and quietly go underground as the streets become awash in blue and orange, but football transfers have been virtually non-existent. Until this very minute, that is, as the Broncos have bolstered their 2018 linebacking corps and filled a vacant scholarship spot on the unit (one that came open when Breydon Boyd left the team...we’ve heard for medical reasons) with the addition of Idaho standout Tony Lashley.

Lashley isn’t just any ordinary Idaho transfer though...he’s arguably their best player. Last season, Lashley made the Sun Belt first team after racking up an impressive-if-not-quite-Vander-Eschian 123 tackles (14 for loss), his previous season of action, he notched 107, so he’s not a one-year wonder even though his supporting cast hasn’t been quite at the level of the Broncos. When Lashley committed yesterday, spurring Coach Harsin’s familiar “GO BRONCOS” tweet, many also noticed that Harsin had used the ‘18 recruiting hashtag “B18EDBLUE” (yeah, they tried to pass an 8 off as an ‘E’, let’s put it behind us) and thought he might have made an error. Not the case, it seems, as Lashley is eligible to transfer immediately and will join the team as soon as possible.

One would think the Broncos would be a step up in competition even if the Vandals had stayed in the Sun Belt, but remember, the tribe from the north will be back in their old Big Sky stomping grounds next season—a home more befitting their overall talent level and stadium capacity. Lashley likely was looking for a bit more exposure as a senior, after all, he has mouths to feed (Lashley is happily married with FOUR kids—wowzers!). Lashley, and frankly most of the current crop of Vandals probably know little of the “rivalry”, but several of Lashley’s new coaches remember if fondly, and will probably fill him in on some colorful history when he arrives. Methinks that recruiting director Darren Uscher had the old days on his mind when he tweeted out this gem:

For the uninitiated, the only blue that really flies in Moscow, Idaho is on the side of a Labatt can. Welcome aboard, Tony...without playing a down, you’re already my fourth favorite former Vandal (behind Lyle Smith, Paul J. Schneider, and Intermountain Gas spox Jerry Kramer).