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MOSCOW, Idaho – At the conclusion of a national search, Head Coach Thomas Ford Jr. and Idaho Football announced today that Idaho has hired Ian Shoemaker, the architect of one of the most dynamic offenses in Big Sky Conference history, as Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach. The hire is pending HR approval.
Shoemaker is expected to be formally introduced in a press conference following the completion of Idaho’s staff. Details on his introductory press conference will be finalized and distributed at a later date.
“I couldn’t be more excited to have Ian Shoemaker join our staff as our Offensive Coordinator and Quarterback Coach,” Ford said of the latest addition to his staff. “Coach Shoemaker has a wealth of knowledge, has northwest roots, and has been a consistent winner at every stop he’s made. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing him on a professional level for over a decade and have always held him in the highest regard for his offensive innovation and quarterback development. I know that his expertise and experience in the Big Sky are going to bring a tremendous amount of excitement and points to the P1FCU Kibbie Dome!”
The new Idaho Offensive Coordinator/Quarterback Coach has nearly thirty years of coaching experience at the FBS, FCS, and Division II levels.
“I am so proud that Coach Ford asked me to join the Vandal Family,” Shoemaker said of the appointment to his new position. “I look forward to helping build on the strong foundation that was established in his first season. The commitment to excellence and the potential within this program is something I am truly excited to be a part of.
He continued and dug into what the Vandal Family can expect from his offense. “Our goal offensively will be to be multiple in our approach, attacking defenses in a variety of ways to keep them off balance. We will work relentlessly to put our student-athletes in the best position to succeed, focusing on both running the ball effectively and creating explosive plays in the passing game. The passion of the Vandal fan base and the community support for the program is well known. I look forward to embracing that environment and working alongside the talented staff and players that Coach Ford has assembled. My family and I look forward to moving back to the PNW and being valuable members of the Moscow community.”
Shoemaker joins Idaho from Grand Valley State, where he served as Offensive Coordinator/Quarterback Coach in helping lead the Lakers to an 18-5 record. Over his two-season stint there, Shoemaker’s offenses were some of the most elite in Division II. In the 2024 season, the Lakers were ranked in the top 25 nationally for total offense (24th) and scoring offense (14th). GVSU followed that up in 2025 by having another electric offense that averaged over 400 yards per game and was putting up nearly 40 points every contest. Out of the Lakers’ 10 games, they put up 30 or more points six times, and 40 or more points on four different occasions.
Under Shoemaker’s tutelage, Gabe Brown won offensive lineman of the year in the GLIAC, and 15 players received all-conference accolades over his two seasons.
Before his two seasons at GVSU, Shoemaker spent a couple of years as the co-offensive coordinator/quarterback coach in Hawaii.
Prior to making his move to the islands, he was the offensive coordinator/quarterback coach at Eastern Washington, where he designed one of the most electric offenses in Big Sky Conference history. During his stay in Cheney, the Eagles were averaging 537 yards per game and putting up over 40 points per outing. He also coached one of the most exciting players in FCS, having guided Eagle quarterback Eric Barriere to back-to-back seasons as a Walter Payton Award finalist, ultimately winning the award in 2021 as the FCS Player of the Year.
Several of his players from his time at EWU and Hawaii, including Efton Chism III and Luke Felix-Fualalo, are on NFL rosters.
Before making his first jump to the Division I ranks, Shoemaker was the head coach at Central Washington from 2014-2019, during which the Wildcats went 45-20. CWU won two conference championships in 2017-18 while he was in Ellensburg, qualifying
for the Division II playoffs in 2017. That same season, he was selected as the Division II Regional Coach of the Year and the GNAC Coach of the Year.
He spent six years at St. Cloud State, where he ran the offense from 2008-2013. While there, he coached quarterback Phillip Klaphake, who went on to win the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Player of the Year Award and was a candidate for the Harlon Hill Award, given annually to the top player in Division II.
In addition to this experience, he also had coaching stops at Baldwin Wallace College, Kenyon College, Minot State, St. Mary, and Western Washington.
SHOEMAKER COACHING TIMELINE
2026: Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach, Idaho
2024-25: Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach, Grand Valley State
2022-23: Co-Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach, Hawaii
2020-21: Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach, Eastern Washington
2014-19: Head Coach, Central Washington
2008-13: Offensive Coordinator, St. Cloud State
2006-07: Baldwin Wallace College, Offensive Coordinator
2003-05: Kenyon College, Offensive Coordinator
2000-02: Minot State, Passing Game Coordinator
1999: St. Mary, Offensive Coordinator
1998: Western Washington, Tight Ends/Running Backs
