A reporter jokingly asked Idaho football coach Paul Petrino if freshman quarterback Gevani McCoy was old enough to own a driver’s license.

It drew a knowing chuckle from UI’s ninth-year head coach.

The jab is a nod to the baby-faced quarterback, who, because of injuries, was thrown into the fire — literally getting his first playing time at then-No. 2 Eastern Washington’s “Inferno” on Oct. 16 before seeing the field again against No. 11 Montana on Saturday.

“He’s a young-looking kid,” Petrino said. “He’s a super nice young man, and he’s tough. He can use a year in the weight room, that’s for sure, but he’s a super tough kid.”

One of the smallest players on UI’s roster listed at 6-foot, 160 pounds, McCoy started the season as Idaho’s fourth-string quarterback.

He spent his practices with the scout-team offense, preparing the Vandal defense for whatever schemes and formations they were going to see next.

But injuries to CJ Jordan and Mike Beaudry and the grueling nature of Zach Borisch’s run-first style meant that McCoy was thrust into a spot with Idaho’s starting offense on short notice.

His first opponents as a college player were the No. 2 Eagles and No. 11 Grizzlies — two of the most formidable foes in the Big Sky Conference. EWU and Montana, of course, won those two games handily.

McCoy wasn’t some super savior rising up to lead the Vandals to glory. As Petrino alluded to, the Gardena, Calif., native wasn’t originally expected to play this year.

His stats have shown his youth and the level of competition he and his teammates faced: 15-of-32 passing for 205 yards with one touchdown and four interceptions.

But in his brief trial by fire, McCoy already has shown improvement and a flash of what the future might hold.

Late in the fourth quarter against Montana, McCoy piloted the Vandals down the field in one of their best passing-oriented drives of the season.

McCoy hit receivers Mekhi Stevenson and Kyrin Beacham for 27 and 34 yards, respectively, before fitting in an over-the-shoulder pass to Stevenson for a 14-yard touchdown.

It was a nice consolation for a freshman who two weeks ago was still running opponent plays in practice and three months ago wasn’t even on campus.

“At first, I would be like the (fourth) string and step in if anything happens, and then I got told I was going to be moved up,” McCoy said. “Honestly, I’ve just been in the playbook and just been with the coaches, meeting, just been trying to get right with all of my teammates and just build chemistry.”

Petrino was quick to point out how rare it is for true freshman quarterbacks who don’t join until fall camp to actually play in their first year. Many high school signal-callers try to graduate early or at least join at the start of the summer if they’re expecting to play right away.

It’s unusual to see a player like McCoy playing at all yet alone making checks at the line of scrimmage against Football Championship Subdivision powerhouses. He seemed to get more comfortable as the plays went on.

“(Montana) showed some of these blitzes that we went over, so we studied for them and we had checks and stuff,” McCoy said. “To start off, I just had to get my feet wet, basically. Then I started to see them move and ... as the game went on, I just started to get more comfortable.”

The good news for McCoy and the Vandals is one of UI’s injured quarterbacks could be back this week.

Senior Mike Beaudry, by far Idaho’s most experienced quarterback, started practicing with the team this week after missing the past two games with a shoulder injury.

If Beaudry is a go, it will alleviate some of the pressure thrust on McCoy and Borisch. And McCoy could potentially keep his redshirt as he’s only played in two games so far.

Either way, McCoy plans to do whatever is asked of him.

“Honestly, whatever the team needs, that’s what I’m going to do,” he said. “I’m just there to play.”

Hatten out for season

Idaho’s star receiver Hayden Hatten is out for the season with an injury, the team confirmed.

The sophomore earned All-America honors in the spring after leading UI with 43 catches for 613 yards in six games. He had 15 catches for 215 yards and three scores in three games this year.

Hatten had battled multiple injuries this season and offseason.

Wiebe may be contacted at (208) 848-2260, swiebe@lmtribune.com or on Twitter @StephanSports.