I'm thinking that if his idle was just out of range (i.e. 50+rpm) it would be the IAC that was bad...but, if it is WAY out of range (alot more than 50+) & not caused by a vacuum leak...and the Throttle Position Sensor isn't showing on the scangauge...I'd be steering in that direction------>(TPS).
I had a car in the past that would kick the code of "idle higher than expected" but was only idling in excess of 50 rpm over the normal idle...it was the IAC that was bad in that case.