Vandals require less time for introductions

In many ways, things will be the same for the University of Idaho football team this week.

That’s good news.

For the first time in three years, the Vandals won’t be breaking in a new head coach. Still, Idaho hopes to be vastly different in many ways, beginning Tuesday when the Vandals begin fall practices.

Coach Robb Akey and his Vandals are determined to turn things around from a 1-11 season last year.

“I feel a whole lot better than a year ago,” Akey said Wednesday. “There was a lot of uncertainty a year ago. Every time I see our guys, they’re as excited as can be. Damn near the whole team is here, including most of the incoming freshmen. Some of them have been here for two weeks.”

Idaho opens camp Tuesday afternoon at 2:30. The Vandals’ season opener is Aug. 30 at Arizona.

The biggest question mark facing Akey is retooling a defense that ranked sixth out of nine in the Western Athletic Conference.

“We’ve got to get our defensive front seven shored up,” Akey said, noting the Vandals must replace three starters at linebacker. “We’ve got a lot of new faces and some youth in there. We’ve got to get those guys game ready.”

The Vandals have fewer question marks on offense and return most of their experience. Sophomore quarterback Nathan Enderle retained his starting position in a competitive battle with sophomore Quin Ashley during the spring.

Sophomore Deonte Jackson returns at running back after gaining 1,175 yards. He should have some much-needed assistance from freshman redshirts Corey White and Preston McCarty, who both had solid springs, junior Devon Sturdivant and a pair of incoming freshmen.

Idaho returns the core of its offensive line. It also returns most of its wide receivers, but it is the position at which Akey expects much improvement.

“We’ve got some guys in the pool, but we need them to show me who we can count on,” Akey said.

Akey expects all 20 freshman signees to be in camp. One academic casualty is sophomore safety Cary Jensen-Madison (Los Angeles), who will continue to attend school with hopes of regaining eligibility, Akey said.

“We have a better idea with what we’re working with than a year ago,” Akey said. “We feel like we’re gaining ground the way we need to at this point.”