MOSCOW - 2010 officially is here for Idaho's Vandals, as they kicked off the football season with a lively two-hour session Thursday afternoon.
The chance to be back on the field and continue build on the successes of 2009 was in the minds of the players and coaches.
"It's great," said starting quarterback Nathan Enderle, who begins his senior season on watch lists to determine the nation's top thrower. "It's a beautiful day for football."
Sunshine and a cooling breeze aside, Enderle and coach Robb Akey acknowledged one of the first and foremost tasks for the Vandals is to repopulate the offensive line, which lost four starters to graduation.
"They were some great players," Enderle said. "There are definitely some guys who are going to step in and step up this year. We're excited to see them play and see what they can do."
Ditto for Akey, who embarks on his fourth season as head coach after leading the Vandals to their first winning season since 1999 and first bowl game - and victory, since 1998. He said one of the biggest carry-overs from the 2009 season is an intangible that has to be learned but is difficult to teach.
"This time a year ago we knew physically we were a better football team but did we know how to win just yet?" he said. "We found out that team could. This team has the benefit of so many guys coming back off of that season. We not only have guys coming back who have experience winning but we expect to win. That's something you can build on."
While the offensive focus has been on rebuilding the line, Akey was quick to underscore the numbers of players who return with extensive experience. Enderle, as the offensive captain, leads the unit but also
returning are running backs Deonte Jackson and Princeton McCarty; receivers Maurice Shaw, Eric Greenwood and Preston Davis, and tight end/H-back Daniel Hardy. The lone returning starter on the line is left tackle Matt Cleveland. With experience on the line, however, are Tyrone Novikoff and Tevita Halaholo.
The key is putting them into a configuration that builds the protective wall for Enderle and the backs.
"We have to get the final five determined in a timely fashion so the final five can know they're going to be the guys at these spots so they can become the wall working together," Akey said. "We have a pretty good idea who those guys are going to be."
Another frequent query is the progress of the defense, which struggled at times in 2009.
"Confidence is up high," said defensive co-captain Jonah Sataraka. "We have 10 guys returning. Everyone understands what their role is. We have a lot to prove defensively."
Akey said he noticed a difference in the demeanor of the unit.
"You see a different swagger in them," he said. "We have more size; more speed. That should translate to more successful play on that side of the ball. Certainly playing to the standard that we want on that side of the ball is something we're going to be working on."
The challenge for the team is to one-up the 2009 team.
"What I'm pushing is, 'Can you outdo what the last one did,' " Akey said. "Can you win nine? Can you win more than nine? Can you go out of here with two (bowl rings) on your fingers?'"
Practice resumes with 9 a.m. sessions Friday and Saturday and a 2:30 workout Sunday. The first scrimmage is next Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. The Vandals open the 2010 campaign Sept. 2 against North Dakota at the Kibbie Dome.
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