Robb Akey has been in the Palouse for more than a decade - whether that's the main reason he's back for a third season as Idaho head coach is uncertain. Akey's predecesers (Tom Cable, Nick Holt and Dennis Erickson) all left after short stints earlier this decade and all are doing bigger things currently. The Vandals play in the Kibbie Dome, the smallest stadium in all of Division-IA football. They joined the WAC in 2005 and have played 9-38 football since. Since the middle of 2006, Idaho is 1-20 in league games! There are 14 starters back, but when looking at least season's struggles (minus-14 turnovers, only two losses by less than 23 ppg, -151.6 yards per game in conference games), that might not be a good thing. The Vandals allowed 44 ppg and 5.7 yards per carry, both of which rank them near the bottom of the nation.

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The offense returs all the key skill players except wideout Eddie Williams. Quarterback Nathan Enderle has shown flashes of brilliance, but his propensity to throw the ball to the wrong team (30 INT's in two years) has helped the Vandals dig deep turnover deficits the last two seasons. The big hole comes from the loss of four-year starting center Adam Korby. He and two other linemen must be replaced, no easy feat for an Idaho team that must score as much as possible to keep pressure off the defense. That unit, much like the offense, returns seven starters but figures to be outmanned again more times than not in defensive coordinator Mark Criner's 4-3.

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