MOSCOW, Idaho – Friday night's Silver and Gold football game, at 6 at the Kibbie Dome, is more than the finale to spring drills. This year it's a celebration of the Vandals' 2016 bowl championship season as well as a prelude to the 2017 campaign.
 
"It will be fun when the guys that have gone come back and get their rings," coach Paul Petrino said. "It should really be a fun night."
 
In addition to honoring the 2016 seniors, the banner from the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl will be unveiled and team awards will be handed out by Vandals from past seasons.
 
In the meantime, on the field Petrino said he's seen daily progress but now wants to see precision and consistency.
 
"I want to see our guys go out there and play with great effort and know their assignments," he said. "I want them to do a good job understanding what to do and playing with great effort."
 
Junior linebacker Kaden Elliss agreed – and he noted an extra energy on the field.
 
"Spring ball has been a lot of fun this year," he said. "It's been physical when we've gone live. It's been competitive even when we haven't. That's the best part – how competitive it's been."
 
The team's 2016 motto was expect to win – this year they're elevating it.
 
"Coming off a bowl win and nine wins, we want to raise the bar," Elliss said. "We expect to win – but we're planning on raising the bar. We want to do better than we did."
 
For Aikeem Coleman, who joined the Vandals last summer and developed into the Sun Belt Conference's Newcomer of the Year after an impressive season at defensive tackle, said there is one aspect of Friday's game he's anticipating more than anything else.
 
"The banner," he said, nodding at the massive black rectangle on the east end wall of the Kibbie Dome that is concealing the banner. "I can't wait to see it."