The University of Idaho Vandals are moving up – a bit, in the eyes of their Sun Belt Conference rivals. In a preseason vote of the league's coaches, the Vandals were selected eighth – that's up three places from 2015 and one from 2014.
 
Defending champion Appalachian State was voted to the No. 1 spot but was matched in first-place votes (five) by No. 2 Arkansas State. Georgia Southern, with one first-place vote, is third and followed by Georgia State, Troy, UL Lafayette, South Alabama, Idaho, New Mexico State, Texas State and UL Monroe.
 
The Vandals return one of the league's top offenses and some its top offensive players as well as double-award nominee – kicker/punter Austin Rehkow.
 
Matt Linehan returns at quarterback after leading the league in completion percentage and earning second-place rankings in completions per game, passing yards, passing yards per game and total offense. Tight end Buck Cowan was fourth nationally in 2015 with 48 catches for 624 yards. Also back are versatile Deon Watson and Callen Hightower – both reliable targets for Linehan.
 
In front of them, is a veteran line that returns four players who have been together for at least one full season and three have been together for two.
 
Defensively, Jayshawn Jordan returns to the secondary after being sidelined in 2015 with injury, which haunted the secondary last season. Also back full strength in the secondary is Jordan Grabski with Russell Siavii in a starting role for the third season. Sophomore Kaden Elliss was last season's second-leading tackler as a linebacker and he returns as a key component of Mike Breske's 3-4 defense. Up front, veteran Tueni Lupeamanu is expected to have an impact.
 
The Vandals kickoff the 2016 season at 6 p.m. Sept. 1 against Montana State. After road games at Washington, Washington State and UNLV, they open league play against Troy University on Oct. 1.