MOSCOW, Idaho – Football returns to Moscow Friday when the Idaho Vandals open spring ball with their first of 15 practices – and head coach Paul Petrino is looking for steady progress as his team builds on its 2016 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Championship season.
 
"The most important thing for us," he said, "is for us to get better every day. We made a huge goal that every single guy in the room wants to have 15 great practices this spring and win every single one of them. It's about that. It's about us improving as a team, continuing to grow and get better."
 
Petrino and his staff has a strong nucleus returning but they'll also be looking to fill some key vacancies – particularly those of defensive lineman Tueni Lupeamanu, tight ends Buck Cowan and Deon Watson, three offensive linemen, and kicker/punter Austin Rehkow.
 
One bonus, however, for the younger players was the additional time they had to learn the nuances of the Vandal systems as Idaho prepared for the FIPB in December. Add to that, a strong off-season during which speed, strength and FBI (football intelligence) were the focus and where great gains were made.
 
"They did a really good job studying film, becoming smarter football players," he said. "We always talk about our FBI."
 
While there will be new starters in the lineup, there are some familiar faces back. Senior quarterback Matt Linehan drew praise from Petrino – along with sophomore defensive back Lloyd Hightower, for having an outstanding off-season.
 
Linehan's protection will come in the form of senior Jordan Rose and sophomore Noah Johnson with sophomore Zion Dixon and redshirt freshman Conner Vrba among the frontrunners to fill two of the three spots left open by the graduations of Mason Woods, Steve Matlock and Calvin White. Sophomore Tanner Mauseth and junior college transfer Sean Tulette likely will figure into the mix.
 
Petrino likes what he sees at receiver. What he wants to see during the course of the spring is for them to define an order.
 
"We're going to have enough bullets and guys to throw balls to," he said of the group that includes seniors Jacob Sannon, Reuben Mwehla and Alfonso Onunwor, junior David Ungerer, and sophomores Mason Petrino and Michael Garner. "It's up to them this spring to see what order – who's your top and who's your sixth or seventh guy."
 
It's easy to argue Lupeamanu was the heart and soul of the defense – attributes that will be as difficult to replace as his tenacity as a player.  Still, though, Petrino likes what's in his cupboard with the return of Sun Belt Conference Newcomer of the Year Aikeem Coleman along with seniors Arie Anderson and Zach Cable, and redshirt freshman Rahsaan Crawford to provide the punch up front.
 
"That's scary replacing him," Petrino said. "He was the leader. He's the one that got all those guys going."
 
The linebacking corps not only is talented but deep. Three juniors – Kaden Elliss, Ed Hall and Tony Lashley, are back along with sophomores Mike Linehan and Ty Graham.
 
"You watch those guys run right now," he said, "that's a great group of athletes who can really play. We might have to find a way to get more of them on the field."
 
Junior Dorian Clark, who missed 2016 with injury, is back at corner. Who'll be there with him remains to be seen but Hightower is a likely candidate. At safety, only senior Armond Hawkins returns with significant playing experience. Two newcomers to the position – sophomores Denzal Brantley (converted running back) and Gunnar Amos (converted quarterback), are in the mix along with sophomore Qendarrion Barnett and senior Jordan Grabski, who has been hampered by injury.
 
A gaping hole to fill is that of Rehkow, who kicked and punted for the Vandals for four seasons and graduated as the Vandals' leader in both categories and with All-American honors. Look to redshirt freshman Cade Coffey to fill that role but with competition from sophomore Sam Fenlason.
 
There are three more changes – the additions of Luther Elliss and Bobby Daly to Petrino's staff, and Troy Purcell's move to tight ends coach. Elliss (the father of Kaden and incoming freshman Christian) takes over as defensive line coach after an All-American collegiate career and an All-Pro career with Detroit. Daly, who was a graduate assistant for Petrino and coached the defensive line during the bowl season, moves to outside linebacker.
 
 "We're talking about Raise The Bar," Petrino said. "It's always going to be Expect To Win and it's always going to be about Ring The Bell but we're really talking about raising the bar – everybody improving every single day as an individual, and as a position group, and as offense, defense and special teams, and as a whole team."
 
Idaho scrimmages at the Kibbie Dome Saturday, April 8, at 10 a.m.; at Lewiston's Bengal Field Friday, April 14, at 5:30 p.m., and the Silver and Gold Spring Game, Friday, April 28, at 6 p.m.