Vandals begin spring football drills

MOSCOW - There is construction going on inside the Kibbie Dome, outside the Kibbie Dome and on the practice field east of the Kibbie Dome where coach Robb Akey is building the 2011 Idaho football team.

On Thursday, the Vandals took to the football field for the first time since last December with the goal of improving each and every day, playing with an unparalleled intensity, and, long term, making it back to a bowl game.

"There were good things that took place; there was a lot of good teaching that took place," Akey said.

But the day wasn't perfect.

"Football-wise, I would liked to have seen it cleaner at the end of the practice," he said. "There were too many balls on the floor. The consistency wasn't near what I expected it to be."

The Vandals are breaking in a new starter at quarterback in senior Brian Reader, who has played in 16 games as a Vandal but started only twice with Nate Enderle at the helm the last four years, along with some new linemen - and their coach, John McDonell. There is experienced depth at receiver, running back and tight end and it showed with some athletic, acrobatic catches during the two-hour session in pleasant conditions.

Defensively, the group that started at linebacker the last half of the season returns intact but the secondary needs to find a replacement for Shiloh Keo and the front needs to fill in the vacancies left by Aaron Lavarias and Jonah Sataraka.

Those are the answers Akey and his staff hope to have answered in the 15 days of spring ball.