Tom Smedes/Icon SMI
COACH: Robb Akey — At Idaho and overall: 19-43, 5 years
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Jason Gesser
DEFENSIVE COORDINATORS: Mark Criner
LAST LEAGUE TITLE: 1998, Big West
LAST BOWL: 2009, Humanitarian
RETURNING STARTERS: 11; 4 offense, 5 defense, kicker, punter
PLAYERS TO WATCH: QB Dominique Blackman, RB Ryan Bass, WR Justin Veltung, WR Mike Scott, DE Benson Mayowa, LB Robert Siavii, CB Aaron Grymes, S Gary Walker
PRIMARY STRENGTHS: The defense improved last season and received boosts from unforeseen sources after Siavii went down with injury. The Vandals are deep and experienced at almost every position on defense. If the offense can keep them off the field a little more, they should improve again.
POTENTIAL PROBLEMS: Is Gesser ready to be coordinator? Can the quarterback problem be solved? Will the offensive line mature fast enough? Can Ryan Bass stay healthy? The good news is things can’t get much worse than the 2011 offense that ranked 107th nationally in scoring.
