PHOTO GALLERY: Week 1, Spring Camp

Looking ready to play, junior Second Team All-WAC strong safety SHILOH KEO led a new-look Vandal defensive backfield in Idaho's first week of Spring Drills. The offseason so far has been good to the Vandals, with another solid winter in the weightroom complete and most of the bumps and bruises from last fall heeled.

True sophomore Quin Ashley (5-11, 198) switched from safety to quarterback last season when starter Nathan Enderle was lost for a few weeks with an injury. He brings a mobile element to the Idaho playbook and has looked much more poised in the pocket this spring as he battles for the starting job.

Redshirt sophomore Nathan Enderle (6-5, 217) was Idaho's starting quarterback last season with a strong arm and growing command of the Vandal offense. This spring he is battling sophomore Quin Ashley to maintain his starting position going into the season opener at Arizona.

One of the strongest players on the team and Idaho's top returning nose guard for 2008, redshirt sophomore Jonah Sataraka (6-2, 288) is poised to lead the Vandal defensive line this fall. He has worn #61 the last two years, but sported #90 this week. Is it a permanent change? Time will tell.

Senior-to-be offensive guard Mike Iupati (6-6, 341) is a key component of Idaho's senior-laden 2008 offensive line. One of Idaho's strongest athletes, "Big Mike" has the ability to play on either side of the ball.

Look for defensive lineman Aaron Lavarias (6-3, 267) - who played extensively at defensive tackle in 2007 - to get looks out at defensive end with Idaho's depth on the interior expected to be much improved in 2008.

Vandal fans can expect Kevin Small (6-3, 258) - a JC transfer who joined the Vandals last fall and redshirted - to make an impact on the tightend rotation in 2008. One of California's top tightend prospects as a high school senior in 2004 (a 2nd Team All-CIF selection), Small was named Idaho's Scout Team Player of the Year (Offense) last fall and will be battling for immediate playing time.

Redshirt senior Taylor Rust (6-2, 231), a graduate of Timberline High School in Boise, ID, burst on the scene last year as a junior defensive end and started every game for Idaho. A reserve who worked primarily on special teams his first two years in the program, Rust won the starting nod last spring and never looked back.

Sophomore wide receiver Steven Brown (5-10, 166) worked extensively in the Vandal wide receiver rotation last year as a freshman (joined the program as a grayshirt and still has a redshirt year available). The native of Fort Lauderdale, Florida had an outstanding first week of camp and will be expected to play a big role in the Vandal passing attack this fall.

Idaho's starting kick returner and a backup defensive back last fall as a true freshman, Dewey Hale out of Paris, Texas has the ability to be a major contributor in the Vandal defensive backfield in 2008.

Senior Eddie Williams (6-1, 237) has been nothing short of phenominal for Idaho since his true freshman season. Although his primary position is tightend, he has the versatility to line up at fullback, split end, slot, and flanker. He is the one wide receiver that is on virtually every offensve play the Vandals run.

INTRODUCING: Redshirt sophomore Brandon Artz, a 5-10, 180 pound safety out of Grandview, Washington. Here's some trivia...Artz was a First Team AP All-State defensive back selection as a senior along with current Vandal standout Shiloh Keo. The two athletes took different paths to Idaho. Brandon redshirted the 2006 season at Southern Oregon University where he pursued a career as quarterback. He transferred to Idaho after receiving an academic scholarship as a top transfer student, and made the switch to defensive back last season.