Jeff Cotton, Lloyd Hightower exemplify Idaho Vandals’ improvement

Idaho Vandals head coach Paul Petrino watches his team during a practice on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow, Idaho.

(Tyler Tjomsland / The Spokesman-Review)

MOSCOW, Idaho – Freshmen streaming from orientation in Memorial Gym to a concert on the lawn Friday signaled both the imminent start of the academic year at the University of Idaho and the close of fall camp for the Vandals football team concluding practice several hundred yards away.

From now on, Idaho will be into a regular-season routine of preparing for upcoming opponents, beginning with Penn State Aug. 31. But as the team leaves behind running endless reps of the same plays every day, punctuated with several scrimmages, head coach Paul Petrino came away from that grinding exercise feeling he has something to work with.

Consistent execution was elusive, as it always is, Petrino said.

“(But) our effort, attitude and toughness has improved greatly. I like the attitude of this team,” he said.

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