SAN JOSE, Calif. — There are any number of reasons you figure a football player at the University of Idaho would cast an envious glance toward the University of Hawai'i.

Weather. Crowds. Facilities. Bowl games. Thrill-a-minute offense. The haka. Did we mention a lack of snow in November?

But you might be surprised what all-Western Athletic Conference cornerback Stanley Franks said he covets above all — and what a lot of people in Hawai'i have come to take for granted. "Continuity," Franks says without hesitation. "They have continuity."

The Warriors have had the same head coach, June Jones, and same philosophy going on nine seasons now. At Idaho some players are on their fourth head coach, Robb Akey, in five seasons. The Warriors have nary a turnover among assistant coaches and even then, the last two they have hired have been returnees, Greg McMackin and Dennis McKnight, from Jones' first year. Remarkable, really, in this age and conference. Fresno State's Pat Hill (10 years) has been in place longer, but has had more staff turnover. The Vandals have wholesale change, again.

Small wonder, perhaps, the Warriors have been picked by the conference media and head coaches to win the WAC and the Vandals are forecast to finish dead last in the nine-team league.

Continuity isn't the only element, of course, but as the Warriors prepare to take a swing at what could be their biggest year and the Vandals re-boot yet again, it is an interesting dynamic underlined by the polar extremes. And, like a lot of things, continuity often isn't really appreciated until you've lacked it.

At Idaho, it has been lacking as beachfront property in Moscow. "The one thing that has been consistent for these players that have been at (Idaho) the last few years has been change," Akey said.

Idaho once dominated the instate series with rival Boise State, but has come to be known as Stepping Stone Tech, Revolving Door U. and the like. They'd just like a coach to be there long enough not to have to wear a "My name is..." name tag.

Tom Cable was gone after 2003. Nick Holt hightailed it back to Southern California as an assistant coach after two seasons. Dennis Erickson, after promising to rebuild the program, bolted for Arizona State after less than a year. Talk about being Vandal-ized.

"It is a hard situation because they sit in your home during recruiting and tell you, 'Hey, I'm gonna be here to see you graduate.' But, when it comes down to it, it is a business and they have to make decisions for their families," said linebacker David Vobora. "You get your heart ripped out so many times. We need to move forward and with all the changes that is hard."

So when Akey came in, making the 8-mile trek from Washington State University in Pullman, Wash., where he had been an assistant, he knew he had a sales job ahead of him. Credibility and trust weren't going to be assumed or sold. It had to be earned.

"He realized we had heard it all before," Franks said. "We'd heard that same speech he was going to give and realized he had to earn our trust not through words but through what he did — and he is."

At UH, players often talk about their program being an ohana, one built over the years based upon enduring trust and promises met. At Idaho, they have come to learn the hard way that continuity is as important to being a successful program as any of the other trappings.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.