LEWISTON, Idaho — Pick a week, any week.

The day before every game, the Hawai'i football team goes through a routine, starting with the same dinner menu and ending with late-night meetings.

It is this attention to tradition that resulted in defensive coordinator Greg McMackin freezing his assets during yesterday's rainy and chilly practice at Lewiston High School. He was in slippers, coaching on the wet grass.

"Ever since I was here the first time, I wore slippers on Fridays," said McMackin, who was the Warriors' defensive coordinator in 1999, June Jones' first season as UH head coach.

McMackin went to Texas Tech and then the San Francisco 49ers before returning to UH in April.

"Even when I went to Lubbock (Texas), on Fridays, I wore slippers," McMackin said. "They thought I was a little crazy in Lubbock, but they got used to it. We won more than we lost, so it's a good tradition."

In preparation for today's Western Athletic Conference game against Idaho, the Warriors were scheduled to practice in the 16,000-seat Kibbie Dome — a 33-mile drive from the hotel they are staying in Lewiston.

In part because they were rescheduled for a later time, in part because they were wary of spying eyes, the Warriors relocated to Lewiston High yesterday afternoon. By the time they started warmups, the mercury slipped to 46 degrees, and chilly rain fell. Only sportscaster Robert Kekaula, who did not bring long pants or a jacket, was dressed more inappropriately than McMackin.

But McMackin did not budge, noting the Warriors are 13-4, including 4-0 this season, when he sticks to his routine.

"Why change?" McMackin said. "It works. And this is a big game."

Indeed, the Warriors need to win today to continue their two-fold quest for an undisputed WAC title and a perfect regular season. They shared in the WAC championships in 1992 and 1999.

"It's super big," slotback Davone Bess said, noting UH is 1-0 in the WAC. "It's our second WAC game. And (the Vandals) are looking at it as a chance to shock the football world by upsetting us. We can't take them lightly."

Quarterback Colt Brennan is expected to start after missing UH's last game because of a sprained right ankle. The UH coaches insist Brennan's passes have had more zip.

"I didn't see any rust," Brennan said "If anything, I saw the opposite. I saw my body better, the passes coming out more lively. I'm getting more on my passes right now."

Although he has "tweaked" the right ankle a couple of times in practices, the soreness has subsided after ice treatments.

"I'll be fine in the game," said Brennan, who will not take any pain-killing shots. "Game-day adrenaline is unbelievable. I could have played last week and been fine. Trust me. But the rest was good, and I'll be that much more ready this time."

The Vandals, meanwhile, have hit the "refresh" button. Although their record is officially 1-3, cornerback Stanley Franks said, "our feeling around here is we're 0-0. This is our first WAC game. We haven't won anything and we haven't lost anything. We're undefeated."

The Vandals, in fact, have not had a winning season since going 7-4 in 1999. They have finished sixth in their two WAC seasons.

They also are playing for their third head coach in as many seasons. Nick Holt left after the 2005 season. Dennis Erickson, who had won a national championship at Miami, stayed only a year before bolting for Arizona State.

"You're dealing with heartbreak," linebacker David Vobora said. "You want to buy in. Coach Holt said, 'We're going to be here and watch your son graduate.' He left, and that was frustrating. But then we got a guy like Dennis Erickson, and that was exciting, and everything was moving in the right direction. Then — bam! — he's gone. You felt like these guys were used-car salesmen."

Robb Akey, an assistant at Washington State, was hired as head coach. He told the Vandals: "I know you've heard it all before, but I'm going to prove it to you. I know I can say this and that, but my actions are going to speak louder than words."

Washington State's campus is in Pullman, eight miles from Idaho's Moscow campus. Akey moved to Moscow.

"He's a guy when he decides to commit, he does it to the fullest," Vobora said. "He's done that. He's going to take this university and this football team to awesome places."

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.