MOSCOW, Idaho — When a reporter pronounced the home of the University of Idaho as "moss-kow," University of Hawai'i football coach Greg McMackin quickly offered a correction:

"It is (pronounced) "moss-koe" McMackin said.

He comes by this knowledge having spent three years (1976-'78) here with the Vandals as an assistant coach and defensive coordinator. "It was my first Division I job," McMackin said. "We were just starting out."

Between McMackin and assistant coach Chris Tormey, who graduated from and coached at UI, the UH coach staff is pretty well versed in area knowledge.

"I knew them both when they were here; good guys," said UI fan Wes Sodorff. "We used to go play golf."

"Being here this week is a little nostalgic," Tormey said. "I grew up in Spokane (Wash., 84 miles away) and drove these roads hundreds of times."

This week the focus is on beating Idaho, UH's 11:05 a.m. (Hawai'i time) opponent at the Kibbie Dome, a place Tormey once worked summers at.

"The Vandals will always have a place in my heart," said Tormey who as head coach took them to their last winning season (1999) and bowl (1998). After leading the Vandals to a 42-35 victory over Southern Mississippi in the Humanitarian Bowl, Tormey proclaimed it, "... the high point in Idaho football history, I think."

Today, 5-1 (2-0 WAC) Idaho can become bowl eligible with a win over UH. But Tormey said, "the focus is on our own fortunes. We're not trying to ruin anybody else's season; we're trying to win a football game. They're a very good football team playing with a lot of confidence now. It is not about derailing them, it is about jump starting us."

VANDAL CARAVAN

More than 24 hours in advance of today's kickoff the Vandal Caravan — UI fans in campers and elaborate mobile homes — started pulling in and setting up in the parking lots surrounding the Kibbie Dome.

"Our fans come from all over the state and the Pacific Northwest," beamed UI coach Robb Akey.

There were more than 40 of them settled in for the night by the time the Warriors finished practice yesterday, some from as far away as Seattle, Montana and Canada, they said.

Some, like Joel Johnson of Boise, Idaho, have been making the 220-mile commute through the lean years of nine consecutive losing seasons. "We've had so much fun it (the losing) didn't matter," Johnson said.

Others have recently joined in. "We've got a little life going again out there in the parking lot; in the stands," Akey said.

Johnson said, "it really gets going around here later. That's when it gets rowdy."

But with the Vandals winning now, Johnson said, "It is more stressful this year 'cause we're worried about winning now."

WEATHER REPORT

The forecast is for temperatures in the mid-60s today.

The 20 percent chance of rain is of little concern to the Warriors who will be playing indoors for the fourth time in school history, three of them here.