Aug. 2MOSCOW Improvement each day is a focal point for the Vandals. On the back of a staff member's T-shirt read "Doesn't Matter, Get Better."Idaho coach Thomas Ford Jr. also mentioned that as the reference that the Vandals will be using all season just to get better each and every day."Improvement," Ford said about what he is looking for in post-practice film. "We're going to make plenty of mistakes it's (about) not making the same ones. I always talk to the guys about whatever we really needed to focus on from a mistake standpoint. The last practice should be now a strength, and we shouldn't be seeing those same mistakes as we got them coached up. So just to see the guys continue to play with great effort, and when they do make mistakes, (they're) making new mistakes."On Day 4 of the Vandals' fall camp at the P1FCU Kibbie Dome, there were still many shell drills, positional drills, and some 11-on-11.A peek into the defenseDefensive coordinator Lee Stalker's defense is a 3-3-5 (three defensive linemen, three linebackers, five defensive backs) base. However, Stalker does run a multiple defense and showed off some 4-2-5 packages during the 11-on-11 period at the end of practice."In regard to maybe some situational football," Stalker said of mixing up the defense. "I got the 3-3-5, (it) is what we're based in. We'll run a ton of it, and being the three high, truly believe in it. The opportunity to be a little bit multiple and even just help us with situational football will be key. But we've got the D-linemen up front to manage that three-down look, and plenty of athletes that were also in the field."AdvertisementFord mentioned on Day 1 of practice that communication was an issue for the defense that he wanted to see improve. Stalker said from Day 1 to Day 4 that communication has improved rapidly."I think it's night and day," Stalker said. "I think it's a lot of just comfortability. It's a formation rep. I think defensively, you're going to see a ton of us being faced with tempo right throughout the season, all that. So just the nature of how quickly they can respond to one another and react to the opponent as they line up across the field from us. I think that's been probably the biggest improvement. I think there's confidence in what they're doing, and everyone is on the same page."Stalker mentioned two players have stood out the most: two transfers, Deion Gunn, a junior defensive back from Ellsworth Community College and Luke Teskey, a fifth-year defensive end from New Hampshire.Teskey was awarded the "Battle Axe" award for the best individual performance at the practice."So far, learning new types of styles of defense, playing a true multiple defense front versus a normal 4-3 type," Teskey said on what he's improved on. "It's a big learning curve, but it's a great learning experience."Teskey went from lining up outside of the tight end as a nine-tech to lining up on the tackle as a four-tech, which he said "almost feels like learning a new position."Execution and installationFord said that the offense is beginning to play faster than it did in the spring and that is due to the fact that the players have a better understanding of offensive coordinator Ian Shoemaker's vision. Ford said that with better feel comes more confidence, and more confidence gives the opportunity to play faster."I think the last three days have really been, especially offensively, a much higher level in terms of the execution, still (with) plenty of mistakes being made everywhere," Ford said. "I really like where we're at defensively. I think those guys, especially in the back end, have really started doing a better job with communication and getting more on the same page. And it's good to see. The effort's been there. That's never been a concern of mine with this group, but the execution definitely needed to get better, and I think it did."Stalker said that the installation of the defense has been "really good" and that it takes time to develop comfortability in the scheme on the field and in the film room."I think we've done a great job as a staff of planning the structure of how we installed," Stalker said. "What we're installing together and how quickly. Structurally, conceptually, making it match and make it easy for players. But honestly, it's time spent on the field. It's mental walkthroughs. It's in the classroom, and really using all those different areas to be able to really connect with our players and the kids, so they can go out there at full speed and do it well."A position battle at kickerIt was quite obvious from watching practice that there is a clear battle on who could be the No. 1 kicker for the Vandals.The battle is between three players: juniors Owen Forsman, Owen Adams and Tyler Kinsman.Kinsman stands at a towering 6-foot-5 and weighs 245 pounds. He was the No. 8 punting recruit, according to 247sports.com, and the No. 29 kicker recruit in 2024, according to ESPN. He is from Nampa and went to Skyview High School.Forsman and Adams had a kicking competition last year with Idaho; it went back and forth on who was kicking with no clear winner.Ford said that this year's camp has included a "really good competition" at kicker.Both Kinsman and Forsman drilled kicks on Day 4 with no misses."Owen Forsman and Tyler Kinsman have really kind of shown themselves as kind of battling back-and-forth for the place kicking job," Ford said. "Owen Adams is a little bit dinged up right now. He's out, so he was not able to compete. And anytime you have two good guys competing, you don't want to be the third guy that's out. But I know he's another guy that could be a factor as well. But I think the competition's going well. I want to see who could be consistent."Junt can be reached at 208-848-2258, tjunt@lmtribune.com or on X @TrevorJunt.