A couple of weeks ago I had the chance to catch up with Idaho Vandals Athletic Director Rob Spear.
We talked everything from football to basketball and if he has had any discussions with Boise State on playing them in the future when Idaho drops down to the Big Sky Conference.
This past season in football Idaho finished 9-4 and captured the Potato Bowl. Even with a loss this last week against Western Michigan the Vandals still look like they have turned the corner. Athletic Director Rob Spear says he wants to do everything he can to have the football continue to thrive.
"I want to give the resources. He (Petrino) needs to be successful and we want to keep building and we want to continue to raise the bar," said, Athletic Director Rob Spear.
The Idaho Vandals and Boise State have not met on the field since 2010 and as far as Idaho is concerned they want to bring back the rivalry if it is possible.
"We have always been willing to play the game and I have always said we need to play the game. It's good for the state of Idaho and it's good for the student body. I will also say that when we go into the Big Sky Conference and we will have 22 fewer scholarships I don't know if the time is right to play that game," said, Spear.
The University of Idaho is set to construct a new basketball arena. The 70-thousand square foot facility will have to seat for 4700 people.
The new facility will be the home for both basketball and volleyball. It has been on the drawing board for nearly 50 years and one of the best facilities in the country.
"We are making great progress. We have tremendous momentum. We met with architects and contractors and we are really going to narrow in on a design. It's going to be a unique facility and will be built with wood, so we want to engage the wood product industry and it fits Idaho and fits what we do. We are an academic research institution and it's also going to benefit athletics,” said, Spear.
