The University of Idaho Vandals are moving up – a bit, in the eyes of their Sun Belt Conference rivals. In a preseason vote of the league's coaches, the Vandals were selected eighth – that's up three places from 2015 and one from 2014.
Defending champion Appalachian State was voted to the No. 1 spot but was matched in first-place votes (five) by No. 2 Arkansas State. Georgia Southern, with one first-place vote, is third and followed by Georgia State, Troy, UL Lafayette, South Alabama, Idaho, New Mexico State, Texas State and UL Monroe.
The Vandals return one of the league's top offenses and some its top offensive players as well as double-award nominee – kicker/punter Austin Rehkow.