On the first day of class last month after the holiday break, Idaho football coach Robb Akey gathered his players for a team meeting.

Akey strode quickly through the room, weaving through the seats in the room, patting guys on the back, high-fiving them and telling them congratulations.

"And they're looking at me like, 'What are you talking about?'," Akey said the other day. "But I said 'Congratulations, that's awesome, it's good to have you back. Let's go. We're undefeated, we're unscored upon, we're in first place in the WAC. You've got A's in every class - how much more could you want?"

After all, the Vandals were coming off a disappointing 2-10 season - just two years removed from their first bowl appearance since 1998. Idaho struggled on offense in particular, and the natives were getting restless, wondering if the program was indeed back after all.

Akey said the sting of last season will "probably never go away."

"It's biting at my ass every day," he said. "It makes me sick, it makes me want to puke. But I refuse to carry myself that way, and I think there's some people that want you to, (like) it's your penance to be miserable. And I don't see it that way.

"Am I hurt by it? Am I upset by it? Does it gnaw at me every day? Absolutely. But I'm not going to let my guys see that, I'm not going to let others see that. It makes me want to puke, but it's also going to drive me. And it's driving my kids. That's why I want them to understand, we're going to do something about fixing it."

"We're not a 2-10 team," said Akey, who is 19-43 in five seasons at Idaho. "We're a bowl program that had a down year."

Much was made in the aftermath of Idaho getting drubbed 56-3 by Nevada in the season finale last season to cap that 2-10 season, with Idaho athletic director Rob Spear going on the radio broadcast and saying he was going to meet with Akey the following week — when that meeting was already scheduled, and one they have at the end of every season, to discuss the direction of the program.

Still, following a season where Idaho struggled with quarterback play as well as the play of its receivers, three offensive coaches left the program.

“One guy (offensive coordinator Steve Axman) retired, one guy (receivers coach Luther Carr) was replaced, and one guy (offensive line coach John McDonnell) got more money,” Akey said. “I would have loved to have kept coach McDonnell, but he was made an offer he couldn’t refuse (by Tulane).”

Akey touched on several other topics during a recent stop in Coeur d’Alene for a booster function following National Signing Day, including:

• The recruitment of Coeur d’Alene High stars Chad Chalich and Deon Watson.

Akey’s sons played in Hoopfest in Spokane last summer, and while he was up there watching them, he was able to watch Chalich and Watson play in the championship game of their bracket on Sunday.

“Deon hit the game winner from the 3-point line, and Chad was in their banging,” Akey said. “I was talking with John Friesz (former Coeur d’Alene High and Vandal standout quarterback) about a year ago in an airport, and he says, ‘I hope you’re taking a look at that quarterback over at Coeur d’Alene.’”

• When Akey was told Satini Puailoa was returning for his second stint as Sandpoint High football coach, he was thrilled.

“That’s a helluva deal,” Akey said. “That’s a good deal for him, and that’s going to be a helluva deal for those kids. ... That’ll be good for Sandpoint. Those kids are going to have a ball.”

Akey said he has seen Puailoa coach at area camps, and one of Puailoa’s sons was on the WSU football team when Akey was still there as an assistant coach.

“I think he brings good energy,” Akey said of Puailoa. “I think he cares about the kids, I think he’s a good teacher. He’ll do good things. They’ll be taught well, they’ll play hard, they’re going to have a good time.”

• Akey said he and new Washington State coach Mike Leach have had a few, brief, conversations over the years.

“I think he’s going to fit in well in the Palouse,” Akey said. “I think the people up here are going to like him. He’s going to have it entertaining — the ball’s going to be in the air. The brief time we’ve had together, I like him.”

• Idaho’s spring practice starts March 22, with the spring game set for April 20. Then it’s on to a new WAC this year. Gone are Nevada, Fresno State and Hawaii. Joining the five remaining teams are Texas State and Texas-San Antonio. That means the conference is down to just seven football-playing members, including remaining members Idaho, Utah State, San Jose State, New Mexico State and Louisiana Tech.

“To be real honest with you,” Akey said, “my preference would be to see the WAC football schools end up getting absorbed with the Mountain West and Conference USA. That’s the best thing in the world that could happen for us. That helps us in recruiting, that helps us in competing, and that makes it like what we had.”

Akey said it would be easy to put together a scheduling agreement with the Pac-12, much like the Pac-12 has put together with the Big Ten. He said that would save on the cost of travel, among other things — “as opposed to having a conference that goes from Hawaii to Florida,” he said.

Or from New Jersey to San Diego, and the Big East will be in 2013.

“That’s the best possible thing for us,” Akey said. “Whichever way it goes, we’re going to pin our ears back, and we’re going to bust our tails to win wherever it is that we’re at.”

With Akey patting guys on the back, giving out high-fives and offering congratulations along the way, no doubt.

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at mnelke@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter at CdAPressSports.