Being a dominant team at home, and making the Kibbie Dome a tough place for visitors to come in and win, were among the goals Paul Petrino mentioned when he took over as Idaho football coach in late 2012.

So far, not so good.

This year, Idaho is 0-2 at home, losing 45-33 to Western Michigan in a game that wasn't that close, and 34-10 last week to South Alabama.

Comparatively, Idaho's two losses on the road this season were closer games than the Vandals' losses at home.

Idaho lost 38-31 at Louisiana-Monroe on a late touchdown, and fell 36-24 at Ohio, closing to within five points before giving up a clinching score late.

"It doesn't make sense to me," Petrino said. "We should be playing better at home. Maybe we're playing better teams at home."

Idaho (0-4) has won three home games since the start of the 2011 season (3-15) - of course, the Vandals have won just once on the road during that span.

Last year, Petrino's first as Vandal coach, Idaho was 1-4 at home - the four losses coming by an average of 23.5 points. The Vandals gave up an average of 50.5 points in those four games.

Petrino said one advantage - perhaps the only advantage - to all those long flights to Monroe, La., and Athens, Ohio - and next, to San Marcos, Texas, to play Texas State (2-2) this Saturday is that coaches can spend all that time on the plane going over things with the players.

When teams are at home, NCAA regulations limit how much time coaches can spend with players.

"But when you're on the plane, you can spend all the time you want with them," Petrino said.

* Rehkow honored: Idaho sophomore punter/placekicker Austin Rehkow was named the Ray Guy Award's national punter of the week, after averaging 49.8 yards on six punts last week vs. South Alabama.

Rehkow, from Central Valley High, had a long punt of 56 yards, and four of his punts were downed inside the 20.