MOSCOW — The Vandal football team completed its third practice of fall camp on Thursday, preparing for its first game of the season on Aug. 31 at home against Sacramento State.

Thursday was the first practice the team donned shoulder pads. The earlier sessions had limited the contact on the field. One unit that has impressed early on, even with the limitations, has been the linebacker corps.

The Vandals have a trio of juniors back this season in Ed Hall, Tony Lashley and Kaden Elliss. Sophomores Ty Graham and Mike Linehan will continue to add depth to the position after having excellent freshman seasons a year ago.

“We are really excited about our group,” linebackers coach Eric Brown said. “We should be one of the top groups in the Sun Belt, if not the top group. That is our expectation. The depth, really good. We should be at least two-deep, and then a couple guys that we can sprinkle into a three-deep. We have three juniors in Ed, Kaden and Tony that have played a lot of football. Then with Ty and Mike Linehan we have a couple sophomores that can give us a lot of good reps. I am really excited about that group, a lot of speed and a really physical group of dudes.”

Head coach Paul Petrino praised his linebackers at the annual Sun Belt Conference Football Media Day, held last month in New Orleans.

“We have all three linebackers back,” he explained. “I think they are as good as any three linebackers in the league. The three of them are a big part of why we took such a big step forward defensively last season. I’m biased, but as a combination for sure the three best in the conference.”

Elliss and Lashley earned conference honorable mention honors last season. Elliss ranked 18th in the NCAA with five interceptions in 2016. Lashley led all Vandal defenders with 107 total tackles.

“The sky is the limit,” Elliss noted. “We are really excited. It is going to be a really fun group. We are flying around. We are faster and stronger than ever. I think with how close we are it really is going to make it that much more special.”

The Vandals will close out the first week of camp on Saturday.