One worry vs. North Dakota

University of Idaho football fans can relax a bit Thursday — except maybe in one area.

Unlike a season-opening contest against a big-time program from the Pac-10 or Big 10 — the type of payday game Vandal fans are accustomed to — the game against the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux won't present many challenges. The UI offense's diverse group of skill-position players, led by quarterback Nathan Enderle, should do just fine against this squad that:

A)  Was outscored 307 to 250 in 2009 — including 92 to 32 in first quarters.

B)  Was awful against the pass a year ago.

C)  Is beginning only its third year of Football Championship Subdivision (Division I-AA) status.

Still, if you're searching for a reason to care about Thursday's matchup — other than the excuse to eat your weight in cheese fries at the local sports grill — look no further than the defensive line, especially its interior. This unit's performance could speak volumes about the coming season.

UI is at the point in its program where it needs to truly dominate any FCS opponent — especially one coming off a 6-5 record and with only six returning starters on offense. What's more, the Vandals need to have success against even the strengths of a given FCS team — in this case, the running game.

The most intriguing part of UND's team is its backfield. Returning starter Mitch Sutton has good size and rushed for 689 yards on 4.6 yards per attempt. He was the Great West Conference Rookie of the Year and a Great West All-Conference First-Teamer.

But Sutton's probably not even the best runner on the squad. Josh Murray, a junior who missed 2009, led the Sioux with 1,146 yards on just 188 carries in 2008, scoring 12 touchdowns in the process.

The Vandals have plenty of experience and size on the defensive line, and athleticism to burn amid the linebackers. If they don't shut down UND's running game,  there may be reason for concern.

After all, the UI defense has improved over the past couple years, but there's a lot more work to do before fans can stop holding their breath on a weekly basis.