Perhaps JoAnn and Robert Wichman of Tracy, Calif., should star in their own "Daze of Our Lives."

If it's early September, they are in Pullman, Wash., cheering for their son, Steven Wichman, Idaho's starting quarterback.

The next week, they are in Las Vegas. The week after, it's Seattle. This Saturday, they will be in the Kibbie Dome for the Vandals' home opener against Hawai'i.

Next week? Next month?

"We'll be there," said JoAnn, who also has a daughter in college and another son in seventh grade. "We've been kind of busy this year. All of the kids are very active. Before you know it, they won't be playing sports, and they'll be doing other things. We want to watch and support them. It's important to us."

The Wichmans' DayPlanner began filling up during the spring, with Robert coaching 12-year-old Casey's Little League baseball team. The Tracy team advanced to the final of the Western Regional in San Bernardino, Calif. It was there where the Tracy players became fast friends with Northwest Regional champion, West O'ahu, the eventual Little League World Series winner. "The Hawai'i players and their families were great," JoAnn said. "We were cheering for them in the World Series."

After that, the focus was on the Vandals. Steven, who transferred from Delta College (San Joaquin, Calif.), and senior Michael Harrington were in a heated competition for the starting quarterback job. Harrington started in the first game, but Steven opened in the past two games. Steven will start against UH.

"I'm adjusting," he said of the move from Delta's spread passing offense to the Vandals' balanced attack. "I'm glad I'm here."

In signing with Idaho, Wichman spurned offers from Nevada Las-Vegas, Utah State, Kentucky, San Jose State and Sacramento State. "I was fascinated by this staff," he said. "The coaches are good people, really young. I could sense their energy and belief they could turn this program around. (Signing with Idaho) was based on a gut feeling I had. I felt I could trust these people."

JoAnn said: "Of course, I was going to miss him. But I'm glad about where he decided to attend because he's happy. As long as he's happy, I'm OK with it. It's good to let them go away. That's how they get their independence. He's doing that."

Then again, even from the Central California town of Tracy, JoAnn and Robert are never far away. Robert manages to find free time despite the demands of his jobs as a high school football coach and dairy manager. For this week's game, Robert and JoAnn will leave their home at 4:30 a.m. Saturday, take a flight to Spokane, where they will meet with friends, then drive to the Vandals' Moscow campus. For next month's road game against New Mexico State, Robert will leave soon after his team's Friday night game. "We'll make it one way or another," JoAnn said.

Steve, after all, missed few of his father's games. "As early as I can remember," Steve said, "I was a ballboy for his teams. He introduced me to football at an early age."

UPERESA CELEBRATES WIN

For UH right tackle Dane Uperesa, the best medicine was Punahou's football upset of Saint Louis last week at Aloha Stadium.

"I was yelling so much," said the 2002 Punahou graduate. "It was something I wished I could have done in my (high school) career."

Uperesa's only football win over the Crusaders was in junior varsity. "We have a lot of Kahuku and Saint Louis guys on our team, and they're always talking about their high school teams," he said. "I'm glad I have something to talk about this year."

Uperesa expects to start against Idaho, having recovered from an ankle injury. He competed in contact drills Monday and yesterday. "I'm ready to go," he said. "I feel fine."

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.