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POCATELLO, Idaho- The one area going into the 2012 season that the Bengal coaches want to see improved is better play on the offensive line.
“On offense the concern is in the offensive line,” Idaho State coach
Mike Kramer said. “They must be better at holding the point in the front of the pocket. Our guards and centers have to be stout enough to stop the interior rush. The three players that have the best opportunity to do that for us as we begin camp are
John van Vliet at left guard,
Travis Namohala at center and
Mark Clampitt who moves from center to right guard.”
Namohala was a gray shirt who joined the team in January and participated in spring practice. Clampitt was the leader of the offensive line in 2011 as he never missed a game.
Along with returning linemen
Sage Warner,
Josh Cutler,
Jim Bagley and
Nick Beckman, the Bengal coaching staff added a strong core of linemen to bolster the pass protection for the quarterbacks.
Joining Idaho State on the offensive line this year are freshmen
Wesley Wingrove (6-4, 311),
Matt Lewis (6-5, 331),
Cody Abbott (6-3, 282), Montana Gesell (6-3, 300) and
Colin Prestesater (6-6, 285) and junior college transfer
Kevin Park, a 6-4, 325 pound offensive lineman from Hutchinson Junior College.
Christian Diehm, who redshirted in 2011, is expected to vie for time on the offensive line.
Along with protecting quarterback
Kevin Yost, the offensive line will be expected to open up holes for running backs
Daniel McSurdy and
Aaron Prier. Both have played well at the end of the 2011 season and into spring practice.
In Prier's freshman season he rushed for 2011 yards and two touchdowns. He finished the 2011 season by rushing for 73 yards and two touchdowns against Eastern Washington on only 11 carries. In the spring scrimmage McSurday carried the ball eight times for 76 yards and two touchdowns.
Freshman
Hayden Stout and
Xavier Finney will join the running back core. Stout, 6-2, 211, prepped at Meridian High School while Finney, 5-11, 205, prepped at El Camino High School in Oceanside, Calif.
“At running back,
Aaron Prier and
Daniel McSurdy enter fall camp virtual at a dead heat for the starting position,” Kramer said. “
Xavier Finney and
Hayden Stout are the bull work of where we want to go at running back in allowing us to pass protect, catch balls out of traffic and run the ball from the back field.”
Tomorrow: Team reports for camp
