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POCATELLO, Idaho- The Idaho State football team makes its 2012 Holt Arena debut on Saturday, Sept. 8, at 4 p.m. vs. Black Hills State. The game can be followed online at isubengals.com with live video, audio, stats and text messaging. Free shirts will be given out prior to the start of Saturday's game, courtesy of Idaho Central Credit Union, while supplies last.
ABOUT BLACK HILLS STATE
This is the season-opener for Black Hills State, a team that finished 3-7 in 2011. The Yellow Jackets compete in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. This is Black Hills State's first year in the RMAC and the final year of the transitional period into Division II athletics. The Yellow Jackets have eight returning starters on offense and 10 on defense.
BENGALS IN HOME AND SEASON OPENERS
The Bengals are 8-8 in the last 16 years in season-openers and 10-5 in home openers. All eight losses have comes against FBS schools (Arizona State, Washington State, Boise State, UNLV, San Diego State, New Mexico and Utah State). ISU has won five of their last seven home openers. In 2011, ISU beat Western State 44-7 and in 2010 they defeated Montana Western 32-3.
FINNEY DEBUT
Freshman
Xavier Finney made his collegiate debut at Air Force by carrying the ball 18 times for 48 yards and catching five passes for 35 yards. He scored his first career touchdown in the fourth quarter on a two-yard run. Finney is a freshman from Oceanside, Calif.
YOUNG GUNS
Of the 42 players that got in the game at Air Force, 19 were freshmen and sophomores. Underclassmen starting on offense were sophomores
Nick Beckman,
Jim Bagley and
Daniel McSurdy. Freshmen making their first collegiate start were
Travis Namohala and
Colin Prestesater. Defensively, the sophomores that started were
Mitch Beckstead and Demtrius Allen. Other players to get in the game were sophomores,
Ed Pritchett, CJ Reyes,
Michael Berger, Keelan McCaffrey,
Christian Gines and
Austin Graves. Freshmen that saw their first action were Finney,
Taison Manu,
Taylor Ragan,
Derek Berrey,
Cole Lemer and
Chris Edwards.
GRAVES TIES HIS CAREER RECORD FOR RECEPTIONS
Derek Graves caught 15 passes for 118 yards at Air Force. The 15 receptions ties for the second most-receptions in a game by a Bengal. Graves also had 15 against Northern Colorado last year and Ed Bell also caught 15 passes against Montana in 1969.
WELCOME BACK
After missing most of 2011 due to injury, Cam Richmond returned to the lineup against Air Force and caught eight passes for 90 yards. Also making a return to the Bengal lineup was
Cameron Gupton, who missed all of 2011 due to injury. Gupton started at safety and had three tackles and one tackle for loss. Also returning to the lineup and starting after missing 2011 was
Phil Pleasant and
Leki Fuapau.
