Notes |
Audio |
Video |
Live Stats
Pluto TV Channel 243
POCATELLO, Idaho- Idaho State opens the 2017 season at home vs. Western Oregon on Thursday, August 31 at 6:30 p.m.
Mark Liptak and
Jerry Miller will call the action on KMGI 102.5. Live video, audio and stats will be available through isubengals.com. The live video will be seen through Pluto TV on channel 243.
About Western Oregon
Western Oregon is a Division II program in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference who finished 4-6 in 2016. The program is familiar with the Big Sky Conference as last year they won 38-30 at Sacramento State and lost 55-0 at Montana State. The team is led by Preseason All-American junior linebacker Bo Highburger who had 111 tackles and 13.5 tackles for loss in 2016.
Team Captains Named
Hagen Graves,
Mario Jenkins and
Joe Martin were voted team captains for the 2017 season. A fourth captain will be the special teams player of the week after each game.
Bengals Against NonDivision I Opponents
Idaho State is 20-1 against non Division I teams over the last 20 years. The only loss was 33-22 to Central Washington, who was ranked No. 5 in the country at the Division II level. Since that loss ISU is 9-0 against Non Division I teams. Last year the Bengals beat Simon Fraser 47-3 and in 2015 beat Black Hills State 55-0.
Phenicie Takes Over as Head Coach
Idaho State Head Coach
Rob Phenicie took over the reigns as the head guy on March 30, 2017, a week before the start of spring practice. Phenicie, who had spent the last two seasons as the wide receivers coach at ISU, left briefly for a position at Northern Iowa before he returning to Pocatello to take over as head coach. This is Phenicie's first head coaching job.
Troxel Returns to ISU as Offensive Cordiniator
Following the 2016 season, ISU offensive coordinator left for a position at his alma mater, Montana. When Phenicie was named head coach, Troxel agreed to return to Pocatello as the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach. Troxel has been a member of the Bengal coaching staff since 2011.
Returners in the Backfield
The Idaho State rushing offense returns players who carried the ball 188 times for 861 yards and six touchdowns. While the Bengals lost Jakori's Ford 93 carries for 461 yards and six touchdowns, ISU leading returning rusher is
Michael Dean, who had 33 carries for 321 yards and five touchdowns.
James Madison carried the ball 45 times for 197 yards and one touchdown.
Tanner Gueller had 63 carries for 155 yards while
Ty Flanagan had 40 carries for 121 yards. Lonnell Woodhouse carried the ball seven times for 67 yards.
Receiving Core Returners
Despite losing the production of
KW Williams 64 receptions for 683 yards and 11 touchdowns and
Josh Cooks 46 receptions for 532 yards and two touchdowns, ISU returns a solid core of returners with experience. Leading the way is sophomore
Mitch Gueller who caught 36 passes for 509 yards and three touchdowns and senior
Hagen Graves who had 40 receptions for 406 yards and two touchdowns.
Michael Dean caught 20 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns and
Ty Flanagan caught 10 passes for 89 yards.
Austin Campbell,
James Madison and Lonnell Woodhouse also caught passes last year. Combined the returning receiving core caught 120 passes for 1,222 yards and seven touchdowns in 2016.
Returning Tacklers
The Idaho State defense returns four of its top six returning tacklers. ISU's top two tacklers,
Mario Jenkins and
Joe Martin return. Jenkins had 93 tackles while Martin finished with 88.
Chance Salutregui and
Anthony Ricks each had 47 tackles.
