POCATELLO, Idaho - Safeties coach Bobby Jay, a Boise native who joined the Bengals in January after previous stops at Idaho, San Diego, and Redlands, is quickly putting his stamp on Idaho State's defensive backfield. Now in his first fall camp with ISU, Jay is blending his own experience with new defensive coordinator Grant Duff's 4-2-5 system to form a cohesive, high-communication unit in the secondary.
"We're really emphasizing our guys in the back end to play hard, play fast, play together," Jay said. "Communication needs to be a premium for what we're doing on the back end and give our guys a chance to go make plays."
Jay's approach centers on building a shared language and identity, what he calls "four phases" of development, from winter conditioning to fall camp. That process is showing signs of maturity as the safeties group continues to grow more connected and technically sound.
While returning starter Mason Young remains a key piece at strong safety, the position battle remains wide open heading into the final stretch of camp. Young has returned to full-speed reps after being limited early, and several Bengals have taken advantage of the extra opportunities.
"It's a fun room to come into because it's pretty open," Jay said. "Decker Haggler and Janari Boone have done a great job. Rylan Leathers and Troy Wilke, our transfer from Boise State, are both pushing. We don't have set ones right now, we're rotating guys and letting it play out through camp."
With the group still jostling for spots and no firm depth chart in place, the final days before Idaho State's season opener at UNLV will be pivotal for the back end of the Bengals' defense.
Scrimmage #3
The Idaho State Bengals will have Scrimmage #3 of Fall Camp this Saturday at 4:00 PM. The scrimmage is open to the public
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