1) Returning junior QB
This list could end and stop here. Idaho State has won four games the previous two seasons, and the only way the Bengals are going to rise from that kind of win total is if junior starting quarterback Tanner Gueller shows he’s one of the Big Sky Conferences best players.
Full stop. There’s nothing else to say. Idaho State is successful in 2017 if Gueller is elite.
And there are reasons to be hopeful. As a redshirt freshman in ’15, Gueller, who split time with Michael Sanders, completed less than 54 percent of his passes for 855 yards, five touchdowns and eight interceptions. Last year, Gueller hit on 58.2 percent of his passing attempts for 20 TDs and 10 picks.
What’s hurt Gueller the most is turnovers. In 2015 and 2016, ISU’s turnover margin (-15 and -7, respectively) were among the worst marks in the country.
If the Bengals protect the football and limit turnovers, the anemic offense we’ve watched the previous two seasons will start to look a heck of a lot better. And the biggest reason to hope any of that might come true is reason No. 2.
2) Matt Troxel
Few young coaches in the Big Sky, if any, have a brighter future than Matt Troxel. The fact Rob Phenicie was able to convince him to leave the University of Montana and return to Pocatello just a few months after he left is a potentially game-changing move by Phenicie.
Troxel is whip-smart, dedicated, players love him and he’s ready to be an FCS coordinator. … Or at least I think he is. Here’s his chance to prove it.
3) Rob Phenicie
Maybe this is less about Phenicie and more about Mike Kramer being gone. Things weren’t working with the Big Human.
4) Easier schedule, especially on the road … no Eastern Washington or North Dakota
Ryan Miller, who covers Southern Utah, calculated that Idaho State has the third-easiest conference schedule in the Big Sky this year. Read more about that here: http://www.thespectrum.com/story/sp...ule-still-unsolvable-issue-big-sky/514987001/
Remember, though, Idaho State’s schedule is still rough. Two FBS opponents and a month between home games isn’t ideal. … neither is having the bye on Nov. 11.
5) Mario Jenkins
Dude is a stud.
6) Michael Dean is a full-time wide receiver and Chris Reynolds Jr. is back
Dean totaled 4,198 yards and 53 touchdowns in his varsity high school career. He’s an electric athlete who piled up 321 rushing yards, 150 receiving yards and seven touchdowns as a freshman. His most eye-popping stat is the 9.7 yards per carry.
BUT … Dean had 154 rushing yards and two TDs in ISU’s win against Sac State. Take away his production from that single game and Dean’s rookie year looks a whole lot more modest.
BUT … BUT … it’s the preseason! So let’s be positive for the moment. Here’s positive: Dean is a weapon, one of the best the Bengals have. A creative offensive coordinator should be able to find all kinds of interesting ways to utilize his talents.
As for Reynolds, his career stats are non-existent. He redshirt two years ago and missed last season with an injury. But when Reynolds has been able to perform in practice, he’s been electric. Add in Hagen Graves, Mitch Gueller and Dean and that’s an interesting group of wide receivers.
They’ll look even better if reason No. 7 for optimism comes true.
7) The offensive line can’t be worse
Why was ISU’s offensive line a mess last season? Madison Guernsey gave you all the details here: http://idahostatejournal.com/member...cle_1ea3e1c6-1c64-5697-a1ef-871e8cea1f9b.html.
Here’s hoping the beef up front holds up in 2017.
8) The defensive line can’t be worse
This position group is the Achilles heel of Idaho State football. It probably will be this year, too, but there’s not a player more overlooked in the Big Sky than redshirt sophomore Rasheed Williams. And heck, maybe this is the season when JonRhyeem Peoples will actually show that he gives a you know what about playing hard and consistently for an entire season.
9) The secondary, however, can be worse
There’s a new secondary coach and a whole lotta unproven players in the ISU secondary. Yeah, these were supposed to be reasons for optimism, but it’s tough to be optimistic about ISU’s chances to hold up in the back end.
I do love Jayson Miller’s potential, though, and Anthony Ricks has shown flashes of potential. See … positivity!
10) Continuity
Mike Kramer was fired … er … he retired in March. Not good timing for a coaching change. But let’s give credit to Idaho State AD Jeff Tingey for finding a way to bring back Phenicie. And let’s give Phenicie credit for keeping together nearly the entire staff. I really think Idaho State has the potential in ’17 to look like a refreshed, rejuvenated, energized group.
Does that translate to wins on the field? Well, how about this. Here’s reason No. 11 for optimism regarding Idaho State football: It can’t get any worse than the previous two seasons.
This list could end and stop here. Idaho State has won four games the previous two seasons, and the only way the Bengals are going to rise from that kind of win total is if junior starting quarterback Tanner Gueller shows he’s one of the Big Sky Conferences best players.
Full stop. There’s nothing else to say. Idaho State is successful in 2017 if Gueller is elite.
And there are reasons to be hopeful. As a redshirt freshman in ’15, Gueller, who split time with Michael Sanders, completed less than 54 percent of his passes for 855 yards, five touchdowns and eight interceptions. Last year, Gueller hit on 58.2 percent of his passing attempts for 20 TDs and 10 picks.
What’s hurt Gueller the most is turnovers. In 2015 and 2016, ISU’s turnover margin (-15 and -7, respectively) were among the worst marks in the country.
If the Bengals protect the football and limit turnovers, the anemic offense we’ve watched the previous two seasons will start to look a heck of a lot better. And the biggest reason to hope any of that might come true is reason No. 2.
2) Matt Troxel
Few young coaches in the Big Sky, if any, have a brighter future than Matt Troxel. The fact Rob Phenicie was able to convince him to leave the University of Montana and return to Pocatello just a few months after he left is a potentially game-changing move by Phenicie.
Troxel is whip-smart, dedicated, players love him and he’s ready to be an FCS coordinator. … Or at least I think he is. Here’s his chance to prove it.
3) Rob Phenicie
Maybe this is less about Phenicie and more about Mike Kramer being gone. Things weren’t working with the Big Human.
4) Easier schedule, especially on the road … no Eastern Washington or North Dakota
Ryan Miller, who covers Southern Utah, calculated that Idaho State has the third-easiest conference schedule in the Big Sky this year. Read more about that here: http://www.thespectrum.com/story/sp...ule-still-unsolvable-issue-big-sky/514987001/
Remember, though, Idaho State’s schedule is still rough. Two FBS opponents and a month between home games isn’t ideal. … neither is having the bye on Nov. 11.
5) Mario Jenkins
Dude is a stud.
6) Michael Dean is a full-time wide receiver and Chris Reynolds Jr. is back
Dean totaled 4,198 yards and 53 touchdowns in his varsity high school career. He’s an electric athlete who piled up 321 rushing yards, 150 receiving yards and seven touchdowns as a freshman. His most eye-popping stat is the 9.7 yards per carry.
BUT … Dean had 154 rushing yards and two TDs in ISU’s win against Sac State. Take away his production from that single game and Dean’s rookie year looks a whole lot more modest.
BUT … BUT … it’s the preseason! So let’s be positive for the moment. Here’s positive: Dean is a weapon, one of the best the Bengals have. A creative offensive coordinator should be able to find all kinds of interesting ways to utilize his talents.
As for Reynolds, his career stats are non-existent. He redshirt two years ago and missed last season with an injury. But when Reynolds has been able to perform in practice, he’s been electric. Add in Hagen Graves, Mitch Gueller and Dean and that’s an interesting group of wide receivers.
They’ll look even better if reason No. 7 for optimism comes true.
7) The offensive line can’t be worse
Why was ISU’s offensive line a mess last season? Madison Guernsey gave you all the details here: http://idahostatejournal.com/member...cle_1ea3e1c6-1c64-5697-a1ef-871e8cea1f9b.html.
Here’s hoping the beef up front holds up in 2017.
8) The defensive line can’t be worse
This position group is the Achilles heel of Idaho State football. It probably will be this year, too, but there’s not a player more overlooked in the Big Sky than redshirt sophomore Rasheed Williams. And heck, maybe this is the season when JonRhyeem Peoples will actually show that he gives a you know what about playing hard and consistently for an entire season.
9) The secondary, however, can be worse
There’s a new secondary coach and a whole lotta unproven players in the ISU secondary. Yeah, these were supposed to be reasons for optimism, but it’s tough to be optimistic about ISU’s chances to hold up in the back end.
I do love Jayson Miller’s potential, though, and Anthony Ricks has shown flashes of potential. See … positivity!
10) Continuity
Mike Kramer was fired … er … he retired in March. Not good timing for a coaching change. But let’s give credit to Idaho State AD Jeff Tingey for finding a way to bring back Phenicie. And let’s give Phenicie credit for keeping together nearly the entire staff. I really think Idaho State has the potential in ’17 to look like a refreshed, rejuvenated, energized group.
Does that translate to wins on the field? Well, how about this. Here’s reason No. 11 for optimism regarding Idaho State football: It can’t get any worse than the previous two seasons.
