It’s the bye week and a great time to take look at the 2016 Idaho State Bengals, and we’ll label things as either good or bad … or something else.
Before that, though, how did the predictions go for the Portland State game (a 45-20 ISU loss)?
Winning prediction: bengalguy, who was pretty spot on he picked Portland State to win 49-17.
Worst prediction: Anybody who had the Bengals.
On to the Bengals …
GOOD: Michael Dean. He’s carried the ball 15 times for 208 yards and three touchdowns, and without his breakout performance against Sacramento State, I’m not sure Idaho State wins that game.
Yes, yes, we’d all like to see Dean get the ball more. He’s averaging a skosh more than three touches per game. Would it be nice if he had the football in his hands, say, five or six or seven times a game? Sure. We’ll get there, folks. Besides, Idaho State has much bigger concerns to deal with.
BAD? No. GOOD? Definitely not: Tanner Gueller is completing 62 percent of his passes for 1,089 yards, seven touchdowns and six interceptions.
At his current pace, Gueller will finish the season with 2,395 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. In an offensive scheme that’s going to throw the ball 400-plus times by the end of the year, those are pedestrian numbers.
Add in the fumbles and the sacks (obviously those aren’t all Gueller’s fault), and the sophomore quarterback is playing better than last year — no question – nut he’s not close to the level the Bengals need if they’re going to win multiple league games.
BAD: Mike Kramer is hinting at changes on defense.
In his weekly press conference with the media — which I’d encourage you to watch here: https://www.facebook.com/ISJsports/...if_t=notify_me_page¬if_id=1475591923554484 — Kramer had one line that really stuck out to me.
“What we were teaching is incorrect, and we’ve got to correct it.”
Specifically, Kramer was pointing to how his defense performed against Portland State and its option attack. But there are a couple things from this that I’m still thinking about …
1) ISU has played Cal Poly twice and Portland State three times in the previous three seasons. Both played versions of the option. Yet somehow the Bengals went to Portland a week ago and Kramer believes his coaches weren’t teaching the correct things? It took giving up 500-plus rushing yards to figure that out? What stopped ISU from preparing correctly in the first place?
2) We’ll never know because we’re not allowed into practice, but if Idaho State is making adjustments to its defense … gosh … that’s not good. This is after they installed a new scheme in the offseason, and, for me, it speaks to the idea that the Bengals just can’t find a consistent level of performance on the defensive side of the football. Whether it’s recruiting, the schemes, coaching, maybe a bit of everything, Idaho State has struggled defensively.
BAD: Offensive line issues. I think most of us want to see ISU with a balanced offensive attack, but dang that’s difficult to accomplish when you’re having to shuffle guys in and out based on who isn’t injured. Skyler Phillips, Chase Collins, Brian Fineanganofo and Cody Abbott are all frontline starters who have missed time on the field.
Think about that for a moment. Thomas Vazorka, the senior right guard, is the lone guy who’s been able to play every week. This is just bad, terrible, awful luck, and I’m sure it’s left ISU’s offensive coaches immensely frustrated.
More details on the crummy O-line issues here: http://www.idahostatejournal.com/members/isu-football-notebook-pair-of-o-linemen-down-defense-rebooting/article_a59bd1fa-9ea1-59ac-a7cc-65a45bf334f1.html
BETTER: Idaho State’s special teams have done OK this season. Punting, in particular, has been a positive. Check out the link above for info.
GOOD: After missing all of 2015, Mario Jenkins has returned and leads the Bengals with 49 tackles, eight tackles for loss and three sacks. What would the defense look like without him?
………………………………
In the final six games for Idaho State (2-3, 1-1), how many wins can you find?
at Northern Arizona (1-4, 0-2)
vs NORTH DAKOTA (3-2, 2-0)
vs SOUTHERN UTAH (2-2, 1-1)
at Montana (3-1, 1-1)
at Eastern Washington (4-1, 2-0)
vs WEBER STATE (2-2, 1-0)
We’re back to ranking Idaho State’s games in terms of difficulty!
Level I: Will the defense give up 60?
1. Eastern Washington
Level II: Dating back to 1983, Idaho State has dropped 16 straight games on the road to …
2. Montana
Level III: These guys beat Portland State the week before the Vikings pummeled Idaho State … but, hey, it’s at home!
3. Southern Utah
Level IV: Neither of these teams looks particularly lethal on offense at the moment
4. Northern Arizona
5. North Dakota
Level V: Kramer refuses to call them a rival …
6. Weber State
Before that, though, how did the predictions go for the Portland State game (a 45-20 ISU loss)?
Winning prediction: bengalguy, who was pretty spot on he picked Portland State to win 49-17.
Worst prediction: Anybody who had the Bengals.
On to the Bengals …
GOOD: Michael Dean. He’s carried the ball 15 times for 208 yards and three touchdowns, and without his breakout performance against Sacramento State, I’m not sure Idaho State wins that game.
Yes, yes, we’d all like to see Dean get the ball more. He’s averaging a skosh more than three touches per game. Would it be nice if he had the football in his hands, say, five or six or seven times a game? Sure. We’ll get there, folks. Besides, Idaho State has much bigger concerns to deal with.
BAD? No. GOOD? Definitely not: Tanner Gueller is completing 62 percent of his passes for 1,089 yards, seven touchdowns and six interceptions.
At his current pace, Gueller will finish the season with 2,395 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. In an offensive scheme that’s going to throw the ball 400-plus times by the end of the year, those are pedestrian numbers.
Add in the fumbles and the sacks (obviously those aren’t all Gueller’s fault), and the sophomore quarterback is playing better than last year — no question – nut he’s not close to the level the Bengals need if they’re going to win multiple league games.
BAD: Mike Kramer is hinting at changes on defense.
In his weekly press conference with the media — which I’d encourage you to watch here: https://www.facebook.com/ISJsports/...if_t=notify_me_page¬if_id=1475591923554484 — Kramer had one line that really stuck out to me.
“What we were teaching is incorrect, and we’ve got to correct it.”
Specifically, Kramer was pointing to how his defense performed against Portland State and its option attack. But there are a couple things from this that I’m still thinking about …
1) ISU has played Cal Poly twice and Portland State three times in the previous three seasons. Both played versions of the option. Yet somehow the Bengals went to Portland a week ago and Kramer believes his coaches weren’t teaching the correct things? It took giving up 500-plus rushing yards to figure that out? What stopped ISU from preparing correctly in the first place?
2) We’ll never know because we’re not allowed into practice, but if Idaho State is making adjustments to its defense … gosh … that’s not good. This is after they installed a new scheme in the offseason, and, for me, it speaks to the idea that the Bengals just can’t find a consistent level of performance on the defensive side of the football. Whether it’s recruiting, the schemes, coaching, maybe a bit of everything, Idaho State has struggled defensively.
BAD: Offensive line issues. I think most of us want to see ISU with a balanced offensive attack, but dang that’s difficult to accomplish when you’re having to shuffle guys in and out based on who isn’t injured. Skyler Phillips, Chase Collins, Brian Fineanganofo and Cody Abbott are all frontline starters who have missed time on the field.
Think about that for a moment. Thomas Vazorka, the senior right guard, is the lone guy who’s been able to play every week. This is just bad, terrible, awful luck, and I’m sure it’s left ISU’s offensive coaches immensely frustrated.
More details on the crummy O-line issues here: http://www.idahostatejournal.com/members/isu-football-notebook-pair-of-o-linemen-down-defense-rebooting/article_a59bd1fa-9ea1-59ac-a7cc-65a45bf334f1.html
BETTER: Idaho State’s special teams have done OK this season. Punting, in particular, has been a positive. Check out the link above for info.
GOOD: After missing all of 2015, Mario Jenkins has returned and leads the Bengals with 49 tackles, eight tackles for loss and three sacks. What would the defense look like without him?
………………………………
In the final six games for Idaho State (2-3, 1-1), how many wins can you find?
at Northern Arizona (1-4, 0-2)
vs NORTH DAKOTA (3-2, 2-0)
vs SOUTHERN UTAH (2-2, 1-1)
at Montana (3-1, 1-1)
at Eastern Washington (4-1, 2-0)
vs WEBER STATE (2-2, 1-0)
We’re back to ranking Idaho State’s games in terms of difficulty!
Level I: Will the defense give up 60?
1. Eastern Washington
Level II: Dating back to 1983, Idaho State has dropped 16 straight games on the road to …
2. Montana
Level III: These guys beat Portland State the week before the Vikings pummeled Idaho State … but, hey, it’s at home!
3. Southern Utah
Level IV: Neither of these teams looks particularly lethal on offense at the moment
4. Northern Arizona
5. North Dakota
Level V: Kramer refuses to call them a rival …
6. Weber State