2012 Big Sky Conference Countdown: Idaho State

The 2011 season was not kind to the Idaho State Bengals.  They finished the 2011 season with a 2-9 record, not what you would expect out of a team coached by one of the real characters of the Big Sky in head coach Mike Kramer.  But they can only go up from here.

As stated with my Weber State write-up, Kramer is one of two head coaches in the Big Sky that calls their own defensive plays.  And Kramer has been mostly successful wherever he's gone, including at Eastern Washington and Montana State.

The Bengals' passing game was one of the bright spots in an otherwise forgettable season.  Quarterback Kevin Yost is back for his senior season, after just missing out on a 3,000 yard campaign in 2011.  The junior college transfer from Peoria, Arizona had the second-most passing attempts for a season in school history with 493 attempts.  Senior wide receiver Rodrick Rumble is also back, as he had 112 receptions for 1,348 yards and nine touchdowns.

If there's one side of the ball that needs serious work, it's the defense, especially against the run.  The Bengals gave up 250 yards/game against the run (as opposed to giving up a respectable 203 yards/game against the pass).  The team does bring back their leaders in sacks and interceptions, as both defensive lineman Jake Rouser (3.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss) and defensive back Donovan Henley (4 interceptions) are both back for their senior seasons

MY THOUGHTS: The Bengals are young (only 14 seniors on the roster), but the team has a bright future ahead with 43 freshmen on the roster (33 of them true freshmen).  But you can't really win games if you can't run the ball, much less stop it on defense.  Either way, the Bengals have a long way to go, but given Mike Kramer's success as a head coach, they should improve in 2012.

NEXT UP: Montana State

Photo credit: U.S. Presswire