News Story - Idaho State Journal

Commentary by Tim Flagstad

Today is the dawn of the second season under John Zamberlin for the Idaho State football team.

After an offseason of arduous training, the Bengals finally will have the chance to practice with coaches present and all the incoming freshmen and transfers on board.

Idaho State enters the season as one of the more intriguing teams in the Big Sky after finishing 3-8 in Zamberlin's first year in charge.

Honestly, the Bengals are a hard team to predict. A 4-8 season wouldn't be a surprise given the question marks on the roster that the new coaching staff hasn't had a chance to fill and the daunting schedule. But an 8-4 season isn't out of question, either, if things break right for the orange and black.

So here are three things that Idaho State has working in its favor entering the season and three things that could trip the Bengals up.

Reasons to hope:

1. Russel Hill

The signal-caller from Boise starts fall camp as the unquestioned starter this season after battling with Century High product Luke Butler a year ago to be the top quarterback.

Because of the competition, Hill received split reps with the first-team offense during spring practices in 2007 and fall camp last year. Once Zamberlin anointed Hill as the starter, Butler's shadow still lingered, and Hill knew his job was anything but secure.

Still, as a redshirt freshman, Hill threw for 2,313 yards and 14 touchdowns. He tossed a few too many interceptions (14) and was inconsistent at times, but he was only a freshman.

This season, Butler is off in Sioux Falls, S.D., playing for Division II Augustana, and Hill has been secure at the top of the depth chart since the Bengals' season ended in Sacramento, Calif., last November.

With his habitual film study and his unwavering work ethic, it's not a stretch to believe Hill can make a tremendous leap in his second year under center like Matt Nichols did last season at Eastern Washington as a sophomore.

2. The linebackers

Idaho State's defensive line definitely is an unproven entity, and while the secondary should be greatly improved, it has been a trouble spot for the Bengals for the past three seasons.

The one unit on defense fans shouldn't worry about is the linebackers.

Senior Ryan Phipps leads the unit, and if Idaho State employs the 3-4 formation it practiced in the spring, he very well could lead the team by reaching double digits in sacks from his outside position.

Aside from Phipps, the Bengals boast returning starter Brad Rife, who will take over for Phipps as the middle linebacker, and junior college transfers Daniel Urias and Jeremy Gibson. Also, Zamberlin's first recruiting class featured a mass of linebackers, most of whom should have a chance of seeing the field.

3. Homefield advantage

Northern Arizona installed a new synthetic grass playing surface in the offseason in the Walkup Skydome, leaving Holt Arena as the only Big Sky facility still using soft-as-sandpaper AstroTurf.

That old-school playing surface may play mind games with opponents unaccustomed to competing on the harsh floor, and who knows? Maybe after receiving one nasty rug burn a visiting running back or wide receiver may think twice about fighting for that extra yard instead of bailing safely out of bounds.

Reasons to worry

1. The schedule

Former athletic director Paul Bubb did the Bengals no favors when he created the 2008 football schedule.

Normally, the Bengals have one lower division cupcake to feast on like Fort Lewis two years ago and Southern Oregon last season, but this year, there's no gimme on the schedule.

Idaho State must open at Boise State. The last time the Bengals stepped onto the blue turf at Bronco Stadium in 2003, they suffered a 62-0 pounding.

The next week, Idaho State must square off against another former conference opponent that has since moved on to better things. Maybe Idaho hasn't been much better at the FBS level, but the Vandals still compete in a subdivision above the Bengals.

Idaho State's one nonconference home game comes against North Dakota, a team in its first year at the Division I level but one that has been a Division II power for years that managed to upset FCS power Northern Iowa on the road in 2006.

Once Big Sky play starts, Idaho State must play the two teams that top the preseason polls -- Montana and Eastern Washington -- on the road.

The Bengals haven't won in Missoula, Mont., since "Terms of Endearment" was on the big screen, Reagan was in his first term in the White House and Zamberlin was an NFL linebacker. That would be 1983, before the Grizzlies opened Washington-Grizzly Stadium.

This document was originally published online on Monday, August 04, 2008

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