Idaho State Bengals football
Encyclopedia
The Idaho State Bengals football program represents Idaho State University
in college football
at the NCAA
Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA). As of the end of the 2010 season they have an all-time record of 449–463–20 (.492). A charter member of the Big Sky Conference
, the ISU Bengals play their home games at Holt Arena
, an indoor facility on campus in Pocatello, Idaho
.
. Following two playoff victories at home, the Bengals defeated Eastern Kentucky
34-23 at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas
. The quarterback during the championship season was Mike Machurek, who spent several seasons in the NFL with the Detroit Lions.
Following the 2010 season, head coach John Zamberlin
was fired after four seasons (6-39) and Mike Kramer
was hired as the 25th head coach in Idaho State history. Kramer was formerly the head coach at Eastern Washington
and Montana State
. Among his assistants are former University of Alabama
football players Todd Bates and Rudy Griffin and former Brigham Young University player Mike Rigell.
Idaho State formerly had spirited intrastate rivalries with both the University of Idaho
and Boise State University
when all three schools were members of the Big Sky Conference. Since Idaho and BSU left the Big Sky in 1996 to move up to Division I-A, ISU has played the teams infrequently and Weber State University of nearby Ogden, Utah
has become ISU's main rival in football. The Bengals also claim a rivalry with the Montana Grizzlies
, though ISU has only one victory in the last sixteen meetings.
and the second-oldest overall. Only the Houston
Astrodome, completed in 1965
, predates it.
The indoor arena was conceived by ISU athletic director Milton W. "Dubby" Holt in 1966. ISU students voted to appropriate not more than $2.8 million to the project two years later. Originally named the ASISU MiniDome, it replaced the outdoor "Spud Bowl" (now Davis Field) as the Bengals' home football stadium. The MiniDome was renamed in 1988 to honor Holt.
After 41 football seasons on AstroTurf
, infilled synthetic turf was installed in Holt Arena in July 2011. Similar to FieldTurf
, the SoftTop Removable Matrix System is also installed in Cowboys Stadium in the NFL
.
, including Jared Allen
, Merrill Hoge, Marvin Lewis
, and Jeff Charleston
.
Idaho State University
Idaho State University is a public university located in Pocatello, Idaho. It has outreach programs in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Falls, Boise, and Twin Falls....
in college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA). As of the end of the 2010 season they have an all-time record of 449–463–20 (.492). A charter member of the Big Sky Conference
Big Sky Conference
The Big Sky Conference is an intercollegiate college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I, with football competing in the Football Championship Subdivision. The BSC was founded in 1963. Member institutions are located in the western United States in the states of Arizona,...
, the ISU Bengals play their home games at Holt Arena
Holt Arena
Holt Arena is an indoor multi-purpose athletic stadium, located on the campus of Idaho State University, in Pocatello, Idaho. It is the home field of the Idaho State Bengals of the Big Sky Conference...
, an indoor facility on campus in Pocatello, Idaho
Pocatello, Idaho
Pocatello is the county seat and largest city of Bannock County, with a small portion on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation in neighboring Power County, in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Idaho. It is the principal city of the Pocatello metropolitan area, which encompasses all of Bannock...
.
History
Idaho State won the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision national championship in 1981 (then Division I-AA) under head coach Dave KragthorpeDave Kragthorpe
Dave Kragthorpe is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at South Dakota State University in 1969, at Idaho State University from 1980 to 1982, and at Oregon State University from 1985 to 1990, compiling a career college football record of...
. Following two playoff victories at home, the Bengals defeated Eastern Kentucky
Eastern Kentucky Colonels football
The Eastern Kentucky University Colonels football team is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference that competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision...
34-23 at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas
Wichita Falls, Texas
Wichita Falls is a city in and the county seat of Wichita County, Texas, United States, United States. Wichita Falls is the principal city of the Wichita Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Archer, Clay and Wichita counties. According to the U.S. Census estimate of 2010,...
. The quarterback during the championship season was Mike Machurek, who spent several seasons in the NFL with the Detroit Lions.
Following the 2010 season, head coach John Zamberlin
John Zamberlin
-References:...
was fired after four seasons (6-39) and Mike Kramer
Mike Kramer
Michael David Kramer is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at Idaho State University of the Big Sky Conference. Kramer was previously the head coach at two other schools in the conference: Eastern Washington University and Montana State...
was hired as the 25th head coach in Idaho State history. Kramer was formerly the head coach at Eastern Washington
Eastern Washington Eagles football
The Eastern Washington Eagles football team represents Eastern Washington University in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision...
and Montana State
Montana State Bobcats football
The Montana State Bobcats football program competes in the Big Sky Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Championship Subdivision for Montana State University. The program began in 1897 and has won three national championships...
. Among his assistants are former University of Alabama
Alabama Crimson Tide football
|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
football players Todd Bates and Rudy Griffin and former Brigham Young University player Mike Rigell.
Idaho State formerly had spirited intrastate rivalries with both the University of Idaho
Idaho Vandals football
The Idaho Vandals are a college football team that represents the University of Idaho. The Vandals currently compete in the Western Athletic Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I...
and Boise State University
Boise State Broncos football
This page discusses the Boise State football program. For more Boise State athletics, see Boise State Broncos.The Boise State Broncos football program represents Boise State University in college football and compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I as a member of the Mountain West...
when all three schools were members of the Big Sky Conference. Since Idaho and BSU left the Big Sky in 1996 to move up to Division I-A, ISU has played the teams infrequently and Weber State University of nearby Ogden, Utah
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
has become ISU's main rival in football. The Bengals also claim a rivalry with the Montana Grizzlies
Montana Grizzlies football
The Montana Grizzlies football program represents the University of Montana in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision of college football. The Grizzlies have competed in the Big Sky Conference, where it is a founding member, since 1963...
, though ISU has only one victory in the last sixteen meetings.
Conference Affiliations
- 1902-1949: IndependentNCAA Division I-A independent schoolsNCAA Football Bowl Subdivision independent schools are four-year institutions whose football programs are not part of an NCAA-affiliated conference. This means that FBS independents are not required to schedule each other for competition like conference schools do...
- 1950-1960: Rocky Mountain Athletic ConferenceRocky Mountain Athletic ConferenceThe Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the western United States, mostly in Colorado with some members in Nebraska and New Mexico...
- 1961-1962: IndependentNCAA Division I-A independent schoolsNCAA Football Bowl Subdivision independent schools are four-year institutions whose football programs are not part of an NCAA-affiliated conference. This means that FBS independents are not required to schedule each other for competition like conference schools do...
- 1963–present: Big Sky ConferenceBig Sky ConferenceThe Big Sky Conference is an intercollegiate college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I, with football competing in the Football Championship Subdivision. The BSC was founded in 1963. Member institutions are located in the western United States in the states of Arizona,...
Conference championships
| cellpadding="0.5" border="1" cellspacing="0" style="width:50%;"> | |||
| Year | Conference | Overall Record | Conference Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | RMAC Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the western United States, mostly in Colorado with some members in Nebraska and New Mexico... |
8–0–0 | 5–0 |
| 1953 | 6–2–0 | 5–0 | |
| 1955 | 8–1–0 | 6–0 | |
| 1957 | 9–0–0 | 4–0 | |
| 1959 | 6–2–0 | 3–0 | |
| 1963 | Big Sky Big Sky Conference The Big Sky Conference is an intercollegiate college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I, with football competing in the Football Championship Subdivision. The BSC was founded in 1963. Member institutions are located in the western United States in the states of Arizona,... |
5–3–0 | 3–1 |
| 1981 | 12–1–0 | 6–1 | |
| 2002 | 8–3–0 | 5–2 | |
| Total Conference Titles | 8 |
All-Americans
Idaho State player Tavoy Moore was named a first-team All-American honors by the American Football Coaches Association for the 2010 season. Punter Jon Vanderwielen earned several All-American honors in 2009.Head coaching history
| Name | Years | Wins | Losses | Ties | Pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Babe Caccia | 1952–1965 | 79 | 38 | 2 | .664 |
| Leo McKillop | 1966–1967 | 4 | 15 | 0 | .211 |
| Ed Cavanaugh Ed Cavanaugh -External links:... |
1968–1971 | 28 | 19 | 0 | .596 |
| Bob Griffin | 1972–1975 | 21 | 20 | 0 | .512 |
| Joe Pascale | 1976–1976 | 1 | 9 | 0 | .100 |
| Bud Hake | 1977–1979 | 5 | 27 | 0 | .156 |
| Dave Kragthorpe Dave Kragthorpe Dave Kragthorpe is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at South Dakota State University in 1969, at Idaho State University from 1980 to 1982, and at Oregon State University from 1985 to 1990, compiling a career college football record of... |
1980–1982 | 21 | 14 | 0 | .600 |
| Jim Koetter | 1983–1987 | 23 | 32 | 1 | .411 |
| Garth Hall | 1988–1991 | 9 | 33 | 1 | .214 |
| Brian McNeely | 1992–1996 | 21 | 34 | 0 | .382 |
| Tom Walsh | 1997–1998 | 6 | 16 | 0 | .261 |
| Larry Lewis | 1999–2006 | 40 | 49 | 0 | .449 |
| John Zamberlin John Zamberlin -References:... |
2007–2010 | 6 | 39 | 0 | .133 |
| Mike Kramer Mike Kramer Michael David Kramer is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at Idaho State University of the Big Sky Conference. Kramer was previously the head coach at two other schools in the conference: Eastern Washington University and Montana State... |
2011–present | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 |
| Totals | 451 | 464 | 20 | .493 |
Holt Arena
The Bengals play home games in Holt Arena, an indoor multi-purpose athletic stadium located on the campus of Idaho State University. Completed in September 1970 at the north end of the ISU campus, Holt Arena is the oldest enclosed stadium on a college campus in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the second-oldest overall. Only the Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
Astrodome, completed in 1965
1965 in sports
1965 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* AFL Championship Buffalo Bills won 23-0 over the San Diego Chargers* NFL Championship – Green Bay Packers won 23-12 over the Cleveland Browns on January 2, 1966-England:...
, predates it.
The indoor arena was conceived by ISU athletic director Milton W. "Dubby" Holt in 1966. ISU students voted to appropriate not more than $2.8 million to the project two years later. Originally named the ASISU MiniDome, it replaced the outdoor "Spud Bowl" (now Davis Field) as the Bengals' home football stadium. The MiniDome was renamed in 1988 to honor Holt.
After 41 football seasons on AstroTurf
AstroTurf
AstroTurf is a brand of artificial turf. Although the term is a registered trademark, it is sometimes used as a generic description of any kind of artificial turf. The original AstroTurf product was a short pile synthetic turf while the current products incorporate modern features such as...
, infilled synthetic turf was installed in Holt Arena in July 2011. Similar to FieldTurf
FieldTurf
FieldTurf is a brand of artificial turf playing surface. It is manufactured and installed by the FieldTurf Tarkett division of Tarkett Inc., based in Calhoun, Georgia, USA. In the late 1990s, the artificial surface changed the industry with a design intended to replicate real grass...
, the SoftTop Removable Matrix System is also installed in Cowboys Stadium in the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
.
Idaho State players in the NFL
A number of players from Idaho State have gone on to play in the National Football LeagueNational Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, including Jared Allen
Jared Allen
-Kansas City Chiefs:Allen was drafted by the Chiefs in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft, and signed for a one-year, $100,000 contract. On May 21, 2007, Allen, as a restricted free agent, signed the Chiefs' one-year tender offer of $2.35 million for the 2007 season. Allen credited his early...
, Merrill Hoge, Marvin Lewis
Marvin Lewis
Marvin Ronald Lewis is the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League, a position he has held since January 14, 2003...
, and Jeff Charleston
Jeff Charleston
Jeffrey David Charleston is an American football defensive end for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was signed by the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2006...
.
External links
- College Football Data Warehouse - Idaho State Bengals