ISU game day: Sacramento State (includes links)

Idaho State and Sacramento State get things started at 2:05 p.m. at Holt Arena.

Here are some links to the Journal's coverage in Saturday's game day section ...

A win against Sac State could launch Bengals into rest of the season

We think we know where each team in the Big Sky belongs. But what about Idaho State?

And here's what we wrote during ISU's bye week and in the day's leading up to today's game (in chronological order) ...

Sac State enters Big Sky play hot but not overconfident

If the team wins, people will come

No game but the Bengals have work to do

Idaho State notebook: Heavy workload for Finney

Veteran offensive line anchors Idaho State's offense

The good and the bad: ISU vs. Chadron State — Deciphering the pluses and minuses


TODAY’S CRUCIAL MATCHUP
The two starting quarterbacks will never be on the field at the same time, but both are the respective driver of his team’s fortunes.

Garrett Safron is 2-0 against the Bengals and his dual-threat ability could cause Idaho State major issues defensively.

Safron has two rushing touchdowns this season 70 yards or longer, but he can also sit back in the pocket and pick apart a careless secondary.

“It comes down to rush lanes, whoever is in the rush lanes, keeping a balanced rushing attack,” said ISU co-defensive coordinator Spencer Toone. “You can’t leave big windows open, lanes for him to run and throw (through).”

“He’s an athlete, just all around. Just a complete athlete,” said linebacker Mario Jenkins. “We’re going to have to not let their best player beat us.”

 Idaho State is concentrating on Safron because he makes the Hornets go. Outside linebacker Hayden Stout thinks Safron is the best QB ISU has played this season. But the sophomore mentioned that the Hornets have other offensive options.

Sac State running back Jordan Robinson has run for 360 yards and three touchdowns this season, and the sophomore is averaging 7.3 yards a carry.

But it all comes down to Safron for the Hornets.

It’s a similar story on the other side. ISU senior Justin Arias is the unquestioned leader of the Bengals. Arias isn’t as mobile as his counterpart Safron, but he’s got the more dangerous arm.

Arias has been particularly adept throwing the ball deep to his athletic receivers. Arias has touchdown passes of 42 and 52 yards.

 Whichever team’s signal caller is able to avoid turnovers and capitalize with touchdowns in the red zone has the best chance to win.

IDAHO STATE KEYS TO SUCCESS

1.

It wouldn’t be an Idaho State game week without more discussion of Idaho State’s play on special teams. From the first game of the season, the Bengals have had disastrous results in the phase of the game that isn’t the offense or defense.

Against Utah, ISU gave up a punt and kickoff return for a touchdown and the Utes blocked a field goal.
Utah State ran back a punt for a touchdown and the Aggies swarmed Idaho State in kickoff returns and forced the Bengals into poor field position.

Idaho State head coach Mike Kramer — the Bengals special teams coach — said he expected his team to clean up the mistakes in their third game of the season against Chadron State.

But the Eagles blocked a field goal and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown. The play stymied ISU’s offensive rhythm and sparked a 21-point fourth quarter from Chadron State.

A game the Bengals led 39-13 turned into a closer-than-expected nail-biter. ISU had to recover an onside kick with just over a minute left in the game to preserve its first win of the season.

“Some of it’s luck, some of it’s gamesmanship and some of it is ability,” Kramer said, referring to the Bengals struggles on special teams. “But we have got to stop that. ... Our defense can’t defend plays when they don’t get on the field.”

2.

Keep the running game going. In their first three games, the Bengals averaged 171 yards a game. Last season, ISU ran the ball for 94 yards a game. Since Idaho State offensive coordinator Don Bailey and head coach Mike Kramer installed the spread offense when they took over the ISU football program in 2011, this year’s squad is the best running team they’ve had.

Junior running back Xavier Finney, who has rushed for 385 yards and two touchdowns, is a big reason why.

“He probably takes coaching about as well as any player on our team,” Kramer said. “... Easily one of the most improved players we have in our program. And not just from last year but from the time he’s gotten here. As Xavier continues to grow the best is still ahead for him.”

The biggest reason for ISU’s improvement on the ground, of course, is the offensive line. It’s a group with one lone senior — Jim Bagley — but they’re all returning starters.

The line will be tested against Sacramento State. The Hornets play with four down defensive linemen, and they’re a stout group. Middle linebacker Darnell Sankey leads the Big Sky with 56 tackles.

Sacramento State leads the Big Sky in rushing defense, holding teams to 131 yards a game. The Hornets are well aware of Finney’s success at this point of the season.

“If we expect we’re going to go up there and start arm tackling this (Finney), there’s now way,” said Sac State coach Jody Sears. “We’re not going to bring that guy down with arm tackles. He’ll have another 170-yard day.”

3.

Offensively, Idaho State has to score touchdowns when it drives into the red zone. Defensively, ISU must force the Hornets to kick field goals when they push into the Bengals’ side of the field. Both teams expect to move the ball. Either team can gain an advantage if it can slap six points on the board with a touchdown while forcing the other side to settle for field goals.

“Our philosophy is if you hold a team to field goals they’re not going to beat you with field goals,” said Idaho State co-defensive coordinator Spencer Toone. “Our offense will do a great job and they’ll put points on the board. If we gave up nothing but field goals I would be very, very happy.”

To this point of the season, Sacramento State has scored 11 touchdowns and kicked two field goals in 15 trips into the red zone.

Idaho State is 9 for 11 in the red zone and has punched it in for touchdowns eight times. The Bengals were particularly good against Chadron State, going 6 for 7 in the red zone where ISU quarterback Justin Arias worked with precision and tossed four touchdown passes.

Sacramento State has an answer for the Bengals if they are forced into field goals. Hornets kicker Brad Cornish kicked five field goals against Weber State in Sac’s 42-31 victory.

 Cornish has made more field goals (6) than any other kicker in the Big Sky. ISU’s freshman kicker Zak Johnson is 2 for 5 this season and two field goal attempts have been blocked.