Game day: Idaho State at No. 12 Montana State

Game day coverage of Idaho State's game at Montana State

FEATURE STORY
Kramer's comeback: ISU visits Montana State and the stakes couldn't be higher — for the Bengals or their coach

GAME PREVIEW
Bengals head north with Big Sky title at stake

MORE COVERAGE
An article previewing the game from the Bozeman Daily Chronicle ... Up to the challenge

MISS any of the Journal's ISU football coverage this week? ...

5 questions for the Bobcats (a must read, Bengal fans)

Idaho State prepares for the elements at Montana State (video)

ISU football notebook: An ‘embarrassment’ Cal Poly isn’t ranked

Bengals' winning streak not enough to break into polls


TODAY’S CRUCIAL MATCHUP
Idaho State’s defense vs Montana State QB Dakota Prukop
Idaho State coach Mike Kramer always believed he would be able to turn the football program around.

“We talked about this in May. We said we have a great offensive line and an outstanding quarterback and an outstanding running back,” Kramer said. “In fact, the numbers we had last year proved that we were going to be pretty good on offense.”

But Kramer didn’t know if the defense would be good enough for the Bengals to challenge for a Big Sky title.
Early in the season, it wasn’t. Chadron State — aided by a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown — scored 21 straight points in the fourth quarter to turn a Bengal blowout into a tight 39-34 ISU victory. Eastern Washington rolled to 56 points and 617 total yards of offense in a 56-53 win over Idaho State.

The main culprit of ISU’s struggles? Tackling. The Bengals start and end every team meeting emphasizing the importance of tackling. Kramer calls it a “team-wide issue.”

Since the loss to EWU, Idaho State has played better by forcing turnovers, getting after the quarterback and, yes, tackling better.

ISU will need to be at its best against Montana State and quarterback Dakota Prukop.

Like Idaho State’s Justin Arias, Prukop is on the Walter Payton Award Watch List. The sophomore has 3,211 total yards and leads an offense that has rushed for at least 270 yards in five straight games.

“Dakota Prukop, no matter what play is called, run or pass, he has the option to make the play himself,” said ISU co-defensive coordinator Roger Cooper. “They spread you thin in the run game because you have to be sound in everything you do. ... Dakota, he’s a difference maker.”

IDAHO STATE KEYS TO SUCCESS
1
Embrace the cold. Neither Idaho State nor Montana State is willing to admit that weather could have an impact on today’s game. But it’s hard to imagine that a projected high of 8 degrees doesn’t have the potential to have some kind of effect.

“They have to play in it. We have to play in it. It’s not a factor,” said Idaho State offensive coordinator Don Bailey.
Bengals co-defensive coordinator Roger Cooper said: “I don’t think it will affect anyone too much. We haven’t really talked about it.”

But the Bengals have made sure to prepare for it.

Kramer Tweeted on Thursday that there is “no such thing as bad weather...only bad clothing.”

Leading up to the game several Pocatello businesses have approached Idaho State and asked what they can do to help fortify the Bengals for the wintry conditions.

“That’s one of the things that’s changed a lot for us,” said Idaho State equipment manager Tyson Munns. “People are coming out and just getting excited about everything we’re doing here.”

In reality, though, it doesn’t matter how many space heaters the Bengals have along the sideline. They have to deal with the biting cold for several hours and not let it affect how they execute. It comes down to one thing.

Who wants it more?

2
ISU’s offense has to find itself again. It may not be fair to demand Idaho State play better than it has in the past couple weeks after scoring 31 and 30 points, respectively. But for Idaho State to win its third straight game on the road, 31 points might not be enough.

“It really just comes down to us executing,” said ISU quarterback Justin Arias. “We had some missed opportunities last Saturday. We could have scored even more points and we probably should have. It just comes down to us making those big plays.”

The Bengals have averaged 5.5 yards per play the previous two weeks. That pales in comparison to the 7.3 yards Idaho State was picking up per play against Northern Colorado and Southern Utah.

As Arias indicated, the Bengals don’t believe their production has lagged because of who they’ve played. ISU’s offensive system is predicated on taking advantage of whatever the opposing defense is willing to give up.

“We’re pretty balanced in our approach,” said Idaho State offensive coordinator Don Bailey. “It’s a challenge for them to predict what we’re going to do next. ... Pick your poison, so to speak, of what are you going to give up. We don’t really skew far from that.”

For the Bengals it just comes down to playing better, and Montana State could be the team that allows them to do that. MSU is ninth in the Big Sky in scoring defense and has been vulnerable to both the run and pass.

3
Special teams. Simply put, Idaho State would not have beaten Cal Poly if placekicker Zak Johnson or punter C.J. Reyes didn’t execute as well as they did.

Johnson made all three of his field goal attempts and Reyes averaged 40.5 yards a punt. More importantly, Reyes pinned Cal Poly inside its own 20 on three separate punts. In the decisive fourth quarter, Idaho State’s average starting field position was its own 46-yard line. The Mustangs, meanwhile, started drives at their 9, the 44, the 26 and the 10.

The fact special teams turned out to be a net positive for Idaho State is a far cry from how the Bengals have played for most of the season. ISU coach Mike Kramer wants to see the same kind of performance at Montana State.

While it is supposed to be cold at Bobcat Stadium, only a light wind is expected. It’s up to Johnson and Reyes to figure out how to kick effectively in freezing temperatures.

Kramer is confident in their abilities.

“Those two kickers will be a definitive, positive impact for us,” he said.