Bengals snag Rigby defensive lineman

Rigby High School senior Tristan Cano committed Wednesday to play football for Idaho State.

The 6-foot-3, 240-pound defensive end said ISU assistant coach Matt Troxel visited Rigby High to offer the scholarship. Cano chose the Bengals over full-ride offers from NAIA schools Montana Tech and Montana Western. He had also spoken to coaches from Weber State and Montana.

“I really love the program,” Cano said of ISU. “I like (Idaho State coach Mike) Kramer a lot. I like what he's done.”

Cano was a three-year starter along the defensive line for the Trojans and also anchored the offensive line at right tackle for two years as Rigby experienced a football renaissance.

The Trojans reached the state semifinals in 2014 for the first time since 1999. Cano was right in the middle of everything.

“For me, I love being physical,” Cano said. “The offensive line is fun and you get to hit people. But it's different along the D-line. You get to be the aggressor.”

Cano’s older brother is former BYU defensive lineman JonRyheem Peoples, who Cano says will also play for Idaho State in 2015. Peoples signed with BYU out of high school in 2013 but decided to transfer to ISU after spending his redshirt freshman season with the Cougars.

Cano can already envision getting back on the field with his brother.

“It was fun to play football in high school with him, and it's going to be great to play together in college,” Cano said. “But it wasn't my main focus.”

Instead, Cano wanted to pick the best spot for him. ISU fit the bill.

“Who doesn’t want to go and play Division I football?” Cano said. “Not to take anything away from the (NAIA) Montana schools but it's always been my dream to play Division I football.”