This week's two-deep

Really, read Brad's post first, but he asked about the offensive line....well, sounds like he's not the only one asking, because ISU is switching three spots around. Lance Cartwright is out for this week, and Braeden Clayson is moving to his guard spot, and Travis Nua will start for Brad Shedd. Also, Demetrius Grant will start at left tackle.

Also a part of the running game, Clint Knickrehm is out with an injury, and possibly Ben Laporta as well. The two deep right now shows the running backs as Laporta OR Jordan Scott OR Skylar Morgan. This reminds me of 2004 when ISU struggled running the ball a bit, and Josh Barnett was pulled off his redshirt after four games and led the team in rushing. Might Morgan get pulled as well? It's gonna depend on the health of the other guys.

Also, the punt return slot has three listed....Stew Tracy, JD Ponciano, or Andrew Benavides. Practice should be interesting this week, but folks sort of need to remember who we've played. Also, um....Central is no slouch...they are ranked #5 in Division II.

Pos.    #    Player    Ht    Wt.    Cl.

QB    8    Kyle Blum    6-2    197    Jr

    17    Russel Hill    5-11    192    Jr

    10     Evan Mozzochi    6-4    230    So

WR    1    Jaron Taylor    5-11    178    Sr

    84    Roderick Rumble    6-2    193    Fr

WR    18    Kelvin Krosch    6-5    221    So

-or-    6    Isaiah Burel    6-2    183    Jr

WR    9    JD Ponciano    5-9    183    Sr

    82    Andrew Benavides    5-7    167    Fr

TE    88    Josh Hill    6-5    227    Fr

    83    Bryant Ward    6-2    228    Fr

RB    31    Ben Laporta    5-7    195    Fr

-or-    4    Jordan Scott    5-10    199    Jr

-or-    37    Skylar Morgan    5-8    185    Fr

FB    83    Bryant Ward    6-2    228    Fr

    54    Jarrid Nash    5-11    242    Jr

LT    70    Travis Nua    6-2    300    Jr

    56    Mark Clampitt    6-2    261    Fr

LG    76    Braeden Clayson    6-6    301    So

    64    Brad Curtis    6-5    272    Fr

 C    75    Ryan Henry    6-2    283    Sr

    67    Nick Tranmer    6-0    267    Jr

RG    66    Mitch Rudder    6-3    300    Jr

    76    Braeden Clayson    6-6    301    So

RT    77    Demetrius Grant    6-4    285    Jr

    79    Brad Shedd    6-7    274    So

Defense

Pos.    #    Player    Ht    Wt.    Cl.

DE     48    Jeff Tuua    6-2    250    Jr

    97    Rustin Phillips    6-2    237    Jr

NT    98    Demetrius Amos    6-1    317    Sr

    93    David Tyler    6-2    275    So

DT    95    Chad O’Donnell    6-2    260    Jr

    99    Jason Jones    6-0    290    Sr

DE    50    Sean Rutten    6-2    238    Jr

    45    Jake Rouser    6-4    233    Fr

SLB    20    Daniel Urias    6-1    224    Sr

    54    Jarrid Nash    5-11    242    Jr

MLB     52    Phillip Arias    6-1    213    Jr

    36    Nic Edgson    6-0    224    Sr

WLB    30    A.J. Storms    6-0    215    So

    35    J.T. Albers    5-11    225    So

CB    2    Keith McGowan    5-9    185    Jr

    23     George Ortiz    5-10    178    Sr

FS    21    Chris Holmesly    5-9    193    Jr

    24    Phillip Pleasant    5-11    193    Fr

SS    27    Dustin Tew    6-1    196    Jr

    25    Amir Owens    5-9    204    Sr

CB    7    Michael Wright    5-10    179    Sr

    34    Cameron Gupton    5-8    175    Fr

Special Teams

Pos.    #    Player    Ht    Wt.    Cl.

PK    16    Jarrett Huk    6-1    177    Sr

    39    Brendon Garcia    5-9    144    Fr

KO    16    Jarrett Huk    6-1    177    Sr

    39    Brendon Garcia    5-9    144    Fr

    43    Jon Vanderwielen     6-3    220    Sr

P    43    Jon Vanderwielen     6-3    220    Sr

    16    Jarrett Huk    6-1    177    Sr

H    8    Kyle Blum    6-2    197    Jr

    17    Russel Hill    5-11    192    Jr

KR    9    JD Ponciano    5-9    183    Sr

    2    Keith McGowan    5-9    185    Jr

    82    Andrew Benavides    5-7    167    Fr

PR    46    Stew Tracy    5-10    185    So

-or-    9    JD Ponciano    5-9    183    Sr

-or-    82    Andrew Benavides    5-7    167    Fr

SN-FG    79    Brad Shedd    6-7    275    Fr

    71    Lance Cartwright    6-6    295    Sr

SN-P    85    Clint Brock    6-3    245    Fr

    20    Daniel Urias    6-1    224    Sr

    74    Erik Jacobson    6-5    247    Fr





Frank

Looking Ahead No. 2: Oklahoma

As I prepared to write this preview of the Idaho State-Oklahoma football game coming up Sept. 12 in Norman, I struggled for a way to really put the enormity of this mismatch into context. I honestly couldn't come up with one fact or statement that captured it all, so I offer a series of bullets that will hopefully give you a flavor for what the Bengals are up against:

Oklahoma will be led by Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Sam Bradford (above), who, in his two seasons at the Sooner helm, has thrown for 86 touchdowns (against only 16 interceptions), and over 7,800 yards. Idaho State has never taken the field against a Heisman Trophy winner -- or as accomplished a quarterback as Bradford.

The Sooners will field two 1,000-yard rushers in DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown, who are rated the Nos. 2 and 6 best backs in the country, respectively, by the esteemed college football analyst Phil Steele. ISU, by contrast, returns one back (Clint Knickrehm) who has ever recorded a carry in college football. The Poky High graduate ran for 456 yards last year.

According to Steele's national position rankings, the Sooners have the best quarterback, two of the top 10 runningbacks, the best tight end, two of the top 35 defensive ends, two of the top 11 defensive tackles, and one of the 15 best linebackers in college football. Idaho State, meanwhile, returns no one who even made second team all-Big Sky Conference last year.

Most NFL draft pundits figure the Sooners will have at least four first-round picks come next April: Bradford, Murray, tight end Jermaine Gresham and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy. Idaho State has never had a No. 1 draft pick and hasn't had anybody taken in the NFL draft at all since Jared Allen was selected in the fourth round by Kansas City in 2004.

Finally, here's a little off-the-field nugget to chew on: according to figures that Idaho State submitted to the State Board of Education in February, ISU football generated $196,636 in ticket sales for all of the 2008 season. Oklahoma, which routinely sells out its 82,000-seat stadium, sells 71,000 season tickets to the general public every year, at $375 a pop -- that's over $26 million in revenue.

Clearly, Oklahoma, with its seven national championships, five Heisman Trophy winners and stable of All-American, draft-worthy stars will be the most-storied, most-talented opponent Idaho State has ever faced. And unfortunately, this version of the Bengals is right in the midst of a painful rebuilding project that features little proven talent, even at the FCS level, four wins over the last two seasons, and no road wins since 2006.


So, why, you ask, are the Bengals subjecting themselves to this? Well, the half a million dollars Oklahoma will pay Idaho State to show up will repesent about one-fourteenth of Idaho State's athletic revenues for the upcoming fiscal year. That one pay-day will be the fourth single largest source of income for ISU's athletics department this coming fiscal year, behind only state support, student fees and, just barely, advertising and sponsorships, according to the figures ISU submitted to the board.

Back-to-back games against Arizona State and the Sooners to open the 2009 season is hardly what ISU administrators and coaches wanted, particularly in light of the way the program has struggled in recent seasons. But when the athletic department was handed a 12 percent budget reduction for the upcoming fiscal year, interim Athletic Director Jeff Tingey could no longer turn his back to Oklahoma's cash. The good news, if there is any in all this, is that ISU can try to sell recruits on big-name opponents, and the players will get the experience of a lifetime competing against all-American talent in a revered college football venue. The potential bad news -- injuries and an embarrassing blow-out on the national stage, go without saying.

Here's hoping the economy and Idaho State's football program can both improve enough that the Bengals can avoid such mismatches in the future, or least be better prepared for them when they come around.

--Brad B.

It ain't always easy being a Bengal, but it's always fun.