Seiji Wood

Sports Editor

The Idaho State football team has signed 24 student-athletes to its recruiting class on National Signing Day on Feb. 6. The coaching staff has brought in eight players from the state of California, seven from Idaho, three from Nevada and Washington, two from Utah and one from Oregon.

Of the 24 new recruits, there are six defensive backs, five defensive linemen, four offensive linemen, three running backs, two tight ends, one quarterback and one long snapper.

“We have a nice big class that we’re excited to introduce,” said head coach Rob Phenicie. “This concludes almost a year long process. Our staff did a wonderful job identifying players, filling needs, and just getting the guys here.”

The Bengals had 13 seniors finish their career at ISU in 2018 and will need to fill a few key positions on the offensive and defensive side of the ball.

The biggest position to fill is at quarterback. Tanner Gueller has been ISU’s quarterback for the past four years and finished his career ranked first in the ISU record book for most passing touchdowns with 74 and second for passing attempts (1,341), completions (708) and passing yards (9,061).

Idaho State has a lot of depth at quarterback with four players already on the roster plus the addition of new recruit, Sagan Gronauer.

Gronauer is from Faith Lutheran High School in Las Vegas. He was a three-year varsity starter, a two-time all-conference and Offensive MVP in 2017 and 2018 and all-time Faith Lutheran record holder in touchdowns (62), passing yards (6,609) and attempts (875).

“Sagan Gronauer is a good quarterback and he if shows that he’s the best, he’ll play,” Phenicie said. “That’s our rule, best guy plays.”

Other big positions to replace will be the linebackers. The Bengals lost two big pieces in Christian Holland and Paea Moala.

A recruit to possibly replace Holland and Moala in the future is Jojo Sanchez from Nyssa High School in Oregon. Sanchez is a four-year varsity starter, three-time all-conference defensive player and two-time individual state champion in wrestling.

“He’s a guy that wants to be an Idaho State Bengal,” Phenicie said. “He didn’t settle for us. We were his first choice. Other people came in and we remained his first choice.”

A position to gain depth is at running back. The loss of Kieran Yancy and James Madison left the Bengals in need of replacements, especially with Madison carrying most of the load for ISU in the ground game.

Ty Flanagan will more than likely take Madison’s role in the upcoming season but three new recruits should help the Bengals moving forward.

“I like our running backs in that scenario where we need some depth,” Phenicie said. “We’re really short on depth there in terms of what we got.”

Idaho State is building to improve off of an already improved 2018 season. The Bengals finished with a 6-5 record and 5-3 in the Big Sky Conference. That was only the fifth time since 2000 that an ISU football team has finished with a .500 record or better.

The 24 new recruits can hopefully help the momentum for ISU going into the 2019 season.

“Everything we do is for recruiting. This is a real big time place,” Phenicie said. “The image of Idaho State isn’t what we are up here. We’re changing that and we’re getting better…this is a place to go to school, create relationships and play good football.”

Below is the full recruiting list:

Jackson Lightner, 6-5, 220, TE, Bishop Kelly HS, Boise, Idaho
Keithan Gooden, 5-9, 165, DB, Calabasas HS, Calabasas, Calif.
Ja’Maree Boone, 5-10, 161, DB, Narbonne HS, Harbor City, Calif.
Jake McGinnis, 6-1, 288, DL, Gooding HS, Gooding, Idaho
JoJo Sanchez, 5-11, 235, LB, Nyssa HS, Nyssa, Ore.
Sagan Gronauer, 6-1, 200, QB, Faith Lutheran HS, Las Vegas, Nev.
Junior Damuni, 5-11, 180, DB, Ridgeline HS, Providence, Utah
Jacob Angel, 6-7. 300, OL, Jserra Catholic HS, Anaheim, Calif.
Raiden Hunter, 5-10, 190, RB, San Diego HS, San Diego, Calif.
Preston Helwege, 6-7, 220, TE, Odea HS, Seattle, Wash.
Will Vea, 6-3, 270, DL, Eastside Catholic HS, Issaquah, Wash.
Jacob Dimond, 6-7, 295, OL, Yelm HS, Roy, Wash.
Quantraill Morris-Walker, 6-0, 180, DB, Jserra Catholic HS, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.
Malakai Rango, 5-10, 175, RB, Junipero Serra HS, San Mateo, Calif.
Luke Toomalatai, 6-2, 260, DL, Liberty HS, Las Vegas, Nev.
Sam Dawe, 6-3, 280, OL, Spanish Fork HS, Spanish Fork, Utah
Carson Fugleberg, 6-5, 255, OL, Idaho Falls HS, Idaho Falls, Idaho
Nick Larriva, 6-4, 240, DL, Santa Ana HS, Santa Ana, Calif.
Zach Wallace, 6-0, 240, LS, St. Mary’s HS, Stockton, Calif.
Colter May, 5-11, 180, DB, Minico HS, Heyburn, Idaho
Mason Harwood, 6-3, 245, DL, Minico HS, Burley, Idaho
Quad Renfro, 6-1, 185, DB, Horseshoe Bend HS, Horseshoe Bend, Idaho
Cruz Littlefield, 6-0, 225, LB, Las Vegas HS, Las Vegas, Nev.
Jordan Neuerburg, 5-11, 185, RB, Hillcrest HS, Idaho Falls, Idaho