Denim Millward

Sports Editor

The man whom many credit for Idaho State football’s resurgent season will be sticking around for a while.

Director of Athletics Jeff Tingey, alongside Bengal head football coach Mike Kramer, announced during a press conference Wednesday, Oct. 15 that Kramer had been signed to a three-year extension.

“Coach Kramer took over our football program at a very tough time,” Tingey said at the press conference.  “Now we are beginning to see the fruits of Coach Kramer’s vision for Idaho State football on the field.  I believe in him and his vision for the program.”

Tingey cited not only the on-field improvement but also the marked academic progress the team has made under Kramer’s watch. 

Kramer took over a Bengal squad in 2010 that was under APR penalties due to grade point averages on the team being too low. In five of the last six semesters, the team has boasted a 3.0 GPA or better and has posted APR scores of 975 and 1,000 in the past two years, respectively.

“It’s been a very interesting sojourn to this point,” Kramer said at the press conference.  “I am proud of our accomplishments to this point and I look forward to being able to continue to strive toward the goals that everybody at this university has and should have.”

In his first game since signing the extension, Kramer’s high-octane offense continued to produce at a torrid pace, compiling 670 yards of total offense in a 56-28 defeat of conference foe Southern Utah on Saturday, Oct. 18 in Holt Arena. 

The win against Southern Utah put ISU Football’s record at 4-3 overall, and 2-1 in the Big Sky Conference.