Denim Millward
Sports Editor
Former Idaho State University football offensive coordinator Don Bailey left some large shoes to fill when he departed ISU for the sunny shores of Hawai’i earlier this month.
Following Bailey’s departure to accept the offensive coordinator position for renowned Hawai’i head football coach Norm Chow, Bengal head football coach Mike Kramer wasted little time in naming Bailey’s replacement as well as a defensive coordinator.
February 17, Kramer announced the promotion of Sheldon Cross from outside wide receiver coach to offensive coordinator, as well as the promotion of Spencer Toone from co-defensive coordinator to defensive coordinator.
While attempting to replicate the record-setting results of Bailey’s offensive unit figures to be a tall order, Cross will have the benefit of nine returning starters.
“In 2010, I had a chance to work with Coach Kramer at Washington State,” Cross said to ISU Sports Information. “I felt like every day was an interview. He never said it but he was always asking me questions about quarterback play and offense. I always wondered why he was asking a lot of questions. It is exciting to finally be in this situation.”
Cross, who is entering his third year on Kramer’s coaching staff at Idaho State, voiced his appreciation for the departing Bailey.
“Having a chance to work with coach Bailey has been awesome,” Cross told ISU Sports Information. “As you can see he is moving on because he is an awesome offensive coordinator. The quarterback play and [play calling] with coach Bailey has been phenomenal. The main thing is to continue the success we have had. The standard is not going to change.”
On the defensive side of things, Toone’s promotion comes as more of a coaching staff realignment as opposed to filling the role of a departing coach.
There was no official defensive coordinator listed for the Bengals for the 2014 season.
While Toone’s defensive squad returns just six starters as opposed to Cross’s nine, Toone expressed similar optimism and enthusiasm with his new position.
“We will continue to build on what we have been doing and the success we have had,” Toone said to ISU Sports Information. “We will implement some new things in the spring that will be beneficial.”
Two other coaching title changes were made in response to the promotions of Cross and Toone.
Offensive line coach Matt Troxel has been named assistant head coach for the offense.
Despite the new title, Troxel will continue to coach the offensive line.
Roger Cooper, who coached linebackers last year, will remain the linebackers coach but also was given the title assistant head coach for the defense.
A Tacoma, Washington native, Cross joined Kramer’s staff in 2013 after spending the 2012 season coaching the tight ends and halfbacks for Illinois State.
While with the Redbirds, Cross helped the team to its first playoff appearance since 2006, while compiling a 9-4 record and averaging 30 points a game.
Prior to his time with Illinois State, Cross was the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach at NCAA Division II New Mexico-Highlands in 2011.
Cross guided the Cowboys to their first 4-0 record since 1968 and averaged 46 points per game over the course of the first four games, when injuries to his starting quarterback derailed the season.
Cross is a graduate of Stadium High School in Tacoma, and received his bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2004 from Peru State.
Toone is a Blackfoot, Idaho native and graduate of Snake River high school, where he won back-to-back state championships in 1997 and 1998.
Following playing football at Ricks College and serving an LDS mission to Australia from 2000-2002, Toone played football at the University of Utah, where he was a three-year starter.
Toone earned all-Mountain West first-team honors in 2005 and tied for the conference lead in tackles.
Toone was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft, where he played professional football for two years.
Prior to coming to Idaho State in 2013, Toone was a defensive graduate assistant at Utah State under new Oregon State head coach and then-Utah State head coach Gary Anderson.
