Denim Millward
Sports Editor
To whomever wins the starting quarterback job for the Idaho State Bengals next year, don’t worry: Brian Griese knows how you feel.
To those of you precluded from recalling this name due to age, a lack of in-depth sports knowledge or both, Griese had the unenviable task of taking the reins as starting quarterback of the Denver Broncos from the legendary John Elway.
The Hall-of-Fame quarterback had been the signal caller for the Broncos since the early ‘80s and had just won the first two Super Bowls for the Broncos after the first four attempts had failed. Elway decided to ride off into the sunset on top after leading Denver to a 34-19 shellacking of the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXII, winning Super Bowl MVP honors along the way.
An unexperienced rookie, Griese struggled, leading the Broncos to a disappointing 6-10.
Is the same fate in store for Justin Arias’ replacement?
The Elway-Arias comparison is certainly hyperbolic but many of the same challenges and questions that faced Griese will be posed to Arias’ heir-apparent.
With Arias at the helm, the Idaho State football team at last bore the fruit of head football coach Mike Kramer’s labor this season, notching the Bengals’ first winning season in over a decade and shattering just about every single-season offensive team record along the way.
Arias’ performance was so impressive, he was named a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, which is awarded to the most outstanding football player in the FCS division.
In other words, Arias had a pretty good season.
The question of who will be replacing Arias is an interesting one in its own right.
As of the weekend of Dec. 14, the Bengals have three quarterbacks on the roster other than Arias: redshirt freshmen Trae Pilster and James Delacenserie and true freshman Tanner Gueller.
All three quarterbacks will head into next season still relatively wet behind the ears.
Only Delacenserie saw any playing time this season, and his ten pass attempts that gained 60 yards hardly comprise a sample size from which his worthiness to take over as the starter of the team can be judged.
For what it’s worth, the Park City, Utah native seems to be the clubhouse leader at the moment to assume play-calling duties next season by virtue of this experience, as well as the fact he’s the most tenured quarterback with Idaho State who is on scholarship.
Pilster, who played high school football 20 miles north of Pocatello for Blackfoot High School, walked on.
Delacenserie is far from being a lock for the job, however.
In fact, the starting quarterback for next season may not even be on Idaho State’s radar at the moment, let alone their roster.
In the fluid world of collegiate football, quarterbacks are arguably the position that transfers most often.
Idaho State has benefitted from one such transfer in the past.
Matt Gutierrez, at one time tabbed by then-coach Lloyd Carr to be the starter at the boasted University of Michigan, transferred to Idaho State in 2006 after a shoulder injury put an end to his starting career at Michigan before it began.
One such name has already been linked to Idaho State, albeit to a number of other FCS schools as well.
University of Idaho sophomore quarterback Chad Chalich asked for and was granted his release from the Vandal program and was given permission to talk to Idaho State about potentially transferring, according to the Moscow-Pullman Daily News.
Chalich was also given permission to talk to Sacramento State and Montana, and is rumored to be leaning towards Montana, according to the report in the Daily News.
Though Arias’ replacement will immediately be saddled with tremendous responsibilities, he’ll also be coming into an ideal situation for a new quarterback.
Running back Xavier Finney and wide receiver Madison Mangum, both key cogs of the Idaho State offense and tremendous performers last season, will be returning for their senior seasons.
The resurgence of the football program and subsequent renewed fan interest, which can be clearly seen in this season’s attendance numbers, combined with the complement of weapons the new quarterback will have at his disposal actually makes the position at Idaho State an attractive one.
