Jerry Miller
Bengal Adviser
It may seem unusual to compare the game of football to boxing, but that’s what we’ll do in this two part feature of the running backs, zeroing in on two guys who make up a potentially deadly combination for Idaho State University whenever the Bengals take the field.
There’s no doubt the “haymaker” punch for ISU football is its passing game, made possible by a strong physical core on the offensive line that allows talented quarterbacks to deliver both short and long-range “punches” to an incredibly talented group of receivers. Of course, the group was revealed as human in its 34-14 home loss to Portland State and a 52-0 shutout to cross-state powerhouse Boise State.
But when the Bengals move in for a close, physical exchange, their “1-2 punch combination” of running backs Xavier Finney and Jakori Ford can be hard to beat. Finney is a senior from California that just happened to lead the Big Sky Conference in rushing last season, despite being hampered by injuries late in the season. Ford, on the other hand, burst onto the ISU scene last season, leaving an indelible impression on Bengal fans when he gained 144 yards and scored two touchdowns on just three carries against Simon Fraser.
In these features we’ll attempt to answer a question made famous in the movie “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” as Butch and Sundance were being relentlessly pursued by Pinkerton Agents after they had robbed a train; “Who are those guys?”
Xavier Finney, or “X” as he’s called by his teammates, grew up in Southern California, playing his first football at age seven in a Pop Warner League. He says he’s known it would be a big part of his life ever since.
“The game grew on me. I grew a love for the game, and I always expected to be in college playing the game, so to be here today is an honor. It’s really special to me, and I love the experience.”
While a lot of moms might hesitate to let their boys play such a rough sport, Finney says his mother is actually the one who first signed him up to play, and she’s been his biggest fan ever since.
“It’s wonderful. She’s so supportive of me. She’s always there for me.”
He says she only missed two of all the games he ever played, at least until he came to ISU. “She’s a wonderful woman, a hard worker and I really enjoy her and love her.”
Pretty tender words from a young man who will knock you down flat if you get in his way after he’s handed the football.
When he’s not at ISU, Finney loves spending time with his family back in California, especially his nieces and nephews.
Most people think every football player has a dream to make it in the National Football League, and X says that would be cool, but it’s not what he wants to do for a career. This young man envisions “lining up” others so to speak for a career.
“I want to be a photographer. I want to do a lot of freelance work in the San Diego and L. A. area, and hopefully, eventually, I want to get into wedding photography.”
Finney says it’s also kind of interesting how he decided that’s what he wanted to be, which was through Instagram.
“I’ve seen a couple of photographers on that and I’ve really grown to love their work.”
He says he’s really excited to start building his portfolio with work he’s doing in photography classes in school.
One other thing you have to admire about Finney is his optimism and enthusiasm. Those attitudes helped him decide to come to Idaho State, even when he knew the program hadn’t been winning for years. He says when Head Coach Mike Kramer and Don Bailey, the offensive coordinator at the time, came to his house and offered him a scholarship he was very honored and excited.
“They talked to me about changing the program around, and I actually believed the things they were saying and telling me. I came into the program believing what they were telling me, and being coachable.”
He says that players buying into what they were told was a great tribute to Coach Kramer, Bailey and the entire coaching staff, and they’ve done what they promised. It’s not all rainbows and roses, though.
He adds the toughest part of coming to Pocatello was missing his family that he loves so much, but that pain is softened by the amazing friends he’s made here at ISU that makes it all worthwhile.
Finney led the Big Sky in rushing in 2014, but he paid a price for doing so. By the end of the season he had carried the ball so many times that his body eventually wore down, and he suffered a late-season shoulder injury that forced him to the bench early in the last game of the year at Montana State, holding him to just one carry against Weber State in the final game of the year.
He says he’s worked extra hard on conditioning this year in an effort to become more durable. The coaches also understand how valuable it is that X is healthy during the latter stages of the 2015 season. Coach Kramer played him only about a quarter-and-a-half in the season-opener at home vs. Black Hills State and he gained 87 yards vs. Portland State, which could have been more, but the Bengals had to throw the ball in order to try and come from behind.
The situation in game one, of course, opened the door of opportunity for the “2” in ISU’s “1-2 Punch” at running back, Jakori Ford.
–The October 7 edition of “The Bengal” will include part two of the running back features, highlighting Jakori Ford–
