Sept. 22, 2009

Complete Release in PDF Format

Pocatello, ID --- While everyone understands that football games are about the players, forgive the masses if Idaho State's home opener against Central Washington is also a little more about the coaches than normal. The Bengals take on the #5 Wildcats at 3:35 in Holt Arena in a game chock full of story lines as ISU head coach John Zamberlin faces off against his former team.

Zamberlin coached at Central Washington for 10 seasons, and ISU assistants Drew Miller, Brian Jensen, Brian Strandley, and Brandon "Cherokee" Valeria also spent time as assistants there. Jensen and Valeria also played at Central Washington as well. On the flip side, Central's head coach Blaine Bennett was Idaho State's offensive coordinator, albeit for just one day in the 2001-02 off-season, when he was named quarterbacks coach at Purdue the day after it was announced he had been hired at Idaho Satte. Also, Central's defensive coordinator Joe Lorig was an assistant for eight years at Idaho Satte, including several years as the defensive coordinator, and linebackers coach Stacy Collins spent two years at ISU in the same capacity as well.

The Bengals enter the game 0-3 on the season and 0-1 in the Big Sky Conference, having played arguably the nation's toughest schedule to this point, doesn't see it get any easier with the nation's fifth-ranked team in Division II entering Holt Arena. The Wildcats are 4-0 this season, and have allowed just 30 points. So far Idaho State has faced off against undefeated Arizona State, #10 Oklahoma who lost in the BSC Championship game last year, and #11 Weber State. ISU hosts #20 Eastern Washington next week.

The game will be available on The Bengal Radio Network, which is flagshipped at ESPN Radio 930 AM KSEI in Pocatello and KRXK 1230 AM in Idaho Falls. The Bengal Radio Network also contains stations in Idaho Falls (KGTM 98.1 FM) and Twin Falls (KTFI AM 1270 AM). The game will also be available on www.bigskytv.org, and fans are encouraged to sign up for the free registration on Friday night during ISU's volleyball match to make sure everything is compatible with their computers. It takes literally minutes to register for the free online feed.

This season, parking at Holt Arena costs $5 per car. All members of the Bengal Foundation should have received their parking passes which will get them into the lot for free for all five games, as well as all basketball games. Those who have not received their Bengal Foundation parking pass are asked to contact the Bengal Foundation office at 208-282-2397.