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Bengal Beat SEP T E MB E R 2 01 5
ISU football notes: Mitchell hears all the right words in a meeting with Kramer BY KYLE FRANKO kfranko@ journalnet.com @ByKyleFranko POCATELLO — Braeden Mitchell arrived at Idaho State’s practice Monday and was told coach needed to see him. So he wandered into Mike Kramer’s office in Holt Arena and closed the door. It’s not always a good thing to go see the head coach for a one-onone meeting. But rather than hearing about something he did wrong, Mitchell received some of the best news he’s ever heard. In just a few sentences, Kramer informed the former Skyline High School standout he hadn’t wasted three years of his life. His work and dedication was paying off. Kramer let Mitchell know he was getting a football scholarship after walking onto the team in 2012. It was a sweet moment for a running back with a career 23 rushing yards. “To finally be rewarded by Coach Kramer is a huge accomplishment for me,” Mitchell said Tuesday after practice. “I’m glad I get to help my parents out now. It was kind of hard on them supporting me. But I’m glad I can return the favor now and help them out a little bit. It’s a huge accomplishment.” On a team full of offensive superstars, Mitchell is a role player. The kind of guy who isn’t there for personal goals or to bask in
the limelight. Mitchell plays on special teams and does everything he can to help the Bengals prepare during the week for an upcoming opponent. He’s exactly what they need. Kramer decided it was time to recognize it. “Braeden is a frontline player on our kick teams,” Kramer said. “He’s stood the test of time. He’s done everything I’ve asked. Because he’s on the field so much, a guy needs to be paid.” Later, Kramer got to the heart of why he’s behind Mitchell — “I love the kid because he never whines or cries.” As a senior at Skyline, Mitchell played all over the field for the Grizzlies. He has 53 catches for 817 yards and seven touchdowns and added another 557 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground. In the Emotion Bowl — Skyline’s game versus archrival Idaho Falls — Mitchell set a record with five touchdowns on the ground. Despite his production, his options after college were limited. He had chances to play for some NAIA schools in the Frontier Conference and a couple Division III programs back east. ISU was the lone Division I team to step forward. Not with a scholarship, but an offer. He could be a preferred walk-on. “I jumped all over it,” 701 Mitchell said. “A bit of a
risk but it’s paying off now. I have no regrets. It’s been awesome being here. It’s always been a childhood dream to play Division I. So I love it.” FRESHMAN FINDING HIS SPOT Linebacker Kody Graves moved to outside linebacker Monday, and it looks like the freshman is going to stay there. Kody is the third Graves brother to join ISU’s roster. Tyler Graves is a tight end and Hagen Graves is a wide receiver. A season ago, Hagen played at wideout as a true freshman, and Kody is expected to make a similar impact on the other side of the ball. “He has risen in our depth chart and is not on redshirt alert,” Kramer said. “We’re going to actually burn his shirt and he’s going to play.” Kody is senior CJ Langlow’s backup at the Sam linebacker spot. Langlow incurred bigger role in Idaho State’s defense after Mario Jenkins’ season-ending injury. Langlow shifts from outside to inside linebacker in ISU’s nickel defense. Kody added depth to a position that suddenly needed it.
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A Bridge Too Far By Martin Hackworth
Every once in a while an item appears in the news that is so dumfounding, so spectacularly indicative of arrogance and tone deafness, that it screams, “What were they thinking?” We do not, at the moment, have to look too far for such a pearl. Last Tuesday the Journal revealed the details of a proposal by ISU administrators to purchase a 6,000-squarefoot home on 5 acres of land a half a dozen or so miles south of ISU, in the Gibson Jack area, for $560,000. If eventually approved for purchase by the State Board of Education, this property would serve as ISU’s new presidential residence. The current presidential residence, Servel House, located in the historic University District just a few blocks from ISU, would be put up for sale. My favorite part of all this? The cost over and above the $560,000 cost of purchase of making this home suitable for the president’s needs, about $100,000 for internet, security, etc., happens to exceed the entire cost of my home, similarly situated on five acres on the outskirts of town. I suspect that I am not the only person in our community in similar circumstances. It is noteworthy that the Journal obtained the on-therecord information concerning all of this from the SBOE, not ISU. When initially asked for a response from ISU officials, it was “No comment.” Because this became public before the SBOE’s upcoming meeting, ISU officials have been pressured to respond with something a bit
more edifying. Lacking that, we got this: “Idaho State University officials have determined that, although the business proposal is solid, the property proposal under consideration needs additional research and review. As a result, ISU won’t be going forward with the proposal to the State Board of Education on Monday; however, the needs related to the important university functions held at the current facility still exist.” So let me see if I’ve got this straight. You have a business proposal, public business that involves more than a half million dollars of taxpayer money, quietly pending before the SBOE. This proposal is alleged to be highly beneficial to ISU and absolutely solid. Yet despite this veritable cornucopia of goodness, all it rates is a “no comment” when it’s still on the down low. Then when everything is revealed, and the proponents have all of the opportunity in the world to allay any misgivings and educate everyone of the benefits, the proposal is withdrawn. I don’t know that we are all on the same page when it comes to the meaning of “solid.” The fact of the matter is that, at least in my opinion, this is a pretty terrible idea. Without regard to the individuals involved, a proposal like this is a tough sell – especially in the current environment of cutting back. Something like this would likely be a dicey proposition for even muchrevered figures in much better circumstances. But in all honesty, that’s not what we have here, is it? This proposal comes from
the same folks who’ve relentlessly insisted on the necessity of saving ISU from dire financial straits by having everyone else suck it up. They’ve let go faculty, eliminated programs, reduced services, seized a portion of faculty-generated grant monies, micromanaged everything at ISU in the most heavy-handed manner possible and tagged students with fees that have risen well in excess of reason. These are the same folks who, in a time of downsizing, invested millions in a research institute that has produced next to nothing. The same folks who’ve managed to alienate students, faculty, alumni and a large chunk of the community with clearly evident disdain. The same folks whose previous solid proposals have run off students, faculty, staff and donors in droves. I’m just not feeling the love. At least not solidly. The way that one sells a proposal that is truly solid, albeit unpopular, is to be up front with it. If it were my responsibility to have done this, I would have started with an open house and public tour of Servel, followed by a public forum where the pros and cons of the proposed purchase and sale would have been discussed, in public. I would have dealt openly with the issue of why one of the most well-compensated individuals in our community, who already gets a free house that is much better than those occupied by 95% of the rest of us, needs a better free house. There is actually a case, albeit questionable, to be made for this. ISU failed to even try until it was
too late. Damage control? According to ISU officials, “A committee consisting of representatives from the university’s alumni, faculty, staff, students, as well as community leaders will be assisting with the public process and discussion of the possible solutions that would best fulfill the needs of the university.” I wonder if this committee will be assembled in a manner that produces a group of sycophants similar to what passes for the current Faculty Senate at ISU? Nothing speaks to the solidness of a proposal quite like insisting on the best persons of yes that you can find to give it a go. I’ve spent years trying to figure out the current administration at ISU. I’ve always thought that there has to be something about these folks, some redeeming quality, that I’m just not smart enough to get. Perhaps, despite intentions, they are either just too tone deaf, too self-absorbed, too in over their heads, or simply not understanding enough of their roles as public officials to fully comprehend the ramifications of their actions. I guess that we all know the answer to this now. It’s all of the above. Associated Press and Idaho Press Club award-winning columnist Martin Hackworth of Pocatello is a physicist and the editor of MotorcycleJazz.com.
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ISU explains contract extensions BY KYLE FRANKO kfranko@journalnet.com @ goodfranks Not too long ago, Idaho State’s Director of Athletics Jeff Tingey had a phone call from a concerned parent. Her daughter had just signed to play basketball for Idaho State and Seton Soblolewski. The parent knew Soblolewski was entering the final year of his contract. She asked Tingey, “Are you getting rid of him?” Just this past season, Sobolewski became Idaho State’s all-time winningest coach in women’s basketball. In six seasons, Sobolewski has gone 54-40 in the Big Sky Conference and 100-85 overall, surpassing Jon Newlee, who left ISU with 93 career victories after six seasons. At the time that parent called, Tingey had not felt pressure to extend Sobolewski’s contract. “A parent calls and I know it’s an issue,” Tingey said. Idaho State went about extending Sobolewski’s deal, while also adding three more years to men’s basketball coach Bill Evans’ contract and giving a new three-year deal to volleyball coach Chad Teichert. The Idaho State Board of Education approved all three contracts during a meeting June 19 in Idaho Falls. There were two factors driving Tingey’s decision to negotiate contracts with all three coaches. First, Tingey believes all three sports are in a good position. The women’s bas-
ketball team is two years removed from a Big Sky championship and has qualified for the postseason tournament in each of Sobolewski’s six seasons. Teichert and the Bengals won a Big Sky title in 2013, ISU’s first volleyball championship since 1990. On the court, Evans has struggled to find consistent winning success. The men’s basketball team has gone 13-27 his first two years in the Big Sky and Idaho State has not reached the conference tournament. But Tingey believes a couple factors offset the sub .500 winloss record. The Bengals were perched on the edge of drawing the NCAA’s ire because of a average four-year Academic Progress Rate (APR) score below 930. Under Evans, ISU’s men’s basketball APR scores of 965 and 1,000 have helped Idaho State avoid NCAA sanctions. “(Evans) had all these things that came up and he never cried about it,” Tingey said. “He never complained. He just said, ‘Tell me what you need me to do.’ So he’s done everything we’ve asked.” The other factor that pushed Tingey to tack on more years to both Evans and Sobolewski’s current deals — both had one year left on their current contracts — stemmed from a desire to help out with recruiting battles. It is a concern that opposing coaches may try to sway a player away from Idaho
State because a either Evans or Sobolewski do not have long-term deals. The phone call from a concerned parent helped drive that point home for Tingey. Evans’ deal will pay an annual base salary of $104,811.20. A series of incentives could push the salary to as much as $259,404. If Idaho State is a Big Sky Conference champion, Evans earns a bonus of $4,031, and there is a $6,000 incentive for winning 20 regularseason games.
Sobolewski’s contract calls for a 98,196.80 as an annual salary, plus a number of incentives that could ramp up the value to $193,658.80. Teichert’s annual base salary is $62,337. There is an annual media payment of $2,000 and various incentives that include $1,500 each year the team has a single-year combined GPA of 3.2 or higher.
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