Cody Hawkins knows the deep history of Idaho State football, and every day he is working to push the Bengals back toward the prestige of the “Throwin’ Idahoans” glory days.
The phrase belongs to Idaho State’s past, when the Bengals threw the ball around the yard, won big, and became one of the great stories in FCS football. In 1981, Dave Kragthorpe led Idaho State to the national championship with a roster that included quarterback Mike Machurek as well as future NFL head coaches Dirk Koetter and Marvin Lewis.
More than four decades later, Hawkins is trying to make the Idaho State Bengals dangerous again.
When Hawkins arrived in the winter of 2022, he saw a program that needed more than a new head coach. The Bengals had struggled to win, battled transfer attrition, and needed an identity reset. His first-year plan was pretty simple.
“Throw the heck out of the ball, be nice to people in the community and don’t suck,” Hawkins said with a smile.
Three seasons later, Idaho State is turning steady progress into knocking on the door of a breakthrough.
Hawkins enters his fourth season in 2026 with a contract extension through 2031 and a program that has improved each year. Idaho State went 3-8 and led the FCS in passing offense in 2023, then improved to 5-7 in 2024 and reclaimed the Train Bell with its first win at Weber State since 1984.
Then came 2025, the clearest sign yet that the rebuild was taking shape.
The Bengals finished 6-6 overall and 5-3 in Big Sky play, closing the regular season with four straight wins for the program’s strongest conference finish since 2018. They upset sixth-ranked UC Davis on the road, beat Weber State 31-3 on Senior Day, and closed with a 37-16 victory at Idaho to claim the Battle for the Potato State Trophy.
Idaho State finished with the Big Sky’s top total and passing offenses, the nation’s top net punting unit, and the fewest sacks allowed across FBS, FCS, and Division II. The defense allowed the program’s fewest points since 2002. Oh, and the Bengals have finished in the top ten nationally in passing offense every year under Hawkins.
It is not a finished product, but it’s definitely promising.
Hawkins believes the biggest lesson from 2025 was to keep attacking. The Bengals learned they could beat anyone, but they also lost to anyone if they drifted from the details.
“We’re capable of beating everybody, but we’re also capable of losing to anybody,” Hawkins said. “The ball’s in our court. We’ve got to take care of the football. We’ve got to run the ball. We’ve got to protect the quarterback. We’ve got to create turnovers.”
Idaho State can throw it, score, and stress defenses, but Hawkins does not want the program defined only by passing numbers.
The easy label is “Air Raid.” Around Pocatello, and any ball knowers – it’s wrong.
“We’re more run and shoot than we are Air Raid,” Hawkins said. “We’re trying to be more like June Jones and Nick Rolovich than Mike Leach.”
The Bengals use option routes and perimeter reads, but they also rely on gap schemes, run when the defensive look calls for it, and take pride in their offensive line. In 2025, Idaho State allowed just three sacks all season.
“Throwing the ball is part of our attack strategy, but it doesn’t have to be our standalone identity,” Hawkins said. “We want to be physical and play a fun brand of football, but we’re going to do what we have to do to win, whether it’s throwing it or running it.”
That mentality will be tested in 2026.
Quarterback Jordan Cooke returns after throwing for 3,040 yards and 16 touchdowns, leading the Big Sky in passing and finishing fourth nationally. Davis Harsin also gained meaningful experience, throwing seven touchdowns and adding 215 rushing yards.
That experience gives Idaho State stability, but Hawkins wants quarterbacks who can help the offense run, not just throw.
“We know we’ve got to run to win,” Hawkins said. “Your quarterbacks have to be a part of the run game physically, as far as being engaged and being that extra plus-one when the situation demands it but also being more involved in the checks and the protections.”
Dason Brooks also returns after rushing for 1,007 yards and 10 touchdowns and earning All-Big Sky second-team honors. Carson Sudbury added 222 yards and four scores.
That returning production provides a strong base, but the Bengals lost five of their top six receivers. For an offense that regularly uses four wideouts, new players will need to find their rhythm quickly.
“For the receivers on the perimeter, if our quarterbacks can really be consistent with where they’re going and when they’re going there, it helps those guys play a little bit better,” Hawkins said.
That challenge extends to recruiting. Idaho State is looking for talent, but Hawkins is also looking for fit. He does not pretend Pocatello is for everyone.
“I negatively recruit everyone,” Hawkins said. “If you’re going to come on campus, I’m going to tell you all the things that are negative about Pocatello before I tell you why you should be here.”
The message is direct: It gets cold, it can be hard to reach, and the facilities do not always resemble those of the programs Idaho State is chasing.
Then comes the sell.
“We’re going to play some dang good football,” Hawkins said. “You’re going to get developed unlike anywhere else in the country, and you’re going to absolutely love the relationships that you have with your coaches and teammates. If those things are important to you, then let’s get to work.”
Hawkins wants players willing to work, be coached, and embrace a place that reflects the toughness of southeastern Idaho.
“My real strong vision is a team that competes every single week,” Hawkins said. “A team that makes Pocatello proud. A team that resembles and reflects the values of Southeastern Idaho, which are humility, hard work, and excellence in a blue-collar way.”
Hawkins does not pretend Idaho State has every advantage of the national FCS powers, but he believes the Bengals can develop players as well as anyone.
“I believe that we train and develop better than anybody in America,” Hawkins said. “There are some sexier weight rooms, but there’s not a program that works the guys harder.”
That mindset helped Idaho State place 11 players on the All-Big Sky teams last season, its most since 2020. The next challenge is turning that recognition and late-season momentum into a playoff run.
The Big Sky will not make that easy. Hawkins views it as the deepest league in the FCS, with multiple playoff contenders and national-title-caliber teams on the schedule.
“You’re going to be tested every week,” Hawkins said. “You’re going to compete against teams that are playing in the national championship year in and year out. What a wonderful opportunity for us to see how great we can be each and every week.”
The 2026 schedule brings seven home games, plus nearby trips to Weber State and Utah State. That means fewer disruptions, more access to recovery, and more chances to make the ICCU Dome matter. The oldest college dome in America is both a training advantage and a central piece of Idaho State’s recruiting pitch.
“I wouldn’t have taken this job if we had to play outside,” Hawkins said, laughing. “To me, the dome is such an amazing atmosphere and training tool. I don’t mind playing in the snow, but I’d rather not have the weather hinder our ability to train year-round in such a competitive landscape.”
For 2026, Hawkins has three words in mind: tough, disciplined, and together.
He does not want one without the others. Toughness without discipline can become chaos. Discipline without toughness can become hollow. Togetherness without either does not survive November.
“We’re going to be a tough football team,” Hawkins said. “We’ve got to continue to elevate the discipline. Not just off-field discipline, but gap integrity, route detail, communication on both fronts.”
Togetherness may be the most important piece. Hawkins knows “brotherhood” is overused, but he still believes in the responsibility that comes with it.
“Despite the current landscape of college football, it’s still our duty to try and build a family and a community that these guys love being a part of,” Hawkins said. “With a lot on the line this season, there’s no part of our football team that is more important than how unified we can be.”
The Throwin’ Idahoans once made Idaho State a national name by playing bold football in Pocatello.
Now Hawkins and the Bengals are trying to pair that history with something harder to fake: toughness, discipline, development, and a team built well enough to make the next step real.
