POCATELLO – Rob Phenicie usually has the table to himself for his weekly press conference.

On Monday, he was joined by Idaho State Director of Athletics Jeff Tingey. Tingey opened the press conference by announcing a new three-year contract agreement for Phenicie, ISU’s first-year head football coach.

Tingey said no details of the agreement have been ironed out, and the contract won’t become official until after the season, pending approval by the Idaho State Board of Education in December. Phenicie is currently signed to a two-year deal, with one year guaranteed as ISU’s head coach and one year guaranteed as at least the team’s offensive coordinator. The new three-year agreement will replace Phenicie’s current contract.

Phenicie is currently making $85,000 annually – the lowest salary among head football coaches in the Big Sky Conference. Including all potential bonuses – which can be earned for things like Academic Progress Rate (APR) and conference championships – Phenicie’s new deal could pay him more than $200,000 a year. No base salary has been made public. The State Board of Education must approve all contracts for coaches and athletic directors that exceed three years or $200,000 annually.

Phenicie was hired as ISU’s head coach March 30, following the abrupt retirement of Mike Kramer a week before the start of the team’s spring practices. Phenicie was ISU’s wide receivers coach for the 2015 and 2016 seasons and was promoted to offensive coordinator Jan. 19.

On March 28, ISU announced Phenicie accepted a job coaching receivers at Northern Iowa. Two days later, Phenicie was back in Pocatello as the Bengals’ next head coach.

Idaho State is 4-4 this season, matching the team’s win total from the last two years combined. Tingey said he began discussing a contract extension with outgoing ISU president Arthur Vailas “a few weeks ago.”

“He’s done a great job for the Bengal program,” Tingey said. “Came in on sort of some less-than-ideal circumstances and less-than-ideal timing and has performed pretty well.”

Tingey said he was impressed almost immediately by the way Phenicie empowered his assistant coaches, adding he’s noticed a synergistic effect on the team’s players.

“Coach Phenicie has found a way to help his coaches become more (involved) than they have been before, and to use that as a catalytic effect for the team to find success,” Tingey sad. “I’ve loved that from day one. Then you see the way that the players respond to him. They want to win for coach Phen.”

Phenicie and the Bengals earned a historic 30-28 win Sept. 28 at Nevada, the team’s first victory against an FBS opponent since 2000. The team’s offense has flourished, with multiple players highlighting the top portions of Big Sky and FCS leaderboards.

Phenicie said he has strived to coach as if each day is his last on the job.

“You always coach in fear of losing your job,” Phenicie said. “All I felt was I would try to do my absolute best and let everything sort itself out. I try to control what I can control, and that is what goes on the field on Saturday and what type of kids that we produce for society and for the community.”

Bengals players have consistently spoken of a renewed energy and brotherhood within the team since Phenicie took over.

“Every day, everyone gets better,” ISU redshirt senior linebacker Mario Jenkins said. “You see it every Saturday. You see it at Monday’s practices, everyone comes with a spark. He really bring that to the table.”

ISU has three games remaining this season, starting Saturday at Montana State.