POCATELLO — Few quarterbacks in Idaho State’s history have weathered the programs’ ups and downs like Tanner Gueller has.

As a freshman, Gueller watched from the sidelines as the Bengals embarked on their best season in over a decade, one that ended painfully close to an FCS playoff berth.

As a redshirt freshman, Gueller was thrust into and back out of the driver’s seat of the Bengals’ offense as the team scrambled — and failed — to replicate its recent success.

As a sophomore, Gueller was mired in dysfunction that spilled into the offseason. A second consecutive 2-9 record triggered an untimely head coaching change.

His junior year, Gueller led a revitalized team to a two-win improvement. The coaching change coincided with a culture shift for the better.

Now, as a fifth-year senior approaching his final college season, Gueller can leave his mark on ISU. He wants, as much as anyone, to leave a lasting image of success as he exits the program.

“From when I got here to now, there’s been a lot of change,” Gueller said at an ISU football media event June 18 at the Orthopedic Center next to Holt Arena. “But where we’re at now, it’s rock-solid. We all believe in what we have, and we know that things aren’t going to change.”

Gueller is one of five fifth-year seniors on the 2018 roster, along with James Madison, Joe Martin, Brian Fineanganofo and Anthony Ricks — the only players left from ISU’s landmark 2014 season. Gueller has been at the center of the Bengals’ struggles in the years since as the team’s primary starting quarterback for the last two-plus campaigns.

Through ISU’s losses, has climbed the school’s career record books. He enters 2018 ranked third all-time in touchdown passes (47), sixth in pass attempts (901) and fifth in both pass completions (515) and yards passing (5,960). At his sides this season will be a first-team all-conference wide receiver (Mitch Gueller) and a third-team all-conference speedster in the slot (Michael Dean), while a pair of all-conference running backs join him in the backfield.

As part of the aforementioned culture change, around 70 football players stayed in Pocatello this summer to train without stipends. Many of them work part-time or full-time jobs to pay rent.

“I’ve never been around a closer group of guys or such a great group of guys,” Tanner said.

Through all the changes Tanner has seen in his five years at ISU — two head coaches, a handful of offensive coordinators and quarterbacks coaches, historic wins and historic losses — he’s been one of the few constants. Yet another change will come when No. 4 is no longer standing behind the line of scrimmage.

“I think you can’t help but ramp up your sense of urgency a little bit when that clock’s running out,” Tanner said. “But other than that, I try not to think about it too much. I’m just enjoying what we have right now.”