POCATELLO — Tanner Gueller walked off the practice field mulling his latest mistake — typical for him, and one of the attributes that got him here.

Idaho State’s fifth-year quarterback, who is seemingly never satisfied with himself, joined an elite list of Bengals during last Friday’s season-opening win over Western State Colorado. Gueller’s first-quarter pass to his brother, ISU wide receiver Mitch Gueller, pushed Tanner over 6,000 career yards passing — a milestone only four Bengals quarterbacks before him achieved.

He has 10 games left this season to add to it and chase the top of ISU’s record books.

“Just been lucky to throw to a lot of good receivers,” Tanner said after Wednesday’s practice at Holt Arena. “And been lucky to play a lot of football here.”

Entering this weekend’s slate of games, Tanner ranks sixth among active FCS quarterbacks with 6,173 career yards passing. He’s one of 15 active FCS gunslingers with at least 5,000 yards, joining Big Sky Conference counterparts Gage Gubrud of Eastern Washington and Case Cookus of Northern Arizona.

Along with the passing yards, Tanner ranks among ISU’s career leaders in pass attempts (sixth), completions (fifth), and touchdowns (third). He joins some of ISU’s all-time greats in the 6,000 club, names like Jason Whitmer, Justin Arias, Russel Hill and Kevin Yost.

It’ll all likely lead to a spot in the ISU Hall of Fame. But Tanner doesn’t particularly care.

In his fifth year at ISU, Tanner wants to lead the Bengals to a successful season. He’s weathered two-win campaigns, last-minute coaching changes and has been tutored by four offensive coordinators and quarterback coaches.

The program’s constant upheaval hasn’t deterred its veteran signal caller, who has progressed each season. In August, he was named to the watchlist for the College Football Performance Awards FCS National Performer of the Year Trophy.

“He really does not care. That’s the last thing on his mind,” said former ISU wide receiver Hagen Graves, who played with Tanner from 2014-17 and is currently a student assistant coach. “He just wants the team to do better. He wants us to have a winning season, take us to the playoffs, especially for his senior season. He could (not) care less about what he’s doing. Just wants the team to win.”

Tanner credits “a lot of football” to his prolonged success. He’s right. Last Friday’s game was his 32nd at ISU — more than any other active player.

But he’s also cashed in on his opportunities.

Each season, Tanner has increased his passing yardage, touchdowns, passing efficiency, yards per completion and touchdown-to-interception ratio.

That, according to Graves and former ISU offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Matt Troxel, is due to Tanner’s obsession with football.

“Football just consumes our lives,” said Graves, who is also Tanner’s roommate. “Every Saturday, we’re watching football. Every Sunday, we’re watching football. We’re talking football at night when we go home. We never stop.”

“Some of my best memories with Tanner were the random days in January or February when I would just be in the office watching a cut-up or studying something, and he would pop in and sit down and just start talking football,” said Troxel, who’s now an offensive quality control analyst at Oregon State. “We would start on one cut-up, and the next thing I know I’d have 15 different things open because we’re just going through different ideas and thoughts and coverages.

“We had a special relationship that way. It was just his willingness to learn and always wanting to soak up new information.”

Tanner’s first pass at ISU fell incomplete. His second? A 30-yard completion to Josh Cook. The quick rebound is synonymous with Tanner’s ISU career, as he’s never strung together many negative plays.

Six-thousand yards don’t tally themselves.

“That’s something that he’s been able to do,” Troxel said, “is whether it’s good or bad, it’s, ‘OK, how can I refocus and go onto the next play?”