POCATELLO — The Idaho State football team escaped the most recent transfer portal period relatively unscathed.

Now the Bengals are in the process of using the portal to add to their roster.

“We didn’t lose anybody we didn’t expect to lose,” said ISU head football coach Cody Hawkins after the portal officially closed on April 26. “We had a really close call with a prominent player, but we were able to keep him here.”

The only player who saw significant action last season for ISU that entered the portal this session was linebacker Darrell Gipson, who played in all 12 games last year for ISU, registering 21 tackles.

The sophomore from Lacey, Wash., told Hawkins and his staff before spring practice started he was being pursued by a West Coast team and was planning to enter the portal when it opened April 16. When Gipson entered the portal, he was offered by former ISU defensive coordinator Josh Runda, now an assistant at the University of Cincinnati. Gipson accepted the Bearcats’ offer.

Other than Gipson’s departure, ISU lost only players who were graduating and weren’t expected to return or players who didn’t see much playing time last season.

One West Coast school put a heavy rush on a key ISU offensive lineman, but Hawkins and his staff were able to persuade him to stay in Pocatello for at least another season.

“I appreciate the efforts of everyone at ISU who is working to make life better for our players,” said Hawkins. “We have a lot of really good young players. Next year I’m going to have to get my war paint on and go to battle to keep them here.”

Now that players can no longer enter the portal, the focus shifts to bringing in players from other schools who have already entered the portal. ISU has recruiting visits scheduled from three to four players this weekend and about five potential transfers the following weekend.

“So I would say we are expecting somewhere between three to five additions (through the portal),” said Hawkins.

The key areas of focus are the defensive secondary, offensive line and running back.

ISU lost most of its starting secondary to graduation after last season, then moved a couple of safeties — Jayden Bell and Junior Damuni — to linebacker.

“Corner and safety are a big deal,” Hawkins said of his team’s roster needs. “We’ll be primarily a five-defensive back team still. We have a lot of guys who played safety before who will be playing linebacker, so we need some cover guys.”

The Bengals also sustained some injuries at the running back position this spring that will impact depth at that position, so they are looking for at least one portal transfer there.

Finally, with the attention focused on their best offensive lineman this spring, Hawkins figures he’s going to lose one or two experienced players there to the portal next spring, so he’s looking for help there.

“On offensive line, we’re probably going to get crushed in the portal next year, with the attention (tackle) Will Davis and (guard) Stryker Rasheed are getting, so we’re trying to bring in more depth there,” Hawkins said.

ISU is also still in the market for at least one and maybe two kickers after losing both Ross Bulger, its starting punter, and All-American kicker Gabe Panikowski to the portal after last season.

“Mason Lindberg is the leader in the clubhouse (for placekicker), but he was a lot more consistent when we had Gabe,” said Hawkins. “We need to see him perform under pressure of being the guy. So we’re actively recruiting two kickers — one will be a scholarship guy, one will be a walk-on guy.”