Football can’t come soon enough. In a continuing series, we’ll sift though each of ISU’s position groups and take a look at how they stand coming out of spring practice and heading into fall camp. Saturday it was the tight ends, Sunday the wide receivers and now: the offensive line.

OUTLOOK

We’ve written it before but it deserves to be mentioned again: Idaho State went from a bottom-rung Big Sky team to a championship contender because of its offensive line.

Under the tutelage of offensive line coach Matt Troxel, the Bengals made massive leaps in 2014 in terms of opening up running lanes for running backs and protecting ISU’s quarterbacks. Idaho State averaged 5.6 yards a carry (up from 3.0 the season before) and the line allowed 15 sacks (down from 31 in ’13) in 2014.

ISU returns four starters from that line. Senior Terrence Carey moved from right to left tackle in the spring. Senior Wesley Wingrove is back at left guard, senior Christian Diehm is at center and junior Skyler Phillips slid over from right guard to right tackle. The new guy is junior Thomas Vazorka. He’ll set up at right guard.

Vazorka is listed at 6-foot-6, 305 pounds, and he’s started before in relief duty as a sophomore and freshman. There’s no reason to assume that this starting five won’t be even better than it was a year ago. If the Bengals really are going to win a Big Sky title and advance to the postseason, it will be because of the offensive line. They make everybody else look good.

CONCERNS

Injuries can always create problems, particularly if Diehm goes down for any period of time. As the center, he makes the calls along the line and makes sure everyone else knows what they’re doing. But the Bengals do have solid depth with seniors Colin Prestesater and Travis Namohala, redshirt freshman Brian Fineanganofo and sophomore Chase Collins.

THE STAR

Tough choice. Bengals coach Mike Kramer has said he thinks Diehm and Vazorka have NFL potential. But the guy ISU coaches rave about is the 6-foot-3 Phillips, who weighed in at 323 pounds before the start of spring practice, according to Kramer. He possesses all the innate abilities of an elite lineman (toughness, athleticism, intelligence) and has already started 22 games after his first two years in Pocatello. Kramer calls him a superstar.

PLAYER ON THE RISE

Thomas Vazorka. He’s started five games in his career and held his own against Utah and Utah State last season. With senior Jim Bagley’s departure, he has a chance to become a full-time starter and join a unit that considers itself the best the Big Sky has to offer.

UNDERRATED PLAYER

Terrence Carey. The transfer from Florida State arrived at Idaho State as a defensive lineman. He moved to the offensive side of the ball in the spring of 2013 and has started 24 games since.

At 6-foot-1, 301 pounds, Carey doesn’t have the physical measurements of his fellow lineman, but he might have the most self-confidence. And now that he’s at left tackle, he’ll protect the blind side of ISU’s quarterback.

BOTTOM LINE

The Bengals think they have a team good enough to win a Big Sky championship. But road games at Cal Poly, North Dakota, Sacramento State and Weber State, where ISU hasn’t won since 1984, will test their resolve. And home dates include Eastern Washington, Montana and Montana State, teams all likely to be ranked to start the season.

With a first-year starting quarterback and a defense that looks like it’s still finding its footing, Idaho State will only survive its schedule because the offensive line will dominate opponents. This group has that kind of potential.