Some familiar faces will walk down the Holt Arena ramp on Saturday. They won't be wearing orange and black.

Portland State's coaching staff carries four former Bengals players and staffers. The Vikings and ISU face off Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Holt Arena, where Idaho State is winless against PSU since 2009.

In that game, a 41-34 ISU win, Evan Mozzochi was a backup on ISU's roster, while Nick Whitworth coordinated the Bengals' special teams. Today, Mozzochi is Portland State's wide receivers coach. Whitworth, who was inducted into the ISU Athletics Hall of Fame last October, is the Vikings' special teams coordinator and running backs coach. Whitworth spent 13 years at ISU as a player and coach, earning honorable mention all-Big Sky Conference honors at running back and kick returner. He was the first recruit signed by then-Bengals offensive line coach Bruce Barnum, who is in his third season leading Portland State.

Barnum picked up a signature victory in his first trip to Holt Arena as a head coach, taking down ISU 34-14 in 2015 to start his head-coaching career 2-0. The game was supposed to start a Big Sky title run for the Bengals, who were coming off a landmark 8-4 campaign.

Barnum coached at ISU from 1998-2006, helping guide the Bengals to a share of the league title in 2002 as the team's offensive coordinator.

“Pocatello, Holt Arena,” Barnum said Wednesday during the weekly Big Sky coaches teleconference. “My kids were born in that town. … You have to weather the storm at that place from when you walk into the arena. The seats are green and orange and the field is flat, and you get on your sideline and there's a roof, and the fans are right above you and calling your name and asking how your mom is.

“It's different, but I've lived it. We have a taste of the town and the atmosphere that our kids are about to get into.”

Portland State recruiting coordinator and safeties coach John Ely also has history at ISU. Ely coached linebackers and coordinated the defense for the Bengals from 1997-98.

The Vikings (0-6, 0-3 Big Sky Conference) have plenty of familiarity on their side as they try to pick up their first win of 2017 against the Bengals (3-4, 1-3 Big Sky).

“I know coach Barnum and Whitworth and those guys there would love to come in here and make this their first win of the year,” ISU coach Rob Phenicie said Monday during his weekly press conference. “It's going to be a battle. … They're better than their record indicates.”

SUMMERS' STATUS IN QUESTION

Portland State leading rusher Za'Quan Summers is listed at the bottom of the Vikings' running back depth chart this week after leaving last week's game against Northern Arizona with an injury. Summers has 72 carries for 386 yards and two rushing touchdowns this season.

Freshman Jason Talley is listed atop the running back depth chart. Talley, listed at 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds, is PSU's third-leading rusher with 280 yards and two TDs. He tied a season high with 14 carries in last week's 42-20 home loss against Northern Arizona, rushing for 52 yards – 32 of which came on one play. PSU may also deploy freshman Antwone Williams, who carried a season-high eight times for 24 yards last week. Williams is listed at 5-foot-8, 170 pounds.

KOETTER FACES BENGALS

No, not that Koetter.

Portland State freshman quarterback Davis Koetter, son of Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach and ISU alumnus Dirk Koetter, will watch as his team faces his dad's hometown squad for the first time. Davis Koetter is not one of PSU's five QBs on the depth chart. He was offered a spot on ISU's roster but ultimately signed with PSU, which was the first program to extend an offer.

SIX TO BE ADDED TO ISU ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME

Idaho State will induct six former coaches and student-athletes into its athletics hall of fame Saturday morning. The six inductees are:

- Fred Rodriguez (wrestling, 1964-68)

- Chester W. “Chet” Dickey (baseball, 1966-70)

- Kelly Chapple (softball, 1978-81)

- Bob Matsey (football, 1976-80)

- Dale W. Wilkinson (basketball, 1978-82)

- James Cherniss (lifetime achievement)