POCATELLO – It’s a nice luxury Idaho State has. Two of its strongest players play the same position.

When those same players happen to be two of the strongest pound-for-pound athletes in the program? Good luck, defenses.

Bengals running backs James Madison and Ty Flanagan combined to rack up 1,900 yards of offense and 17 touchdowns last season – equating to 39.7 percent of ISU’s total offense, 41.5 percent of the team’s touchdowns and one-third of the Bengals’ points. They’re back in 2018 to follow up last season’s all-Big Sky Conference campaigns and help diversify what should be one of the league’s dynamic, explosive offenses.

Plus, their weight-room marks lead the team. Flanagan is the back-to-back, pound-for-pound, strongest Bengal.

“I’ve never been around a program that has two solid backs,” ISU running backs coach David Fiefia said after Tuesday’s practice at Holt Arena. “I wouldn’t even say they’re one-two. They’re two 1s.”

Madison and Flanagan led ISU to the Big Sky’s fifth-best rushing offense in 2017, revitalizing a running game that struggled to produce following 2014’s 2,500-yard, 25-touchdown rushing effort.

The rest of ISU’s offense also benefited. Quarterback Tanner Gueller had the best season of his career, and wide receivers Mitch Gueller and Michael Dean combined for 1,625 yards receiving and 16 TDs to earn all-league honors as the Bengals revved up the No. 20 offense in the FCS.

“It opens up things for our pass game downfield when we have such a strong run game,” Fiefia said.

Madison, a redshirt senior who’s listed at 5-foot-11, 227 pounds – 22 pounds heavier than last season’s roster weight – sits behind the offensive line until a hole opens and rumbles through it, shedding would-be tacklers. Flanagan compares him to Le’Veon Bell of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who has driven football analysts into frenzies with his exceptional patience and vision.

Fiefia says that with the added mass, Madison has increased his quickness.

“This dude is the most patient back that we’ve got,” Flanagan said of Madison. “He can just wiggle through tackles.”

Flanagan, a redshirt junior listed at 5-foot-10, 203 pounds – up 13 pounds from last season – is the faster of the two. He attacks oncoming defenders with a quick plant-and-cut and doesn’t shy away from contact.

“He likes to put his head down. He tries to run people over,” Madison said. “He runs harder than what he looks.”

This season, ISU is expanding its playbook to feature both backs in the same backfield.

ISU has unveiled limited samples of its two-back set through six sessions of fall camp. Both can run, block and be valuable pass-catchers, forcing defenses to account for each player every snap.

“We can flank one out and put him in the slot, have him come across the formation or stay out there and run a wide receiver route,” Fiefia said. “That gives defenses fits. … They’re going to have to put a linebacker on our running backs, and I’d take our running backs over any linebacker.”

Supplementing Madison and Flanagan on the depth chart is senior speedster Kieran Yancy. The former Oregon State walk-on tallied 492 all-purpose yards last season – mostly as a kick and punt returner – but broke free for long runs during ISU’s spring game and can get lost in a sea of bigger bodies.

Yancy has been taking second-team reps this fall with the absence of redshirt sophomore Nehemiah McFarlin, who is injured and has not practiced. McFarlin was third on the team with 156 yards rushing in 2017.

“He’s shown some really bright spots,” Fiefia said of Yancy. “He gives us a real change of pace when he’s in there. Very elusive when we’re running screens inside. He gets lost in the bunch and is able to hit it vertical and make guys miss.”

ISU also added three freshmen to the backfield. Soujah Gasu (5-foot-9, 185 pounds) amassed 936 total yards and eight touchdowns last season (Deseret News) as the top offensive weapon for Cyprus High in Magna, Utah. Tyray Collins (5-foot-8, 170 pounds) averaged 11.5 yards per carry, 20.7 yards per reception, scored 13 touchdowns and nabbed three interceptions (nevadapreps.com) for Chaparral High in Las Vegas. Samaje Woodall (5-foot-9, 210 pounds) earned honorable mention all-Southern Idaho Conference recognition as a senior running back at Meridian High (Idaho Statesman).

“They’re improving every day, and that’s what we’re hoping for,” Flanagan said.