Starting Thursday, the Idaho State Journal began previewing the top five storylines to watch during Idaho State’s spring football practices, which begin March 29. They are listed in no particular order.
Will any new additions make an immediate impact?
In his first recruiting cycle, Bengals head coach Rob Phenicie put an emphasis at three positions: offensive line, defensive line and defensive secondary. Of ISU’s 23 National Signing Day additions, 14 belong to one of those position groups. Idaho State also added one player at each spot via transfer.
Junior college signees Preston Holfeltz (Snow College) and Christian McFarland (Sacramento City College) will participate in spring practices. So will former BYU defensive lineman Kainoa Fuiava. All three can make immediate impacts and fill needs in position groups that struggled last season or lost key pieces.
At 6-foot-4, 295 pounds, Fuiava is the standout. The Downey, California, native comes to ISU as a redshirt sophomore. Fuiava redshirted his freshman season at BYU in 2016 and was a member of the scout team last year. According to his BYU roster profile, he racked up 70 tackles, 7 sacks and four forced fumbles combined in his junior and senior years of high school.
Fuiava could be a stopgap up the middle, replacing the graduated JonRyheem Peoples — who also transferred to ISU from BYU. Fuiava at least figures to earn some rotational playing time with returning defensive tackles Treven Aloi and TJ Togiai.
According to the Deseret News, Fuiava was about to sign with Hawaii when BYU made a last-minute offer. Rivals.com lists Fuiava as a two-star recruit. Phenicie said Fuiava signed with ISU before visiting the campus.
“He’s going to be pushing for playing time,” Phenicie said of Fuiava when he introduced him as part of the 2018 signing class Feb. 7. “BYU wasn’t a fit for him, and he wanted to transfer and we got him in. … He signed sight-unseen.”
Holfeltz, a 6-foot-3, 263-pound offensive lineman, played two seasons at Snow College under former Bengals defensive assistant coach Britt Maughan, who was Snow’s head coach from 2013-16 and spent the 2017 season as a volunteer assistant at ISU.
Holfeltz last played in 2016. He played five games in 2016 and five in 2015, according to NJCAA.org. The Sandy, Utah, product was a second-team 5A all-state pick as a senior in 2014.
Phenicie said Holfeltz will “press for playing time” and may replace Skyler Phillips at right guard or Chase Collins at right tackle.
McFarland comes to ISU after earning NorCal League all-conference honors at Sacramento City College last season. The 6-foot, 192-pound defensive back from Elk Grove, California, was third in the NorCal League with 85 tackles, and nabbed two interceptions. He committed to Air Force out of high school but ultimately wound up at Sacramento City College.
McFarland, listed as a safety by ISU on signing day, adds to a strong contingent at the position, led by Jayson Miller and Adkin Aguirre.