Saturday’s spring game in Holt Arena, if you missed it, was the first time head coach Mike Kramer has had a full cupboard at his disposal.

    After the 30-player recruiting class of 2012 added to the players already on the roster, Idaho State had backups and third-stringers at most positions during spring practice.

    “I think it’s pretty obvious, instead of shopping at the local neighborhood grocery store, we went to the supermarket because we had enough guys to play,” Kramer said. “I think that’s a cool part of running any program, when you go three deep and a lot of guys get a chance to play a lot of football.”

    Essentially, spring practice for the Bengals was a chance for coaches to see who they have and to determine who will start this fall. In Kramer’s first two seasons, that was a luxury he didn’t have with so many incoming freshman not even on campus yet.

    In year’s past, Kramer would be counting on players who were still finishing high school at the time to fill out positions. Anybody who started during spring practice was likely there just to have a body in a spot.

    For example, ISU started two true freshmen on the O-line in 2012. Those kids, literally still kids — Colin Prestesater and Wesley Wingrove — did not participate in last year’s spring practice. Instead they were living at the top of their respective high school food chains.

    In fact, there was some movement across the offensive line this spring that will carry over into fall camp, something that was literally impossible the past two seasons.

    “Wesley Wingrove at center is going to be a really nice player. He has supplanted Travis Namohala at that spot,” Kramer said. “Terrence Carey is only a sophomore and he’s going to be a great right guard for us. He has good feet and a good feel for the game.”

    Yet even with a full stock of players to compete for spots, the Bengals are still young. On the offensive side of the ball, just two starters are seniors — receivers Cam Richmond and Luke Austin.

    “I think we see what’s happening here. We have a lot of young players that can make a lot of plays,” Kramer said. “All in all, the good guys played pretty well. The young guys showed the kind of promise we like at the end of 15 practices. We’re going to be OK.”

    The Bengals are now a “normal” college football team, normal in terms of even-footing with other squads in player growth and development. No APR issues, no NCAA punishments, a pair full-time defensive coordinators (Kramer was the D-coordinator the past two years), a head coach with a fresh mindset and now a complete roster during spring camp.

    “We like our set up now. I like our set up the way we are,” Kramer said. “It’s a lot different for me because now I’m just a head coach. I say just a head coach because being just a head coach when you don’t have to run the defense, it gives you an opportunity to have a better perspective. I think I’ll be more effective now.”

    It has taken three years under Kramer’s watchful eye to get Idaho State back to normal. He signed a four-year deal when the university hired him with a complete program overhaul as the main goal — academics, character, then football.

    So far, good hire by Jeff Tingey and Co.

    Now the Bengals can begin to compete. The momentum from a normal spring will carry over into fall camp and likely the season.

    Will that lead to more wins? Perhaps, but that’s not the point. “W’s” aren’t earned during the spring. They’re forged through a year-round process of player and team development, of which the Bengals are now taking part.