As ISU starts to see the light at the end of another lackluster football season, two moments of triumph and excitement took place Saturday evening during the game against NAU.

    Defensive lineman Justin Vae'ena, who has not played for the Bengals due to injuries, walked onto the field as a team captain for the coin toss.

    The 5-foot-11, 244 lb. redshirt sophomore has not been able to get on the field and play because of his injuries, but has made himself more than useful in other areas to help the team.

    “It’s wonderful that Justin Vae'ena, who never played a down for this coaching staff, hung around and became our team captain,” ISU head coach Mike Kramer said. “He’s an ordained Baptist minister and still an undergraduate who will graduate in December.”

    “Pretty proud of the guy, who never strayed the path, wanted to play, tried to play but just couldn’t,” he said of Vae’ena. “He’s still an integral part of us and sometimes things go this way.”

    At halftime of Saturday’s contest, Andrew Benavidez was honored by the university and the team for his contributions. Benavidez suffered a series of injuries during his career that forced him to retire from football.

    Despite that he has stuck around the program and helps in the equipment room, among other things.

    “Andrew wanted to play real bad, but in the fall of 2011 as we started to get going, he was up the road in Idaho Falls (at the hospital),” Kramer said. “Sandi and I went up and saw him. The kid was pretty unavailable. For him to close the book on his career but still want to be a part of us every single day, is pretty darn neat for us.”

    Lost in Idaho State’s seven-game losing streak is the fact that players, coaches, assistants and everyone else who contributes to the program are people. For a moment on Saturday football didn’t matter. Those in attendance in Holt Arena felt it.

    Also lost in the middle of a controversy involving Kramer are his feelings toward his players. It was obvious that his career path has allowed him to do more than just be on the sidelines.

    “It’s why you coach,” Kramer said. “It’s the interpersonal relationship with every single guy, in its own special way, belongs forever. Win, lose, sink or swim, it’s always an interpersonal relationship that you have with every single guy, who sees how this process makes him a better person down the road.”

    “It’s unique. It’s extremely unique,” he said of his relationship with Vae’ena and Benavidez.

    No matter what happens with this season or Kramer’s future at Idaho State, we saw the softer side of the coach on Saturday, a side that doesn’t get to come out very often.

    “It’s a unique perspective.” Kramer said. “In the malady of a long season, it was a rose in the middle of forest fire. It’s pretty cool.”

    “Guys that care and hang in there and want to be a part of it like (Justin) and Andrew are pretty darn special to us,” he said.