POCATELLO — The offense had a simple question for Idaho State’s defense after Saturday’s Spring Game inside the ICCU Dome: When does this get easier?

The short answer, at least for now, is it doesn’t.

“Defense looks really good. Thought they kicked our butt today,” quarterback Jordan Cooke said in a press release after the Bengals’ annual spring showcase in front of a Junior Day crowd.

Head coach Cody Hawkins didn’t disagree.

“You can see just how stout our defense is gonna be,” Hawkins said in a press release. “We’re really good upfront. We’re really long and fast in the secondary, and I’m really excited about what that unit is gonna do in the fall.”

The Spring Game used a structured, situational format rather than a traditional scrimmage, cycling through drives from the 25-yard line, backed-up scenarios, goal-line sequences and two-minute drills. The defense set the tone on the opening possession, forcing a three-and-out, and largely controlled the day from there — save for a late sequence where Noa Calaycay blocked a field goal attempt before the offense connected on its second try.

Linebacker Jacob Perez said the unit’s identity starts with one priority.

“The most important thing is we’re focused on stopping the run now,” Perez said in a press release. “When we can stop the run, then we can add these exotic blitzes. And that’s why you see all these interceptions happening on the back end.”

Defensive lineman Beau Jaques said the run-stopping emphasis has opened up the playbook — and that the bigger change has been cultural.

“The thing that I’ve noticed the most is just holding a defensive standard. And also just the unity on the team. Our team, I feel, has never been as close as it is now,” Jaques said in a press release.

Hawkins credited defensive coordinator Grant Duff and his position coaches — Bobby Jay, Ricky Lee and Devin Holiday — for the unit’s growth, saying Duff’s standards create room for creativity within the system.

“He kinda holds them to the standard and paints the vision and then allows them to kind of color within the lines a little bit,” Hawkins said in a press release.

On the offensive side, the spring game served a different purpose — building rapport between Cooke and a receiving corps that includes several new transfers. Receiver Tommy Poe said the connection is developing daily, but acknowledged the real work comes this summer when coaches step back and players lead themselves.

“We got a lot of transfers and I think it’s gonna be huge just getting in the playbook, dialing in every play and really getting the details of each play fine tuned,” Poe said in a press release.

“Summer is definitely the most important time,” Cooke said in a press release. “That’s really the time to hone in on the chemistry and the playbook and just get ready for the fall.”

Cooke said the team will lean on its core values heading into the fall. “Our core values are tough, discipline, together. Disciplined teams win championships, and that’s our goal,” Cooke said in a press release.

The spring game also gave younger quarterbacks Kepa Niumeitolu and Wyatt Horton extended reps. Horton missed much of last fall with an injury, and Niumeitolu is new to the program.

“We really haven’t seen them do anything,” Hawkins said in a press release. “We know the quarterback position is gonna be really important for our future here. I was excited to see them get a lot of reps.”

Competition remains open along the offensive line, with Hawkins saying only Will Davis and Messiah Johnson are locked into starting spots at this point. Several veterans were held out of Saturday’s game to give younger players more opportunity, and the focus will shift toward developing depth as spring ball wraps up.

Hawkins said practicing against a defense of this caliber will ultimately make the offense better, even if the process has been humbling for newer players.

“It can be tough for some of the new guys just because you’re trying to explain to them how to do basic math and they’re seeing calculus on a daily basis,” Hawkins said in a press release. “We know that there’s a standard here of how we play offense. And to win a championship here, we need to be able to lead on defense. And we’re getting darn close to that.”

As for what the defense wants opposing offenses to feel when the games count, the answers were direct.

“Put goose eggs on the board,” Jaques said in a press release.

“After every game, the offense needs to know that they played the Bengals,” Perez said in a press release. “They need to feel it. You need to hear the pads click. That’s basically what we want.”