Coach Cody Hawkins dismisses preseason and stress home opener ahead of camp

The Idaho State Bengals football team, under Head Coach Cody Hawkins, is set to open training camp, focusing on building team culture rather than preseason predictions. Hawkins emphasized the importance of internal identity over external rankings as the team prepares for the upcoming season.


Despite the release of preseason rankings, Coach Hawkins expressed disdain for the predictions. “Respectfully the rankings are stupid,” said Hawkins, Head Coach of the Idaho State Bengals. He stated his excitement to see the team's “intangible components come together” during camp, focusing on identifying leaders and overall team dynamics.


Coach Hawkins wants the team's identity to be defined by its culture, not solely by talent. He points to former ISU softball Coach Andrew Rich, who he described as “an incredible person first and foremost” and “one of my best friends on staff here,” as an example of promoting player-driven leadership. Hawkins stated his goal for the program is to make southeastern Idaho proud and to be the “closest knit team in America.”

Hawkins desires an exciting style of play from his team, encompassing all phases of the game. “I want us to be fun to watch on offense. I want us to be fun to cheer for on defense and on special teams. I want guys, people to see big, exciting things,” Hawkins said. He added, “I want to see guys just play with their hair on fire. I want people to watch us on TV in the stands, go, man, those guys love each other.” Hawkins believes that playing hard and for each other will lead to success, supported by the team's coaches and players.

The Bengals' season opener is scheduled for Aug. 29. Idaho State will open the year at home against VMI, a rare occurrence that Hawkins noted has not happened in a long time. He stressed the importance of thorough preparation for the triple option team, warning, “if you want to get your butt kicked, you overlook the first game of the year.”

Coach Hawkins hopes to inspire belief in the community and encourages fans to attend games. He stated, “I want to inspire that belief. And if there's anything that I can do to to make them proud or to get them in the seats, we want them there because, you know, if you fill this stadium and you get it rocking, it'll lead to more wins.”


The Idaho State Bengals are scheduled to begin training camp tomorrow. Their season will officially open on Aug. 29.