Idaho statesman: ISU loses on crazy finish

POCATELLO — How would Mike Kramer sum up the game? What could he say to encapsulate 60 minutes of intense football with an ending hard to believe? How would Kramer describe an overtime period that turned from a dream into a nightmare with one high snap and 13 seconds of, well — craziness. How?

“There’s a lot of things about this game that were positive for us,” Kramer said, “except the final outcome.” The final: No. 22 Montana escaped Holt Arena with a 33-27 OT win in extra time. The Bengals had the Grizzlies beaten — a victory that would have snapped a nine-game losing streak to UM dating back to 2003. ISU (2-7, 1-5 Big Sky) lined up for a 34-yard game-winning field goal in overtime. Montana (5-4, 4-2) had the ball first in the extra period, but junior Bengals linebacker Hayden Stout forced a fumble and recovered it to erase UM’s scoring opportunity. Four plays later, Idaho State’s field goal team was on the field.

That’s a good thing.

And it was a bad thing.

Even before the ball was snapped, anyone could have pointed out the Bengals have had their issues kicking this season. Sophomore Zak Johnson entered the Montana game 3 of 6 in field goal attempts, with a season-long of 35 yards. Plus, the Bengals missed an extra-point attempt in the second quarter. So the 34-yard boot was no sure thing. Kramer, in retrospect, said he wished he never let the game’s results fall on the special teams unit. Kramer said the Bengals were too conservative on their last offensive possession, choosing to run the ball three times, rather than taking to the air and trying to score a touchdown. “I know we don’t win if we kick field goals. I know we don’t,” Kramer said. “So regardless of what the score is, you still have to keep striking for the end zone if you’re a passing team. And we went into four-wheel drive. And we shouldn’t have done that. So that’s my fault.”

Still, though, ISU positioned the ball right in the middle of the hashmarks. It was, essentially, a glorified extra point. And while Johnson hasn’t been stellar, he is a second-year starter and a cool customer. Johnson never got the chance to prove it either way. The snap to holder Tanner Gueller was high, a shot over Gueller’s head.
“We rocked and fired it with about as much velocity as you can put on it,” Kramer said of the snap. “I’m surprised we don’t have a hole in the back side of the building.” The out-of-control snap bounded down the field, but Gueller had a head start on the Montana defense. The redshirt freshman quarterback, who in his second career start threw for 253 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions, jumped and tried to pounce on the loose ball at the ISU 45-yard line, ending the play and sending the game to a second overtime. “The ball got by me and that was that,” Gueller said. “I tried to go jump on it, you know. Didn’t get a good handle.” The ball squirted free. By that time a swarm of Grizzlies were around the ball. It popped up into the air and right into the mitts of UM’s Eric Johnson. Johnson strolled into the end zone, saving Montana’s playoff hopes and giving Idaho State its seventh loss in nine games.

In a word: heartbreaking.

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Proud Griz Man said:

“There’s a lot of things about this game that were positive for us,” Kramer said, “except the final outcome.”

Kramer, in retrospect, said he wished he never let the game’s results fall on the special teams unit. Kramer said the Bengals were too conservative on their last offensive possession, choosing to run the ball three times, rather than taking to the air and trying to score a touchdown. “I know we don’t win if we kick field goals. I know we don’t,” Kramer said. “So regardless of what the score is, you still have to keep striking for the end zone if you’re a passing team. And we went into four-wheel drive. And we shouldn’t have done that. So that’s my fault.”

“We rocked and fired it with about as much velocity as you can put on it,” Kramer said of the snap. “I’m surprised we don’t have a hole in the back side of the building.”

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statler & waldorf said:

Proud Griz Man said:

“There’s a lot of things about this game that were positive for us,” Kramer said, “except the final outcome.”

Kramer, in retrospect, said he wished he never let the game’s results fall on the special teams unit. Kramer said the Bengals were too conservative on their last offensive possession, choosing to run the ball three times, rather than taking to the air and trying to score a touchdown. “I know we don’t win if we kick field goals. I know we don’t,” Kramer said. “So regardless of what the score is, you still have to keep striking for the end zone if you’re a passing team. And we went into four-wheel drive. And we shouldn’t have done that. So that’s my fault.”

“We rocked and fired it with about as much velocity as you can put on it,” Kramer said of the snap. “I’m surprised we don’t have a hole in the back side of the building.”

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Kramer tells it like it is. A spade is a spade. He points out the good as well as the bad. Player error, he points it out. Kramer error, he admits it. Like his dry sense of humor. If he were a poster on eGriz, he wouldn't be in the maroon glasses/sugar coater crowd.

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mtgrizrule said:

statler & waldorf said:

Proud Griz Man said:

“There’s a lot of things about this game that were positive for us,” Kramer said, “except the final outcome.”

Kramer, in retrospect, said he wished he never let the game’s results fall on the special teams unit. Kramer said the Bengals were too conservative on their last offensive possession, choosing to run the ball three times, rather than taking to the air and trying to score a touchdown. “I know we don’t win if we kick field goals. I know we don’t,” Kramer said. “So regardless of what the score is, you still have to keep striking for the end zone if you’re a passing team. And we went into four-wheel drive. And we shouldn’t have done that. So that’s my fault.”

“We rocked and fired it with about as much velocity as you can put on it,” Kramer said of the snap. “I’m surprised we don’t have a hole in the back side of the building.”

Click to expand...

Kramer tells it like it is. A spade is a spade. He points out the good as well as the bad. Player error, he points it out. Kramer error, he admits it. Like his dry sense of humor. If he were a poster on eGriz, he wouldn't be in the maroon glasses/sugar coater crowd.

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I feel Kramer would be a great and fun analyst, when and if he stops coaching.

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ALPHAGRIZ1 said:

Yeah winning sucks.

I love how Kramer knows FGs are for losers. He has that team on the cusp of an NDSU like run

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grizaremoregooder said:

ALPHAGRIZ1 said:

Yeah winning sucks.

I love how Kramer knows FGs are for losers. He has that team on the cusp of an NDSU like run

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The only thing Kramer can build is a good case of herpes.

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ALPHAGRIZ1 said:

Yeah winning sucks.

I love how Kramer knows FGs are for losers. He has that team on the cusp of an NDSU like run

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CV Griz Fan said:

grizaremoregooder said:

ALPHAGRIZ1 said:

Yeah winning sucks.

I love how Kramer knows FGs are for losers. He has that team on the cusp of an NDSU like run

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The only thing Kramer can build is a good case of herpes.

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Hmmm.... He had the worst team in the conference on the threshold of a victory against the Griz.

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AZGrizFan said:

CV Griz Fan said:

grizaremoregooder said:

ALPHAGRIZ1 said:

Yeah winning sucks.

I love how Kramer knows FGs are for losers. He has that team on the cusp of an NDSU like run

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The only thing Kramer can build is a good case of herpes.

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Hmmm.... He had the worst team in the conference on the threshold of a victory against the Griz.

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Five years in and he has "the worst team in the conference" still....that speaks VOLUMES.

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ronangrizfan said:

ALPHAGRIZ1 said:

Yeah winning sucks.

I love how Kramer knows FGs are for losers. He has that team on the cusp of an NDSU like run

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He's been on this "cusp" for how long? Go back to Butte's Best Buy and keep selling VCR's...you're very good at it, I'm told.

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ALPHAGRIZ1 said:

You will find out next weekend who is the worst team in the conference when ISU takes 11 of the cats 9 lives in Pocatello.

Keep hating on Kramer and he will keep winning in a place nobody said he could win at.

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statler & waldorf said:

Kramer had to start over in Pokey. APR problems, a program set adrift for 25-30 years, players in constant trouble who really didn't want to be there and played like it. He got rid of the garbage, building from the high school ranks, Idaho kids were now welcome, avoiding the JC ranks as long as possible. Last year results finally showed up. The new fan base had started showing up. This year, early injuries and a hostile road schedule combined to lay the ground work for what he has today. This last week six went to surgery. Next man up has been said all year long. Our Griz played down to their level and won on a fluke. Next year ISU will be experienced and deep. Kramer has said he stays as long as he is wanted. The man will rule the BSC until he retires, starting next year. He's not politically correct, and only has one face. He means what he says. Never met the man, but he has my respect.

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statler & waldorf said:

Kramer had to start over in Pokey. APR problems, a program set adrift for 25-30 years, players in constant trouble who really didn't want to be there and played like it. He got rid of the garbage, building from the high school ranks, Idaho kids were now welcome, avoiding the JC ranks as long as possible. Last year results finally showed up. The new fan base had started showing up. This year, early injuries and a hostile road schedule combined to lay the ground work for what he has today. This last week six went to surgery. Next man up has been said all year long. Our Griz played down to their level and won on a fluke. Next year ISU will be experienced and deep. Kramer has said he stays as long as he is wanted. The man will rule the BSC until he retires, starting next year. He's not politically correct, and only has one face. He means what he says. Never met the man, but he has my respect.

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