Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Idaho State
Game 9: 'Cats back on the road at Idaho State Saturday
10/31/2023 11:04:00 AM | Football
Weber State and Idaho State meet Saturday at 4:00 p.m. in Pocatello.
• After a week off, Weber State football returns to action to face its longtime rival on the road as the Wildcats head to Pocatello to take on Idaho State on Saturday.
• Weber State is 3-5 overall and 1-4 in Big Sky play. The Wildcats are coming off a loss at Eastern Washington on October 21 and had last week off as a bye week.
• Idaho State is also 3-5 overall and is 3-2 in Big Sky play. The Bengals had won two-straight before falling at No. 6 Sacramento State last Saturday.
• Weber State has played more games against Idaho State than any opponent in its history. The Wildcats have won nine-straight and 20 of the last 21 games against the Bengals.
• Idaho State is first in the nation in passing offense.
Media coverage
Saturday's game will kickoff at 4:00 p.m. from Holt Arena in Pocatello. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and the ESPN app.
Weber State's radio coverage will be on 103.1 FM "The Wave" with Steve Klauke and former Wildcat head coach and athletic director Jerry Graybeal on the call.
Live stats available at WeberStateSports.com and the Weber State Wildcats app.
Wildcats return to action after bye week
Weber State had last week off for a bye. Prior to the bye week, the Wildcats fell 31-23 at Eastern Washington. WSU had 369 yards off offense and held a 20-17 lead early in the fourth quarter before falling to the Eagles.
Three field goals for Kyle Thompson
In the game against Eastern Washington, Wildcat junior kicker Kyle Thompson knocked down three field goals, his second-straight games with three field goals. For his performance, he was named the Big Sky Special Teams Player of the Week on October 25.
Through eight games this season, Thompson is nine of 12 on field goals and has made seven of his last eight field attempts. He is also a perfect 18 of 18 on extra-point attempts this season. He made a career-long field goal of 52 yards earlier this season against Northern Arizona.
Thompson, a native of American Fork, Utah, has played in 38 games over the last four seasons at Weber State and has 44 made field goals, the fifth-most in school history. He has also totaled 258 career points, which ranks fourth in school history in scoring.
Two starts for Richie Munoz at quarterback
The last two games, Weber State has started true freshman quarterback Richie Munoz. In the game against Eastern Washington, Munoz was 18 of 31 passing for 213 yards. In the two games, he has thrown for 351 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions.
Munoz signed with Weber State in December 2022 out of West Covina, California. He was a three-star recruit out of Charter Oak High School where he threw for 2,994 yards and 40 touchdowns as a senior.
Winston Reid continues to lead Wildcat defense
Wildcat senior captain Winston Reid continues to anchor the Wildcat defense this season. He added nine tackles with one tackle for loss in the game at Eastern Washington.
On the year, Reid leads the Big Sky and ranks 12th in the nation in tackles at 10.6 per game. Reid has 47 unassisted and 38 assisted tackles for 85 tackles on the season through the first eight games. He is ninth in the country in solo tackles at 5.9 a game.
He also has nine tackles for loss, which is fourth in the Big Sky. Reid also has 1.5 sacks, four quarterback hurries, and an interception returned for a touchdown this season.
He is now sixth in WSU history in career solo tackles with 150.
Reid has played in 43 games in his Wildcat career that began in 2017 as a walk-on. He earned All-America honors last season and was named the Big Sky Preseason Defensive MVP. Reid now has 248 career tackles and 25 tackles for loss. In addition, Reid has been named to the watch list for the 2024 Reese's Senior Bowl, the prestigious pre-draft game next February. He is one of five players from the Big Sky on the preseason watch list.
Brayden Wilson leads Big Sky in tackles for loss
Weber State sophomore Brayden Wilson continues to lead the Big Sky and is 17th in the nation in tackles for loss with 11.5, an average of 1.4 per game. The tackles have totaled a loss of 52 yards. Wilson has at least one tackle for loss in six of the eight games, including a season-high three against Montana State.
Wilson is a sophomore out of Kaysville, Utah who played at Farmington High School. He has played in 22 games in his three seasons at Weber State.
Jack Burgess first in Big Sky and second in nation in punting
Wildcat junior punter Jack Burgess leads the Big Sky and is second in the nation in punting. Through seven games Burgess has 38 punts for 1,783 yards, an average of 46.9 yards per punt, second-best in the country. He has a long punt of 70 yards and 15 punts of at least 50 yards.
Burgess, a native of Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, Australia, has 85 punts in his two seasons with the Wildcats and has an average of 43.7 yards per punt, which is currently tied for the third-best career average in school history.
National rankings
Weber State leads the country in kickoff returns, averaging 28 yards per return. Abraham Williams is third in the nation at 32.6 yards per return, however Williams missed the game at Eastern Washington due to a high ankle sprain. Clarence Bird had six returns for 24.3 yards against the Eagles. WSU is also ninth in the country in net punting.
Individually, Haze Hadley is 24th in the nation and third in the Big Sky in punt returns at 8.5 yards per return. Jack Kelly is sixth in the nation in forced fumbles and Abraham Williams is 20th in pass breakups.
Four All-Americans and eight All-Big Sky performers returning
Weber State has four returning All-Americans from last year's squad. In addition to Abraham Williams and Winston Reid, Maxwell Anderson and Noah Atagi also return as All-Americans. Atagi was an All-American last year and earned first-team All-Big Sky honors for the third-straight year.
Also returning are four other players that earned All-Big Sky honors in 2022. Haze Hadley (punt returner) and Jordan Lutui (offensive line) earned second-team honors, Ethan Atagi (offensive line) earned third-team honors and Damon Bankston (running back) earned honorable mention honors in 2022.
Mickey Mental takes over as new Wildcat head coach
Weber State is under the direction of first year head coach Mickey Mental who was named the 12th head coach in Weber State history in December. Mental served as the offensive coordinator for the Wildcats in 2022 before being named head coach. He took over for Jay Hill who left for BYU after nine seasons as head coach. Hill is Weber State's all-time leader in coaching wins with 68 and led the Wildcats to four Big Sky titles and six trips to the FCS Playoffs.
This is not the first time for Mental as a head coach. The Olmstead Falls, Ohio native spent two seasons as head coach at Division II Notre Dame College in Ohio, prior to coming to Weber State. In two seasons as head coach he posted a 16-2 overall record and a 13-1 record in conference play. In the spring 2021 season, he led the Falcons to a conference championship.
Wildcats fourth in Big Sky preseason polls
The Wildcats were also ranked fourth in the Big Sky preseason media and coaches polls for the second-straight year. Montana State was selected as the preseason favorite in both polls with UC Davis second and Sacramento State third in the coaches poll and Idaho second and Montana third in the media poll.
Oh brother
This year's Wildcat squad includes six sets of brothers. LJ and Maxwell Anderson, Ethan and Noah Atagi, Garrett and Trevor Beck, Bronson and Jagger Childs, Ishaan and Rishi Daniels, and Jordan and Masi Lutui are all on the Wildcat team this season.
Team captains
As selected by their teammates, Weber State has named four captains for the 2023 season. This year's captains are senior offensive lineman Noah Atagi, senior cornerback Maxwell Anderson, senior cornerback Marque Collins, and senior linebacker Winston Reid. This is the third-straight year for Atagi as a captain and Reid was also a captain in 2022.
About Idaho State
Idaho State is also 3-5 overall and is 3-2 in Big Sky play heading into Saturday's game. The Bengals opened the season with losses at San Diego State and Utah State before a home loss to Northern Iowa. But in Big Sky play, the Bengals are 3-2, including wins over Eastern Washington and Portland State.
Idaho State leads the nation in passing offense, averaging 336.2 yards per game. The Bengals also rank ninth in the nation in first downs, 19th in red zone offense, and 29th in total offense. On defense, the Bengals are last in the Big Sky in scoring defense and last in rushing defense.
ISU is coached by Cody Hawkins who is in his first season as head coach. He is the son of longtime college coach and current UC Davis head coach Dan Hawkins. Cody Hawkins spent the last five years at UC Davis, including three seasons as offensive coordinator.
Series history
Weber State and Idaho State have met every season since Weber State became a four-year and NCAA institution in 1962. The Wildcats have played more game (63) and have more wins (48) against Idaho State than any opponent in their history.
WSU is 48-15 overall against Idaho State and the Wildcats have won the last nine games, 20 of the last 21 games, and 26 of the last 28 games played, dating back to 1996. Weber State's last loss in the series came in 2014.
In games in Pocatello, Weber State is 23-10 all-time and has won four-straight, nine of the last 10, and 12 of the last 14 games played.
Quick hits
Weber State is 3-1 this season when leading after the first quarter and 0-4 when trailing after the first period...The 'Cats are also 3-1 when leading in rushing yards and 0-4 when trailing in rushing...Weber State is leading its opponent in scoring in three of the four quarters but has been outscored 96-37 in the second quarter this season...Weber State has 39 players on this years roster from the state of Utah. California is next with 21 followed by Texas with 12 and Idaho with 10.
Up next
After Saturday, Weber State will return home for the final home game of the season on November 11 against Idaho at 1 p.m. at Stewart Stadium, when the Wildcats will also honor their seniors prior to the game.
The final game of the season will be on November 18 at Cal Poly.
Players Mentioned
