Pocatello — The played through it all. They played through the numerous injuries … fractured fingers, stretched ligaments, broken bones. They played through top caliber opponents at all levels. They played through small home crowds, and they played through the losing.

Whatever else one wants to call the Idaho State Bengals football team for the 2009 season, at least give them this:they didn’t quit. That fact was noticed.

Head coach John Zamberlin talked about how Portland State head coach Jerry Glanville, a veteran of decades in the ranks in both the NFL and college level, made it a point to talk to him before their game last Saturday.

“Jerry let me know how he noticed when watching tape of us, how the kids didn’t quit,” he said. “Jerry said that’s the worst possible thing that can happen to a coaching staff, when the players stop trying. I really appreciated him saying that.”

The final two weeks of the season showed that there is a pulse beating in Pocatello. It may be faint, but it’s still there as the Bengals (1-10, 1-7 Big Sky Conference) took Montana, then the second-ranked Football Champ-ionship Subdivision team in the nation, to the absolute brink and then came from behind to beat Portland State.

The injury situation was so bad this year that Idaho State was down to four healthy linebackers and no defensive line substitutes Saturday. Freshman and sophomores got a lot of playing time this year, which means the process towards understanding what it takes to play at the Big Sky level was accelerated.

“You don’t just grow up overnight,”said quarterback Russel Hill. “You don’t grow up because of people’s words. Sometimes, you’ve got to do it by yourself, and you’ve got to figure stuff out by yourself, and I think we did it at the end.”

There will be talent on the team next year as Zamberlin enters year four of a massive rebuilding process. Line-backers A.J. Storms and Phil Arias, whom the coach said he wouldn’t trade for any other linebackers in the conference, are back. Chris Holmesly, who got two interceptions against the Vikings returns to anchor the secondary. On offense Hill is back, along with most of his receiver and tight end corps.

The offseason priorities are pretty apparent, and Zamberlin said those areas will be emphasized in recruiting.

“We need to get depth at linebacker, on both sides of the ball on our lines, at running back and both of our kickers are gone. Our season ended Saturday, and already we’ve got our coaches off on the recruiting trail. We’re going to work hard to fill the areas and get things started earlier next season on the field.”

Starting next season with Montana Western and Utah State as opposed to this year’s double-bill of Arizona State and Oklahoma will help. But with the way the Bengals ended the year, one gets the sense that next season, the reason to be hopeful is genuine, not the stuff of fantasy. Time will determine how that will play out, but next season the Bengals will be worth watching at the very least, that’s significant.