boehling at navy
Chuck Steenburgh

Football

VMI kicks off 2026 season at Idaho State

LEXINGTON, Va. – The Ashley Ingram Era gets underway for VMI Football as the 2026 season kicks off this weekend against Idaho State in Pocatello, Idaho.
 
The Bengals and Keydets meet for the first time ever Saturday at 6 p.m. EDT at the ICCU Dome in Pocatello, Idaho. The matchup can be streamed with a subscription to ESPN+.
 
Broadcast Information
Watch on ESPN+  |  Live Stats  |  3WZ Radio
 
VMI looks for a fresh start coming off a 1-11 season in 2025 and will get the opportunity as first year Head Coach Ashley Ingram takes the reins of the program.
 
Ingram and his staff will employ the option offense attack, a system that Coach Ingram found much success with during his 14 years at the Naval Academy and the past two seasons at Carson-Newman where he went 16-6 overall and 13-4 in South Atlantic Conference play.
 
The Keydets will start either JoJo Crump or Nana Utsey at quarterback to run the highly intricate offense known for its all-out effort and strategic blocking schemes.
 
VMI is bolstered by the return of running back Leo Boehling, who led the Keydets in 2025 with 537 net rushing yards on 128 attempts averaging 4.2 rushing yards per carry and 44.75 yards per game.
 
Defensively, senior Isaiah Grevious is the top returning tackler as he earned 60 tackles a  year ago, including 36 solo stops. Fellow senior linebacker Henry Berling is the next top returning tackler as he logged 50 takedowns in 2025.
 
The special teams unit is led by senior punter Ben Shrewsbury, a 2025 FCS Punter of the Year finalist and 2026 Preseason All-American
 
About the Bengals
Idaho State is receiving top 25 votes in several FCS national polls and look to capitalize on a strong finish to the 2025 season in which they won their final four games, including wins over No. 6 UC Davis and rival Idaho in the season finale to finish 6-6 overall and 5-3 in conference play.
 
Fifth-year senior Jordan Cooke is the starting quarterback who manufactured over 3,000 passing yards last season to go with 185 net rushing yards.
 
Running Back Dason Brooks also returns after rushing for over 1,000 yards a year ago on 157 attempts (6.4 ypc).



 
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Players Mentioned

Henry Berling

#43 Henry Berling

LB
6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
Leo Boehling

#9 Leo Boehling

RB
6' 0"
Junior
JoJo Crump

#8 JoJo Crump

QB
6' 1"
Junior
Isaiah Grevious

#1 Isaiah Grevious

LB
6' 1"
Redshirt Junior
Ben Shrewsbury

#99 Ben Shrewsbury

K/P
6' 2"
Senior
Nana Utsey

#14 Nana Utsey

QB
6' 2"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Henry Berling

#43 Henry Berling

6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
LB
Leo Boehling

#9 Leo Boehling

6' 0"
Junior
RB
JoJo Crump

#8 JoJo Crump

6' 1"
Junior
QB
Isaiah Grevious

#1 Isaiah Grevious

6' 1"
Redshirt Junior
LB
Ben Shrewsbury

#99 Ben Shrewsbury

6' 2"
Senior
K/P
Nana Utsey

#14 Nana Utsey

6' 2"
Sophomore
QB