ISU’s Dason Brooks dazzles in homecoming breakout performance
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POCATELLO — Sophomore Dason Brooks was brought to Idaho State University to play linebacker, despite having played running back for much of his youth football life.
After over a year of pushing for his opportunity to get a chance, Brooks got his first extended look Saturday against Southern Utah University. On eight carries, Brooks ran for a team-high 136 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown that displayed his eye-catching combination of strength and speed.
Bengal head coach Cody Hawkins spoke about that combination after the game.
“Dason Brooks is a physical specimen,” Hawkins said. … “His physical stature is impressive, he’s a big guy and he’s got the fastest 10-yard on our team. … He can get up and go with the best of them.”
After the game, Brooks joked that he was going to “hold off” for now when asked if he had plans of asking to switch back to the defensive side of the ball.
“I’m having a lot of fun at running back,” he said.
Hawkins was hired as ISU’s head football coach last year, when Brooks was a freshman. The Chandler, Ariz. native said that the new coach held one-on-one entrance interviews with all his existing players upon arrival in Pocatello. During his interview, Brooks said, he discussed his interest in returning to his ball-carrying roots — but Hawkins turned him down.
Brooks credits strength and conditioning coach Jeff Pitman with pushing the agenda of moving him into the offensive backfield.
Hawkins did not disagree, adding that Brooks was stuck at the bottom of the depth chart at linebacker, due in large part to the engineering major’s demanding class schedule.
Eventually, the intrigue of Brooks’ physical gifts became too much to ignore.
“We tried to figure out, ‘gosh, can we come up with a package where we can just hand this guy the ball and let him be an athlete,'” Hawkins said.
Brooks gained 10 yards on three carries in ISU’s Week 1 loss to Oregon State. He followed that up with five carries for 29 yards and two carries for nine yards against Western Oregon and North Dakota, respectively.
Then, he burst onto the scene with his awe-inspiring performance in front of a raucous homecoming crowd Saturday, driving the Bengals to a 38-28 victory.
Hawkins referred to Brooks’ skillset as a running back as being “very green,” adding that the new weapon needs to improve in his pass protection.
“But you give that guy the football and he is tough to bring down, and he is explosive,” the coach added.
Brooks agreed that he does has some fine-tuning that would improve his overall game, but said that his abilities with the ball in his hands are much more natural.
“It feels a lot more instinctual than linebacker was,” he said. … “I’m always ready for what’s going on.”
The Bengals and their newest offensive weapon are back at home Saturday. They will host rival Montana State Saturday with kickoff scheduled for 4 p.m.