ISU’s Kramer suspended for Montana game
Former EWU coach being investigated for shoving player on practice field
POCATELLO, Idaho — Idaho State football coach Mike Kramer has been suspended for his team’s game at Montana on Saturday for violating the university’s conduct policy.
Kramer, the former head coach at Eastern Washington University, was being investigated by the university and Pocatello police after wide receiver Derek Graves reported Kramer shoved him to the ground during practice on Oct. 3.
Athletic director Jeff Tingey announced the suspension Tuesday and said Kramer also was issued a letter of reprimand.
The university said it would have no further comment because the matter was a personnel issue.
Idaho State associate head coach Don Bailey will serve as the acting head coach on Saturday as Idaho State (1-6, 0-4 Big Sky) takes on Montana (3-5, 1-4).
A voicemail left with the ISU football office seeking comment from Kramer was not immediately returned.
This isn’t the first time Kramer has been the subject of a player’s claim of physical aggression.
In 1995, Kramer, then head coach at Eastern Washington, was accused of slapping a player. Kramer denied it.
Before Kramer took the Idaho State job in 2010, he had been out of coaching for four seasons after being fired by Montana State in 2007 following at least five drug-related arrests of current or former players within a year.
Kramer later settled a wrongful dismissal lawsuit.