Hip! Hip! Lulay!!!!!
11/23/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
with the media on Saturday trying to explain how a small-town kid who was widelyunderrecruited could turn 19 one month and lead his Bobcat football team to a victory overdefending National Champion Montana the next.
Lulay talked about playing Amity, talked about his first play as a 9th grade quarterback, whenhe handed the ball off to his cousin, who scored a long touchdown. He talked with humility
about his roots, his family, his teammates. And when he was done, there was a pretty strong
sense that a new day was dawning.
On a day which should probably have belonged to John Edwards, Montana's outstanding
quarterback whose singular accomplishments are unparalleled in Division I-AA football
history, it was a strong-jawed, soft-spoken redhead who was the story.
Lulay, a true freshman who a year ago was competing in the small-school playoffs in Oregon
and had never heard of Montana State University, was nearly flawless on a blustery, cold
afternoon. He neutralized the Hellgate wind, ignored the snow, and pretty much shredded
Montana's heretofore untouchable defense.
Lulay finished 14-for-25 passing, with a touchdown and an interception. The pick, on his final
pass of the day, snapped a string of 204 consecutive passes without an interception.
The touchdown was even more remarkable. We knew when we saw that alignment (from
Montana) that the play was going to be there, said MSU coach Mike Kramer. It was a
brilliant call by (offensive coordinator) Don Bailey, and it was executed perfectly by Travis
Lulay.
Operating out of a no-back set on a third-and-five from his own 47, the Bobcats picked up
UM's cornerback blitz, which left Junior Adams uncovered. Travis made the read perfectly,
Kramer said, and delivered the ball to Adams in stride. Montana's secondary had no chance.
Junior Adams sprinted into the end zone to give MSU the only touchdown it would need.
The rest of the day belonged to Ryan Johnson, MSU's battering-ram running back, and a
staunch Bobcat defense that held Montana to 199 yards. But the day was carried by a cool
customer who took snaps for the Bobcats.
And as people filed out of Washington-Grizzly Stadium Saturday in the near-darkness, there
was more than a bitter east wind blowing. It was the winds of change.
Lulay talked about playing Amity, talked about his first play as a 9th grade quarterback, whenhe handed the ball off to his cousin, who scored a long touchdown. He talked with humility
about his roots, his family, his teammates. And when he was done, there was a pretty strong
sense that a new day was dawning.
On a day which should probably have belonged to John Edwards, Montana's outstanding
quarterback whose singular accomplishments are unparalleled in Division I-AA football
history, it was a strong-jawed, soft-spoken redhead who was the story.
Lulay, a true freshman who a year ago was competing in the small-school playoffs in Oregon
and had never heard of Montana State University, was nearly flawless on a blustery, cold
afternoon. He neutralized the Hellgate wind, ignored the snow, and pretty much shredded
Montana's heretofore untouchable defense.
Lulay finished 14-for-25 passing, with a touchdown and an interception. The pick, on his final
pass of the day, snapped a string of 204 consecutive passes without an interception.
The touchdown was even more remarkable. We knew when we saw that alignment (from
Montana) that the play was going to be there, said MSU coach Mike Kramer. It was a
brilliant call by (offensive coordinator) Don Bailey, and it was executed perfectly by Travis
Lulay.
Operating out of a no-back set on a third-and-five from his own 47, the Bobcats picked up
UM's cornerback blitz, which left Junior Adams uncovered. Travis made the read perfectly,
Kramer said, and delivered the ball to Adams in stride. Montana's secondary had no chance.
Junior Adams sprinted into the end zone to give MSU the only touchdown it would need.
The rest of the day belonged to Ryan Johnson, MSU's battering-ram running back, and a
staunch Bobcat defense that held Montana to 199 yards. But the day was carried by a cool
customer who took snaps for the Bobcats.
And as people filed out of Washington-Grizzly Stadium Saturday in the near-darkness, there
was more than a bitter east wind blowing. It was the winds of change.
Wednesday, August 19
Wednesday, June 10
Monday, March 23
Friday, March 13
