Force Shows Versatility for 'Cats
10/13/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Ryan Force is a sophomore defensive back who came to Montana State as a walk-on, and almost immediately played his way into a scholarship. He made an emergency start at Portland State in his hometown last year, and intercepted a pass.
A starting safety for the Bobcats since last spring, he moved to cornerback in a pinch at Colorado State, and responded admirably, almost seamlessly. Last week against Weber State, after Bobcat punt returner Mike Williams fumbled the ball a couple of times, Force stepped into that role without a hitch.
For all the spectacularly surprising achievements Force has registered in his young career, if you ask Bobcat head coach Mike Kramer -- who refers to Force only as Jim Thorpe because of his versatility and athleticism -- what is most impressive, and he just laughs.
"He's a great kicker," Kramer says. And there's no punch-line. "Really. EJ (Cochrane, MSU's starting kicker) is in class on Tuesdays and the other two (kickers) are hurt, so (Force) kicks, and he's really good."
That Force is showing his ability in any of these pursuits, much less all of them, is a testament in equal parts to his perseverance, to the importance of answering when opportunity knocks, and to the inexactitude of recruiting.
Kramer knows that last factor well. "I don't know," he says when asked why the Bobcats didn't recruit Force from Lake Oswego High School. "I just don't know. We looked at him and thought he had a chance to play, and that if he came here he'd have a great opportunity to earn a scholarship. But I think right now there might be a lot of schools wondering why they didn't recruit Ryan Force."
Bobcat defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski remembers the day Don Bailey, his counterpart on the Bobcat offense who recruited Oregon at the time, brought a tape of Force to him for evaluation. "He was a cornerback who looked pretty good," Kwiatkowski says. "I thought he had a chance to be a good safety, or maybe even a good linebacker if he grew into it."
As a member of the defensive scout team in 2002, he impressed that unit's coordinator, who also happens to be the program's head coach. As a special teams player in 2003 he again impressed the group's coordinator. Again, that was Mike Kramer. "He has a flair for being in the right place, he gets lined up right. It was apparent early on," Kramer said, "that this kid can play."
Although Force earned his nickname -- after the legendary early-20th century athlete who was not only an Olympic champion but played for John McGraw's New York Giants and was an early NFL star -- in fall camp, his versatility first fully showed himself at Colorado State this year. "I didn't know what to think," he says of being asked to play cornerback for the first time in his college career against a Division I-A squad.
"For his first time out, he really played well," Kramer said of Force's performance. "It's no secret that we're thin at that position, and he's really helped us put out a fire. And I think it's really opened his eyes to the nuances of a different position."
Force agrees. "I learned more (about the technique of playing corner) in a couple of days than I thought there was to know," he said. "It's been a great learning experience."
Lining up at free safety last week, Kramer called on Force and strong safety Corky Lindsay to be more physical and aggressive in stopping Weber State's ferocious ground game. The results, Kramer says, were positive. "Those guys were much better," he said. "They played like their ready to accept the mantle of Bobcat safeties handed down by great players like Kane Ioane and Kenneth Qualls. They have the ability, and they're developing the mindset. That will really bodes well for the future of our defense."
Before the distant future arrives, there is the small matter of the present. And with starting cornerback Kory Austin bothered by a hip pointer, Force -- again -- will be asked to make an emergency start in unfamiliar surroundings. This year, he will open the game at cornerback against Portland State, and explosive, balanced offensive club.
"He can handle it," Kramer says with a smile. "He's Jim Thorpe."
A starting safety for the Bobcats since last spring, he moved to cornerback in a pinch at Colorado State, and responded admirably, almost seamlessly. Last week against Weber State, after Bobcat punt returner Mike Williams fumbled the ball a couple of times, Force stepped into that role without a hitch.
For all the spectacularly surprising achievements Force has registered in his young career, if you ask Bobcat head coach Mike Kramer -- who refers to Force only as Jim Thorpe because of his versatility and athleticism -- what is most impressive, and he just laughs.
"He's a great kicker," Kramer says. And there's no punch-line. "Really. EJ (Cochrane, MSU's starting kicker) is in class on Tuesdays and the other two (kickers) are hurt, so (Force) kicks, and he's really good."
That Force is showing his ability in any of these pursuits, much less all of them, is a testament in equal parts to his perseverance, to the importance of answering when opportunity knocks, and to the inexactitude of recruiting.
Kramer knows that last factor well. "I don't know," he says when asked why the Bobcats didn't recruit Force from Lake Oswego High School. "I just don't know. We looked at him and thought he had a chance to play, and that if he came here he'd have a great opportunity to earn a scholarship. But I think right now there might be a lot of schools wondering why they didn't recruit Ryan Force."
Bobcat defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski remembers the day Don Bailey, his counterpart on the Bobcat offense who recruited Oregon at the time, brought a tape of Force to him for evaluation. "He was a cornerback who looked pretty good," Kwiatkowski says. "I thought he had a chance to be a good safety, or maybe even a good linebacker if he grew into it."
As a member of the defensive scout team in 2002, he impressed that unit's coordinator, who also happens to be the program's head coach. As a special teams player in 2003 he again impressed the group's coordinator. Again, that was Mike Kramer. "He has a flair for being in the right place, he gets lined up right. It was apparent early on," Kramer said, "that this kid can play."
Although Force earned his nickname -- after the legendary early-20th century athlete who was not only an Olympic champion but played for John McGraw's New York Giants and was an early NFL star -- in fall camp, his versatility first fully showed himself at Colorado State this year. "I didn't know what to think," he says of being asked to play cornerback for the first time in his college career against a Division I-A squad.
"For his first time out, he really played well," Kramer said of Force's performance. "It's no secret that we're thin at that position, and he's really helped us put out a fire. And I think it's really opened his eyes to the nuances of a different position."
Force agrees. "I learned more (about the technique of playing corner) in a couple of days than I thought there was to know," he said. "It's been a great learning experience."
Lining up at free safety last week, Kramer called on Force and strong safety Corky Lindsay to be more physical and aggressive in stopping Weber State's ferocious ground game. The results, Kramer says, were positive. "Those guys were much better," he said. "They played like their ready to accept the mantle of Bobcat safeties handed down by great players like Kane Ioane and Kenneth Qualls. They have the ability, and they're developing the mindset. That will really bodes well for the future of our defense."
Before the distant future arrives, there is the small matter of the present. And with starting cornerback Kory Austin bothered by a hip pointer, Force -- again -- will be asked to make an emergency start in unfamiliar surroundings. This year, he will open the game at cornerback against Portland State, and explosive, balanced offensive club.
"He can handle it," Kramer says with a smile. "He's Jim Thorpe."
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