Bobcats Close Spring Drills
4/17/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Montana State's defense turned the tables on Saturday, forcing five interceptions and outscoring the offense 52-28 in the Sonny Holland Classic scrimmage which closed MSU's spring practice session.
Free safety Ryan Force intercepted three passes and strong safety Toph Grenfell nabbed two to spearhead the Bobcat effort. Grenfell returned one of his interceptions for a touchdown.
"We were great on defense," said Mike Kramer, presiding over his fifth spring as Montana State's head coach. "I liked the way they ran to the ball and gang-tackled. They played with great enthusiasm and love for each other."
Aside from the five interceptions combined, the play of MSU's safeties, Force and Grenfell, caught Kramer's eye. "I was impressed with the great play of Ryan Force throughout the day. Toph Grenfell missed the middle third of the spring with a high ankle sprain, but he played well and he's in the mix at safety. He had two nice picks and really tackled well."
While MSU's quarterbacks Travis Lulay and Rick Coppack struggled, MSU's ground game sparkled. Dan McInirney, a freshman from Billings, exploded for a 73-yard touchdown run and finished with 112 yards on 12 carries. Jason Gathing, who will enter the fall as the projected starter, gained 83 yards on eight carries, and newcomer Morris Milton had 28 yards on 11 carries.
"We've talked a lot about (junior college running back) Justin Domenick's arrival in the fall, but he's going to have to take the job away from Jason Gathing," Kramer said. "Jason really played well today, and he's played well this spring. He's an exciting back. Morris Milton can play, and that gives us four great tailbacks in the fall, with Dan McInerney."
While Kramer was pleased with his team's effort this spring, he carries concerns into the fall. "The greatest concern of the coaching staff is that middle group of players," he said. "Not the top group -- Travis Lulay, Blake Wolf, Roger Cooper, Ray Sebestyen -- but the next group of guys. Those quasi-starters are a long ways away. That middle group has to grow the most over the summer and in the four weeks of practice (next fall) before the season starts."
Still, Kramer said the Bobcats close spring drills on a positive note. "The two numbers that are the most imoprtant to me are 100 plays, and after 15 practices no (major injuries). To get through the spring and in the 15th practice be able to go 100 plays shows that we have quality depth from top to bottom. We're able to function for 100 plays, and that's a tribute to our strength and conditioning program and our overall health."
RUSHING
Dan McInerney 12-112-1, Morris Milton 11-28-0, Jason Gathing 8-83-0.
PASSING
Travis Lulay 27-14-3, 150, 2; Rick Coppack 23-10-4, 116, 1.
RECEIVING
Kellen Alley 4-69-2; Ricky Gatewood 3-55-1; Demetrius Williams 3-43-0; Blake Wolf 3-36-0; Ty McDonald 3-20-0; Brandon Roosevelt 2-7-0; Eddie Sullivan 2-20-0; Jason Gathing 2-6-0; Dan McInerney 1-3-0; Branton Sherman 1-13-0.
DEFENSIVE HIGHLIGHTS
Sacks -- Beau Clark 2, Aaron Papich 1, Nick Marudas 1.
Tackles for Loss (other than sacks) -- Epikopo King 1, Matt Park 1, Roger Cooper 1.
Interceptions -- Ryan Force 3, Toph Grenfell 2, John Lebrum 1, Mike Weiss 1.
Pass Breakups -- DeAngelo Wall 1, Ryan Force 1.
Free safety Ryan Force intercepted three passes and strong safety Toph Grenfell nabbed two to spearhead the Bobcat effort. Grenfell returned one of his interceptions for a touchdown.
"We were great on defense," said Mike Kramer, presiding over his fifth spring as Montana State's head coach. "I liked the way they ran to the ball and gang-tackled. They played with great enthusiasm and love for each other."
Aside from the five interceptions combined, the play of MSU's safeties, Force and Grenfell, caught Kramer's eye. "I was impressed with the great play of Ryan Force throughout the day. Toph Grenfell missed the middle third of the spring with a high ankle sprain, but he played well and he's in the mix at safety. He had two nice picks and really tackled well."
While MSU's quarterbacks Travis Lulay and Rick Coppack struggled, MSU's ground game sparkled. Dan McInirney, a freshman from Billings, exploded for a 73-yard touchdown run and finished with 112 yards on 12 carries. Jason Gathing, who will enter the fall as the projected starter, gained 83 yards on eight carries, and newcomer Morris Milton had 28 yards on 11 carries.
"We've talked a lot about (junior college running back) Justin Domenick's arrival in the fall, but he's going to have to take the job away from Jason Gathing," Kramer said. "Jason really played well today, and he's played well this spring. He's an exciting back. Morris Milton can play, and that gives us four great tailbacks in the fall, with Dan McInerney."
While Kramer was pleased with his team's effort this spring, he carries concerns into the fall. "The greatest concern of the coaching staff is that middle group of players," he said. "Not the top group -- Travis Lulay, Blake Wolf, Roger Cooper, Ray Sebestyen -- but the next group of guys. Those quasi-starters are a long ways away. That middle group has to grow the most over the summer and in the four weeks of practice (next fall) before the season starts."
Still, Kramer said the Bobcats close spring drills on a positive note. "The two numbers that are the most imoprtant to me are 100 plays, and after 15 practices no (major injuries). To get through the spring and in the 15th practice be able to go 100 plays shows that we have quality depth from top to bottom. We're able to function for 100 plays, and that's a tribute to our strength and conditioning program and our overall health."
RUSHING
Dan McInerney 12-112-1, Morris Milton 11-28-0, Jason Gathing 8-83-0.
PASSING
Travis Lulay 27-14-3, 150, 2; Rick Coppack 23-10-4, 116, 1.
RECEIVING
Kellen Alley 4-69-2; Ricky Gatewood 3-55-1; Demetrius Williams 3-43-0; Blake Wolf 3-36-0; Ty McDonald 3-20-0; Brandon Roosevelt 2-7-0; Eddie Sullivan 2-20-0; Jason Gathing 2-6-0; Dan McInerney 1-3-0; Branton Sherman 1-13-0.
DEFENSIVE HIGHLIGHTS
Sacks -- Beau Clark 2, Aaron Papich 1, Nick Marudas 1.
Tackles for Loss (other than sacks) -- Epikopo King 1, Matt Park 1, Roger Cooper 1.
Interceptions -- Ryan Force 3, Toph Grenfell 2, John Lebrum 1, Mike Weiss 1.
Pass Breakups -- DeAngelo Wall 1, Ryan Force 1.
Wednesday, June 10
Friday, March 27
Monday, March 23
Friday, March 13
