Bobcat FB Sunday Notebook #5
10/7/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Montana State opened has now opened the 2007 season with a 4-1 record after Saturday's 7-3 win over Southern Utah. Here is a look...
INJURY REPORT: LB Chase Gazzerro missed Saturday’s game, and will miss the rest of the season (knee). DE Dane Fletcher missed Saturday’s game with a shoulder injury, but is expected to return to action this week. DT Brandon Hoffenbacker returned to action Saturday.
ROB ASH’S TENTATIVE MEDIA AND APPEARANCE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK
Monday: 12 noon – Bobcat Quarterback Club, Billings
5:30 pm – Bobcat Quarterback Club, Bozeman (teleconference around state)
Tuesday: 10 am – Coaches Corner, Holiday Inn
12 noon – Bobcat Media Lunch
7 pm –Bobcat Quarterback Club, Helena
Wednesday: 10:54 am – Big Sky Conference Media Call
7 pm – Cat Chat, hosted by Jeff Lasky, Old Chicago (1450 KMMS-AM)
Practice is 3:30 pm Tuesday through Thursday, TBA at Woodward Stadium on Friday
TEAM NOTES
• Montana State now owns seven straight wins in Bobcat Stadium, matching the longest home win streak since the 1975-77 teams won 11 straight.
• Montana State intercepted two Southern Utah passes on Saturday, raising MSU’s total to 10 on the season, tied for second in the Big Sky.
• The 10 total points scored by the two teams Saturday marked the lowest output in the history of Sales/Bobcat Stadium.
• The last time Montana State made single-digit points hold up for a win was 1972, when MSU beat Weber State 9-3 in Ogden.
• Montana State’s last win when scoring as few as seven points was 1955, when Wally Lemm’s only Bobcat team beat Lewis and Clark 7-6 in the season opener.
• Montana State’s last 4-1 start was in 1998, when the team finished 7-4, but the Bobcats beat a pair of non-Division I opponents early that year. In 2007, MSU’s start includes a pair of conference victories and three Division I wins.
• Southern Utah now stands 0-5 on the season, but its opponents’ cumulative record is 26-1 (MSU’s loss at Texas A&M is the only loss a Thunderbird opponent has suffered in 2007).
• The Thunderbirds have not only lost their only two visits to Bobcat Stadium by a total of five points, but temperature at kickoff for both early-October games stood at 36 degrees.
• Montana State has played its last three games in rain or snow.
• Montana State is fourth in the nation in pass efficiency defense, and leads the Big Sky
• The Bobcats also stand ninth in the nation in scoring defense, second in the conference, in spite of allowing 38 points to Texas A&M. Montana State has allowed just 35 points in the last four games, including three touchdowns, two by the defense.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES/PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINEES
OFFENSE: none
OTHER NOTES: While each of MSU’s running backs were held under 50 yards rushing in Saturday’s quagmire, the assembled individuals still managed to rush for 144 yards, largely using the contribution of Jack Rolovich (seven carries, 26 yards)… Demetrius Crawford’s 48 yards helped the junior running back to lead the Bobcats in rushing for the fifth straight game.
DEFENSE: LB Bobby Daly – 6-1, 215, Jr, Helena, MT
Bobby Daly registered 17 tackles, including 11 solos, in leading Montana State to a 7-3 win over Southern Utah on Saturday. Daly also had a pair of sacks, the first coming on a third-and-short in MSU territory that forced a Bobcat punt. Daly had two third-down tackles that led to Bobcat stops, and his effort spearheaded a Bobcat defense that limited Southern Utah to only a field goal. Montana State’s defense has allowed only two touchdowns in the last four games. Daly’s 17 total tackles was the most by a Bobcat since current MSU linebackers coach Kane Ioane registered 21 in a 2003 contest. The junior middle linebacker currently leads the Big Sky with 12.0 tackles a game.
OTHER NOTES: Junior DT Chris Kolone blocked a field goal late in the first quarter that proved to be a pivotal play, but he was afforded the opportunity by what MSU coach Rob Ash called a ‘hustle play’ by senior CB Michael Beach. Beach chased down Nick Miller on a 53-yard pass play at the nine-yard line, and after the Bobcat defense kept SUU out of the end zone Kolone kept them off the scoreboard… Safeties Jeff Brown and Kevin Retoriano were seen as inexperienced players entering the season, but on Saturday the two combined for 10 tackles, and interception, and two pass breakups… Demetrius Crawford has built his reputation carrying the ball for the Bobcats in the first month of the season, but Saturday made a tremendous contribution tackling. After MSU’s only turnover of the day on a Jack Rolovich sack, Derrick Brown picked up the fumble and was headed for the end zone. Crawford shucked a block and tackled Brown, saving a TD and setting up a possession that ended the first half without the Thunderbirds scoring.
SPECIAL TEAMS: P Eric Fisher – 6-1, 191, So, Billings, MT
Playing in difficult weather conditions for the third straight week, punter Eric Fisher emerged as what Rob Ash called “a secret weapon”, as his punting helped Montana State win the field position battle and hold one for a 7-3 victory over Southern Utah. Fisher punted eight times Saturday, averaging 43.9 yards and pinning Southern Utah inside the 20 on each of the last two drives when the Thunderbirds attempted to rally for the win. Montana State’s final six drives ended in Fisher punts, and he averaged 41.0 yards on the first five of those before hammering a 54-yarder on the final punt of the day. Southern Utah managed returns on only three of the six second half punts, totaling just 23 yards. Southern Utah’s starting field position was its own 30 on the afternoon, and after Fisher’s punts SUU started on its own 25.
OTHER NOTES: Michael Sweeney missed his only field goal attempt Saturday, dropping MSU to 2-for-8 on the season.
INJURY REPORT: LB Chase Gazzerro missed Saturday’s game, and will miss the rest of the season (knee). DE Dane Fletcher missed Saturday’s game with a shoulder injury, but is expected to return to action this week. DT Brandon Hoffenbacker returned to action Saturday.
ROB ASH’S TENTATIVE MEDIA AND APPEARANCE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK
Monday: 12 noon – Bobcat Quarterback Club, Billings
5:30 pm – Bobcat Quarterback Club, Bozeman (teleconference around state)
Tuesday: 10 am – Coaches Corner, Holiday Inn
12 noon – Bobcat Media Lunch
7 pm –Bobcat Quarterback Club, Helena
Wednesday: 10:54 am – Big Sky Conference Media Call
7 pm – Cat Chat, hosted by Jeff Lasky, Old Chicago (1450 KMMS-AM)
Practice is 3:30 pm Tuesday through Thursday, TBA at Woodward Stadium on Friday
TEAM NOTES
• Montana State now owns seven straight wins in Bobcat Stadium, matching the longest home win streak since the 1975-77 teams won 11 straight.
• Montana State intercepted two Southern Utah passes on Saturday, raising MSU’s total to 10 on the season, tied for second in the Big Sky.
• The 10 total points scored by the two teams Saturday marked the lowest output in the history of Sales/Bobcat Stadium.
• The last time Montana State made single-digit points hold up for a win was 1972, when MSU beat Weber State 9-3 in Ogden.
• Montana State’s last win when scoring as few as seven points was 1955, when Wally Lemm’s only Bobcat team beat Lewis and Clark 7-6 in the season opener.
• Montana State’s last 4-1 start was in 1998, when the team finished 7-4, but the Bobcats beat a pair of non-Division I opponents early that year. In 2007, MSU’s start includes a pair of conference victories and three Division I wins.
• Southern Utah now stands 0-5 on the season, but its opponents’ cumulative record is 26-1 (MSU’s loss at Texas A&M is the only loss a Thunderbird opponent has suffered in 2007).
• The Thunderbirds have not only lost their only two visits to Bobcat Stadium by a total of five points, but temperature at kickoff for both early-October games stood at 36 degrees.
• Montana State has played its last three games in rain or snow.
• Montana State is fourth in the nation in pass efficiency defense, and leads the Big Sky
• The Bobcats also stand ninth in the nation in scoring defense, second in the conference, in spite of allowing 38 points to Texas A&M. Montana State has allowed just 35 points in the last four games, including three touchdowns, two by the defense.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES/PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINEES
OFFENSE: none
OTHER NOTES: While each of MSU’s running backs were held under 50 yards rushing in Saturday’s quagmire, the assembled individuals still managed to rush for 144 yards, largely using the contribution of Jack Rolovich (seven carries, 26 yards)… Demetrius Crawford’s 48 yards helped the junior running back to lead the Bobcats in rushing for the fifth straight game.
DEFENSE: LB Bobby Daly – 6-1, 215, Jr, Helena, MT
Bobby Daly registered 17 tackles, including 11 solos, in leading Montana State to a 7-3 win over Southern Utah on Saturday. Daly also had a pair of sacks, the first coming on a third-and-short in MSU territory that forced a Bobcat punt. Daly had two third-down tackles that led to Bobcat stops, and his effort spearheaded a Bobcat defense that limited Southern Utah to only a field goal. Montana State’s defense has allowed only two touchdowns in the last four games. Daly’s 17 total tackles was the most by a Bobcat since current MSU linebackers coach Kane Ioane registered 21 in a 2003 contest. The junior middle linebacker currently leads the Big Sky with 12.0 tackles a game.
OTHER NOTES: Junior DT Chris Kolone blocked a field goal late in the first quarter that proved to be a pivotal play, but he was afforded the opportunity by what MSU coach Rob Ash called a ‘hustle play’ by senior CB Michael Beach. Beach chased down Nick Miller on a 53-yard pass play at the nine-yard line, and after the Bobcat defense kept SUU out of the end zone Kolone kept them off the scoreboard… Safeties Jeff Brown and Kevin Retoriano were seen as inexperienced players entering the season, but on Saturday the two combined for 10 tackles, and interception, and two pass breakups… Demetrius Crawford has built his reputation carrying the ball for the Bobcats in the first month of the season, but Saturday made a tremendous contribution tackling. After MSU’s only turnover of the day on a Jack Rolovich sack, Derrick Brown picked up the fumble and was headed for the end zone. Crawford shucked a block and tackled Brown, saving a TD and setting up a possession that ended the first half without the Thunderbirds scoring.
SPECIAL TEAMS: P Eric Fisher – 6-1, 191, So, Billings, MT
Playing in difficult weather conditions for the third straight week, punter Eric Fisher emerged as what Rob Ash called “a secret weapon”, as his punting helped Montana State win the field position battle and hold one for a 7-3 victory over Southern Utah. Fisher punted eight times Saturday, averaging 43.9 yards and pinning Southern Utah inside the 20 on each of the last two drives when the Thunderbirds attempted to rally for the win. Montana State’s final six drives ended in Fisher punts, and he averaged 41.0 yards on the first five of those before hammering a 54-yarder on the final punt of the day. Southern Utah managed returns on only three of the six second half punts, totaling just 23 yards. Southern Utah’s starting field position was its own 30 on the afternoon, and after Fisher’s punts SUU started on its own 25.
OTHER NOTES: Michael Sweeney missed his only field goal attempt Saturday, dropping MSU to 2-for-8 on the season.
Wednesday, June 10
Friday, March 27
Monday, March 23
Friday, March 13
