MSU Sunday Notebook vs. South Dakota
9/28/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Montana State beat South Dakota 37-18 in Bobcat Stadium Saturday, the team's final non-conference tilt before jumping into Big Sky action this weekend.
INJURY REPORT: Nose tackle Chris Kolone (knee) and receiver Deon Toliver (finger) suffered injuries Saturday, and will be evaluated on Monday. Their status for Idaho State will be clarified at Tuesday’s Media Lunch. Brandon Bostick (knee) and Mark Desin (hamstring) missed Saturday’s game, and are questionable. Safety Michael Rider (shoulder) and running back Blayde Becksted (knee) are out.
ROB ASH’S TENTATIVE MEDIA AND APPEARANCE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK
Monday: 12 noon – Bobcat Quarterback Club, Butte
5:30 pm – Bobcat Quarterback Club, Bozeman (teleconference to Billings, Great Falls)
Tuesday: 10 am – Coaches Corner, Holiday Inn
12 noon – Bobcat Media Lunch
7:30 pm –Bobcat Quarterback Club, Helena
Wednesday: 10:54 am – Big Sky Conference Media Call
7 pm – Cat Chat, hosted by Jeff Lasky, The Pour House (1450 KMMS-AM)
Practice is 3:55 pm Tuesday through Thursday, with the time of Friday’s walk-through in Holt Arena TBA.
TEAM NOTES
• Montana State is now 4-2 in its history when playing its first home game after a 28-day hiatus. The Bobcats won the previous two instances, also, beating NAU in 2005 and Weber State in 1999.
• While the Bobcats held USD without a kick block for the first time in three games, MSU did commit a special teams turnover for the third straight game when DeSean Thomas fumbled on a punt return.
• MSU’s three sacks against South Dakota tripled the team’s total from the two previous games.
• Montana State committed five turnovers on Saturday, and the Bobcats are now -6 in turnover margin this season.
• While the Bobcat offense struggled with turnovers at times on Saturday, the MSU defense responded. The Bobcat defense faced five sudden changes Saturday, and only allowed one score, which came after a fumble with 3:30 to play in the game when MSU’s defensive reserves were in the game.
• The crowd of 14,047 that saw Saturday’s game was the eighth-largest non-Grizzly crowd in school history, and was eighth straight home sellout, the 11th straight in regular season games.
• Saturday’s crowd was also the third-largest non-conference crowd in school history.
• Through three quarters, the Bobcats’ first defense had: held South Dakota scoreless… limited the Coyotes to four first downs and 111 yards… held USD without a first down on eight of its 11 possessions… stopped South Dakota twice on possessions started inside the MSU 30-yard line.
• The Cats will be the final Big Sky team to begin a league game this year when it kicks off at Idaho State on Saturday.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES/PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINEES
OFFENSE: WR DeSean Thomas – 6-5, 245, Fr, Cleburne, TX
DeSean Thomas caught four passes for 90 yards Saturday, including his first career touchdown catch as a Bobcat. He also rushed once for 40 yards, and compiled 139 all-purpose yards. Thomas has at least one catch in each of his four games as a Bobcat.
OTHER NOTES: Brandon Bostick’s 13 catches continues to lead the team, even after the senior tight end missed Saturday’s game… Demetrius Crawford’s 89.2 yards per game rushing leads the Big Sky.
DEFENSE: DE Dane Fletcher – 6-2, 242, Jr, Bozeman, MT
Dane Fletcher led the Bobcats with six tackles, 2.5 for a loss, and two sacks in Saturday’s 37-18 win over South Dakota. He also broke up three passes and forced a fumble, which the Bobcats converted into touchdown that expanded MSU’s lead to 28-0 at the end of the third quarter and sealed the win. USD entered the contest averaging 41 points and 531 yards entering the contest, but Fletcher and the Bobcats held the Coyotes to 241 yards and 18 points, including 111 yards and no points through three quarters. USD quarterback Noah Shepard had averaged over 290 yards of total offense per game in South Dakota’s first four outings, but the Bobcats held him to 92 total yards, including just 74 passing. Fletcher’s 1.75 tackles-for-loss per game is tied for the best mark in the Big Sky.
OTHER NOTES: Dane Fletcher continues to lead the Big Sky with 1.5 tackles-for-loss per game… Fletcher also leads the Bobcats with 19 total tackles… Ryan Cerise registered his first career sack last week at Minnesota.
SPECIAL TEAMS: FS Kevin Retoriano – 5-9, 187, Jr, San Diego, CA
Kevin Retoriano starred on Montana State’s coverage units on Saturday. The junior defensive back blocked a kick that helped preserve MSU’s shutout into the fourth quarter.
OTHER NOTES: David Taylor’s return of the fumbled PAT snap in the fourth quarter Saturday was MSU’s first defensive conversion since Josh Perkins did so against Cal Poly in 1999…
INJURY REPORT: Nose tackle Chris Kolone (knee) and receiver Deon Toliver (finger) suffered injuries Saturday, and will be evaluated on Monday. Their status for Idaho State will be clarified at Tuesday’s Media Lunch. Brandon Bostick (knee) and Mark Desin (hamstring) missed Saturday’s game, and are questionable. Safety Michael Rider (shoulder) and running back Blayde Becksted (knee) are out.
ROB ASH’S TENTATIVE MEDIA AND APPEARANCE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK
Monday: 12 noon – Bobcat Quarterback Club, Butte
5:30 pm – Bobcat Quarterback Club, Bozeman (teleconference to Billings, Great Falls)
Tuesday: 10 am – Coaches Corner, Holiday Inn
12 noon – Bobcat Media Lunch
7:30 pm –Bobcat Quarterback Club, Helena
Wednesday: 10:54 am – Big Sky Conference Media Call
7 pm – Cat Chat, hosted by Jeff Lasky, The Pour House (1450 KMMS-AM)
Practice is 3:55 pm Tuesday through Thursday, with the time of Friday’s walk-through in Holt Arena TBA.
TEAM NOTES
• Montana State is now 4-2 in its history when playing its first home game after a 28-day hiatus. The Bobcats won the previous two instances, also, beating NAU in 2005 and Weber State in 1999.
• While the Bobcats held USD without a kick block for the first time in three games, MSU did commit a special teams turnover for the third straight game when DeSean Thomas fumbled on a punt return.
• MSU’s three sacks against South Dakota tripled the team’s total from the two previous games.
• Montana State committed five turnovers on Saturday, and the Bobcats are now -6 in turnover margin this season.
• While the Bobcat offense struggled with turnovers at times on Saturday, the MSU defense responded. The Bobcat defense faced five sudden changes Saturday, and only allowed one score, which came after a fumble with 3:30 to play in the game when MSU’s defensive reserves were in the game.
• The crowd of 14,047 that saw Saturday’s game was the eighth-largest non-Grizzly crowd in school history, and was eighth straight home sellout, the 11th straight in regular season games.
• Saturday’s crowd was also the third-largest non-conference crowd in school history.
• Through three quarters, the Bobcats’ first defense had: held South Dakota scoreless… limited the Coyotes to four first downs and 111 yards… held USD without a first down on eight of its 11 possessions… stopped South Dakota twice on possessions started inside the MSU 30-yard line.
• The Cats will be the final Big Sky team to begin a league game this year when it kicks off at Idaho State on Saturday.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES/PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINEES
OFFENSE: WR DeSean Thomas – 6-5, 245, Fr, Cleburne, TX
DeSean Thomas caught four passes for 90 yards Saturday, including his first career touchdown catch as a Bobcat. He also rushed once for 40 yards, and compiled 139 all-purpose yards. Thomas has at least one catch in each of his four games as a Bobcat.
OTHER NOTES: Brandon Bostick’s 13 catches continues to lead the team, even after the senior tight end missed Saturday’s game… Demetrius Crawford’s 89.2 yards per game rushing leads the Big Sky.
DEFENSE: DE Dane Fletcher – 6-2, 242, Jr, Bozeman, MT
Dane Fletcher led the Bobcats with six tackles, 2.5 for a loss, and two sacks in Saturday’s 37-18 win over South Dakota. He also broke up three passes and forced a fumble, which the Bobcats converted into touchdown that expanded MSU’s lead to 28-0 at the end of the third quarter and sealed the win. USD entered the contest averaging 41 points and 531 yards entering the contest, but Fletcher and the Bobcats held the Coyotes to 241 yards and 18 points, including 111 yards and no points through three quarters. USD quarterback Noah Shepard had averaged over 290 yards of total offense per game in South Dakota’s first four outings, but the Bobcats held him to 92 total yards, including just 74 passing. Fletcher’s 1.75 tackles-for-loss per game is tied for the best mark in the Big Sky.
OTHER NOTES: Dane Fletcher continues to lead the Big Sky with 1.5 tackles-for-loss per game… Fletcher also leads the Bobcats with 19 total tackles… Ryan Cerise registered his first career sack last week at Minnesota.
SPECIAL TEAMS: FS Kevin Retoriano – 5-9, 187, Jr, San Diego, CA
Kevin Retoriano starred on Montana State’s coverage units on Saturday. The junior defensive back blocked a kick that helped preserve MSU’s shutout into the fourth quarter.
OTHER NOTES: David Taylor’s return of the fumbled PAT snap in the fourth quarter Saturday was MSU’s first defensive conversion since Josh Perkins did so against Cal Poly in 1999…
Wednesday, June 10
Friday, March 27
Monday, March 23
Friday, March 13
