Orenzo Davis looks to key MSU's potent offense against NAU's league-leading run defense Saturday in the Walkup Skydome
Photo by: Kelly Gorham
Bobcats Head to Flagstaff to Battle Lumberjacks
10/15/2010 9:32:21 AM | Football
Ninth-ranked MSU faces a stern road test on Saturday
Montana State's dynamic offense faces its sternest test of 2010, facing in Northern Arizona the league's stingiest scoring defense at Flagstaff's Walkup Skydome on Saturday. NAU's staunch defense allows just 18.4 points per game, and is led by a front seven that surrenders just 80.4 yards a game on the ground. DE Isaac Bond leads NAU with 4.5 sacks, while LB Reid Worthington has 30 tackles on the year. Payton Trophy candidate Michael Herrick triggers the potent Lumberjacks offense.
FOR OPENERS
• Northern Arizona's Jerome Souers, the league's longest-tenured head coach, is 3-3 against the Bobcats in Bozeman and 3-3 in Flagstaff
• The Bobcats are 28-5 when positive or even in turnover margin since the beginning of 2006, but just 5-15 when finishing a game negative in turnovers.
STADIUM STUFF
• MSU averages 511.0 yards per game in Bobcat Stadium this season
• The crowd of 15,227 was MSU's fourth-largest ever, and the biggest for a non-Cat/Griz
BIG SKY BULLET POINTS
• MSU's per game averages in points, rushing yards, and total yards each lead the Big Sky
• A week after Big Sky home teams lost three of four games, the league's four home teams each held serve last weekend
HIGHLIGHTS
• MSU leads the Big Sky and is second in the FCS in total yards per game (516.2)
• Bobcat QBs lead the Big Sky in pass efficiency at 166.32, 5th-best in the FCS
STREAKS
• Jason Cunningham has successfully converted 11 consecutive field goals
• MSU owns six straight 400-yard total offense games
• WR Everett Gilbert has multiple catches in each of his 17 career games at MSU
• LT Mike Person has started 30 straight game on the Bobcat offensive line
MILESTONES
• A different Bobcat receiver has set a career best in yards in three straight games
• Montana State stands 5-1 for the first time since 1978
• MSU's 267 points is already the 18th-best season in school history
SHINING
• QB Denarius McGhee owns a 9-to-1 TD-to-Int ratio in the last four games, and is 13-to-4 on the season
• WR Everett Gilbert's 124 receiving yards Saturday set a career high
• CB Arnold Briggs has forced a turnover in three of the last four games, and is second in the Big Sky in passes defended
Yardage Watch
Montana State has piled up yards at a historic rate through the first six games of the 2010 season...
Year Games Yards Yds/Gm
2010 6 3,097 516.2
1984 11* 4,921 447.4
2004 11 4,763 433.0
1973 10 4,030 403.0
1968 10 4,006 400.6
1998 11 4,253 386.6
*-regular season only
Airing it Out
Denarius McGhee's 261.3 passing average through the first six games of his Bobcat career already stands as MSU's fourth-best freshman season ever. It also puts McGhee in position to post a historically productive season as a Bobcat freshman...
Passing
Player Year Yards/Game
Kelly Bradley (so.) 1984 318.9
Travis Lulay (jr.) 2004 316.8
Denarius McGhee (fr.) 2010 261.3
Rob Compson (sr.) 1998 251.0
Travis Lulay (sr.) 2005 239.0
Topic: Turnovers
TO Margin TO Margin TO Margin
in BSC Wins in BSC Losses Overall in BSC gms
2010 +5 NA +5
2009 +3 -6 -3
2008 +5 -9 -4
2007 +6 -5 +1
The Cats are 4-12 under Rob Ash when turning the ball over more than their foe.
More of the Turnover Tale
Montana State's record when...
Positive in Even in Negative in
TO Margin TO Margin TO Margin
2010 3-0 1-1 0-0
2009 4-0 1-1 2-3
2008 4-0 0-0 3-5
2007 5-0 1-1 0-4
2006 5-1 3-1 0-3
2002-05 11-5 12-6 7-11
Mac The Miracle Worker?
MSU played the last three games without at least two projected O-line starters, guards Ben Tauanuu (leg, out for season) and Conrad Burbank (knee, week-to-week). Tackle Leo Davis and center Alex Terrien also missed stretches, but offensive line coach Jason McEndoo has built a successful attack plugging in-state former walk-ons Casey Dennehy (guard) and Shaun Sampson (center) into the voids.
The Old-Timers
MSU has scored 30 offensive touchdowns in 2010, only five by seniors - receiver Julius Lloyd has four, while tight end Kyle Begger has one.
The Rush on Rushing
Montana State's 233.3 rushing yards per game leads the Big Sky, with second place Sacramento State more than 40 yards behind (189.7). Bobcat junior Orenzo Davis stands third in the league in rushing (101.3), with CJ Palmer sixth (67.4).
Skewing Young
The 19 players on MSU's offensive depth chart (some O-linemen hold down multiple spots) broken down by class: seniors-4, juniors-7, sophomores-4, frosh-3.
Offensive Notebook...
Through six games, Montana State has put up some hsitorically significant offensive numbers:
* The team's 646 total yards at Sac State is third-most in school history and the most since a school-record 683 against EWU in 2004
* MSU's 326 rushing yards against Portland State is MSU's most since gaining 369 at Portland State in 2008, and the most in the Big Sky in 2010
* MSU's 64 points against Sac State was fifth-most in school history, the 61 points was the most a Bobcat team has ever allowed in a win, and the 125 combined points was the most in school history
* MSU has allowed just two sacks in the last two games, and is second in the Big Sky in sacks allowed
* Denarius McGhee is the highest-rated fresman in the FCS in passing efficiency and total offense
Taking a Hit
After four games, Montana State's defense had an aura of dominance. With three veteran starters (DE Dustin O'Connell, LB Clay Bignell, SS Jordan Craney) missing most of the last two games, however, the Bobcat defense has given up uncharacteristic yardage totals:
Total Rush Pass
Yards All'd Yards All'd Yards All'd
PSU 456 248 208
SAC 624 260 364
Average 540.0 254.0 286.0
EWU 382 110 272
DRAKE 286 61 225
WaSt 316 112 204
FLC 238 12 216
Average 305.5 295.0 229.3
Rushing Rundown
Sac State rushed for 260 yards against MSU. The Bobcats' first four opponents combined for 295 yards on the ground.
Mayhem in the Middle
Montana State's interior defensive linement have created havoc in 2010. The four-man Bobcat rotation through the nose and defensive tackle positions have accounted for 36 tackles, including 5.0 for a loss and 3.5 sacks, with seven pass breakups, three hurries, two fumbles forced, two recovered, and two interceptions. Zach Minter has scored two touchdowns this season, while Ogden's forced fumble was the first of his MSU career.
Minter Magic
Montana State defensive tackle - read that again - Zach Minter intercepted passes in back-to-back games against EWU and Sac State, returning his pick vs. Eastern Washington for a touchdown. Against Drake, Minter recovered a fumble that he forced in the end zone for a touchdown, giving him two scores and three turnovers forced in the last four games.
Talkin' Turnovers
Montana State has been even or positive in turnover margin in each game, and stands +6 in turnovers after six games. The +1.0 per game is tied for best in the Big Sky with this week's opponent, NAU.
The Rush to Judgment
Montana State led the Big Sky in rush defense with 82.8 yards a game allowed in 2009, 60.6 against conference opponents. The Bobcats have allowed 813 net rushing yards in 2010, 508 of them the last two weeks. The Bobcats have dropped from first to fourth in the Big Sky in rushing defense
More Rushing Remarks
Since the beginning of 2008, MSU has allowed its three FBS opponents to rush for 161.7 yards per game, but has held FCS foes to 61.2 yards (1,040 total) in 17 games and its three non-DI foes 34.0 yards per game (102 total).
Scoopin' and Scoring
MSU is 15-0 during Rob Ash's tenure when the defense scores (including special teams safeties), 8-15 when it does not.
2010 EWU Minter 53 int. ret. for TD.. MSU 30-7
DU Minter rec. fumble for TD MSU 48-21
2009 PSU Ripley rec. blkd punt for TD MSU 28-10
ISU Jones ret. fumble for TD MSU 41-10
NC Daly blocks punt for safety MSU 27-5
2008 PSU Retoriano 17 int return MSU 49-32
NAU Fletcher blocks quick kick for S.. MSU 25-23
NC Retoriano 64 int return MSU 20-7
SAC Retoriano rec'd Green's punt blk MSU 31-20
ISU J. Anderson blk punt safety MSU 33-21
ASC Jeff Brown 10 fumble ret MSU 59-3
2007 PSU Mike Beach 72 int ret MSU 50-36
ISU Kevin Retoriano 83 int ret MSU 40-20
Chase Gazzerro safety MSU 40-20
WEB Chase Gazzerro 26 int ret MSU 21-5
Mike Beach 12 int ret MSU 21-5
DIX Team safety.......... MSU 61-7
Dan Ogden 62 int ret MSU 61-7
MSU When Leading After...
1st Quarter: 4-1
2nd Quarter: 5-1
3rd Quarter: 4-1
MSU When Trailing After...
1st Quarter: 1-0
2nd Quarter: 0-0
3rd Quarter: 1-0
2010 Montana State Depth Chart
Offense
LEFT TACKLE 72 Mike Person*** 6-5 295 Sr&
70 Killian Fitzpatrick 6-8 285 RFr&
LEFT GUARD 57 Casey Dennehy** 6-1 273 So&
OR 68 Conrad Burbank** 6-4 280 Jr&
CENTER 56 Shaun Sampson 6-0 249 So&
61 Alex Terrien** (TARE-ee-unh) 6-4 291 Jr&
RIGHT GUARD 61 Alex Terrien** (TARE-ee-unh) 6-4 291 Jr&
71 Jesse Hoffmann** 6-4 286 Sr&
RIGHT TACKLE 50 Leo Davis* 6-4 271 Jr&
70 Killian Fitzpatrick 6-8 285 RFr&
RUNNING BACK 8 Orenzo Davis (ore-ENN-zoe) 5-9 185 Jr+
20 CJ Palmer* 6-0 235 Jr
W RECEIVER 14 Everett Gilbert* 5-9 177 So
27 D. Thomas** (duh-SHAWN) 6-1 180 Jr
X RECEIVER 1 Elvis Akpla (ACK-pluh) 6-1 185 Jr&+
86 Tanner Bleskin 6-3 210 RFr&
Z RECEIVER 82 Julius Lloyd 6-0 184 Sr+
10 Kruizz Siewing* 5-10 182 So&
TIGHT END 81 Kyle Begger** 6-2 245 S&
88 Shane Robison* (ROB-isson) 6-5 245 Jr&
Defense
BANDIT 90 Dan Ogden*** 6-0 270 Sr
34 Preston Gale 6-2 239 RFr&
TACKLE 96 Zach Minter* 6-1 265 So
63 Zach Logan 6-3 295 Fr
NOSE 45 Jason D'Alba* (dee-AL-buh) 6-2 277 Sr&+
98 Christian Keli'i* (kuh-LEE-ee) 6-0 282 So
END 11 John Laidet** (luh-DETT) 6-5 250 Jr&+
49 Caleb Schreibeis* (SHRY-bice) 6-3 245 So&
SAM 44 A. Grosulak (uh-LECK-see GROSS-uh-lack) 5-10 215 RFr&
OR 9 Roger Trammell (truh-MELL) 6-1 230 Jr+
MIKE 42 Clay Bignell** 6-2 236 Jr&
OR 44 Aleksei Grosulak 5-10 215 RFr&
WILL 23 Jody Owens* 6-1 214 So&
59 Tanner Ripley*** 6-1 214 Sr&
BOUNDARY 26 Arnold Briggs ** 5-10 185 Sr&
CORNER 17 Sean Gords 5-10 185 Fr
FREE SAFETY 22 Michael Rider*** 5-11 196 Sr&
32 Anthony Cosme-Peko* 5-11 209 Sr+
ROVER 5 Joel Fuller* 6-0 200 So
OR 7 Jordan Craney*** (CRAY-nee) 6-1 205 Sr
31 Steven Bethley 5-11 220 Fr
FIELD 13 Darius Jones* (DARE-ee-us) 5-10 167 So
CORNER 24 James Andrews 6-1 187 Jr
*-number of letters earned &-player used redshirt year, +-transferred to MSU
KICKS 15 Jason Cunningham** 6-1 162 Jr
PUNTS 18 Rory Perez 6-2 180 Fr
SNAPS: 65-Tim Garcia HOLDER: 19 Rick Haluszka
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