Cats in Camp: Day #6
8/10/2013 2:54:00 PM | Football
On MSU's first day off of practice, Rob Ash discusses schedules
While pundits spend hours analyzing depth charts and injury reports in an effort to handicap the Big Sky Conference prior to the season's arrival at the end of August, Montana State coach Rob Ash likes a less time-consuming method to get a grip on the league race.
"I like looking at everyone's conference schedule," Ash said. "It gives you an indication of what a team faces in the big picture. But that doesn't take into account all the nuances of a season, like which school is hit the hardest with injuries and when those injuries happen."
It also doesn't account for non-conference games, and what those can do to a team both physically and emotionally. Cal Poly's 2012 season stands as a perfect example. In their first season as a Big Sky football school, the Mustangs opened the season by wiping out San Diego, then went on the road and earned a huge win at FBS foe Wyoming. Cal Poly rode that quick start to a season-opening seven game winning streak.
Among the league's other top teams, though, Cal Poly missed MSU and Montana and played Eastern Washington in a non-league game. Cal Poly shared the Big Sky title with the Bobcats and Eagles. The Bobcats also benefitted from the league slate a year ago. While the Cats lost to EWU, MSU didn't face tri-champion Cal Poly or the team just behind those lumped at the top of the standings, NAU.
While Ash admits interest in looking at league schedules in the preseason, once play begins he said he doesn't give it a second thought. "You can't get mired in that as a program or a fan base," he said. "We take it as it's dealt to us, and when the season's playing out there are so many factors that you don't even think about schedules."
Ash also said that the inherent fairness of the Championship Subdivision mitigates scheduling concerns. "The playoff piece really helps even things out," he said. "Over the course of a season the best teams rise to the top. You're not penalized too harshly for any one loss."
Building a schedule at the FCS level contains a lot of moving parts, Ash said, and needs to be tailored to a program's needs. "If you're a playoff contender you have to build a schedule with some teeth, but you also have to keep an eye on seeding. Some programs need to produce revenue in the non-conference season."
LINING UP: The Bobcats plan to scrimmage Saturday around 4:45 pm in Bobcat Stadium. The team is expected to run between 50 and 60 plays in a controlled session. While time will be fairly evenly split between the first, second and third units, Ash indicated that as an evaluation tool the two scrimmages will be most important for non-starters. "Most positions are settled in terms of starters," he said. "But for guys fighting for backup spots, these scrimmages are very important. This will be our chance to see how guys finish plays, make tackles or break tackles." Practice will actually begin around 3:15 pm.
TOEING THE TURF: The project to replace the cat head and Big Sky logos on the Bobcat Stadium turf commences early Saturday, but begins in earnest post-scrimmage.
TWICE IS NICE, DEPENDING ON YOUR PERSPECTIVE: The proposition of twice-daily practice sessions arrives in the MSU program Saturday. The Bobcats practice at 9:15 am and again at 3:15 am. After taking Sunday off from practice, the team alternates two-a-days with one per day beginning with a double-day session on Monday. The team's annual media day is Thursday, Aug. 15, and Family Fun Day is Saturday, Aug. 17.
