Brad Daly is among the Bobcats who have no problem playing at a fast pace
Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson
Cats in Camp: Day #3
8/6/2013 5:02:00 PM | Football
MSU is highly-ranked, and the team works on playing fast
On the first day pads popped and play got truly physical in Montana State's 2013 fall camp on Tuesday, Rob Ash was happy with how his team played. But he was even happier with how fast it played.
"We have to," Ash said of his insistence that his team play at a rigorous pace. "We have to get that established early (in fall camp). Tempo becomes a habit. On offense we want to snap the ball right away, or create the illusion that we're going to snap the ball right away. That's a habit that has to be formed right away."
Like many things in football, Ash said playing at a fast tempo begins up front. "The tone is set by the linemen," Ash said. "We need them to hustle back to the line and get ready to go. That allows the entire offense to play at the tempo we want to play at."
MSU gained one of its highest preseason rankings ever on Tuesday, when FCS coaches tabbed the Bobcats second nationally, behind two-time National Champion North Dakota State. The Bobcats held their ground one spot ahead of league rival Eastern Washington and two places ahead of the team that has knocked it out of the post-season the past two years, Sam Houston State. The Bobcats and Bearkats each garnered a single first place vote, the only nods to a team other than NDSU.
Three Big Sky squads other than MSU and Eastern barged into the top 25. Cal Poly is 11th, NAU 18th, and Montana 22nd. Northern Arizona and the Grizzlies each come to Bozeman this fall.
Preseason 2012 FCS Coaches Preseason Poll (August 6, 2013)
Team (No. 1 Votes) 2012 Record Points Final 2012 Ranking
1. North Dakota State (23) 14-1 645 1
2. Montana State (1) 11-2 591 5
3. Eastern Washington 11-3 549 4
4. Sam Houston State (1) 11-4 534 2
5. Wofford 9-4 450 7
6. Central Arkansas 9-3 428 10
7. South Dakota State 9-4 410 17
8. New Hampshire 8-4 386 13
9. Villanova 8-4 381 16
10. Illinois State 9-4 379 9
11. Cal Poly 9-3 348 11
12. Towson 7-4 347 15
13. Stony Brook 10-3 326 12
14. Richmond 8-3 274 18
15. James Madison 7-4 235 21
16. Northern Iowa 5-6 218 NR
17. Lehigh 10-1 198 14
18. Northern Arizona 8-2 196 20
19. Eastern Kentucky (1) 8-3 188 19
20. Bethune-Cookman 9-3 159 23
21. Coastal Carolina 8-5 140 24
22. Montana 6-2* 135 NR
23. Eastern Illinois 7-5 120 25
24. Youngstown State 7-4 107 NR
25. Chattanooga 6-5 104 NR
Others receiving votes: Wagner (87), Colgate (67), Tennessee State (52), Harvard (48), Delaware (47), The Citadel (39), Liberty (39), Arkansas Pine-Bluff (35), Indiana State (27), Stephen F. Austin (19), McNeese State (16), Penn (13), Alcorn State (12), Jacksonville State (11), Samford (10), Norfolk State (7), Alabama State (7), UC Davis (7), Southern Illinois (6), Maine (5), Albany (5), Tennessee Tech (5), UT Martin (4), Gardner Webb (4), Sacramento State (3), Hampton (3), San Diego (2), Jackson State (1), Missouri State (1), Brown (1)
* Final 6 games of 2012 vacated
Note: The following programs are ineligible for the Coaches Poll due to their transition to the FBS- Appalachian State, Charlotte, Georgia Southern and Old Dominion.
"We have to," Ash said of his insistence that his team play at a rigorous pace. "We have to get that established early (in fall camp). Tempo becomes a habit. On offense we want to snap the ball right away, or create the illusion that we're going to snap the ball right away. That's a habit that has to be formed right away."
Like many things in football, Ash said playing at a fast tempo begins up front. "The tone is set by the linemen," Ash said. "We need them to hustle back to the line and get ready to go. That allows the entire offense to play at the tempo we want to play at."
MSU gained one of its highest preseason rankings ever on Tuesday, when FCS coaches tabbed the Bobcats second nationally, behind two-time National Champion North Dakota State. The Bobcats held their ground one spot ahead of league rival Eastern Washington and two places ahead of the team that has knocked it out of the post-season the past two years, Sam Houston State. The Bobcats and Bearkats each garnered a single first place vote, the only nods to a team other than NDSU.
Three Big Sky squads other than MSU and Eastern barged into the top 25. Cal Poly is 11th, NAU 18th, and Montana 22nd. Northern Arizona and the Grizzlies each come to Bozeman this fall.
Preseason 2012 FCS Coaches Preseason Poll (August 6, 2013)
Team (No. 1 Votes) 2012 Record Points Final 2012 Ranking
1. North Dakota State (23) 14-1 645 1
2. Montana State (1) 11-2 591 5
3. Eastern Washington 11-3 549 4
4. Sam Houston State (1) 11-4 534 2
5. Wofford 9-4 450 7
6. Central Arkansas 9-3 428 10
7. South Dakota State 9-4 410 17
8. New Hampshire 8-4 386 13
9. Villanova 8-4 381 16
10. Illinois State 9-4 379 9
11. Cal Poly 9-3 348 11
12. Towson 7-4 347 15
13. Stony Brook 10-3 326 12
14. Richmond 8-3 274 18
15. James Madison 7-4 235 21
16. Northern Iowa 5-6 218 NR
17. Lehigh 10-1 198 14
18. Northern Arizona 8-2 196 20
19. Eastern Kentucky (1) 8-3 188 19
20. Bethune-Cookman 9-3 159 23
21. Coastal Carolina 8-5 140 24
22. Montana 6-2* 135 NR
23. Eastern Illinois 7-5 120 25
24. Youngstown State 7-4 107 NR
25. Chattanooga 6-5 104 NR
Others receiving votes: Wagner (87), Colgate (67), Tennessee State (52), Harvard (48), Delaware (47), The Citadel (39), Liberty (39), Arkansas Pine-Bluff (35), Indiana State (27), Stephen F. Austin (19), McNeese State (16), Penn (13), Alcorn State (12), Jacksonville State (11), Samford (10), Norfolk State (7), Alabama State (7), UC Davis (7), Southern Illinois (6), Maine (5), Albany (5), Tennessee Tech (5), UT Martin (4), Gardner Webb (4), Sacramento State (3), Hampton (3), San Diego (2), Jackson State (1), Missouri State (1), Brown (1)
* Final 6 games of 2012 vacated
Note: The following programs are ineligible for the Coaches Poll due to their transition to the FBS- Appalachian State, Charlotte, Georgia Southern and Old Dominion.
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