Chad Newell scored a touchdown and led MSU's kick teams
Photo by: Kelly Gorham
Special Teams Play Boosts Bobcats to Special Win
10/18/2014 8:01:00 PM | Football
MSU kick teams rise to the occasion in victory over Weber State
Montana State head football coach Rob Ash likes to say that all wins are special, but Saturday's was very special.
As in, special teams.
Specialty units played an enormous role in Montana State's 23-13 win over Weber State, from the game's first drive – when WSU's Blake O'Neill boomed a 56-yard punt to pin MSU inside its own 20, until the end, when a punt bounced away from WSU's dynamic returner Shaydon Kehano and was recovered by Bobcat sophomore Chad Newell to set up a game-clinching field goal.
In between, a wild series of special teams plays ensued. "There were big plays, crazy plays," Ash said of the kick teams plays that defined MSU's grind-it-out win.
Weber State's O'Neill had two of the splashiest. The junior punter converted a 23-yard run out of punt formation into a first down, and later completed a four-yard pass – also out of punt formation – for a first down. Neither of those drives ended in points for Weber State.
The Cats also suffered through special teams miscues. Luke Daly missed a pair of field goals, from 50 yards and 40 yards. And a 100-yard Shawn Johnson kickoff return was negated by a holding call.
But when MSU needed kick teams help the most, it stepped up. The team held Bo Bolen, spectacular on kick returns a week ago, to just 47 yards on two returns. Much of that came in Daly's efforts of providing three touchbacks on his five kickoffs. And then there was the enormously important 25-yard field goal after Newell's fumble recovery that stretched the lead to 10 and sealed the win.
A victory that, as Rob Ash will freely tell anyone, was quite special.
As in, special teams.
Specialty units played an enormous role in Montana State's 23-13 win over Weber State, from the game's first drive – when WSU's Blake O'Neill boomed a 56-yard punt to pin MSU inside its own 20, until the end, when a punt bounced away from WSU's dynamic returner Shaydon Kehano and was recovered by Bobcat sophomore Chad Newell to set up a game-clinching field goal.
In between, a wild series of special teams plays ensued. "There were big plays, crazy plays," Ash said of the kick teams plays that defined MSU's grind-it-out win.
Weber State's O'Neill had two of the splashiest. The junior punter converted a 23-yard run out of punt formation into a first down, and later completed a four-yard pass – also out of punt formation – for a first down. Neither of those drives ended in points for Weber State.
The Cats also suffered through special teams miscues. Luke Daly missed a pair of field goals, from 50 yards and 40 yards. And a 100-yard Shawn Johnson kickoff return was negated by a holding call.
But when MSU needed kick teams help the most, it stepped up. The team held Bo Bolen, spectacular on kick returns a week ago, to just 47 yards on two returns. Much of that came in Daly's efforts of providing three touchbacks on his five kickoffs. And then there was the enormously important 25-yard field goal after Newell's fumble recovery that stretched the lead to 10 and sealed the win.
A victory that, as Rob Ash will freely tell anyone, was quite special.
Players Mentioned
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