Bobcat Football Sunday Notebook #10

Saturday, November 8

Bozeman, MT

2:05 pm

Montana State University

7-3 , 5-1

PORTLAND STATE (AG APPRECIATION DAY)

3-7 , 2-4

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Portland State

Montana State

Alex Singleton

Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson

11/9/2014 5:21:00 PM | Football

Box Score

Alex Singleton leads Bobcats to win over Portland State

By: Bill Lamberty

Away from football, Alex Singleton is easy to notice for his ever-present smile and mild-mannered demeanor. On autumn Saturdays, however, the situation is quite different.

A senior from Thousand Oaks, Calif., Singleton is having one of the spectacular seasons among defensive players in the FCS. Known for his clean tackling and fundamental soundness throughout his career, Singleton has taken that to a new level this season. He currently leads the FCS with 7.0 solo tackles per game, and he is fourth in the Big Sky with 10.2 tackles per contest.

Singleton's dominance is nothing new, although it has been largely ignored outside of Bozeman. He logged 110 last year, led all Big Sky linebackers in tackles-for-loss, was 12th in tackles-per-game, fifth with two forced fumbles, and tied for fourth with three interceptions. Somehow, almost unbelievably, he was relegated to the honorable mention ranks on the all-conference teams.

Below is a closer look at the win Singleton and his mates posted against Portland State on Saturday, along with a peek ahead at Idaho State.

INJURY REPORT
OUT - SEASON: WR David Dash, CB Jaylen Price, LB Blake Braun, DE Robert Wilcox, WR Brandon Davis, WR Manny Kalfell, WR Brian Flotkoetter, LB Wyatt Christensen.
OUT – INDEFINITELY: DB James Nelson.
QUESTIONABLE: RB Shawn Johnson, WR Justin Paige, FS Eryon Barnett.

BOBCAT NOTES
• When Josh Kraght took his first snap on Saturday, Portland State became the third opponent in MSU's last four games with a first-time starting quarterback behind center (joining UC Davis and Weber State).
• The only previous meeting between Montana State and Idaho State on or after November 15 came in 1938, when Idaho State shut out the Cats 16-0 on November 18. ISU and the Bobcats have never met on November 15, but strangely have played six times on November 11. Saturday's contest is MSU's first against the Bengals since 2011.
• Montana State and Idaho State have met only once previously (assuming ISU breaks into Monday's national FCS polls) with both teams nationally-ranked, a 30-28 win for 12^th-ranked MSU over the No. 24 Bengals.
• Dakota Prukop's 135 rushing yards against Portland State made him the 15^th player in MSU history – and the first quarterback – to rush for at least 100 yards five times in one season.
• Prukop's two rushing touchdowns brings his season and career totals to 13, moving him into sixth on MSU's single-season list in that category and leaving him four scores from the school's career top 10.
• Prukop's 932 rushing yards this season is 244 from MSU's single-season top 10 list, his 2,279 passing yards leaves him 99 yards short of 10^th place on MSU's single-season list, and his 3,211 yards of total offense is 5^th in MSU history in a season. In fact, that total is 435 yards from joining the school's career total offense list.
• Dakota Prukop is 6^th in the FCS, 3^rd in the Big Sky, in total offense (321.1) per game. He is 9^th nationally and 2^nd in the Big Sky in completion percentage (.670), and is 12^th in the nation and 3^rd in the Big Sky in rushing touchdowns (13).
• Alex Singleton's 17 total tackles against Portland State is two from his career high, but is his sixth straight in double-digits.
• In the last five games, Singleton has averaged 12 tackles per game, and has compiled nine tackles-for-loss, three pass breakups, an interception, a forced fumble, a quarterback hurry, and a blocked kick.
• Singleton now has 102 tackles this season, making him just the third player under Rob Ash to hit the century mark (with Jody Owens and Bobby Daly). He is the first player since Bobby Daly in 2006-07 to record back-to-back 100-tackle seasons, and the 10^th player in the last 30 years to reach that milestone. Singleton's position coach, Kane Ioane, passed the 100-tackle mark in three straight seasons, and as a true freshman recorded 98.
• Singleton leads the FCS in solo tackles (7.0 per game), and Bryson Keeton is 25^th.
• Montana State has won eight straight against Portland State after Saturday's 29-22 win in Bozeman.
• The Bobcats rushed for at least 270 yards in five straight games, averaging 304.6 in that span. This year's MSU team has four 300-yard rushing games. Among Bobcat teams since 1993, only the 2011 squad posted more than one 300-yard rushing day. In fact, Rob Ash's eight MSU teams have now gained 300 yards or more rushing 10 times, while the previous 15 Bobcat squads combined for five.
• Senior tight end Tiai Salanoa has caught at least one pass in each game this season.
• The Bobcats continue to lead the FCS in net punting, at 41.1 yards per kick.
• Shawn Johnson's 4,477 career all-purpose yards is the most in Bobcat history.

TEAM AWARDS vs. PORTLAND STATE
OFFENSIVE SCOUT OF THE WEEK: WR Connor Sullivan (Ennis, MT)
DEFENSIVE SCOUT OF THE WEEK: LB Joey Michael (Cashmere, WA)
SPECIAL TEAMS SCOUT OF THE WEEK: Matt Brownlow (Missoula, MT)
SPECIAL TEAMS CORE PLAYERS: TBA