Saturday, October 24
2:35 pm
Montana State University
vs
EAST TENNESSEE STATE
Dakota Prukop looks to lead the Cats to a win Saturday
Photo by: Kelly Gorham
Bobcats Host East Tennessee State in Bobcat Stadium Saturday
10/22/2015 1:00:00 PM | Football
MSU looks to bounce back
For Tim Cramsey, the equation for Montana State's high-scoring offense is simple.
"Is it hard to play the perfect game," the third-year Bobcat offensive coordinator asks hypothetically. "Your darn right it is. But it's not hard to play the next play perfectly. That's what we've got to focus on, that's what we've got to do."
MSU hosts East Tennessee State on Saturday at 2:35 pm in Bobcat Stadium. According to Bobcat defensive coordinator Kane Ioane, the team's 3-3 record is a harbinger of the team's just past the season's mid-point. "Inconsistency's been our biggest nemesis," Ioane said of a defense that has struggled at times in 2015, "and that's not just game to game, it's also play to play. We've got to continue our emphasis on being consistent with assignments, technique, and overall execution."
The Bobcats allowed 59 points to Portland State last week, 49 to Northern Arizona two weeks before, and 55 to Eastern Washington two weeks before that. Each of those games were on the road. Ioane said he hopes a return to MSU's home environs helps his unit avoid letting a bad play become a long drive, a scoring drive become two scoring drives. "Once we get going in the wrong direction we've got to battle back through that adversity and get the ship righted," he said.
While immensely productive – MSU is third in the FCS with 543.8 yards and sixth with 43.0 points per game – Cramsey said the Bobcat offense has "left too many points on the field."
This week's focus, he said, is improving execution and attention to details. "We have the ability to score on every drive," he said. "I think we went five-for-nine or six-for-nine (at Portland State), whatever it may have been, but when we didn't score there was something we could do better on each drive, whether it was a penalty or a dropped ball or a missed receiver or a missed block here or there."
In East Tennessee State, the Cats face an intriguing foe. The winless Buccaneers (0-6) resuscitated football this season after a 13-year hiatus, and bring an incredibly young team to Bozeman. The freshman-oriented roster, dotted with a handful of sophomores, is nonetheless talented. "They are athletic, they have some speed, they have some good-looking young players," said Bobcat head coach Rob Ash. "They're very young, but they're going to be very excited to play in our stadium and our game-day environment."
Quarterback Austin Herink has thrown for 677 yards, and ETSU balances that with 122.7 yards a game rushing.
Ash said his team's focus remains constant. "I'm always going to say this," he said, "but we want to stop the run first. We want to get out to a fast start. We want to follow our usual formula for success."
MSU quarterback Dakota Prukop remains a top attraction. The junior is first in the FCS in total offense (393.7), second in points responsible for per game (24.0), and fourth in passing efficiency. He triggers the Bobcat offense.
Saturday's game is televised statewide on Cowles Media stations (ABC/Fox around the state, NBC in Billings), and outside Montana on Altitude.
"Is it hard to play the perfect game," the third-year Bobcat offensive coordinator asks hypothetically. "Your darn right it is. But it's not hard to play the next play perfectly. That's what we've got to focus on, that's what we've got to do."
MSU hosts East Tennessee State on Saturday at 2:35 pm in Bobcat Stadium. According to Bobcat defensive coordinator Kane Ioane, the team's 3-3 record is a harbinger of the team's just past the season's mid-point. "Inconsistency's been our biggest nemesis," Ioane said of a defense that has struggled at times in 2015, "and that's not just game to game, it's also play to play. We've got to continue our emphasis on being consistent with assignments, technique, and overall execution."
The Bobcats allowed 59 points to Portland State last week, 49 to Northern Arizona two weeks before, and 55 to Eastern Washington two weeks before that. Each of those games were on the road. Ioane said he hopes a return to MSU's home environs helps his unit avoid letting a bad play become a long drive, a scoring drive become two scoring drives. "Once we get going in the wrong direction we've got to battle back through that adversity and get the ship righted," he said.
While immensely productive – MSU is third in the FCS with 543.8 yards and sixth with 43.0 points per game – Cramsey said the Bobcat offense has "left too many points on the field."
This week's focus, he said, is improving execution and attention to details. "We have the ability to score on every drive," he said. "I think we went five-for-nine or six-for-nine (at Portland State), whatever it may have been, but when we didn't score there was something we could do better on each drive, whether it was a penalty or a dropped ball or a missed receiver or a missed block here or there."
In East Tennessee State, the Cats face an intriguing foe. The winless Buccaneers (0-6) resuscitated football this season after a 13-year hiatus, and bring an incredibly young team to Bozeman. The freshman-oriented roster, dotted with a handful of sophomores, is nonetheless talented. "They are athletic, they have some speed, they have some good-looking young players," said Bobcat head coach Rob Ash. "They're very young, but they're going to be very excited to play in our stadium and our game-day environment."
Quarterback Austin Herink has thrown for 677 yards, and ETSU balances that with 122.7 yards a game rushing.
Ash said his team's focus remains constant. "I'm always going to say this," he said, "but we want to stop the run first. We want to get out to a fast start. We want to follow our usual formula for success."
MSU quarterback Dakota Prukop remains a top attraction. The junior is first in the FCS in total offense (393.7), second in points responsible for per game (24.0), and fourth in passing efficiency. He triggers the Bobcat offense.
Saturday's game is televised statewide on Cowles Media stations (ABC/Fox around the state, NBC in Billings), and outside Montana on Altitude.
Players Mentioned
QB
/ FootballLeon Costello Press Conference: Kennedy-Stark Athletic Center
Thursday, July 31
A Conversation with President Dr. Waded Cruzado | Montana State Athletics
Monday, May 19
Big Cats, Little Trucks - Willie Patterson
Wednesday, May 03
Matt Houk Introductory Press Conference
Wednesday, May 03
