Dakota Prukop poses for ROOT Sports Monday
Big Sky Media Day Notebook: 'New' Big Sky is Now 20 Years Old
7/20/2015 10:57:00 AM | Football
Dakota Prukop reps MSU at Big Sky Media Day
Two decades ago, big changes occurred in the Big Sky Conference.
A pair of schools left the league, while Sacramento State and Portland State (and the late, lamented Cal State Northridge) entered. On an administrative level, Ron Stephenson retired as the league's commissioner and Doug Fullerton left Montana State to take the league's helm. And, the conference office moved from Boise to Ogden, UT.
Upon arriving in Ogden, amidst a blizzard of papers and records and the debris associated with such a massive move, Fullerton got to work. And he wasn't alone. "Ron Loghry and I looked at each other," Fullerton said Monday, "and we started unpacking boxes."
Loghry was Fullerton's director of media relations, and 20 years later he has progressed through the league's administrative ranks. Fullerton gave Loghry a nod Monday during his annual state-of-the-league address as the person that's been with the league since Fullerton made his move, and as one who will play an enhanced role going forward. Loghry takes over day-to-day administration of football and men's basketball, while current media relations director Jon Kasper takes over championships. MSU grad Tanner Gooch will oversee media relations.
"It's an exciting time," Fullerton said.
* * * * *
The most cogent topic of conversation at this year's Big Sky Kickoff was the addition of instant replay conference-wide. DV Sports administers instant replay throughout college football, including the Big Sky.
"Instant replay is something that is expected by fans," Big Sky Commissioner Doug Fullerton said, "to get calls right."
John Blackwood the Pac 12, who consults on the replay process, said that while fan expectations are inextricable to the college football experience, but that doesn't drive the process on a nuts-and-bolts level. "The fan sitting in the bar watching a game thinks he can watch a replay (once) and get the call right," he said. "That's not necessarily the case."
Unlike the NFL, every play in a college football game is reviewed by the replay official. If the replay official sees "smoke" indicating the possibility of a missed call, as DV Sports' Kim Jackson called it, play on the field will be stopped. At that point, the crew's field replay coordinator motions to the referee that the play is under review.
One element of replay that was emphasized several times throughout the league meetings was the "competitive environment" concept. If a deficit of a game is beyond three scores (17 points or more) in the fourth quarter, plays will be reviewed but play will only be stopped on "turnovers and scores," Blackwood said.
The replay official is an addition to each crew, while the other members of the process – the technician and field coordinator – are specific to each institution. Fullerton indicated the training process began in February and continues through the season's beginning.
* * * * *
Fullerton, as always, was bullish on the Big Sky's performance, and its future.
"You'll see a bunch of arguments coming out at this time of year on what is the best conference," he said. "And I'm not sure what criteria are used. I'm really not. I think that there is not a conference in America that does business any better that cares any more and that preforms any better than the Big Sky."
Calling the league "a family," Fullerton said the most important priority is to matriculate student-athletes through graduation and into their chosen profession. "Some will play professional football," he said, "I won't deny that. But the majority are going to go out and be productive members of society. That is the key."
"Autonomy has re-drawn the line underneath the top five (conferences). When autonomy was re-drawn under the top 10 conferences, that was very de-stabilizing for college athletics. The next five (conferences are) beginning to struggle."
Fullerton was reluctant to name names – "I'll get in trouble if I name them, but there are five conferences that look identical to us," he said – but it was clear that schools like the Sun Belt and MAC, in Fullerton's estimation, are closer to the Big Sky in the national pecking order than the Big XII or SEC.
"It's where we belong," he said.
* * * * *
Dakota Prukop is Montana State's student-athlete representative at Big Sky Media Day, and is one of only two quarterbacks (with Cal Poly's Chris Brown) present. He is excited about the immediate prospects of the Bobcat offense.
A big part of that reason, he says, is MSU offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey, who he says is always searching for "what's the next step in college football," he said. "For some people it might not be apparent what it is, but with our offense… (Cramsey is a) trailblazer."
Still, Prukop says that offense is explosive throughout the league. "Our conference is full of offensive super powers. It's an offensive league. At the same time, if a defensive coordinator can be an anchor that's a big advantage."
* * * * *
Prukop has a tie to new Montana coach Bob Stitt. His brother, Tristan, redshirted as a cornerback for Stitts' Colorado Mines team last season.
A pair of schools left the league, while Sacramento State and Portland State (and the late, lamented Cal State Northridge) entered. On an administrative level, Ron Stephenson retired as the league's commissioner and Doug Fullerton left Montana State to take the league's helm. And, the conference office moved from Boise to Ogden, UT.
Upon arriving in Ogden, amidst a blizzard of papers and records and the debris associated with such a massive move, Fullerton got to work. And he wasn't alone. "Ron Loghry and I looked at each other," Fullerton said Monday, "and we started unpacking boxes."
Loghry was Fullerton's director of media relations, and 20 years later he has progressed through the league's administrative ranks. Fullerton gave Loghry a nod Monday during his annual state-of-the-league address as the person that's been with the league since Fullerton made his move, and as one who will play an enhanced role going forward. Loghry takes over day-to-day administration of football and men's basketball, while current media relations director Jon Kasper takes over championships. MSU grad Tanner Gooch will oversee media relations.
"It's an exciting time," Fullerton said.
* * * * *
The most cogent topic of conversation at this year's Big Sky Kickoff was the addition of instant replay conference-wide. DV Sports administers instant replay throughout college football, including the Big Sky.
"Instant replay is something that is expected by fans," Big Sky Commissioner Doug Fullerton said, "to get calls right."
John Blackwood the Pac 12, who consults on the replay process, said that while fan expectations are inextricable to the college football experience, but that doesn't drive the process on a nuts-and-bolts level. "The fan sitting in the bar watching a game thinks he can watch a replay (once) and get the call right," he said. "That's not necessarily the case."
Unlike the NFL, every play in a college football game is reviewed by the replay official. If the replay official sees "smoke" indicating the possibility of a missed call, as DV Sports' Kim Jackson called it, play on the field will be stopped. At that point, the crew's field replay coordinator motions to the referee that the play is under review.
One element of replay that was emphasized several times throughout the league meetings was the "competitive environment" concept. If a deficit of a game is beyond three scores (17 points or more) in the fourth quarter, plays will be reviewed but play will only be stopped on "turnovers and scores," Blackwood said.
The replay official is an addition to each crew, while the other members of the process – the technician and field coordinator – are specific to each institution. Fullerton indicated the training process began in February and continues through the season's beginning.
* * * * *
Fullerton, as always, was bullish on the Big Sky's performance, and its future.
"You'll see a bunch of arguments coming out at this time of year on what is the best conference," he said. "And I'm not sure what criteria are used. I'm really not. I think that there is not a conference in America that does business any better that cares any more and that preforms any better than the Big Sky."
Calling the league "a family," Fullerton said the most important priority is to matriculate student-athletes through graduation and into their chosen profession. "Some will play professional football," he said, "I won't deny that. But the majority are going to go out and be productive members of society. That is the key."
"Autonomy has re-drawn the line underneath the top five (conferences). When autonomy was re-drawn under the top 10 conferences, that was very de-stabilizing for college athletics. The next five (conferences are) beginning to struggle."
Fullerton was reluctant to name names – "I'll get in trouble if I name them, but there are five conferences that look identical to us," he said – but it was clear that schools like the Sun Belt and MAC, in Fullerton's estimation, are closer to the Big Sky in the national pecking order than the Big XII or SEC.
"It's where we belong," he said.
* * * * *
Dakota Prukop is Montana State's student-athlete representative at Big Sky Media Day, and is one of only two quarterbacks (with Cal Poly's Chris Brown) present. He is excited about the immediate prospects of the Bobcat offense.
A big part of that reason, he says, is MSU offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey, who he says is always searching for "what's the next step in college football," he said. "For some people it might not be apparent what it is, but with our offense… (Cramsey is a) trailblazer."
Still, Prukop says that offense is explosive throughout the league. "Our conference is full of offensive super powers. It's an offensive league. At the same time, if a defensive coordinator can be an anchor that's a big advantage."
* * * * *
Prukop has a tie to new Montana coach Bob Stitt. His brother, Tristan, redshirted as a cornerback for Stitts' Colorado Mines team last season.
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