Receiver Justin Paige got in on the fun Saturday, rushing for a TD
Photo by: Adrian Sanchez-Gonzalez
BOBCAT SUNDAY NOTEBOOK #5: Cats Prep Ground Game for EWU's Aerial Attack
10/8/2017 1:42:00 PM | Football
Diversity in rushing attack propels Bobcats past Portland State
October 8, 2017 – Montana State 30, Portland State 22 in Bozeman. For being distinctly one-dimensional Saturday – the Cats rushed the ball 57 times with just nine passes – Montana State's offense was daringly diverse. Eight different Bobcats carried, including two receivers and two true freshmen (Troy Andersen's 59-yard run and Tyrel Burgess' 17-yarder were each player's long run from scrimmage of the season), in Montana State's versatile triple-option offense. Four Bobcats rushed for at least 50 yards, but here's where the storyline digresses to the tried-and-true. For the ninth time in his 16 games Chris Murray led the Bobcats in rushing. His 126 yards – he wasn't sacked or tackled for a loss a single time – marked the fourth straight time he's surpassed 100 yards in a game, and the eighth time he's done that in his career. Andersen rambled for 85 yards, and in his 2017 Bobcat debut Nick LaSane gained 63 yards on a career-high 17 carries. The four other players, who carried once each, all accounted for 10 yards or more. The Bobcats also capitalized on special teams, blocking one punt and recovering another mis-handled punt snap in the end zone for a touchdown (Chad Kanow).
Player of the Week Nominees
Offense – none
Defense – LB Mac Bignell (6-1, 215, Sr, Drummond, MT) – Montana State's sensational senior linebacker Mac Bignell led all players with nine tackles on Saturday, boosting MSU to a 30-22 win over Portland State in a ground-oriented Big Sky game. Portland State had gained at least 240 yards rushing in its previous four games, but the Cats held PSU to just 102 yards on the ground. Bignell keyed MSU's staunch defensive stand, with seven solo tackles (two assists), including two in the Vikings' backfield. Bignell moved into Montana State's career top 10 in tackles-for-loss, with his 43.0 matching all-time Bobcat greats Jody Owens and Bobby Daly.
Special Teams – none
Freshman of the Week – RB Troy Andersen (6-3, 220, Fr, Dillon, MT) – Troy Andersen rushed for 85 yards on eight carries Saturday. His 59-yard run is Montana State's longest rush play of the season, and his 267 yards rushing this season is 10th-most all-time among Bobcat freshmen.
Offensive Lineman of the Week – none
Post-Game News and Notes
Injury Report: Likely Out for Season – LB Lukas McCarthy. Indefinitely – LB Josh Hill, CB Tyrel Thomas, S JoJo Henderson
• Mac Bignell moved into Montana State's career tackles-for-loss top 10 with two on Saturday – he now has 43 – and in the process matched a pair of all-time Bobcat greats, linebackers Bobby Daly and Jody Owens, with that total. The three are in 10th place.
• Montana State rushed for 403 yards Saturday, the 6th-highest single-game total in school history.
• Chris Murray's 126 rushing yards on Saturday gives him more than 100 in four straight games, tied for the second-longest such streak in Bobcat history and the longest streak ever by a Bobcat quarterback (no other even had three).
• Chris Murray's eight career 100-yard rushing games is ninth-most in Bobcat history and the most among Bobcat quarterbacks (Dakota Prukop had seven).
• Against four FCS opponents this season, three of them nationally-ranked at the time of the game, Montana State averages 445 yards and 31 points a game, and rushes for 284.5 yards an outing.
• The Bobcats' four turnovers in 2017 is the 8th-lowest mark in the FCS, and tied with Weber State as the best in the Big Sky.
• After converting their first six fourth-down attempts of the season, the Bobcats have failed on three straight.
• The Bobcats have turned the ball over no more than once in any of its last seven games dating to 2016.
• Mitchell Herbert now has 1,587 career receiving yards, 11 yards from 10th on the school's all-time list, and his 210 receiving yards this season accounts for 31% of Montana State's yardage through the air.
• Chris Murray's 1,403 career rushing yards leaves him 65 yards from MSU's all-time top 20.
• In nine of his 16 games as a Bobcat, sophomore quarterback Chris Murray has Montana State's long run from scrimmage, but not only did Troy Andersen's 59-yarder yesterday help provide a crucial answer to Portland State's late rally attempt, it stands as the team's longest run from scrimmage this season.
• Chris Murray has led the Bobcats in rushing nine times in his career.
• Troy Andersen's 267 rushing yards is now 10th all-time among Bobcat freshmen
Stat Snippets
Gage Gubrud's 364.7 passing yards per game and Chris Murray's 108.6 rushing yards a game each lead the Big Sky Conference… MSU's 49.0 penalty yards a game is 3rd-best in the Big Sky, but Saturday the Cats incurred three penalties (in a span of five attempted plays) for a total of 15 yards in the team's final full drive of the first half… MSU's 26.0 points allowed per game is 2nd in the Big Sky, but Eastern Washington's 36.7 points a game is 3rd.
First Look: Montana State at Eastern Washington
Game Details: Date – Saturday, October 14 Kickoff – 2 pm MT/1 pm PT Special Promotion – none Audio – Statewide on the Bobcat Radio Network and msubobcats.com Video – SWX Montana stations Streaming – PlutoTV.com
At A Glance: A pair of explosive offenses with vastly different styles get together at Roos Field in Cheney on Saturday when the Bobcats visit reigning Big Sky champion and current league-leader Eastern Washington. The Eagles' second-ranked FCS passing offense produces 36.7 points a game against a schedule one of the nation's most difficult schedules. EWU quarterback Gage Gubrud completes more passes (28.8 per game) for more yards (2,188) than anyone in the FCS. MSU counters with dynamic sophomore Chris Murray, who triggers the 10th-ranked rushing offense and gains 108.6 yards a game himself, also 10th in the FCS.
Player of the Week Nominees
Offense – none
Defense – LB Mac Bignell (6-1, 215, Sr, Drummond, MT) – Montana State's sensational senior linebacker Mac Bignell led all players with nine tackles on Saturday, boosting MSU to a 30-22 win over Portland State in a ground-oriented Big Sky game. Portland State had gained at least 240 yards rushing in its previous four games, but the Cats held PSU to just 102 yards on the ground. Bignell keyed MSU's staunch defensive stand, with seven solo tackles (two assists), including two in the Vikings' backfield. Bignell moved into Montana State's career top 10 in tackles-for-loss, with his 43.0 matching all-time Bobcat greats Jody Owens and Bobby Daly.
Special Teams – none
Freshman of the Week – RB Troy Andersen (6-3, 220, Fr, Dillon, MT) – Troy Andersen rushed for 85 yards on eight carries Saturday. His 59-yard run is Montana State's longest rush play of the season, and his 267 yards rushing this season is 10th-most all-time among Bobcat freshmen.
Offensive Lineman of the Week – none
Post-Game News and Notes
Injury Report: Likely Out for Season – LB Lukas McCarthy. Indefinitely – LB Josh Hill, CB Tyrel Thomas, S JoJo Henderson
• Mac Bignell moved into Montana State's career tackles-for-loss top 10 with two on Saturday – he now has 43 – and in the process matched a pair of all-time Bobcat greats, linebackers Bobby Daly and Jody Owens, with that total. The three are in 10th place.
• Montana State rushed for 403 yards Saturday, the 6th-highest single-game total in school history.
• Chris Murray's 126 rushing yards on Saturday gives him more than 100 in four straight games, tied for the second-longest such streak in Bobcat history and the longest streak ever by a Bobcat quarterback (no other even had three).
• Chris Murray's eight career 100-yard rushing games is ninth-most in Bobcat history and the most among Bobcat quarterbacks (Dakota Prukop had seven).
• Against four FCS opponents this season, three of them nationally-ranked at the time of the game, Montana State averages 445 yards and 31 points a game, and rushes for 284.5 yards an outing.
• The Bobcats' four turnovers in 2017 is the 8th-lowest mark in the FCS, and tied with Weber State as the best in the Big Sky.
• After converting their first six fourth-down attempts of the season, the Bobcats have failed on three straight.
• The Bobcats have turned the ball over no more than once in any of its last seven games dating to 2016.
• Mitchell Herbert now has 1,587 career receiving yards, 11 yards from 10th on the school's all-time list, and his 210 receiving yards this season accounts for 31% of Montana State's yardage through the air.
• Chris Murray's 1,403 career rushing yards leaves him 65 yards from MSU's all-time top 20.
• In nine of his 16 games as a Bobcat, sophomore quarterback Chris Murray has Montana State's long run from scrimmage, but not only did Troy Andersen's 59-yarder yesterday help provide a crucial answer to Portland State's late rally attempt, it stands as the team's longest run from scrimmage this season.
• Chris Murray has led the Bobcats in rushing nine times in his career.
• Troy Andersen's 267 rushing yards is now 10th all-time among Bobcat freshmen
Stat Snippets
Gage Gubrud's 364.7 passing yards per game and Chris Murray's 108.6 rushing yards a game each lead the Big Sky Conference… MSU's 49.0 penalty yards a game is 3rd-best in the Big Sky, but Saturday the Cats incurred three penalties (in a span of five attempted plays) for a total of 15 yards in the team's final full drive of the first half… MSU's 26.0 points allowed per game is 2nd in the Big Sky, but Eastern Washington's 36.7 points a game is 3rd.
First Look: Montana State at Eastern Washington
Game Details: Date – Saturday, October 14 Kickoff – 2 pm MT/1 pm PT Special Promotion – none Audio – Statewide on the Bobcat Radio Network and msubobcats.com Video – SWX Montana stations Streaming – PlutoTV.com
At A Glance: A pair of explosive offenses with vastly different styles get together at Roos Field in Cheney on Saturday when the Bobcats visit reigning Big Sky champion and current league-leader Eastern Washington. The Eagles' second-ranked FCS passing offense produces 36.7 points a game against a schedule one of the nation's most difficult schedules. EWU quarterback Gage Gubrud completes more passes (28.8 per game) for more yards (2,188) than anyone in the FCS. MSU counters with dynamic sophomore Chris Murray, who triggers the 10th-ranked rushing offense and gains 108.6 yards a game himself, also 10th in the FCS.
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