Bobcats Close Spring Drills With Sonny Holland Scrimmage Saturday
4/21/2017 12:46:00 PM | Football
Jeff Choate is looking more for quality than quantity in Saturday’s Sonny Holland Scrimmage Presented by the Rockin’ R Bar. Kickoff is 12:05 pm at Bobcat Stadium.
BOZEMAN, Mont. – Jeff Choate is looking more for quality than quantity in Saturday's Sonny Holland Scrimmage Presented by the Rockin' R Bar. Kickoff is 12:05 p.m. at Bobcat Stadium.
"We want to get some good-on-good work in," said Bobcat coach Jeff Choate. "We want to just let the ones go out and play some ball."
Saturday's scrimmage, broken into four 10-minute quarters, is all about that. The top units will square off in the first quarter, Choate said. "We want to get the veterans, the ones, out there playing live for the first quarter," Choate said. "After that it will be more about building depth, evaluating players that don't have a lot of game experience."
One area with plenty of experience is behind the center. Quarterbacks Chris Murray, now a sophomore, and senior Tyler Bruggman split time most of last season, and offensive coordinator Brian Armstrong said much of his work this spring has been building an offense that accentuates each player's strengths.
"They're so different in what they can do," Armstrong said of his signal callers. "We kind of have, here's what Tyler can do and here's what Chris can do, and not that one can't do what the other can but they're better at (certain things)."
Evaluation of tempo has also been a focus of MSU's offense this spring. "This is spring we're all no-huddle," Armstrong said. "I wouldn't say we're fast no-huddle. I would anticipate us, in the fall, huddling more, but I'd like us to be able to change tempo, be able to play fast and also to huddle when we want to. Basically, we want to adapt and execute whatever the game calls for."
Saturday's scrimmage showcases a key offensive position battle, where Nick LaSane enters the season as the most seasoned running back. Transfer Jake Roper, program veteran Noah James and Anthony Pegues, who was injured much of last season, have shown positive signs this spring.
"We're definitely by committee," Armstrong said. "We've got some guys that can play, for sure, and we're going to add some guys to it in the fall. Nick is a downhill runner, Jake Roper is an all-around guy who can catch the ball out of the backfield, Noah is a smart guy, you can put him anywhere and he'll make you right. The big thing is putting guys in position to be successful and not ask them to do everything."
One element available in the spring that is less prevalent in the fall is live tackling. Defensive coordinator Ty Gregorak's eyes will be trained on that Saturday.
"Our tackling needs to be great if we want to be a great defense," he said. "You could see us falling off, slipping off of tackles (in the previous scrimmages). We can't do that. We practice tackling every day. Almost the entire team practices tackling every day. We Want to be a great tackling team, so our tackling must improve every practice until we go to Pullman (for the season opener next fall)."
Saturday's scrimmage, televised statewide on SWX Montana, begins at 12:05 pm. It is scheduled to run approximately 90 minutes, with television coverage shifting to Montana's spring game at 1:30 pm.
MEDIA
Television – Live on SWX Montana, channel 199 statewide except 503 in Billings (Chris Byers, Mike Callaghan)
Radio – Bobcat Radio Network, msubobcats.com (Jay Sanderson, Dan Davies)
Video Streaming – none
JERSEYS
Offense/Specialists – blue, Defense – white
SCORING SYSTEM
Offense: Touchdown – 6 points, Field Goal – 3 points, 4th Down Conversion – 3 points, Explosive Play (run play of 12 yards or more, pass play of 16 yards or more) – 3 points, PAT – 1 point. Defense: Touchdown – 6 points, Turnover 3 points, 4th Down Stop – 3 points, 3 & Out – 2 points, Sack – 2 points, FG Inside Red Zone – 1 point. If two scenarios occur on one series (turnover and three-and-out), the defense earns the greater of the two totals, but not both.
SCRIMMAGE FORMAT
Four 10-minute quarters using running clock except for the final two minutes of each half. Kickoffs will be treated as touchbacks (with the ball spotted on th 25 coming out), with punts spotted where the ball is fielded or downed. After turnovers and fourth-down stops, the ball will be spotted at the offense 25.
"We want to get some good-on-good work in," said Bobcat coach Jeff Choate. "We want to just let the ones go out and play some ball."
Saturday's scrimmage, broken into four 10-minute quarters, is all about that. The top units will square off in the first quarter, Choate said. "We want to get the veterans, the ones, out there playing live for the first quarter," Choate said. "After that it will be more about building depth, evaluating players that don't have a lot of game experience."
One area with plenty of experience is behind the center. Quarterbacks Chris Murray, now a sophomore, and senior Tyler Bruggman split time most of last season, and offensive coordinator Brian Armstrong said much of his work this spring has been building an offense that accentuates each player's strengths.
"They're so different in what they can do," Armstrong said of his signal callers. "We kind of have, here's what Tyler can do and here's what Chris can do, and not that one can't do what the other can but they're better at (certain things)."
Evaluation of tempo has also been a focus of MSU's offense this spring. "This is spring we're all no-huddle," Armstrong said. "I wouldn't say we're fast no-huddle. I would anticipate us, in the fall, huddling more, but I'd like us to be able to change tempo, be able to play fast and also to huddle when we want to. Basically, we want to adapt and execute whatever the game calls for."
Saturday's scrimmage showcases a key offensive position battle, where Nick LaSane enters the season as the most seasoned running back. Transfer Jake Roper, program veteran Noah James and Anthony Pegues, who was injured much of last season, have shown positive signs this spring.
"We're definitely by committee," Armstrong said. "We've got some guys that can play, for sure, and we're going to add some guys to it in the fall. Nick is a downhill runner, Jake Roper is an all-around guy who can catch the ball out of the backfield, Noah is a smart guy, you can put him anywhere and he'll make you right. The big thing is putting guys in position to be successful and not ask them to do everything."
One element available in the spring that is less prevalent in the fall is live tackling. Defensive coordinator Ty Gregorak's eyes will be trained on that Saturday.
"Our tackling needs to be great if we want to be a great defense," he said. "You could see us falling off, slipping off of tackles (in the previous scrimmages). We can't do that. We practice tackling every day. Almost the entire team practices tackling every day. We Want to be a great tackling team, so our tackling must improve every practice until we go to Pullman (for the season opener next fall)."
Saturday's scrimmage, televised statewide on SWX Montana, begins at 12:05 pm. It is scheduled to run approximately 90 minutes, with television coverage shifting to Montana's spring game at 1:30 pm.
MEDIA
Television – Live on SWX Montana, channel 199 statewide except 503 in Billings (Chris Byers, Mike Callaghan)
Radio – Bobcat Radio Network, msubobcats.com (Jay Sanderson, Dan Davies)
Video Streaming – none
JERSEYS
Offense/Specialists – blue, Defense – white
SCORING SYSTEM
Offense: Touchdown – 6 points, Field Goal – 3 points, 4th Down Conversion – 3 points, Explosive Play (run play of 12 yards or more, pass play of 16 yards or more) – 3 points, PAT – 1 point. Defense: Touchdown – 6 points, Turnover 3 points, 4th Down Stop – 3 points, 3 & Out – 2 points, Sack – 2 points, FG Inside Red Zone – 1 point. If two scenarios occur on one series (turnover and three-and-out), the defense earns the greater of the two totals, but not both.
SCRIMMAGE FORMAT
Four 10-minute quarters using running clock except for the final two minutes of each half. Kickoffs will be treated as touchbacks (with the ball spotted on th 25 coming out), with punts spotted where the ball is fielded or downed. After turnovers and fourth-down stops, the ball will be spotted at the offense 25.
Players Mentioned
RB
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RB
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QB
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RB
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RB
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