Saturday, September 23
Grand Forks, ND
1:30 pm
Montana State University
at
#17 North Dakota
Photo by: Adrian Sanchez-Gonzalez
BOBCAT GAMEDAY NOTEBOOK #3: MSU Shuffles Lines for UND Game
9/23/2017 5:17:00 AM | Football
MSU legend Brent Swaggert in the house for Saturday's game at Grand Forks
Jeff Choate declared today's contest a 'line-of-scrimmage game' early in the week, which shines a harsher light on the shuffling in Montana State's lines in the hours before game time.
Sophomore linebacker Josh Hill's string of 13 straight starts ends today due to leg injury, which forces movement in MSU's defensive front seven. On the other side of the ball, redshirt freshman Taylor Tuiasosopo moves into the starting lineup at right guard, with Caleb Gillis moving to left guard.
The offensive line move is one-for-one – Tuiasosopo in, Jake McFetridge backing up both guard positions – but on the defensive side of the ball, Saturday's look has many contingencies. Grant Collins moves back to linebacker, where he started his first 11 games as a Bobcat. Tyrone Fa'anono or Michael Jobman start at Buck, where Collins has started the last 13 games.
The movement creates opportunities, Choate said, one of which is Fa'anono and sophomore Derek Marks, who have rotated at end,playing simultaneously. "You have to load up to stop the run against North Dakota," Choate said. "We want to be able to get a little more stout, more physical. We'll use a number of different packages, but we have to play physical football and stay gap sound today."
Senior linebacker Mac Bignell said the Bobcats utilized the team's open weekend to "get a little healthier. We had two physical games, but we healed up a little during the bye week." He agreed with Choate's assessment that
Choate knows that good health is a permanently temporary condition in football. "We expect a physical game on Saturday," he said. "We're coming off two very physical games, and Bubba Schweigert's teams play physical football."
* * * * *
One of Montana State's all-time greatest football players is in the Alerus Center today, cheering for the Blue and Gold but also holding a special connection to the Bobcats' opponent.
Brent Swaggert is one of only three three-time All-Americas in Bobcat football history (joining four-time honoree Kane Ioane, a former teammate of Swaggert, and three-time selection Sonny Holland), but meant much more to the program than honors won and records held (Swaggert and teammate Jon Montoya became the first two Bobcats in history to start 48 consecutive games, a record since matched by DeNarius McGhee).
Swaggert was an iron man for the Cats, in physical presence and in spirit. During the spring before his senior season he played nearly every offensive snap, rotating among all offensive line positions as injuries decimated that position group. With a quiet strength and an ever-present sense of humor, Swaggert helped mold an offensive line that allowed Travis Lulay and Ryan Johnson and Scott Turnquist and Corey Smith to emerge as the brilliant offensive performers they became, leading the Cats to back-to-back Big Sky titles in 2002 and '03.
Part of an incredibly accomplished recruiting class brought to MSU by Cliff Hysell, Swaggert and his mates helped re-establish Montana State's championship tradition. He helped launch a run of three Big Sky titles in four years and six in 11 seasons. And he was there on that snowy day in Missoula when the Bobcats finally reached the top of the mountain, and one year later when Bobcat fans marched the goal posts right down Willson Avenue after a second consecutive win over UM.
And Swaggert continues to impact the Big Sky Championship chase. Star Fighting Hawks running back John Santiago prepped at St. Francis High School in Minnesota, where Swaggert is now the head coach. During Santiago's playing days, Swaggert served as an assistant.
Swaggert will be inducted into the Bobcat Athletics Hall of Fame next winter (January 19), but he has long stood as one of the greatest figures in the history of Bobcat football. It will be great for everyone associated with MSU to re-connect with Swaggert today.
* * * * *
Montana State's kicking game goes back to the future to a degree in the Alerus Center today. Last year's starters - Gabe Peppenger as the place-kicker and kickoff specialist and Jered Padmos as the punter - take over those duties. Each had originally been tabbed for redshirts this year, but made moves up the depth chart during the last two weeks based on performance in practice.
* * * * *
The secondary did not survive the rash of position changes without affect. Khari Garcia gets the start at free safety, while Tyerl Thomas joins Bryce Alley as starting corners.
* * * * *
Chris Murray's dual-threat performance against South Dakota State last time out – 311 yards passing, 107 yards rushing – was historic for many reasons. Among them was that it snapped a 12-game Bobcat streak without a 300-yard passing day.
Dakota Prukop threw for 399 yards against Montana to end the 2015 season, Prukop's final game in the Blue and Gold, and the ensuing 12 games without Bobcat quarterbacks throwing for 300 yards in a game snapped the longest 300-yard passing drought at MSU since a 13-game spell from midway through spanning from late in 2007 until early in 2009.
* * * * *
Quietly, Mitch Herbert has become one of the most productive receivers in Montana State history. His 17 career touchdown catches is fourth in Bobcat history, one from a second-place tie and four from Kelly Davis' record of 21. Herbert's 109 catches is 14 from joining the career top 10, his 1,516 career receiving yards is 82 from the top 10. Herbert's fourth career 100-yard receiving game boosts him into a 10th-place tie with Davis and Ron Bain.
* * * * *
One Bobcat looking to make as big an impact on his final MSU-UND game as he did his first, Khari Garcia had three solo tackles and a 45-yard pick six against the Fighting Hawks as a freshman in 2014.
* * * * *
In two games, UND junior running back Brady Oliveira has rushed for 338 yards against Montana State. He averages 9.9 yards per carry, and two of his six career 100-yard games have come against the Blue and Gold.
Sophomore linebacker Josh Hill's string of 13 straight starts ends today due to leg injury, which forces movement in MSU's defensive front seven. On the other side of the ball, redshirt freshman Taylor Tuiasosopo moves into the starting lineup at right guard, with Caleb Gillis moving to left guard.
The offensive line move is one-for-one – Tuiasosopo in, Jake McFetridge backing up both guard positions – but on the defensive side of the ball, Saturday's look has many contingencies. Grant Collins moves back to linebacker, where he started his first 11 games as a Bobcat. Tyrone Fa'anono or Michael Jobman start at Buck, where Collins has started the last 13 games.
The movement creates opportunities, Choate said, one of which is Fa'anono and sophomore Derek Marks, who have rotated at end,playing simultaneously. "You have to load up to stop the run against North Dakota," Choate said. "We want to be able to get a little more stout, more physical. We'll use a number of different packages, but we have to play physical football and stay gap sound today."
Senior linebacker Mac Bignell said the Bobcats utilized the team's open weekend to "get a little healthier. We had two physical games, but we healed up a little during the bye week." He agreed with Choate's assessment that
Choate knows that good health is a permanently temporary condition in football. "We expect a physical game on Saturday," he said. "We're coming off two very physical games, and Bubba Schweigert's teams play physical football."
* * * * *
One of Montana State's all-time greatest football players is in the Alerus Center today, cheering for the Blue and Gold but also holding a special connection to the Bobcats' opponent.
Brent Swaggert is one of only three three-time All-Americas in Bobcat football history (joining four-time honoree Kane Ioane, a former teammate of Swaggert, and three-time selection Sonny Holland), but meant much more to the program than honors won and records held (Swaggert and teammate Jon Montoya became the first two Bobcats in history to start 48 consecutive games, a record since matched by DeNarius McGhee).
Swaggert was an iron man for the Cats, in physical presence and in spirit. During the spring before his senior season he played nearly every offensive snap, rotating among all offensive line positions as injuries decimated that position group. With a quiet strength and an ever-present sense of humor, Swaggert helped mold an offensive line that allowed Travis Lulay and Ryan Johnson and Scott Turnquist and Corey Smith to emerge as the brilliant offensive performers they became, leading the Cats to back-to-back Big Sky titles in 2002 and '03.
Part of an incredibly accomplished recruiting class brought to MSU by Cliff Hysell, Swaggert and his mates helped re-establish Montana State's championship tradition. He helped launch a run of three Big Sky titles in four years and six in 11 seasons. And he was there on that snowy day in Missoula when the Bobcats finally reached the top of the mountain, and one year later when Bobcat fans marched the goal posts right down Willson Avenue after a second consecutive win over UM.
And Swaggert continues to impact the Big Sky Championship chase. Star Fighting Hawks running back John Santiago prepped at St. Francis High School in Minnesota, where Swaggert is now the head coach. During Santiago's playing days, Swaggert served as an assistant.
Swaggert will be inducted into the Bobcat Athletics Hall of Fame next winter (January 19), but he has long stood as one of the greatest figures in the history of Bobcat football. It will be great for everyone associated with MSU to re-connect with Swaggert today.
* * * * *
Montana State's kicking game goes back to the future to a degree in the Alerus Center today. Last year's starters - Gabe Peppenger as the place-kicker and kickoff specialist and Jered Padmos as the punter - take over those duties. Each had originally been tabbed for redshirts this year, but made moves up the depth chart during the last two weeks based on performance in practice.
* * * * *
The secondary did not survive the rash of position changes without affect. Khari Garcia gets the start at free safety, while Tyerl Thomas joins Bryce Alley as starting corners.
* * * * *
Chris Murray's dual-threat performance against South Dakota State last time out – 311 yards passing, 107 yards rushing – was historic for many reasons. Among them was that it snapped a 12-game Bobcat streak without a 300-yard passing day.
Dakota Prukop threw for 399 yards against Montana to end the 2015 season, Prukop's final game in the Blue and Gold, and the ensuing 12 games without Bobcat quarterbacks throwing for 300 yards in a game snapped the longest 300-yard passing drought at MSU since a 13-game spell from midway through spanning from late in 2007 until early in 2009.
* * * * *
Quietly, Mitch Herbert has become one of the most productive receivers in Montana State history. His 17 career touchdown catches is fourth in Bobcat history, one from a second-place tie and four from Kelly Davis' record of 21. Herbert's 109 catches is 14 from joining the career top 10, his 1,516 career receiving yards is 82 from the top 10. Herbert's fourth career 100-yard receiving game boosts him into a 10th-place tie with Davis and Ron Bain.
* * * * *
One Bobcat looking to make as big an impact on his final MSU-UND game as he did his first, Khari Garcia had three solo tackles and a 45-yard pick six against the Fighting Hawks as a freshman in 2014.
* * * * *
In two games, UND junior running back Brady Oliveira has rushed for 338 yards against Montana State. He averages 9.9 yards per carry, and two of his six career 100-yard games have come against the Blue and Gold.
Players Mentioned
CB
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LB
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LB
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DL
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DB
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OL
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DE
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DL
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QB
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P/K
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K
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OL
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