Photo by: Garrett Becker
CATS IN CAMP: Day #13 Notebook and Recap
8/15/2018 4:12:00 PM | Football
Offense, Defense Each Rise to Challenge Wednesday
BOZEMAN, Montana – Montana State's defense gave head coach Jeff Choate the kind of rush he hasn't always experienced the past couple of seasons.
"Defensive one of our main things is we've got to get after the quarterback better," Choate said after his team's 12th practice of the year Wednesday, a full-pad session conducted mostly in Bobcat Stadium. "I thought the defense brought the correct mindset today. They really competed hard."
Choate liked how the offense responded to defensive intensity. "From an offensive standpoint when (the defense is) bringing the house on a third down you've got to be able to protect and make good decisions and get the ball out of your hand," he said. " We took the ball down into the low red zone and (the offense) did some really nice things. Quarterbacks gave guys chances to make plays, and those guys stepped up and made plays. I was pleased."
The energy level remained a positive Wednesday, even as the day's intensity remained high. "Back-to-back padded practices, and we had great energy at the end of practice today," Choate said. "They put in a little extra work and got their cardio in, so that's good. I'm excited about where they're at right now, and we'll start to tool things in a little bit for the scrimmage on Saturday."
His hopes for Saturday's scrimmage remain simple. "We want to put some guys in positions and see who makes plays," he said. "It will be pretty vanilla."
REST & RECOVERY: Choate said that, as preseason camp draws on, the coaching staff puts a premium on players' physical well-being. "The ability to get the right amount of rest, focus a little bit more on taking care of their body because they're all sore now, they're all dinged up a little bit, we've had some contact. They have to be smart about that. Getting a little nap in, getting some (physical) recovery in, building a schedule that's going to enable them to finish this week is an important part of it. But it can get a little long right now, and we have to keep it fresh."
POSITION BATTLE – FREE SAFETY: Choate indicated that the competition between returner JoJo Henderson and transfer Jahcque Alleyne, both juniors, is all that he hoped it would be. "They have both elevated their level of play, and that's what you want to see in a good, healthy competition. I think where JoJo had an advantage coming in was he was in the program and he understood the defense a little better. As 'Que kind of gets it going and learns it more that forces JoJo to up the level of his game."
#GoCatsGo
"Defensive one of our main things is we've got to get after the quarterback better," Choate said after his team's 12th practice of the year Wednesday, a full-pad session conducted mostly in Bobcat Stadium. "I thought the defense brought the correct mindset today. They really competed hard."
Choate liked how the offense responded to defensive intensity. "From an offensive standpoint when (the defense is) bringing the house on a third down you've got to be able to protect and make good decisions and get the ball out of your hand," he said. " We took the ball down into the low red zone and (the offense) did some really nice things. Quarterbacks gave guys chances to make plays, and those guys stepped up and made plays. I was pleased."
The energy level remained a positive Wednesday, even as the day's intensity remained high. "Back-to-back padded practices, and we had great energy at the end of practice today," Choate said. "They put in a little extra work and got their cardio in, so that's good. I'm excited about where they're at right now, and we'll start to tool things in a little bit for the scrimmage on Saturday."
His hopes for Saturday's scrimmage remain simple. "We want to put some guys in positions and see who makes plays," he said. "It will be pretty vanilla."
REST & RECOVERY: Choate said that, as preseason camp draws on, the coaching staff puts a premium on players' physical well-being. "The ability to get the right amount of rest, focus a little bit more on taking care of their body because they're all sore now, they're all dinged up a little bit, we've had some contact. They have to be smart about that. Getting a little nap in, getting some (physical) recovery in, building a schedule that's going to enable them to finish this week is an important part of it. But it can get a little long right now, and we have to keep it fresh."
POSITION BATTLE – FREE SAFETY: Choate indicated that the competition between returner JoJo Henderson and transfer Jahcque Alleyne, both juniors, is all that he hoped it would be. "They have both elevated their level of play, and that's what you want to see in a good, healthy competition. I think where JoJo had an advantage coming in was he was in the program and he understood the defense a little better. As 'Que kind of gets it going and learns it more that forces JoJo to up the level of his game."
#GoCatsGo
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