Amandre Williams
Photo by: Andrew Pedersen
CATS IN CAMP DAY TWO: Depth, Versatility on Lines Shines Through on Day Two
8/3/2019 4:50:00 PM | Football
Montana State's defensive line showed well on Saturday
BOZEMAN, Montana – The real work for linemen doesn't begin until shoulder pads come on Sunday, but the work by Montana State's defensive front on Friday and Saturday stood out to Bobcat head coach Jeff Choate.
"It's really hard to evaluate the offensive and defensive lines (without pads)," Choate said after Saturday's no-contact practice. "The benefit of not having padded practices for the interior guys is you really just focus on your eyes, your hand-placement, your footwork. Those are things that sometimes go out the window when you're trying to knock a guy off the ball so it's good to have the chance to work on the details and fundamentals of the position."
Aside from experience – all three down linemen return with starting experience – and physical attributes, Choate likes the depth, collective experience, and continuity from a 2018 Bobcat D-line that featured two team captains and another multi-year starter. "I don't know that you can equate how we're going to replace the leadership that Zach (Wright) and Tyrone (Fa'anono) and Tucker (Yates) gave us, but I really credit where the bar's been set to those three men. They worked hard, took a lot of pride in that unit, and you can see guys like Derek Marks and Bryce Sterk stepping into that leadership role. And we have a lot of talent there. They can't take downs off or somebody's going to go by them, and that helps us continue to develop depth."
The Bobcat defensive front – which also includes Buck linebacker Amandre Williams – also possesses an attribute Choate finds underrated. "I think they are (versatile)," he said. "You look at Bryce (Sterk), who played Buck last year, we've slid him to field end. I think Derek (Marks) could play any position, maybe nose wouldn't be ideal at his body weight but he could play any position along the front. I think Amandre could play to the field and to the boundary. Chase (Benson) has had enough reps (to play any position), and Marcus Ferriter could play any position along the front."
Positional versatility allows the team to vary its fronts without having to change personnel. "If you have a guy that can just play nose, that's all he can do, what happens when you get into a four-down front? That guy has to come off the field. Having a guy that has pass rush ability, has enough size to hold up against the run but enough athleticism you don't have to take him off the field when it's third-and-long, that's a huge asset. The more you're running those guys around you tip your hand to the offense as to what we're trying to do. So that's a big part of that situation."
PLAYER OF THE DAY: Jeff Choate said the Bobcat staff picks a Player of the Day throughout fall camp, and senior defensive end Bryce Sterk got the nod on Saturday. "Bryce had a very productive day," Choate said. "He gave great effort, and was a handful for our offensive tackles." Friday's Player of the Day was junior receiver Lance McCutcheon.
PADS POP ON SUNDAY: Sunday's practice begins at 10:30 am in Bobcat Stadium, and features shoulder pads for the first time.
YOUNG GUNS: Choate liked the work accomplished by his young receivers on Saturday, but also lauded first-year freshman quarterbacks Blake Thelen and John Knight. "I thought the young quarterbacks gave the (receivers) chances to make plays. Blake Thelen put the ball up a couple times and Peanut (Jamahd Monroe) made a couple plays, Tyrone Marshall had a play where he adjusted on the ball well, Ryan Lonergan, those guys competed and adjusted on the ball."
#GoCatsGo
"It's really hard to evaluate the offensive and defensive lines (without pads)," Choate said after Saturday's no-contact practice. "The benefit of not having padded practices for the interior guys is you really just focus on your eyes, your hand-placement, your footwork. Those are things that sometimes go out the window when you're trying to knock a guy off the ball so it's good to have the chance to work on the details and fundamentals of the position."
Aside from experience – all three down linemen return with starting experience – and physical attributes, Choate likes the depth, collective experience, and continuity from a 2018 Bobcat D-line that featured two team captains and another multi-year starter. "I don't know that you can equate how we're going to replace the leadership that Zach (Wright) and Tyrone (Fa'anono) and Tucker (Yates) gave us, but I really credit where the bar's been set to those three men. They worked hard, took a lot of pride in that unit, and you can see guys like Derek Marks and Bryce Sterk stepping into that leadership role. And we have a lot of talent there. They can't take downs off or somebody's going to go by them, and that helps us continue to develop depth."
The Bobcat defensive front – which also includes Buck linebacker Amandre Williams – also possesses an attribute Choate finds underrated. "I think they are (versatile)," he said. "You look at Bryce (Sterk), who played Buck last year, we've slid him to field end. I think Derek (Marks) could play any position, maybe nose wouldn't be ideal at his body weight but he could play any position along the front. I think Amandre could play to the field and to the boundary. Chase (Benson) has had enough reps (to play any position), and Marcus Ferriter could play any position along the front."
Positional versatility allows the team to vary its fronts without having to change personnel. "If you have a guy that can just play nose, that's all he can do, what happens when you get into a four-down front? That guy has to come off the field. Having a guy that has pass rush ability, has enough size to hold up against the run but enough athleticism you don't have to take him off the field when it's third-and-long, that's a huge asset. The more you're running those guys around you tip your hand to the offense as to what we're trying to do. So that's a big part of that situation."
PLAYER OF THE DAY: Jeff Choate said the Bobcat staff picks a Player of the Day throughout fall camp, and senior defensive end Bryce Sterk got the nod on Saturday. "Bryce had a very productive day," Choate said. "He gave great effort, and was a handful for our offensive tackles." Friday's Player of the Day was junior receiver Lance McCutcheon.
PADS POP ON SUNDAY: Sunday's practice begins at 10:30 am in Bobcat Stadium, and features shoulder pads for the first time.
YOUNG GUNS: Choate liked the work accomplished by his young receivers on Saturday, but also lauded first-year freshman quarterbacks Blake Thelen and John Knight. "I thought the young quarterbacks gave the (receivers) chances to make plays. Blake Thelen put the ball up a couple times and Peanut (Jamahd Monroe) made a couple plays, Tyrone Marshall had a play where he adjusted on the ball well, Ryan Lonergan, those guys competed and adjusted on the ball."
#GoCatsGo
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