Troy Andersen starts at linebacker today, but will also carry the ball
Photo by: Garrett Becker
BOBCAT GAME DAY NOTEBOOK: Circumstances are Quite Different for the Cats in Lubbock This Time Around
8/31/2019 1:02:00 PM | Football
A trio of key contributors will miss today's game
Montana State opens the 2019 season in Lubbock, Texas, the same place it began the season 81 years ago.
Other than playing on the Texas Tech campus – Jones AT&T Stadium is a little north and east of old Tech Field – there's little resemblance between this year's opener and that one. Schubert Dyche led the Bobcats into battle that day, returning to the head coaching post after two years absence (Jack Croft coached the Cats in 1936-37), and the Bobcats were in the midst of an 11-season stretch without a winning record.
This year's Bobcats roll into 2019 coming off of an 8-5 season and an FCS Playoff appearance. The disparity between Power 5 conferences and the FCS seems to widen every year, but the Cats have been occasionally competitive in such games this decade. Montana State lost 31-0 at Washington State (Pas 12) in 2017 and 27-10 at Utah (Pas 12) in 2011. Washington State needed a game-saving interception to win 23-22 in 2010.
* * * * *
The Cats will be without a trio of key players today. Cornerback Munchie Filer will miss the game with an elbow injury suffered during the team's first scrimmage. Receiver Travis Jonsen (foot) and defensive back Ty Okada (knee) are not expected to play with injuries either suffered or aggravated in the days leading up to today's season opener. All three are expected back soon, possibly next week against Southeast Missouri.
* * * * *
MSU and Texas Tech missed by a single season of a memorable brother-versus-brother matchup. Zach Wright, a team captain and key part of last season's FCS Playoff team for the Cats, has traveled to Texas to watch his brother Weston play offensive line for the Red Raiders.
Many other notable Bobcat alums made the trip to West Texas. An incomplete list: Chad Mayer, Scott Harry, Jack Muhlbeier, Tray Robinson, Tanner Bleskin.
* * * * *
A standard topic of conversation entering most weeks this season stands to be the status of Bobcat linebacker Troy Andersen, who will also spend time at a variety of offensive positions. Jeff Choate explains the decision to move Andersen, last season's starting quarterback, to defense was clear-cut. "When you have a guy like that you don't tell him what he's going to do, you ask him what he wants to do," Choate said. "He knows he's going to get his touches on offense, but he has an opportunity to impact games greatly on defense."
Texas Tech coach Matt Wells addressed the topic in his weekly press conference. He called Andersen "kind of the modern-day hero in my opinion. A true two-way player. I'll say it in Big XII country here: He's like the mountain version of (former Kansas State offensive Swiss Army Knife) Colin Klein. Big, strong, athletic…but Colin didn't play linebacker. This guy will play both ways, a lot. "
Formerly the head coach at Utah State, Wells said he hasn't "seen many guys like him. We've done it at Utah State with some of our players but they were linebackers playing running back. Not so much quarterback. Troy is a talented guy. Just by watching on tape, not knowing him, not ever meeting him, I think I'd like to coach him. He's tough, physical, a leader for sure. He's a very team-oriented player playing both sides of the ball. I bet he's a tremendous leader."
* * * * *
Saturday marks Wells' first game as head coach at Texas Tech of the Big 12 Conference, and the third time Montana State faces a Big 12 opponent with a coach making his debut. The Cats dropped a narrow 15-10 decision in Mike Gundy's first game at Oklahoma State in 2005, and beat Colorado a season later in Dan Hawkins' first outing with the Buffaloes. MSU also faced Texas A&M in Dennis Franchione's last season opener with the Aggies in 2007, Rob Ash's first game at Montana State, and dropped took a 69-7 beating at the hands of Kansas State in Ron Prince's season opener with the Wildcats.
Those are Montana State's only meetings with Big 12 opponents.
* * * * *
Today's game is Montana State's eighth before the calendar flips to September. The Cats stand 4-3 in those games, with all three losses coming at FBS opponents. Here is a look…
August 30, 2014: Arkansas State 27, Montana State 10 at Jonesboro
August 27, 2013: Montana State 42, Monmourth 24 at Bozeman
August 30, 2008: Montana State 59, Adams State 3 at Bozeman
August 30, 2003: Wyoming 21, Montana State 10 at Laramie
August 31, 2002: Montana State 27, Saint Mary's 24 at Bozeman
August 30, 2001: UAB 41, Montana State 13 at Birmingham
August 31, 1991: Montana State 30, Minnesota-Duluth 14 at Bozeman
Other than playing on the Texas Tech campus – Jones AT&T Stadium is a little north and east of old Tech Field – there's little resemblance between this year's opener and that one. Schubert Dyche led the Bobcats into battle that day, returning to the head coaching post after two years absence (Jack Croft coached the Cats in 1936-37), and the Bobcats were in the midst of an 11-season stretch without a winning record.
This year's Bobcats roll into 2019 coming off of an 8-5 season and an FCS Playoff appearance. The disparity between Power 5 conferences and the FCS seems to widen every year, but the Cats have been occasionally competitive in such games this decade. Montana State lost 31-0 at Washington State (Pas 12) in 2017 and 27-10 at Utah (Pas 12) in 2011. Washington State needed a game-saving interception to win 23-22 in 2010.
* * * * *
The Cats will be without a trio of key players today. Cornerback Munchie Filer will miss the game with an elbow injury suffered during the team's first scrimmage. Receiver Travis Jonsen (foot) and defensive back Ty Okada (knee) are not expected to play with injuries either suffered or aggravated in the days leading up to today's season opener. All three are expected back soon, possibly next week against Southeast Missouri.
* * * * *
MSU and Texas Tech missed by a single season of a memorable brother-versus-brother matchup. Zach Wright, a team captain and key part of last season's FCS Playoff team for the Cats, has traveled to Texas to watch his brother Weston play offensive line for the Red Raiders.
Many other notable Bobcat alums made the trip to West Texas. An incomplete list: Chad Mayer, Scott Harry, Jack Muhlbeier, Tray Robinson, Tanner Bleskin.
* * * * *
A standard topic of conversation entering most weeks this season stands to be the status of Bobcat linebacker Troy Andersen, who will also spend time at a variety of offensive positions. Jeff Choate explains the decision to move Andersen, last season's starting quarterback, to defense was clear-cut. "When you have a guy like that you don't tell him what he's going to do, you ask him what he wants to do," Choate said. "He knows he's going to get his touches on offense, but he has an opportunity to impact games greatly on defense."
Texas Tech coach Matt Wells addressed the topic in his weekly press conference. He called Andersen "kind of the modern-day hero in my opinion. A true two-way player. I'll say it in Big XII country here: He's like the mountain version of (former Kansas State offensive Swiss Army Knife) Colin Klein. Big, strong, athletic…but Colin didn't play linebacker. This guy will play both ways, a lot. "
Formerly the head coach at Utah State, Wells said he hasn't "seen many guys like him. We've done it at Utah State with some of our players but they were linebackers playing running back. Not so much quarterback. Troy is a talented guy. Just by watching on tape, not knowing him, not ever meeting him, I think I'd like to coach him. He's tough, physical, a leader for sure. He's a very team-oriented player playing both sides of the ball. I bet he's a tremendous leader."
* * * * *
Saturday marks Wells' first game as head coach at Texas Tech of the Big 12 Conference, and the third time Montana State faces a Big 12 opponent with a coach making his debut. The Cats dropped a narrow 15-10 decision in Mike Gundy's first game at Oklahoma State in 2005, and beat Colorado a season later in Dan Hawkins' first outing with the Buffaloes. MSU also faced Texas A&M in Dennis Franchione's last season opener with the Aggies in 2007, Rob Ash's first game at Montana State, and dropped took a 69-7 beating at the hands of Kansas State in Ron Prince's season opener with the Wildcats.
Those are Montana State's only meetings with Big 12 opponents.
* * * * *
Today's game is Montana State's eighth before the calendar flips to September. The Cats stand 4-3 in those games, with all three losses coming at FBS opponents. Here is a look…
August 30, 2014: Arkansas State 27, Montana State 10 at Jonesboro
August 27, 2013: Montana State 42, Monmourth 24 at Bozeman
August 30, 2008: Montana State 59, Adams State 3 at Bozeman
August 30, 2003: Wyoming 21, Montana State 10 at Laramie
August 31, 2002: Montana State 27, Saint Mary's 24 at Bozeman
August 30, 2001: UAB 41, Montana State 13 at Birmingham
August 31, 1991: Montana State 30, Minnesota-Duluth 14 at Bozeman
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