Notes and Quotes from Montana State's 56-21 Win Over Norfolk State

Saturday, September 21

BOZEMAN

1 p.m.

Montana State University

3-1

Norfolk State

1-3

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Norfolk State

Montana State

Tucker Rovig

Photo by: Garrett Becker

Notes and Quotes from Montana State's 56-21 Win Over Norfolk State

9/21/2019 5:19:00 PM | Football

Box Score

MSU posted historic offensive numbers on Saturday

By: Bill Lamberty

NOTES FROM MSU-NORFOLK STATE
* Montana State rushed for 26 first downs on Saturday, a school record.
* Three Bobcats - Lane Sumner with 113, Shane Perry with 111, and Logan Jones with 101 - surpassed 100 yards rushing against Norfolk State on Saturday, the first time an MSU team has produced three rushers over the century mark in a single contest.
* Norfolk State's Kevin Johnson tore off an 84-yard run, the second-longest rush from scrimmage in Bobcat Stadium history (including Reno H. Sales Stadium). The only run longer was Shawn Johnson's 90-yarder against Monmouth in 2013.
* In spite of leaving the game late in the first half, Logan Jones produced his second consecutive 100-yard rushing game.
* Montana State's 449 rushing yards was third in school history.
* The Cats gained 670 total yard, fifth-most in MSU history.
* Bryce Sterk logged 3.5 sacks vs. Norfolk State, his career high. His 2019 total of 8.5 matches his 2018 total, and his 17 career sacks (in 17 career games) is five from MSU's career top 10.
* The two starting quarterbacks - MSU's Tucker Rovig (21-for-27) and NSU's Juwan Carter (21-for-32) - combined to complete 42 of their 59 pass attempts without an interception for 464 yards.
* Tucker Rovig was 21-for-27 passing (77.8%) in his first start of the season.

JEFF CHOATE QUOTES
On MSU's Offensive Line: "They were an impressive group today, for sure. Quite honestly we saw some things different from what we thought we were going to see. from what we'd seen on film. They'd primarily been a post safety defense and (today) they played a lot of quarters, a lot of cover four, a lot of post safety looks, which lightens the box in the run game. So I think that played into our hands a little bit. I can't say enough about Logan Jones, Shane Perry, and Lane Sumner. Logan went out of the game, Shane and Lane hadn't played a lot of football for us. They stepped in, the O-line held up their end of the bargain, and we continued to operate."

On playing most of the last two games without Troy Andersen and Isaiah Ifanse due to injuries: "It makes you nervous when you go for the better part of two-and-a-half games without two of our best guys, (Ifanse and Andersen). But we've been able to go 2-0 in that stretch and hopefully we'll get those two back going into league play."tn

BRYCE STERK QUOTES
On MSU's dominant defensive line play: "We see different things, tells, that we try to exploit, and we've been doing really good with that so far. Derek (Marks), it doesn't show on paper, but he has so many QB hits and QB hurries, and he's affecting the quarterback so much in the last couple games. Same with Amandre... Getting to the quarterback and dominating the line of scrimmage has been huge for us this season so far."

On wearing Norfolk State down in the second half: "That's what we were hoping for going into the game. (Juwan Carter is) a very mobile quarterback, so we wanted to make sure he couldn't run through the B gaps like he liked to on film, then in the fourth quarter cut loose."

TUCKER ROVIG QUOTES
On MSU's run game alleviating pressure in the pass game: "It definitely was really nice. I was looking at the rushing yards and the net was 449. That's all props to the running backs, whoever was carrying the ball, and the O-line. I'll be honest, I do not remember getting hit one time today on a pass play. I don't think there was one time."