BOBCAT FOOTBALL SUNDAY NOTEBOOK #4: Offensive Outburst Offers Impressive Statistical Landmarks

Bryce Sterk

Photo by: Garrett Becker

BOBCAT FOOTBALL SUNDAY NOTEBOOK #4: Offensive Outburst Offers Impressive Statistical Landmarks

9/22/2019 10:58:00 AM | Football

Tucker Rovig, Lane Sumner and Bryce Sterk all logged eye-popping numbers against Norfolk State

By: Bill Lamberty

Below is a look at Montana State's 56-28 win against Norfolk State on Saturday. Remember that Jeff Choate appears at Cat Chat Wednesday at the GranTree Inn at 6:30 pm, and Coaches Corner Friday at 10:30 am at the Mid-Town Tavern.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINATIONS
OFFENSE: Tucker Rovig, QB (6-5, 220, So, Meridian, ID)
Tucker Rovig's portrait of perseverance came into clearer focus than ever Saturday, when the sophomore threw for 221 yards and four touchdowns in his first start of 2019 to lead Montana State to a 56-21 win over Norfolk State. He completed 21 of his 27 pass attempts without an interception, and was not sacked, while rushing twice for two yards. He also punted once for 34 yards. His performance Saturday came after he was bypassed for starting honors in August, and came just days shy of one year since a foot injury in practice ended his 2018 season when he was on the brink of earning the starting quarterback job (according to Jeff Choate). Rovig completed his first four passes and was 13-for-18 at halftime, when the Cats had built a 28-14 lead. After MSU's initial drive stalled in Norfolk State territory, Rovig led his team on nine straight drives that resulted in either a touchdown (eight) or a missed field goal (a 40-yard attempt to end the first half that came after Rovig drove the team from the MSU 30 to the NSU 23 in 70 seconds). Rovig's effort Saturday was only the second by a Bobcat signal caller in the last four years completing at least 75% of his passes with 10 attempts or more.

DEFENSE: Bryce Sterk, DE (6-5, 261, Sr, Lynden, WA)
Senior defensive end Bryce Sterk registered career highs with 5.0 tackles-for-loss and 3.5 sacks, leading Montana State to a 56-21 win over Norfolk State on Saturday. Sterk made 10 tackles (eight solos), and added two quarterback hurries, as the Cats limited NSU to 351 total yards and 15 first downs. Sterk's first sack came on the game's first possession, and helped terminate a drive that had reached midfield. Each of Sterk's tackles behind the line of scrimmage came on drives that resulted in Bobcat stops. Sterk now has 8.0 sacks in 2019, matching his 2018 season total, and giving him 17 sacks in his 17 games at MSU. He has sacks in six straight regular season games, and has been in on at least one sack in 10 of his 15 regular season contests as a Bobcat. Sterk's 2.13 sacks per game leads the FCS, his 2.9 tackles-for-loss per game leads the Big Sky and is 3^rd in the FCS, and his 6.0 solo tackles per game is 3^rd in the Big Sky and 18^th in the FCS.

SPECIAL TEAMS: none

FRESHMAN: Lane Sumner, RB (5-8, 192, Fr, Huntley, MT)
Pressed into action due to injuries, Lane Sumner came from off of MSU's four-man running back depth chart to rush for 113 yards and two touchdowns to help power Montana State's 56-21 win over Norfolk State. He averaged 10.3 yards on his 11 carries, tied for 8^th in MSU history (minimum 10 attempts) with teammate Isaiah Ifanse, whose injury in part cleared the way for Sumner's breakout performance on Saturday. Sumner's first carry came late in the second quarter, with the Bobcats leading 21-14. He tore off a nine-yard run on first-and-10, then gained seven yards on third-and-one to extend a drive that culminated in a touchdown. Late in the third quarter, Sumner carried four times for 20 yards and a touchdown, then helped salt the game away midway through the fourth quarter with a 58-yard touchdown run. That was Montana State's third run of 50 yards or more through four games.

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: Mitch Brott, OT (6-6, 300, Sr, Billings, Montana)
Quarterback Tucker Rovig's comments after his first start of 2019, a 56-21 Montana State win over Norfolk State, gave more insight into the performance of his offensive line than statistics offer. "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." Anchoring arguably the best offensive line in the Big Sky Conference as he has for all 39 games in his Bobcat career, Mitch Brott spearheaded an effort by the Bobcat offensive line that produced three 100-yard rushers for the first time in school history while allowing no sacks. The Bobcats now stand 11^th in the FCS and lead the Big Sky with 258.8 rushing yards a game, and are 8^th in the FCS while leading the Big Sky with 0.5 sacks allowed per game. Five different Bobcats have rushed for at least 100 yards in a game this season, and the 36^th time a Bobcat back has passed that plateau during Brott's four seasons anchoring his team's offensive line. In Brott's 39 games as a starting tackle the team has allowed just 42 sacks and 16 of them came during his freshman season. That adds up to just 26 sacks allowed in MSU's most recent 28 games.

POST-GAME NEWS & NOTES
Injury Report: Doubtful/Out – WR Willie Patterson, CB Greg Filer III, CB Ty Okada, TE Jacob Hadley, RB Logan Jones

• Montana State owns a modest five-game home winning streak.
• Three Bobcats – Lane Sumner with 113, Shane Perry with 111, and Logan Jones with 101 – surpassed the 100-yard rushing mark Saturday, the first time that's happened on record in Bobcat history.
• Montana State has forced at least one turnover in 15 consecutive games.
• Lane Sumner's 58-yard touchdown run gives the Cats a rush of at least 50 yards in three consecutive games.
• Bryce Sterk logged 3.5 sacks Saturday, raising his season total to 8.5. That matches his 2018 total for the entire season, and his 17 career sacks (in 17 games) is five from MSU's career top 10 list.
• Montana State was flagged for just seven penalties in the team's first two games, but has been whistled 18 times in the last two games (the dozen flags at Western Illinois was the high mark for a Bobcat game coached by Jeff Choate).
• After surrendering just one sack in each of the team's first two games, Montana State didn't allow any vs. Western Illinois or Norfolk State. MSU's 0.5 sacks allowed per game leads the Big Sky and is 8^th in the FCS. MSU allowed a Big Sky-low 11 sacks (in 13 games) a season ago. Bryce Sterk's 2.13 sacks per game leads the FCS.
• Montana State has lost just eight fumbles in the last 29 games, and the fumble lost at Western Illinois was the team's first on offense since the Incarnate Word game in the FCS Playoffs last season (the other fumble MSU lost this season was on a punt).
• After 11 of Montana State's 13 opponents scored at least 20 points a season ago, the Cats held two of this season's three FCS opponents to under 20 points, while the third scored 21.
• Montana State's 26 rushing first downs Saturday was a school record.
• MSU's 449 rushing yards was the third-most in school history.
• The Cats gained 670 total yards against Norfolk State, fifth-most in Bobcat history.
• The Cats face teams from every different direction in September – Southeast Missouri, Western Illinois, and Northern Arizona.

STAT SNIPPETS
Saturday's Big Sky showdown against Northern Arizona sets up as a battle of wills, with the Bobcats leading the Big Sky in rushing yards per game (258.8) and Northern Arizona's 391.5 yards per game leads the FCS… the Lumberjacks are 98^th in the FCS in rushing yards allowed, while the Cats stand 96^th in passing yards allowed… MSU is 13^th nationally in turnover margin (+1.0 per game) and turnovers lost (two), with both marks leading the Big Sky… MSU's 3.0 sacks per game is 12^th nationally and 2^nd in the Big Sky, while its 8.3 tackles-for-loss per game is 17^th nationally, 4^th in the league... after not punting on Saturday, Jered Padmos remains 2^nd in the Big Sky and 6^th nationally with a 46.4-yards-per-punt average.

FIRST LOOK: Montana State vs. Northern Arizona
Game Details: Date – September 28 Site – Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman Kickoff – 1 pm Special Promotions – Military Appreciation (active and retired military members and their families can claim free tickets to the game while supplies last by emailing vets@montana.edu) Record – 2-2 overall, 0-0 in the Big Sky Audio – Statewide on the Bobcat Radio Network and msubobcats.com (Jason Alvine, Zach Mackey, Dan Davies) Video– ABC Montana, SWX in Billings Streaming – Pluto.tv channel 538