Alex Johnson (right) makes his starting debut today
Photo by: Andrew Pedersen
BOBCAT GAME DAY NOTEBOOK #8: Injuries Lead to Lineup Shakeup
10/23/2021 12:01:00 PM | Football
Callahan O'Reilly, TJ Session, Tyrel Thomas shelved for showdown with Idaho State
BOZEMAN, Montana – When injuries came to the Bobcats during the first seven weeks of the 2021 season they were in dribs and drabs. Week eight was a little more like a wave.
Montana State faces Idaho State with two more starters missing. Will linebacker Callahan O'Reilly and offensive tackle TJ Session are both recovering from injuries and unavailable today. Freshman Alex Johnson moves into O'Reilly's spot at linebacker, with Danny Uluilakepa backing up he and Troy Andersen. In the offensive line, veteran guard Taylor Tuiasosopo moves to right tackle, where Session had started all seven games this season, and Cole Sain starts at guard.
Sain was tabbed as a starter during the preseason, but nagging injuries and Justus Perkins' emergence pushed him into a super-sub role. Tuiasosopo's presence in the MSU offensive line has been part and parcel of the program's rise to success. Today's game marks his 38th career start, and his 44th game. Sain and Johnson, on the other hand, make their starting debuts. They become the 12th and 13th Bobcats to make their starting debuts in 2021.
Defensive back Tyrel Thomas, a preseason projected starter who made his season debut at Weber State, is also inactive today. Fellow starter James Campbell remains sidelined, as well, so Miles Jackson is expected to see more action today.
* * * * *
Today's game has an old-home feeling, with a two Idaho State assistant coaches returning to a previous stop in their careers and two Bengals players returning to their original college home. Defensive coordinator Roger Cooper was an all-time Bobcat great from 2001-04, a Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year and All-America. He arrived as one of the premiere recruiting wins in Mike Kramer's first class at MSU, left as one of the greatest linebackers in Bobcat history, and began his coaching career here. ISU defensive line coach Byron Hout coached that position group at Montana State from 2016-20 as part of Jeff Choate's original staff.
Defensive back Tylor Bohannon and linebacker/long snapper Todd Payne each began their careers at MSU before transferring. Payne is expected to start today's game.
* * * * *
The success of Hout at MSU, and that of his successor Shawn Howe in his first season, makes that position worth a closer look. In fact, among FCS schools the case could be made that in the last 50 years the Bobcat program has earned the moniker D-Line U. In the last 10 seasons alone five Bobcat defensive linemen have earned All-America honors, and in this century the number doubles. Included in both counts are Caleb Schreibeis and Brad Daly, Buck Buchanan Award winners as the top defensive player in the FCS.
Bryce Sterk in 2019 was Hout's only All-America D-lineman at MSU, but he helped develop a core of players (Zach Wright, Tucker Yates, etc.) that became a standard bearer at Montana State. In his first season, Shawn Howe has ends Daniel Hardy and Amandre Williams (both outside linebackers in MSU's previous scheme) and nose tackle Chase Benson playing at an All-America level.
The point of this exercise is not to assign credit for success to any coach, but to recognize how during the program's ups and downs the defensive line play has been consistently excellent. Here are MSU's All-Americas since 1970:
2019 – Bryce Sterk, 2013 – Brad Daly, 2012 – Caleb Schreibeis, 2011 – Zach Minter, 2010 – Dan Ogden, 2009 – Dane Fletcher, 2002 Jon Montoya, 2001 – Nick Morasko & Adam Cordeiro, 1998 – Ty O'Connor, 1997 – Neal Smith, 1996 – Devlan Geddes, 1993 – Jason Hicks, 1991 – Jason Hicks & Jeff Newton & Corey Widmer, 1990 – Corey Widmer, 1984 – Lonnie Burt, 1982 – Phil Bruneau, 1979 – Les Sherrill, 1978 – Rick Vancleeve, 1976 – Les Leininger, 1975 – Brad Daws, 1973 – Bill Kollar, 1972 – Bill Kollar, 1970 – Gary Gustafson.
And the defensive line coaches? Shawn Howe (2021-), Byron Hout (2016-2020), Bo Beck (2007-15), Jeremy Thielbahr (2006), Jason Linders (2004-05), Joe O'Brien (2000-03), George Booker (1998-99), Butch Damberger (1992-97, Greg Clough (1990-91), Don Dunn (1985-89), Joe Yanowsky (1984), Mike Kramer (1983), Dave Anderson (1982), Cliff Hysell/Greg Salo (1981), Ed Schmidt (1977-80), Cliff Hysell (1972-81, including time as DC with others assisting with DL), Bill Emsick (1971), Sonny Holland (1970).
* * * * *
Idaho State is Montana State's most frequent out-of-state opponent, and the 48 Bobcat wins over the Bengals is MSU's most against any opponent.
#GoCatsGo
Montana State faces Idaho State with two more starters missing. Will linebacker Callahan O'Reilly and offensive tackle TJ Session are both recovering from injuries and unavailable today. Freshman Alex Johnson moves into O'Reilly's spot at linebacker, with Danny Uluilakepa backing up he and Troy Andersen. In the offensive line, veteran guard Taylor Tuiasosopo moves to right tackle, where Session had started all seven games this season, and Cole Sain starts at guard.
Sain was tabbed as a starter during the preseason, but nagging injuries and Justus Perkins' emergence pushed him into a super-sub role. Tuiasosopo's presence in the MSU offensive line has been part and parcel of the program's rise to success. Today's game marks his 38th career start, and his 44th game. Sain and Johnson, on the other hand, make their starting debuts. They become the 12th and 13th Bobcats to make their starting debuts in 2021.
Defensive back Tyrel Thomas, a preseason projected starter who made his season debut at Weber State, is also inactive today. Fellow starter James Campbell remains sidelined, as well, so Miles Jackson is expected to see more action today.
* * * * *
Today's game has an old-home feeling, with a two Idaho State assistant coaches returning to a previous stop in their careers and two Bengals players returning to their original college home. Defensive coordinator Roger Cooper was an all-time Bobcat great from 2001-04, a Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year and All-America. He arrived as one of the premiere recruiting wins in Mike Kramer's first class at MSU, left as one of the greatest linebackers in Bobcat history, and began his coaching career here. ISU defensive line coach Byron Hout coached that position group at Montana State from 2016-20 as part of Jeff Choate's original staff.
Defensive back Tylor Bohannon and linebacker/long snapper Todd Payne each began their careers at MSU before transferring. Payne is expected to start today's game.
* * * * *
The success of Hout at MSU, and that of his successor Shawn Howe in his first season, makes that position worth a closer look. In fact, among FCS schools the case could be made that in the last 50 years the Bobcat program has earned the moniker D-Line U. In the last 10 seasons alone five Bobcat defensive linemen have earned All-America honors, and in this century the number doubles. Included in both counts are Caleb Schreibeis and Brad Daly, Buck Buchanan Award winners as the top defensive player in the FCS.
Bryce Sterk in 2019 was Hout's only All-America D-lineman at MSU, but he helped develop a core of players (Zach Wright, Tucker Yates, etc.) that became a standard bearer at Montana State. In his first season, Shawn Howe has ends Daniel Hardy and Amandre Williams (both outside linebackers in MSU's previous scheme) and nose tackle Chase Benson playing at an All-America level.
The point of this exercise is not to assign credit for success to any coach, but to recognize how during the program's ups and downs the defensive line play has been consistently excellent. Here are MSU's All-Americas since 1970:
2019 – Bryce Sterk, 2013 – Brad Daly, 2012 – Caleb Schreibeis, 2011 – Zach Minter, 2010 – Dan Ogden, 2009 – Dane Fletcher, 2002 Jon Montoya, 2001 – Nick Morasko & Adam Cordeiro, 1998 – Ty O'Connor, 1997 – Neal Smith, 1996 – Devlan Geddes, 1993 – Jason Hicks, 1991 – Jason Hicks & Jeff Newton & Corey Widmer, 1990 – Corey Widmer, 1984 – Lonnie Burt, 1982 – Phil Bruneau, 1979 – Les Sherrill, 1978 – Rick Vancleeve, 1976 – Les Leininger, 1975 – Brad Daws, 1973 – Bill Kollar, 1972 – Bill Kollar, 1970 – Gary Gustafson.
And the defensive line coaches? Shawn Howe (2021-), Byron Hout (2016-2020), Bo Beck (2007-15), Jeremy Thielbahr (2006), Jason Linders (2004-05), Joe O'Brien (2000-03), George Booker (1998-99), Butch Damberger (1992-97, Greg Clough (1990-91), Don Dunn (1985-89), Joe Yanowsky (1984), Mike Kramer (1983), Dave Anderson (1982), Cliff Hysell/Greg Salo (1981), Ed Schmidt (1977-80), Cliff Hysell (1972-81, including time as DC with others assisting with DL), Bill Emsick (1971), Sonny Holland (1970).
* * * * *
Idaho State is Montana State's most frequent out-of-state opponent, and the 48 Bobcat wins over the Bengals is MSU's most against any opponent.
#GoCatsGo
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