Bobcat Coaching Staff Gels as Preseason Camp Progresses
8/10/2021 4:48:00 PM | Football
As the staff hits its 20th practice together Wednesday, Brent Vigen likes the progress
BOZEMAN, Montana – August 9, 2021 – Montana State's current football coaching staff came together in unusual fashion, under unusual circumstances.
As that staff preps for its 20th practice together on Wednesday – four in August, 15 last spring – first-year head coach Brent Vigen is pleased with what he's experienced. "As far as head coaches," he said, "what I've been around is that you hire your assistants and you let them go. You don't pigeonhole them and say they all have to be the same, their styles have to be the same."
When Vigen took over in February, four assistant coach positions (defensive coordinator, defensive backs, and receivers) were open. Offensive line coach Brian Armstrong, running backs coach Jimmy Beal, tight ends coach Nate Potter, linebackers coach Bobby Daly, and assistant defensive backs coach Kyle Risinger joined Vigen's staff. A planned transition from a three-man to a four-man front led to replacement of defensive line coach Byron Hout by Shawn Howe, who had experience in Vigen's preferred defensive alignment. The addition of offensive coordinator Taylor Housewright facilitated the move of Justin Udy from quarterbacks coach to receivers, and Freddie Banks joined the staff as defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach. Later in the summer, assistant defensive line coach Adam Pilapil joined the staff.
Armstrong, who joined the MSU staff in 2016, likes the staff's current arc. "We're in practice four of fall camp and I think we've improved every day," Armstrong said. "We continue to install and get our schemes in and I think we're ahead of where we were in the spring, which is ultimately the goal. Offensively we're all on the same page and seeing things through one set of eyes, and as the season goes on I think we'll only improve."
Vigen said the scenario Armstrong describes mirrors his hopes. "We want to be on the same page, all bring energy, all bring thoughtfulness and confidence to it, but we have an assortment of different personalities and I think they feel empowered to coach their position. I let them run with it."
As the team on the field has developed since the first time this staff was allowed to coach it back in March, so has the coaching staff evolved. "We've taken a pretty significant stride since the spring," Vigen said. "In the spring, whether it was guys feeling me out or guys trying to feel out the (coordinators) we brought in, everyone was trying to figure things out. Even Taylor (Housewright, offensive coordinator) and Freddie (Banks, defensive coordinator), I'd only worked with Taylor for one year and had been around Freddie when he was a player."
That said, Vigen likes the progress he's seen. "We're beyond the feeling-out process, I guess, and I like the way we've looked four days in."
#GoCatsGo
As that staff preps for its 20th practice together on Wednesday – four in August, 15 last spring – first-year head coach Brent Vigen is pleased with what he's experienced. "As far as head coaches," he said, "what I've been around is that you hire your assistants and you let them go. You don't pigeonhole them and say they all have to be the same, their styles have to be the same."
When Vigen took over in February, four assistant coach positions (defensive coordinator, defensive backs, and receivers) were open. Offensive line coach Brian Armstrong, running backs coach Jimmy Beal, tight ends coach Nate Potter, linebackers coach Bobby Daly, and assistant defensive backs coach Kyle Risinger joined Vigen's staff. A planned transition from a three-man to a four-man front led to replacement of defensive line coach Byron Hout by Shawn Howe, who had experience in Vigen's preferred defensive alignment. The addition of offensive coordinator Taylor Housewright facilitated the move of Justin Udy from quarterbacks coach to receivers, and Freddie Banks joined the staff as defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach. Later in the summer, assistant defensive line coach Adam Pilapil joined the staff.
Armstrong, who joined the MSU staff in 2016, likes the staff's current arc. "We're in practice four of fall camp and I think we've improved every day," Armstrong said. "We continue to install and get our schemes in and I think we're ahead of where we were in the spring, which is ultimately the goal. Offensively we're all on the same page and seeing things through one set of eyes, and as the season goes on I think we'll only improve."
Vigen said the scenario Armstrong describes mirrors his hopes. "We want to be on the same page, all bring energy, all bring thoughtfulness and confidence to it, but we have an assortment of different personalities and I think they feel empowered to coach their position. I let them run with it."
As the team on the field has developed since the first time this staff was allowed to coach it back in March, so has the coaching staff evolved. "We've taken a pretty significant stride since the spring," Vigen said. "In the spring, whether it was guys feeling me out or guys trying to feel out the (coordinators) we brought in, everyone was trying to figure things out. Even Taylor (Housewright, offensive coordinator) and Freddie (Banks, defensive coordinator), I'd only worked with Taylor for one year and had been around Freddie when he was a player."
That said, Vigen likes the progress he's seen. "We're beyond the feeling-out process, I guess, and I like the way we've looked four days in."
#GoCatsGo
Leon Costello Press Conference: Kennedy-Stark Athletic Center
Thursday, July 31
A Conversation with President Dr. Waded Cruzado | Montana State Athletics
Monday, May 19
Big Cats, Little Trucks - Willie Patterson
Wednesday, May 03
Matt Houk Introductory Press Conference
Wednesday, May 03
