Photo by: Garrett Becker
BOBCATS IN CAMP NO. 1: Brent Vigen Pleased with Practice Pace
8/6/2021 4:49:00 PM | Football
A daily look at Montana State football
BOZEMAN, Montana (August 6, 2021) – A day-by-day look at Bobcat football, today and throughout history…
BOBCAT NOTEBOOK
SECOND STRAIGHT AUGUST 6 FIRST-TIMER: If Bobcat fans feel a little déjà vu watching a first time coach begin his MSU tenure on August, 6, it's understandable. Five years ago today Jeff Choate conducted his first preseason practice as Montana State's head coach.
TEMPO TELLS THE TALE: Bobcat coach Brent Vigen liked the pace he saw from his team in its first preseason practice on Friday morning in Bobcat Stadium. "I think it met expectations as far as day one tempo. The guys were excited, had a real bounce in their step, but I think the biggest difference between today and last spring is that guys know what expectations are a little bit differently, they certainly know the playbook better, so I enjoyed the way we went about our business today. But it's only one day, we need to keep stacking these up."
NO TACKLING? NO PROBLEM: The Bobcats are several days from donning pads and tackling to the ground, but Brent Vigen said that didn't present a problem on the team's first day of preseason camp Friday. "We have spider pads on and I want our guys to be able to practice full go staying on their feet. Our model is becoming more and more like the NFL, and the NFL players are certainly paid and are professionals but to practice you've got to be able to push it, too, so if we can keep guys off the ground but still play as hard as possible we can still replicate practice (with pads) pretty well. Obviously we're not tackling, breaking tackles, those sorts of things, but by and large we can do everything we need to do.
FEELING THAT FEELING AGAIN: It's been over 500 days since Montana State last played a football game, and first-year head coach Brent Vigen said that he could sense a new urgency during practice no. one on Friday. "It's been a long time, obviously, December of '19, and there probably wasn't that feeling through all the school year last year where they actually practiced with a game in sight. We're inside of a month now, so that urgency is certainly there, that excitement. This is a time of going against each other, but I think with an intent that September 4 is not too far away.
August 6 in Bobcat Football History: 2021 – Brent Vigen presides over his first fall practice as Montana State's 33rd head football coach. 2016 – Jeff Choate presides over his first fall practice as Montana State's 32nd head football coach.
2021 POSITION PREVIEW
Offensive Line – The concept of getting old and staying old fully applies to Montana State's offensive line, with the 2021 season marking the third in a row with at least three returning full-time starters. Lewis Kidd moves to left tackle, with Taylor Tuiasosopo and Zach Redd anchoring the guard positions. Joining those three starters, talented but unproven players compete for starting honors at center and right tackle. Transfer Cole Sain enters the fall as the likely starter at center, while redshirt TJ Session is penciled in on the outside. Veteran Dylan Porter, a transfer, and redshirts Joe McElroy and Justus Perkins add depth at the interior positions and could each earn playing time. Depth at tackle emerges in the form of redshirts Jack Harlow, Conor Reitler, Aaron Richards and Holden Sampson.
Starters Returning: OT Lewis Kidd, OG Zach Redd, OG Taylor Tuiasosopo. Other Lettermen Returning: OG Dylan Porter. Starters Lost: OT Mitch Brott, OT Connor Wood. Redshirts: Jack Harlow, Jacob Kettels, Shayden King, Justus Perkins, Rush Reimer, Conor Reitler, Aaron Richards, Cole Sain, Holden Sampson, TJ Session. Squad Member: Joe McElroy. Starters Lost: OT Mitch Brott, OT Connor Wood. Incoming Freshmen: Titan Fleischmann, Cole Snyder, Dontae Myrick. From Brent Vigen: ""We look for offensive linemen with size and athleticism, but within that is the mindset of physicality. At this level offensive linemen come in all shapes and sizes, but the willingness to play physical football is very important. We have a wide-ranging bunch in terms of size, but we want a group who wants that burden on their shoulders of getting the ball in the fourth quarter with a lead and having the ability to run the football when everyone knows that's what is going to happen. Our experienced guys - Lewis Kidd and Taylor Tuiasosopo and Zach Redd - have shown good physical ability and good leadership. Identifying those guys who will step into starting positions is an important part of our work in August. We like what Cole Sain brings at center, and each of the guys competing at right tackle has good ability."
BOBCAT NOTEBOOK
SECOND STRAIGHT AUGUST 6 FIRST-TIMER: If Bobcat fans feel a little déjà vu watching a first time coach begin his MSU tenure on August, 6, it's understandable. Five years ago today Jeff Choate conducted his first preseason practice as Montana State's head coach.
TEMPO TELLS THE TALE: Bobcat coach Brent Vigen liked the pace he saw from his team in its first preseason practice on Friday morning in Bobcat Stadium. "I think it met expectations as far as day one tempo. The guys were excited, had a real bounce in their step, but I think the biggest difference between today and last spring is that guys know what expectations are a little bit differently, they certainly know the playbook better, so I enjoyed the way we went about our business today. But it's only one day, we need to keep stacking these up."
NO TACKLING? NO PROBLEM: The Bobcats are several days from donning pads and tackling to the ground, but Brent Vigen said that didn't present a problem on the team's first day of preseason camp Friday. "We have spider pads on and I want our guys to be able to practice full go staying on their feet. Our model is becoming more and more like the NFL, and the NFL players are certainly paid and are professionals but to practice you've got to be able to push it, too, so if we can keep guys off the ground but still play as hard as possible we can still replicate practice (with pads) pretty well. Obviously we're not tackling, breaking tackles, those sorts of things, but by and large we can do everything we need to do.
FEELING THAT FEELING AGAIN: It's been over 500 days since Montana State last played a football game, and first-year head coach Brent Vigen said that he could sense a new urgency during practice no. one on Friday. "It's been a long time, obviously, December of '19, and there probably wasn't that feeling through all the school year last year where they actually practiced with a game in sight. We're inside of a month now, so that urgency is certainly there, that excitement. This is a time of going against each other, but I think with an intent that September 4 is not too far away.
August 6 in Bobcat Football History: 2021 – Brent Vigen presides over his first fall practice as Montana State's 33rd head football coach. 2016 – Jeff Choate presides over his first fall practice as Montana State's 32nd head football coach.
2021 POSITION PREVIEW
Offensive Line – The concept of getting old and staying old fully applies to Montana State's offensive line, with the 2021 season marking the third in a row with at least three returning full-time starters. Lewis Kidd moves to left tackle, with Taylor Tuiasosopo and Zach Redd anchoring the guard positions. Joining those three starters, talented but unproven players compete for starting honors at center and right tackle. Transfer Cole Sain enters the fall as the likely starter at center, while redshirt TJ Session is penciled in on the outside. Veteran Dylan Porter, a transfer, and redshirts Joe McElroy and Justus Perkins add depth at the interior positions and could each earn playing time. Depth at tackle emerges in the form of redshirts Jack Harlow, Conor Reitler, Aaron Richards and Holden Sampson.
Starters Returning: OT Lewis Kidd, OG Zach Redd, OG Taylor Tuiasosopo. Other Lettermen Returning: OG Dylan Porter. Starters Lost: OT Mitch Brott, OT Connor Wood. Redshirts: Jack Harlow, Jacob Kettels, Shayden King, Justus Perkins, Rush Reimer, Conor Reitler, Aaron Richards, Cole Sain, Holden Sampson, TJ Session. Squad Member: Joe McElroy. Starters Lost: OT Mitch Brott, OT Connor Wood. Incoming Freshmen: Titan Fleischmann, Cole Snyder, Dontae Myrick. From Brent Vigen: ""We look for offensive linemen with size and athleticism, but within that is the mindset of physicality. At this level offensive linemen come in all shapes and sizes, but the willingness to play physical football is very important. We have a wide-ranging bunch in terms of size, but we want a group who wants that burden on their shoulders of getting the ball in the fourth quarter with a lead and having the ability to run the football when everyone knows that's what is going to happen. Our experienced guys - Lewis Kidd and Taylor Tuiasosopo and Zach Redd - have shown good physical ability and good leadership. Identifying those guys who will step into starting positions is an important part of our work in August. We like what Cole Sain brings at center, and each of the guys competing at right tackle has good ability."
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