Saturday, September 13
BOZEMAN
1 pm
Montana State University
vs
San Diego
Pete Sterbick
Photo by: Jack Power Photography LLC
BOBCAT GAME DAY NOTEBOOK #3: Coaching Ties Bind the Bobcats and San Diego
9/13/2025 12:40:00 PM | Football
MSU enters the season's third game with no new injury-related lineup changes
BOZEMAN, Mont. (Sept. 13, 2025) – Today's game marks a reunion in Bobcat Stadium, when Montana State offensive coordinator Pete Sterbick greets San Diego head coach Brandon Moore.
The two worked together at Colorado School of Mines, first as coordinators from 2019-21, with Moore on the defensive side and Sterbick on offense. In 2022, Moore became CSM's head coach and retained Sterbick, and in the spring of 2023 Moore moved on to San Diego with Sterbick succeeding him at the Golden, Colorado school.
"So much fun," is how Sterbick described working with and for Moore, and the camaraderie of the Mines coaching staff. "I think people would see us (then) and think we're just a bunch of guys having a blast. And he knew how to buckle down when it was time, but he's a very fun person."
Long-time Rocky Mountain region coach Gregg Brandon united the two on Mines' staff to begin with, and the Orediggers enjoyed tremendous success during the period that included him, Moore and Sterbick. In that decade, 2015-24, CSM advanced to the Division II Playoffs six times and championship game under Moore once and Sterbick once.
* * * * *
For the first time in three games, the Cats have no injury-related lineup changes this week. Linebacker Neil Daily and center Burke Mastel could return in the next couple of weeks, while the inevitable returns of safety Taki Uluilakepa and receiver Chris Long remain a little more uncertain.
* * * * *
There is one more coaching connection between San Diego and the Bobcat football program. Toreros receivers coach Ryan Diedrick is the grandson of former Montana State offensive coordinator Bill Diedrick, who called plays for the 1984 National Championship team.
* * * * *
Both of today's teams played some free football last week. San Diego upset 20th-ranked Southern Utah in overtime, while the Cats dropped a double overtime decision to No. 2 South Dakota State.
* * * * *
One of the oldest cliches in football is that turnovers decide games, but what if there are none? San Diego is one of nine FCS teams not to have committed a turnover entering week three, while the Cats are one of 31 teams that haven't thrown an interception.
#GoCatsGo
The two worked together at Colorado School of Mines, first as coordinators from 2019-21, with Moore on the defensive side and Sterbick on offense. In 2022, Moore became CSM's head coach and retained Sterbick, and in the spring of 2023 Moore moved on to San Diego with Sterbick succeeding him at the Golden, Colorado school.
"So much fun," is how Sterbick described working with and for Moore, and the camaraderie of the Mines coaching staff. "I think people would see us (then) and think we're just a bunch of guys having a blast. And he knew how to buckle down when it was time, but he's a very fun person."
Long-time Rocky Mountain region coach Gregg Brandon united the two on Mines' staff to begin with, and the Orediggers enjoyed tremendous success during the period that included him, Moore and Sterbick. In that decade, 2015-24, CSM advanced to the Division II Playoffs six times and championship game under Moore once and Sterbick once.
* * * * *
For the first time in three games, the Cats have no injury-related lineup changes this week. Linebacker Neil Daily and center Burke Mastel could return in the next couple of weeks, while the inevitable returns of safety Taki Uluilakepa and receiver Chris Long remain a little more uncertain.
* * * * *
There is one more coaching connection between San Diego and the Bobcat football program. Toreros receivers coach Ryan Diedrick is the grandson of former Montana State offensive coordinator Bill Diedrick, who called plays for the 1984 National Championship team.
* * * * *
Both of today's teams played some free football last week. San Diego upset 20th-ranked Southern Utah in overtime, while the Cats dropped a double overtime decision to No. 2 South Dakota State.
* * * * *
One of the oldest cliches in football is that turnovers decide games, but what if there are none? San Diego is one of nine FCS teams not to have committed a turnover entering week three, while the Cats are one of 31 teams that haven't thrown an interception.
#GoCatsGo
Players Mentioned
LB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
OL
/ Football
DB
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