Field Pass - East Tennessee State

East Tennessee State (0-6) vs. No. 21 Montana State (3-3), 2:35 p.m., Bobcat Stadium A S P E C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E

DAILY CHRONICLE

FIELD PASS BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

F O L LO W T H E G A M E L I V E : D A I LYC H R O N I C L E . CO M / S P O R T S

SIDELINE BRIEFING SERIES: First meeting

Sept. 19 @ Eastern Wash., L 55-50 Sept. 26 Cal Poly, W 45-28 Oct. 3 @ No. Arizona, L 49-41 Oct. 10 Sac State, W 35-13 Oct. 17 @ Portland State, L 59-42 Oct. 24 East Tenn. State, 2:35 p.m.

Oct. 31 @ North Dakota, Noon Nov. 7 Southern Utah, 1:40 p.m.

Nov. 14 @ Idaho State, 2:35 p.m.

Nov. 21 Montana, 12:10 p.m.

CROWD: Bobcat Stadium (17,777) TELEVISION: Cowles Media Montana (Chris Byers, Mike Callaghan, Rob Jesselson) RADIO: Bobcat Radio Network (Jay Sanderson, Dan Davies, Riley Corcoran) COACHES: Rob Ash MSU, ninth year 36th year overall 68-35 at MSU, 244-134-5 overall Carl Torbush ETSU, second year Sixth year overall 0-6 ETSU, 20-32 overall SCHEDULE: Montana State Sept. 3 Fort Lewis, W 45-14

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Offense Running back Nick LaSane is likely to see his heaviest workload of the season. The redshirt sophomore has just 18 rushing yards and 28 receiving, but was a fall camp standout and has a couple of factors pointing toward a big weekend. First, Gunnar Brekke is out (concussion) and Chad Newell will play, but is banged up. Combine that with an inferior opponent, and the Dallas native should easily bolster his production.

Wide receiver Dalton Ponchillia

is one of the few non-freshmen on the Buccaneers’ roster, and is also their most effective big-play threat. The redshirt sophomore is averaging 17 yards per catch and has two touchdowns plus a 44-yard run.  Defense Marcus Tappan has shared time with Fletcher Collins and Blake Braun at weakside linebacker. The redshirt sophomore arrived from Cincinnati and was immediately one of the most physically imposing in the linebacking corps, but has 16 tackles through six games.

With Collins still nursing a hand/ wrist injury and head coach Rob Ash saying he’s going to open up some defensive positions for competition, perhaps Tappan grabs a starting spot and runs with it.

Dylan Weigel has 66 tackles for ETSU, more than twice as many as anybody else. He’s also got seven tackles for loss, has forced two

fumbles and has one recovery. On a unit that has really struggled in its first year, Weigel is a bright spot.

QUICK HITS: ■Logan Jones’ 100-yard kick return touchdown against Portland State was the program’s first since 2013 and the fifth by a freshman in school history. ■Montana State is one of four FCS programs yet to lose a fumble this season. ■MSU has scored at least 35 in seven straight games started by Dakota Prukop. ■MSU is third in the FCS in total offense (544 yards per game), but No. 118 out of 123 in total defense (487). ■East Tennessee State went 4,303 days without a football game before opening this season Sept. 3. ■This marks MSU’s first game against a team from Tennessee.

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Bozeman 406.587.0122 Belgrade 406.388.7229 Bozeman West End Coming Soon

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East Tennessee State University disbanded its football program in 2003, and then began building toward a return to the field in 2013.

BABY BUCCANEERS

East Tennessee State back on the field for first time in 12 years Scan the East Tennessee State roster, and it seems the category showing each player’s year in school must have fallen victim to some kind of copy-and-paste error.

Dig a little deeper, though, and realize there’s no mistake, but instead, one of the nation’s most unique situations.

Of the 109 players listed, 96 are freshmen or redshirt freshmen.

For perspective, Montana State signed 31 for its 2015 class, and it was one of the largest groups in school history. Even then, seven were junior-college transfers.

BY PARKER GABRIEL CHRONICLE SPORTS WRITER

This is not the result of a large departing senior class or attrition in the wake of a coaching change, however.

This is college football in its infancy.

The Buccaneers are 0-6, have lost to a pair of Division III programs and have been outscored 268-77. They’ve recorded multiple scores against a Division I school just once this season.

To focus only on those numbers, though, would be to miss the massive undertaking in Johnson City, Tennessee, and to discount the work being done to reinstall the sport as a staple of campus life at ETSU. While the on-field product still has a long way to go, the gridiron parlance is already taking root.

“We just gave birth to a program,” ETSU athletic director Dr. Richard Sander said. “If you had just given birth to a baby, you wouldn’t expect it to run a 4.5 (second) 40-yard dash.”

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“THEY DIDN’T EVEN HAVE A FOOTBALL HERE”

ETSU disbanded its program following the 2003 season, citing problems with financial viability. When Sander was approached in January of 2013 about consulting on some strategic initiates the university was considering, he didn’t know exactly what he was getting into.

“The reality was the former athletic leadership was pretty much involved with the decision to drop football and not bring it back,” Sander recalled, “so the president moved the athletic director into a different role and said to me, ‘If you were me, would you hire somebody in an interim (AD) position?’”

When he said yes, Dr. Brian Noland asked if he would take the job.

Two weeks later, the student government approved a $125 raise in student fees to bring back football, resulting in about $2.5 million in annual revenue

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to begin the process.

In early April, the school announced the return of football and added some star power to its lineup — College Football Hall of Fame coach Phillip Fulmer agreed to help the reboot and assist in identifying a coach.

The Buccaneers needed all the help they could muster because the pitch couldn’t be based on anything more than a vision.

“We didn’t have a stadium, we didn’t have dressing rooms, weight rooms, we didn’t have anything,” head coach Carl Torbush said.

Added Sander, “They didn’t even have a football here.”

“I SAID, ‘I DO,’ AND HERE I AM”

Fulmer and Sander set about looking for coaching candidates, and drew strong interest. Still, one man who hadn’t even applied kept coming up in conversations.

“We interviewed a bunch of different people, probably 10

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ETSU’s Carl Torbush has been a head coach at North Carolina and Louisiana Tech, but he grew up in eastern Tennessee and said he always figured he would coach near home at some point in his career.

different people,” Sander said.

“Three or four of them said, ‘The first thing I’m going to do is hire Carl Torbush as my defensive coordinator.’”

Fulmer knew the recently

retired — and well-traveled — coach, and made the call.

“I had retired and moved out on the lake,” Torbush said with a laugh. “I never applied for it, never talked to anybody,

and I got that call from Coach Fulmer out of the clear blue.”

When asked, Torbush told Fulmer he didn’t apply for the job because some of his friends wanted it and he didn’t want to get in the way.

“That spoke volumes to me about the kind of loyalty this guy has,” Sander said.

By the third week of June, Torbush was un-retired.

“I said, ‘I do,’ and here I am,” he said.

BACK ON THE FIELD

Torbush and his staff recruited a 2014 class even though they didn’t begin play until this year. He opted for convincing high school students to buy into the program rather than bringing in a large number of junior-college transfers.

“I truthfully don’t feel like that’s how you build the foundation for how you want a program for the years to come,” he said. “Whether this is the

right way or the wrong way, we’ll find that out in about fourr years.”

He’s had no shortage of time to develop his own ideas for how to build a program.

Torbush got his first college coaching job in 1975, spent three years as the head coach at North Carolina (1997-2000) and has been a defensive coordinator at Ole Miss, North Carolina, Alabama, Texas A&M, Mississippi State and Kansas. The Knoxville, Tennessee native retired after one year of coaching linebackers for Turner Gill at Liberty in 2013.

“Even on my tour of the country, I always felt in my heart that I would end up back in eastern Tennessee,” he said.

When ETSU kicked off against Kennesaw State on Sept. 3, it had been 4,303 days since the school played a football game. Now, Torbush is headlong into the biggest challenge of his career.

“You do a lot of different

“The question is, ‘Why are you playing Montana State?’ I think one of the reasons is to see what that’s really like.”

— Dr. Richard Sander, East Tennessee State athletic director things, shaking thi h ki hands, h d kissing ki i babies, trying to raise money,” Torbush said. “Sitting here at 0-6, it’s not all that fun right now, but we’re going to be fine.”

The Buccaneers currently play home games at Kermit Tipton Stadium, a 6,600 capacity high school venue about two miles from campus.

Next year, they join the Southern Conference. In 2017, they’re slated to move into a new, 10,000-seat on-campus facility.

At that point, all of those freshmen will be upperclassmen. Torbush admits this is a rough campaign — “Obviously, we’ve got some people on our schedule right now we prob-

ably bl don’t d ’t need d to t be b playing l i this first year,” he said — and Montana State represents the longest trip and best team the Buccaneers will play.

“The question is, ‘Why are you playing Montana State?’

I think one of the reasons is to see what that’s really like,” Sander said. “Our fans and our players can see what it really takes to play at that level, and that will be good for us.”

It likely won’t be good for ETSU on the scoreboard, but that’s not what this season is about.

“To see the excitement, the enthusiasm of bringing football back here has really been rewarding,” Torbush said.

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SHARED STRUGGLE

Past Bobcats understand fight, importance of process

BY JON MALETZ CHRONICLE SPORTS EDITOR

T

hey are well awaree there is no quick fix and no satisfying atisfying answers.

As one of the nation’ss worst defenses continues es to flounder, they know their eir young group’s confidence ce is vacillating and public unrest nrest intensifying.

Kane Ioane, Mike Rider der and Jody Owens also are confident nfident this will not last.

The three former Bobcats bcats standouts turned defensive coaches oaches have experienced adversity between these lines, from a winless season ason to nagging injuries and uneven n performances. They also weree central figures in the program’s resurgence in the past decadee plus.

The key to curing MSU’s SU’s recent woes, they say, hinges inges on not abandoning the process — or one another.

“It’s hard when you have these setbacks and setbacks backs that hit you and keep you from taking that step you feel el like you’re supposed to make, ke,” Ioane said. “Some of these hese performances haven’t been our best, obviously, butt by no means does this define us.” us.”

Added Rider, “You have ave to stay calm and trust yourr brothers. I keep telling those guys they have to trust in each ch other, keep playing for each other because that’s’s who we have — we can’tt draft anybody different and can’t do anything else. lse.

You have to link arms and an nd stay together. … The las last st thing you can do is frayy and start barking at each h other.”

Ioane knows that feeling.

The Billings feel fe elin ing. g. T he B illi il ling ngss

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native suffered through an in 2000, his first 0-11 season se Bozeman. Admittedly, it in Boz was a challenge summoning and motivation to the energy en compete in every practice and compe contest. contest It was a challenge he and teamhowever. mates embraced, emb that no mat“We all decided d ter what the outcomes were on Saturdays, we were going to Saturda come out here and give it our all,” he h remembered. “We had a belief bel that if we came out with a sense of purpose every were going to turn day, things th for the better.”

Ioane’s Ioan playing stint concluded with back-to-back conference crowns in 2002 confe and 2003.

He remains the 2 program’s lone four-time prog All-American, spearheaded All-A units that led the league in total defense three consecuand garnered Big tive times t Sky MVP M honors and Buck Buchanan Award considerBuch ation after 2003’s 130-tackle performance. perf Ioane has presided over Io an era in which the Bobcats have claimed six conferh eence titles, and last fall was inducted into the w school’s hall of fame. sc moments that have proven Among the mom however, are those when he most poignant, how stumbled.

NAU in 2001 I was respon“I know against N touchdowns. … I can name sible for three touchd every touchdown that I gave up my entire career because those stick with you, and hopefully you learn from them,” he said. said “To me, adversity is a gift, gift an opportunity, opportunity something som mething that makes you better and stronger.”

Rider is familiar with the emptiness e that accompanies seemingly having no aanswer on defense. His watching Eastern frustration mounted, as well, while w Arizona Washington, Northern Arizon na and Portland State race downfield up aand nd d ownf ow nfie ield ld aatt wi will ll in in MSU’s MSSU’ Uss recent rece re cent nt road roa oad d defeats. defe de feat atss.

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“As a coach, it’s tough because group,” he said, “somebody that wouldn’t be afraid to get in a you can’t go out there, put on guy’s face when the standard pads and be better for my guys,” wasn’t being met.” the former walk-on lamented.

That culture is something He encountered similar he’s trying to develop in his circumstances in 2010, parreturn to Bozeman, although he ticularly during a wild visit to acknowledges it is difficult given Sacramento State in which the the unit’s youth and only three Hornets erupted for 61 points. returning starters. The typically The Bobcats nearly surrendered reserved Texan has attempted a 200-yard rusher and 348 and to fill that void, and while he’s five scores through the air in a careful not to coddle his players, shootout not decided until the Owens is preaching patience. waning moments.

Admittedly, it has been a difOwens came up with a clutch ficult transition fourth-quarter for a competitive stop, however, “I’ve seen what this man not far recorralling a wideout in the flat program can be, what moved from his playing days. on a screen for a we hope it will be. …

“I’ve seen what first-down loss.

Rider broke up Sometimes it’s tough for this program can be, what we a pass two plays later, which pre- me to watch them and hope it will be. ceded a missed be like, ‘Why don’t you … Sometimes it’s tough for me field goal that get this?’ At the same to watch them clinched a 64-61 be like, ‘Why victory. time, experience is the and don’t you get MSU would greatest teacher.” this?’” he said. win nine times “At the same that season. Rid— Jody Owens, time, experience er, a two-time MSU linebackers coach is the greatest All-Big Sky honteacher. orable mention, “I wouldn’t say I feel for them. produced a last-second, goalline interception in the regular- Ultimately, you just have to look season finale at Washington- in the mirror, look at yourself, Grizzly Stadium to clinch the go back to the drawing board program’s first league crown in and say, ‘What can I do better?’ … If you sit there and feel sorry seven seasons. for yourself, you’re never going “It’s frustrating as a player to get any better.” because you turn around and so While it has yet to translate many points are on the board, into on-field success, all three and the next week all people insist the young Bobcats are want to see is an answer,” the first-year cornerbacks coach said. improving. As Game 7 looms, they remain doggedly united “It comes back to choosing how and optimistic. to respond and having a sense MSU has to bounce back, of urgency. I’ve got to find a way Rider said. It has no choice. to make my guys feel that and to “We have to continue to grow look forward and not back.” and get better because this is For Owens, a Big Sky not OK — the touchdowns and defensive MVP and two-time points we’ve given up is the All-American, a season early furthest thing from OK,” he asin his career that failed to meet serted. “We have to understand expectations heightened both our process and make the choice a sense of resolve and accountto get better every day. ability.

“The bottom line is that this For that, the first-year means a ton to me. Bobcat footlinebackers coach lauded the efforts of former standouts Zach ball, this tradition and Montana State is a big piece of my life. I Minter and Caleb Schreibeis, can’t think about that as more who were vocal and influential pressure, though. I have a job leaders. to do, and I have to get my guys “I think we had a whole lot ready to go.” of leaders in every position BIG SKY PUBLISHING

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MONTANA STATE TWODEEP OFFENSE

LT

55 62 75 54 70 65 63 60 71 60 85 15 5 2 17 23 82 87 13 19 3 4 45

LG C RG RT TE QB RB X F/Y Z PK BANDIT TACKLE NOSE END SAM MIKE WILL CB ROVER FS CB P

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MONTANA STATE BOBCATS ROSTER

John Weidenaar Mitch Brott JP Flynn Monte Folsom Joel Horn Doug Hanson Kyle Godecke Dylan Mahoney Alex Eekhoff Dylan Mahoney Beau Sandland Austin Barth Dakota Prukop Jake Bleskin Chad Newell Nick LaSane Mitch Herbert Connor Sullivan Mitch Griebel Jayshawn Gates Justin Paige Brandon Brown Luke Daly

DEFENSE

16 94 90 50 92 97 98 2 49 42 41 18 34 22 3 38 6 29 12 1 26 24 30 2

Zach Hutchins Devin Jeffries Taylor Sheridan Nate Bignell Tucker Yates Connor Thomas Tyrone Fa’anono Shiloh LaBoy Mac Bignell Joey Michael Grant Collins Wyatt Christensen Blake Braun Marcus Tappan Bryson Keeton Trace Timmer Desman Carter West Wilson Khari Garcia DeMonte King Tre’von Strong Bryce Alley Trevor Bolton Jake Bleskin

FIELD PASS 2015

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# 1 2 2 3 3 4 5 5 6 7 7 8 9 10 11 12 12 13 14 14 15 16 16 17 18 19 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44

NAME DeMonte King Jake Bleskin Shiloh LaBoy Bryson Keeton Justin Paige Brandon Brown Braelen Evans Dakota Prukop Desman Carter Jordan Hoy Will Krolick Manny Kalfell Tavon Dodd Bryson McCabe Tanner Roderick Ben Folsom Khari Garcia Mitch Griebel Brady McChesney Toti Moeakiola Austin Barth Zach Hutchins Alex Tennant Chad Newell Wyatt Christensen Jayshawn Gates Marcus Tappan Nick LaSane Bryce Alley Zach Stern Tre’von Strong Gunnar Brekke Logan Jones West Wilson Trevor Bolton Brayden Konkol Sam Plucker Jessie Clark Blake Braun M. Gates-Mouton Chris Harris Sidney Holmes Trace Timmer Noah James Blake Sylvester Grant Collins Joey Michael Walker Cozzie Koni Dole

YR. Rf. Sr. Jr. Sr. So. Jr. Rf. Jr. Sr. Fr. Jr. Sr. Rf. So. Sr. Fr. So. Sr. Fr. Rf. Jr. Jr. Fr. Jr. Jr. So. So. So. So. Jr. Fr. Jr. Fr. So. Sr. Fr. Fr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Fr. Fr. Sr. Rf. Rf. Rf. Sr. Fr. Rf.

POS. DB QB/P DE CB WR WR CB QB DB QB WR WR RB DB WR QB DB WR QB LB TE DL WR RB LB WR LB RB CB LB DB RB RB DB K/P S LB DE LB CB DB DB DB RB LB LB LB LB LB

HT. 6-0 6-1 6-4 6-2 5-11 6-0 5-11 6-2 6-2 6-1 6-1 6-2 5-8 6-0 6-2 6-2 5-10 5-11 5-11 6-0 6-5 6-3 6-3 6-1 6-0 5-8 6-2 5-11 5-11 6-2 6-1 5-11 5-9 5-11 5-10 6-1 6-2 6-3 6-2 5-9 6-2 5-11 6-0 6-1 6-0 6-4 6-3 6-1 6-0

WT. 190 200 250 190 175 180 190 200 190 187 190 200 180 205 205 198 195 190 170 215 250 215 180 225 215 155 235 220 175 200 190 200 175 200 195 201 230 245 220 185 190 190 185 205 200 215 205 220 210

HOMETOWN Bellflower, CA Great Falls Honolulu, HI Bakersfield, CA Katy, TX Austin, TX Frisco, TX Austin, TX Pomona, CA Rockwall, TX Anchorage, AK Bozeman Houston, TX Spirit Lake, IA Bozeman Jackson Pomona, CA Littleton, CO Kalispell Euless, TX Columbia Falls Las Vegas, NV Littleton, CO Billings Fountain Valley, CA Palo Alto, CA Pasadena, CA Dallas, TX Houston, TX Tarzana, CA Billings Helena Kalispell Columbia, MO Great Falls Belgrade Appleton, WI Amite, LA Riverside, CA Palo Alto, CA Lake Elsinore, CA Silsbee, TX Great Falls Kalispell Corvallis Bozeman Cashmere, WA Helena Huntley Project

45 46 47 48 49 50 51 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 65 66 67 68 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 79 80 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99

Luke Daly Woody Brandom Keegan Bray Tanner Hoff Mac Bignell Nate Bignell B. J. Ojo Robert Walsh Monte Folsom John Weidenaar Rocky Hogue Tyrone Fa’anono Josh Hill Fletcher Collins Dylan Mahoney Byron Rollins Mitch Brott Kyle Godecke Doug Hanson Bryan Wilkes Jake McFetridge Garrett Gregg Joel Horn Alex Eekhoff Colin Hammock Caleb Gillis Wade Webster JP Flynn Kash Perry Chris Robinson Curtis Amos Mitchell Herbert Hunter Mahlum Cameron Sutton Beau Sandland Keon Stephens Connor Sullivan John D’Agostino Wilson Brott Taylor Sheridan Robert Wilcox Tucker Yates Matt Brownlow Devin Jeffries Joe Naotala Zach Wright Connor Thomas Riley Griffiths Marcus Ferriter

So. Fr. Fr. Fr. So. Sr. Fr. Sr. So. Sr. So. So. Fr. Jr. So. Fr. Fr. Sr. Jr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Sr. Sr. Fr. So. Rf. Jr. Fr. Fr. Rf. So. Rf. Fr. Sr. Fr. Rf. Rf. Rf. Sr. Jr. Rf. So. So. Jr. Rf. Jr. Fr. Fr.

K TE DL S LB DE LB LB OL OL LS DL LB LB OL DL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL DL TE WR WR WR TE WR WR WR TE DL DL DT DT DL DT DL DT DL DL

6-2 6-4 6-2 6-1 6-1 6-2 6-2 5-11 6-2 6-8 6-3 6-2 6-0 6-2 6-6 6-3 6-6 6-6 6-4 6-3 6-5 6-2 6-4 6-7 6-3 6-6 6-5 6-5 6-6 6-3 6-0 6-4 6-1 6-5 6-6 6-1 6-4 6-1 6-5 6-4 6-1 6-0 5-9 6-1 6-2 6-2 6-3 6-3 6-4

185 224 218 200 205 290 225 225 300 290 225 250 200 220 275 230 270 325 280 252 295 255 325 280 230 275 290 320 310 252 220 205 205 190 260 190 230 185 240 285 260 310 305 250 275 250 285 260 220

Billings Corona, CA Spokane, WA Hot Springs Drummond Drummond Marvel, TX Twin Bridges Dillon Manhattan Merced, CA Oxnard, CA Kalispell Seattle, WA Great Falls Missoula Billings Dillon Trabuco Canyon, CA Great Falls Huntington Beach, CA Afton, WY Kalispell Reno, NV Missoula Glenn Bettendorf, IA Bettendorf, IA Utica Pasadena, CA Burleson,TX Eugene, OR Missoula Norco, CA Woodland Hills, CA R. Cucamunga, CA Ennis Bozeman Billings Littleton, CO Frisco, TX Colstrip Missoula Kalispell Carlsbad, CA New Braunfels, TX Kalispell Issaquah, WA Butte

EAST TENNESSEE STATE BUCCANEERS ROSTER

EAST TENNESSEE STATE TWODEEP LT LG C RG RT QB RB FB TE X Y Z PK

DE NG DE LB LB LB LB CB FS SS CB P

74 76 68 64 57 56 58 59 75 63 7 19 33 29 35 84 87 49 9 80 16 18 10 86 85 95

OFFENSE

Matt Brewer Cody Cornelius Caleb LaFleur Chris Wheeler Matt Pyke Josh Pendleton Greg McCloud Brent Rathbone Patrick McFall Matt Howard Austin Herink Nick Sexton Jajuan Stinson Falon Lee Austin Hayworth Justin Gilliam Dylan Dockery Tyrus Rollins Drake Powell Hunter Wike Dalton Ponchillia Malik Styles Demetrius Anthony Kobe Kelley JJ Jerman Gray Mumpower

DEFENSE

50 79 97 90 91 98 31 15 8 28 40 54 53 93 27 1 6 14 23 44 25 24 46 85

Joe Dossett Adam Mullins Tremond Ferrell Ferguierson Charles Chris Bouyer Michael Scates Austin Gatewood De’Angelo Holt River Boruff Kahlil Mitchell Dylan Weigel Logan Lacey Trey Quillin Royce Turnbull Tavian Lott Domenique Williams Keanu James Seth Barger Cole West Jack Jones Daren Ardis Alonzo Francois Marion Watson JJ Jerman

# 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 10 11 12 13 13 14 15 16 16 17 18 18 19 20 20 21 22 23 24 24 25 26 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 35 35 36 37 38 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48

NAME YR. D. Williams Fr. Hank Black RFr. Chris Howard Fr. Kevin Ferguson Fr. Tony Welch RFr. Keanu James Fr. Austin Herink RFr. River Boruff RFr. Drake Powell Fr. D. Anthony RFr. Christian Gibson Fr. Austin Mosier RFr. Dylan Wieger Fr. Matt Williams Fr. Jacob Samsel Fr. Seth Barger RFr. DeAngelo Holt Fr. Dalton Ponchillia RSo. Brock Beeler Fr. Jovany Aris So. Malik Styles RFr. Andrew Heyward Fr. Nick Sexton RFr. Jajuan Lankford RFr. Bryce Suber RFr. Jack Shoulders Fr. Charlie Jackson Fr. Cole West RFr. Alonzo Francois RFr. Adam Mitchell RFr. Daren Ardis So. Toy’Shaun Winton RFr. Artevius Smith Fr. Tavian Lott Jr. Kahlil Mitchell Fr. Falon Lee RSo. Cory Colder RFr. Austin Gatewood RFr. J. Maduafokwa Fr. Jajuan Stinson RFr. Austin Hayworth RFr. Terry Tiller RFr. Austin Jackson Fr. Cameron Kuerschen Fr. Chad Pritchard Jr. Dylan Weigel RFr. Matt Thompson RFr. Courtney Heard RSo. Matt Fox Fr. Jack Jones RFr. Nasir Player Fr. Marion Watson Fr. Tony Drew RFr. Cole Notgrass RFr.

POS. DB WR QB S DB DB QB LB WR WR S LB QB QB DB DB LB WR S WR WR CB QB RB S WR S S DB WR DB DB RB DB LB RB RB LB LB RB FB LB S LB WR LB RB FB RB S DL K RB RB

HT. 5-10 6-0 6-3 5-10 6-3 5-10 6-3 6-1 6-2 6-0 6-1 6-2 6-3 6-1 5-11 5-11 6-3 5-11 5-10 5-8 5-10 5-10 6-3 5-9 5-10 6-0 6-2 6-2 5-9 6-3 5-10 5-10 5-10 5-11 6-0 5-10 5-8 6-1 6-3 5-9 5-11 5-10 6-2 6-0 5-11 6-0 5-11 5-10 5-10 6-0 6-5 6-2 5-9 5-10

WT. 160 166 210 190 182 172 206 217 195 201 178 230 229 194 181 167 225 183 185 163 169 160 192 181 170 184 188 198 166 204 166 174 167 178 206 187 205 221 241 182 238 170 186 213 179 213 205 211 195 196 241 150 212 210

HOMETOWN Charlotte, NC Knoxville, TN Gainesville, GA Cincinnati, OH Pickerington, OH Dacula, GA Cleveland, TN Sparta, TN Clinton, TN Fountain Inn, SC Bristol, TN Murfreesboro, TN Kingsport, TN Newton, NC Morristown, TN Blountville, TN Nashville, TN Nashville, TN Knoxville, TN Delray Beach, FL Dandridge, TN Powder Springs, GA Seymour, TN South Pittsburg, TN Lebanon, TN Nashville, TN Christiansburg, VA Oneida, TN Ooltewah, TN Bristol, TN Bradenton, FL Strawberry Plains, TN Birmingham, AL D’Lo, MS South Pittsburg, TN Macclenny, FL Ashburn, VA Ooltewah, TN Seymour, TN Knoxville, TN Kingsport, TN Chattanooga, TN Cary, NC Knoxville, TN Elizabethton, TN Pickerington, OH Morristown, TN Chattanooga, TN Clinton, TN Bristol, TN Columbia, SC Waxhaw, NC Nashville, TN Murfreesboro, TN

49 50 51 52 52 53 54 55 56 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 70 71 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 95 96 97 98 99

Tyrus Rollins Joe Dossett Haddon Hill Spencer Brien Kendall Lawrence Trey Quillin Logan Lacey Devon Johnson Josh Pendleton Tate Brown Matt Pyke Greg McCloud Brent Rathbone Micah Cale Leon Humphrey Mason McNutt Matt Howard Chris Wheeler Ben Blackmon Tyler Gilliam Myles Smith Caleb LaFleur Kevin McConnell Dustin Nickle Asley Haynes Chris Kacprowski Colt Jenkins Matt Brewer Patrick McFall Cody Cornelius Garrett Curtis Sammy Hall Adam Mullins Hunter Wike Stephen Antonelli Jack DeFur Connor York Justin Gilliam JJ Jerman Kobe Kelley Dylan Dockery Charlie Moore A. Spagnoletti F. Charles Chris Bouyer Joe Pittman Royce Turnbull Taylor Dollar Gray Mumpower Myles Taylor Landon Kunak Tremond Ferrell Michael Scates Paul Leveritt

RSo. Fr. Fr. RFr. RFr. RFr. Fr. Fr. RFr. Fr. RFr. Fr. RFr. Fr. RFr. Fr. Fr. RFr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. RFr. Fr. RFr. RFr. RFr. Fr. Fr. RJr. RFr. RFr. RSo. RFr. RFr. Fr. Fr. Fr. RFr. RSo. Fr. RSo. Fr. RFr. RSo. Fr. RFr. Fr. Fr. Fr. RFr. RFr.

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TE DL LB LB DL LB LB DL OL LB OL OL OL OL DL OL OL OL OL LS OL OL OL LS OL DL DL OL OL OL OL OL DL WR TE TE WR WR K WR TE WR WR DL DL DL DL LB K DL K DL DL TE

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FIELD PASS 2015

9

DEFENSIVE

DROUGHT

Montana State defense looking for interceptions, but not forcing the issue

BY PA R K E R G A B R I E L CHRONICLE SPORTS WRITER

Bryson Keeton paused, turned his head and considered the question. After a few seconds, though, there was no response.

When was Montana State’s last interception?

The answer: Sophomore cornerback Bryce Alley picked off Fort Lewis’ Jordan Doyle in the fourth quarter of the Bobcats’ Sept. 3 home opener.

To find an interception against a Division I opponent, however, one must backtrack to Eryon Barnett’s third-quarter pick of Justin Arias in MSU’s 44-39 win over Idaho State on Nov. 15.

“We always think about it, but it’s not one of those things you chase in your mind,” Keeton said. “You don’t chase picks because you really have to let it come to you and having good technique and being in good position to at least break up the pass first. If you’re in position to be aggressive, then you go get the ball.”

Just after saying that, though, Keeton recalled that game against the Bengals and the attitude that his late friend, who died July 4 from complications of pancreatitis, carried into it.

“Actually, the opposite of what I just said, that whole week he was saying, ‘I’m going to get two picks, man. I’m going to get two,’” Keeton recalled with a smile.

Barnett dropped a potential interception in the end zone, but made good when Broc Malcom broke his route to the outside.

“Especially for a safety, it’s hard to cover the corner route from that position,” Keeton said. “Eryon being a veteran, he was comfortable being in that trail position, and so when the ball initially hit the receiver, he was about a step and a half and he just banged him. He was comfortable in that position, so he could make a play like that.”

10

FIELD PASS 2015

BIG SKY PUBLISHING

have got to take the Positioning has been ball away. Tackling part of the problem for a guy and I’m the the Bobcats through second one in, just six games. Early in being there to bring the season, teams the guy down isn’t regularly slipped good enough — get behind the MSU in there and get a secondary. Eastern strip or a dig.”

Washington’s Jordan Even without West and Northern interceptions, MSU Arizona’s Case Cookus is tied for fifth in combined to throw 10 the Big Sky in turntouchdowns against over ratio (even). just nine incompleQuarterback tions.

Dakota Prukop has The last few weeks, thrown four picks, however, the posibut MSU is one of tioning and coverage four in the FCS that from cornerbacks hasn’t lost a fumble. against the deep ball Meanwhile, has improved some.

Keeton believes the That’s coincided with secondary will start the types of offenses the Bobcats have Montana State has not registered an interception against a Division I opponent since this turning teams over.

“They do tend to faced, and also with pick by the late Eryon Barnett in November 2014 against Idaho State. come in bunches the improving play of like that,” he said. freshman cornerback “Our big thing is to finish and do “As a matter of fact, when I was at NeTre’von Strong. Interceptions haven’t your job,” cornerbacks coach Mike vada in 2013, we had like eight in the materialized, however, and in only a first three or four games, and then we few instances has a defender been close Rider said. “When you’re in the play, just being there isn’t good enough; we didn’t have another one for a while.” to getting his hands on the ball.

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FIELD PASS 2015

11

TEAM STATISTICS THROUGH OCT. 23 SCORING OFFENSE 1. Montana State

G TD FG XPT 2XP DXP Saf Points Avg/G 6 36

3

31

1

0

0

258

2. Eastern Washington 6 35

1

32

1

0

0

247

41.2

3. Portland State

7

30

0

0

0

231

38.5

6 30 6 24

9

21

0

0

0

192

32.0

5. Cal Poly

6 26

3

23

0

0

0

188

31.3

6. Northern Colorado

6 24

4

23

0

0

0

179

29.8

7. Northern Arizona

6 22

7

22

0

0

0

175

29.2

8. Montana

6 17

9

14

1

0

2

149

24.8

9. Idaho State

7 24

1

17

2

0

0

168

24.0

10. UC Davis

7 19 10

19

0

0

0

163

23.3

11. North Dakota

7 19

9

18

0

0

0

159

22.7

12. Weber State

7 17

8

14

0

0

0

140

20.0

13. Sacramento State

7 12

8

12

0

0

0

108

15.4

SCORING DEFENSE

G TD FG XPT 2XP DXP Saf Points Avg/G

1. Southern Utah

6

9

4

9

0

1

0

77

12.8

2. Portland State

6 12

5

12

0

0

0

99

16.5

3. Montana

6 17

6

17

0

0

0

137

22.8

4. North Dakota

7 21

8

14

1

0

1

168

24.0

5. Northern Colorado

6 18 11

18

0

0

0

159

26.5

6. Weber State

7 22 11

22

0

0

0

187

26.7

7. Cal Poly

6 28

2

23

1

0

1

201

33.5

8. Sacramento State

7 31

7

28

0

0

0

235

33.6

9. UC Davis

7 32

7

30

0

0

0

243

34.7

10. Northern Arizona

6 28

5

25

1

0

1

212

35.3

11. Montana State

6 30

3

29

0

0

0

218

36.3

12. Eastern Washington 6 32

6

28

0

0

0

238

39.7

13. Idaho State

7 40

7

39

0

0

0

300

42.9

TOTAL OFFENSE

G Rush Pass Plays Yards Avg/P TD Avg/G 6 1367 1897

2. Eastern Washington 6

12

43.0

4. Southern Utah

1. Montana State

Go Cats!

747 2436

439

3264

7.4 35

544.0

447

3183

7.1 33

530.5

3. Cal Poly

6 2322

351

520

2673

5.1 26

445.5

4. Portland State

6 1655

963

402

2618

6.5 29

436.3

5. Montana

6

746 1858

509

2604

5.1 17

434.0

6. Northern Arizona

6

874 1605

400

2479

6.2 22

413.2

7. Idaho State

7

905 1972

540

2877

5.3 23

411.0

8. Southern Utah

6

946 1364

436

2310

5.3 20

385.0

9. Northern Colorado

6

951 1288

391

2239

5.7 20

373.2

10. UC Davis

7

816 1692

506

2508

5.0 18

358.3

11. Sacramento State

7

825 1501

490

2326

4.7 11

332.3

12. Weber State

7 1017 1225

476

2242

4.7 14

320.3

13. North Dakota

7 1325

454

2235

4.9 19

319.3

FIELD PASS 2015

910

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FIELD PASS 2015

13

FIVE 2

Q UESTIONS

Joe Avento works for the Johnson City Press and has covered East Tennessee State athletics since 1987. He took time to answer five questions about the Buccaneers, the rebuilding of the program and today’s matchup with Montana State.

A lot of coaches in a similar situation may have focused on recruiting JUCO playes. Are fans and people around the program supportive of Carl Torbush’s approach to building the roster?

1

Most of the people I have talked to are very supportive, but at the same time, each Saturday when they lose, you can feel the frustration building. I don’t think they’re going to lose support, but it would be nice to see a couple of wins down the stretch. It was an interesting philosophy going this route. Kennesaw State went the other way with many FBS and junior-college transfers, and they’re 5-1 in their first season (with a 56-16 win over ETSU in both teams’ opener). It wouldn’t surprise me if ETSU recruited a few JUCOs this time around now that we see how far behind the curve they are on the field.

A large part of this year’s recruiting class has been redshirted to ensure the team doesn’t have 100 seniors in four years.

That includes some of the better players whom they hope will be part of teams competing for the Southern Conference championship in coming years.

Even though this is East Tennessee State’s first year competing since beginning its rebuild, did you expect the program to struggle this badly?

We thought it would be a tough year because they have so many freshmen, but we really thought they’d beat the two Division III schools on the schedule, Maryville College and Emory & Henry.

We learned two things about those games. One, Division III football is pretty darn good. Two, ETSU has a long way to go. It’s not surprising that they would struggle, but it’s maybe a little surprising that they’re struggling this badly.

Keep in mind, 96 of the 110 players on the roster are either freshmen or redshirt freshmen who had never played a college football game before Sept. 3.

3

With the roster filled so heavily with freshmen and redshirt freshmen, will ETSU have small recruiting classes in the coming years and/or have problems re-filling when the current freshmen graduate?

Probably not. They’ve held back scholarships in the first two classes so they’d still have some to offer in the coming years. They will likely be up to the maximum 63 scholarships in 2017. More than half the team right now is comprised of walk-ons, and realistically, many of them won’t be on the team as the scholarship numbers go up.

What’s interested you most about the development of this program over the last two years?

The way the campus seems reenergized by just having football back.

More students are wearing ETSU gear.

The game-day excitement is very real. Tailgating has become a thing in Johnson City again. There are really two kinds of colleges, especially on

4

Saturday: those with football and those without. It’s nice to see ETSU back among those with football. It’ll be interesting to see how high that excitement can go if they get this thing turned around and ever start winning.

Who are a couple of players Montana State fans should look for on Saturday, whether it’s because they’ve played well or have an interesting story?

5

Linebacker Dylan Weigel (No. 40) has been the most productive player.

He’s a real hard-nosed, throwback kind of player. He has 66 tackles in six games and had 20 in one. Wide receiver Dalton Ponchillia (No. 16), who played one year at Mercer, is averaging 16.9 yards per reception and has two of the team’s three touchdown catches. Kickoff returner (No. 1) Domenique Williams’ father, Robert, played for Carl Torbush at North Carolina.

You can follow Avento on Twitter @JoeAvento.

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FIELD PASS 2015

BIG SKY PUBLISHING

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S E L A C S E H T G N I TIPP WHEN EAST TENNESSEE STATE HAS THE BALL

If one asked Rob Ash on the eve of the season, he would have preferred to have a bye this week.

Circumstances have changed, however, after a 3-3 start.

“I’m really happy we have a game right now,” Ash said. “We need to play. We need to get out there and get some things fixed.”

Uncertainty continues to abound on defense, where the head coach hinted changes could be coming after another lackluster effort, one that dropped the Bobcats to 118th out of 123 in the nation in total defense. MSU clearly is lost on that side of the ball, and the staff is hoping that throwing open the competition at a few unspecified positions will help the group find some answers.

While the Bobcats will do little to solve lingering woes against a vastly overmatched opponent today, the nonconference clash does provide a valuable opportunity, Ash said.

“The only way you instill confidence is through performance,” he asserted. “We have to give our guys the right tools, right assignments, right techniques as we teach them so that they can perform. … I don’t think it will take a lot, just a few good plays, and it will snowball in the other direction instead of going the opposite way that it went on Saturday.”

With its margin for error effectively eliminated with a lopsided loss to Portland State, MSU cannot afford to overlook anyone, even a winless fledgling program.

“They’re a very talented team, they’re just young,”

Ash said. “What I see is a very athletic group that is getting better and making progress every week. … We respect every opponent, and we expect them to come in and this will be their Super Bowl playing in a great environment.”

Added co-defensive coordinator Kane Ioane, “(They’re) very good schematically, they’ve got a good od system and are well coached.

They’ve got somee good skill players, some good speed. … We’ve got to be ready too go. It’s another challenge.”

The Buccaneers have rarely challenged for a win this fall.

They’ve been outscored 26877 through six weeks — 110-20 in second quarters alone — and average just 292 yards per contest.

Quarterbacks Austin Herink and Nick Sexton have combined for more than 1,000 yards passing and three touchdowns, but have been intercepted nine times, and the ETSU rushing attack has been virtually nonexistent. It does, however, have four players with 10 or more catches, led by Dalton Ponchillia with 15 for 254 and two scores, Drake Powell with 22 for 183 and Demetrius Anthony with 16 for 164.

“This will be good for our players to see how they respond to adversity,” Buccaneers head coach Carl Torbush said.

“It gives our team the chance to understand where we are and where we need to go.”

— Jon Maletz

WHEN MONTANA STATE HAS THE BALL

This week likely will not reveal much new about Montana State’s offense.

The Bobcats, after all, average 43 points and 544 yards per game and face a defense that lists 20 freshmen on the twodeep and has yielded 53 points per contest to Division I opponents.

Whereas the opener against Fort Lewis afforded MSU a chance to get the offense re-acclimated to game speed, this should be 60 shou minutes m for f piling up u points early, e polishing po up specific areas in need, then turning it over to young players.

Two places where youngsters will likely play extensively are on the offensive line and in the backfield. The Bobcats’ veteran front is hurting, even if senior right guard Kyle Godecke (neck) is the only one officially on the injury list. Sophomore Dylan Mahoney has played extensively, and Caleb Gillis, Wade Webster and others will likely join him against the Buccaneers.

Gunnar Brekke (concussion) is out and Chad Newell will play, though Nick LaSane and Tavon Dodd — who have a combined 17 carries — should have more featured roles.

While the starters are in the game, they’ll be looking for crisp execution. Quarterback Dakota Prukop has missed several deep balls this year, and the Bobcats will almost certainly take some

shots early. MSU’s averaging 5.4 yards per carry, but center Joel Horn said Tuesday the unit has some areas it would like to sharpen. This will be a good opportunity for it.

“I think I experience that almost every game,” he said.

“If I’m off just a little bit, it’s the difference between a 1-yard run or a 10-yard run or a touchdown run. It’s a very fine line of head placement and footwork that can make all the difference in a play.”

Even if MSU gets to its backups relatively early, the points could keep coming. Lack of depth, lack of high-end talent and a complete dearth of experience are realities for ETSU in its first season playing football since 2003.

The noteworthy aspect of the Buccaneers’ defense, though, is the man leading it. Head coach Carl Torbush’s lengthy resume coordinating defenses includes stints at Ole Miss (1983-86), North Carolina (1988-97), Alabama (2001-02), Texas A&M (2003-05), Mississippi State (2009) and Kansas (2010-11).

The veteran recognizes the severity of this mismatch. “(Montana State is) an outstanding and very, very diverse football team,” he said. “Dakota Prukop, I say this in a very positive manner, I think their quarterback is to FCS football what Johnny Manziel was to FBS football a few years back. He makes plays out of nothing and he’s an excitable guy. If I was watching film and didn’t have to play him, I’d be really intrigued by what he can do, but he scares us to death because he can take a bad play to a good play. He’s the real deal, but it’s not a one-man show.”

— Parker Gabriel

THE BOTTOM LINE Montana State has one of the best offenses in school history and is squaring off with likely one of the weakest Division I opponents in the program’s annals. East Tennessee State’s six losses include two to Division III opponents and a 110-9 disparity in its past

two games. None of those teams appear to possess offensive firepower anywhere near the Bobcats’.

This isn’t to ridicule the Buccaneers. It’s their first year playing football since 2003, and head coach Carl Torbush decided to build with

JON MALETZ: MSU 63, EAST TENNESSEE STATE 6

freshmen instead of an infusion of juniorcollege players. The program from Johnson City, Tennessee has started down a long road, and it will eventually be rewarded. However, on this day it creates a mismatch of potentially historic proportions.

PARKER GABRIEL: MSU 70, EAST TENNESSEE STATE 7 BIG SKY PUBLISHING

FIELD PASS 2015

15

FIELD 1

PA S S

East Tennessee State (0-6) at MSU (3-3), 2:35 p.m., Bozeman

2

North Dakota (4-3, 2-2) at Montana (3-3, 2-1), 1:30 p.m., Missoula

The Buccaneers were disbanded in 2003, then revived last season and are competing as an independent. They’ll join the Southern Conference in 2016. The Bobcats return home, where they are 3-0, after another poor road performance in which they fell to Portland State and plummeted to last in league defensive pass efficiency. MSU leads the Big Sky in scoring offense (43), total offense (544) and third-down conversion rate (49.4), and nd Dakota Prukop still is tops in total

3

UND running back John Santiago is fourth in the Big Sky in rushing yards per game (107.7), while the defense surrenders a league-low 71.

Grizzlies defensive end Tyrone Holmes leads the conference with 11 of his team’s 23 sacks. He also is tops in tackles for loss (13). This will be Montana’s fifth home game, which comes after its second bye.

Last meeting: Montana 18, North Dakota 15 (2014)

4

Eastern Washington (4-2, 3-0) at Northern Colorado (4-2, 2-2), 1:35 p.m., Greeley

Eagles wide receiver Cooper Kupp became the program leader in receptions (261) by virtue of his 14-catch effort against Idaho State, and now is second in conference history. Eastern boasts the league’s top pass offense (406), and quarterback Jordan West leads the way with more than 348 yards per contest. The Bears average a Big Sky-best 32.1 yards per kickoff return and 20.4 per punt.

Last meeting: Eastern Wash. 26, No. Colorado 18 (2014)

2

5

1

A 6

The Wildcats’ Emmett Tela earned ROOT Sports Defensive Player of the Week honors after a win over North Dakota. Weber State is the most penalized team in the Big Sky (67.4).

Lumberjacks quarterback Case Cookus leads the nation in pass efficiency.

Last meeting: Northern Arizona 29, Weber State 22 (2014)

4

6

5

The Thunderbirds have won four straight and have surrendered just three points in three conference games.

SUU leads the league in total defense (317.8) and scoring defense (12.8), and quarterback Ammon Olsen tied a school record with five touchdown passes against Sacramento State. The Aggies lead the league in red zone offense, converting 20 of 21 chances.

Last meeting: UC Davis 21, Southern Utah 3 (2013)

THE

3

7

Southern Utah (4-2, 3-0) at UC Davis (1-6, 1-3), 5:05 p.m., Davis

ND ROU

Weber State (4-3, 3-1) at Northern Arizona (3-3, 1-2), 5 p.m., Flagstaff

Idaho State (2-5, 1-3) at Sacramento State (1-6, 0-4), 7 p.m., Sacramento The Hornets are last in the conference in scoring (15.4), while the Bengals are last in scoring defense (42.9).

Sacramento State linebacker Darnell Sankey continues to lead the league in tackles (13.4). ISU is last in turnover margin (minus-1.71) and just 1-3 on the road this season.

Last meeting: Idaho State 44, Sacramento State 24 (2014)

7

Portland State (5-1, 2-1) at Cal Poly (2-4, 1-2), 7 p.m., San Luis Obispo

Mustangs head coach Tim Walsh led the Vikings from 1993-2006 before leaving to become offensive coordinator at Army. He led PSU to a postseason berth in 2000. Portland State running back David Jones rushed for 285 yards against the Bobcats, earning ROOT Sports Offensive Player of the Week accolades.

Cal Poly leads the league in rushing offense (387) and will clash with a Vikings squad that allows just 126.2 rushing yards and is second is total defense (318.5).

Last meeting: Cal Poly 42, Portland State 14 (2014)