Cat-Griz Tab 2014

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Heights: The annual Cat-Griz football rivalry continues to grow, with fans, media and television ■ From Page 2 game available nationally, but I’s also available to Griz and Bobcat fans at satellite and internet viewing parties worldwide. So, when you factor in the record crowds, the expanded TV coverage, merchandising at an all-time high, huge tailgate parties and satellite parties, not to mention the age of social media, the Cat-Griz game has gone from being Montana’s best secret, to a phemonon that stands up to the biggest college football rivalries in the country. And it doesn’t look like it’s going to slow down any time soon. Here's a look back at the last five Cat-Griz games. Montana 28, Montana State 14 — 2013, Bozeman The 5th-ranked University of Montana Grizzlies played perhaps their best defensive game of the season and UM's offense made key plays when it needed to, as the Grizzlies defeated the host 13th-ranked Montana State Bobcats 28-14 in front of a record crowd in Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman. Montana’s defense held the Bobcat offense, composed of legendary seniors DeNarius McGhee, Cody Kirk and Tanner Bleskin, to just 257 total yards and 14 points. But Shawn Johnson’s 82-yard punt return for a TD in the first quarter set the tone for a low-scoring first half. The Griz tied the game on a Jordan Canada run late in the first half, and it was locked at 7-7 at intermission. Montana added a Travon Van TD early in the third, and a back breaking TD pass from Jordan Johnson to Clay Pierson early in the fourth stanza. MSU tried to rally behind McGhee, but a Kirk fumble near midfield with the score sitting at 21-14, helped UM secure the victory, and Canada sealed it with a TD

run on the Grizzlies’ ensuing possession. It was Montana’s fourth straight win in Bobcat Stadium, and the loss was MSU’s third straight to end the season, knocking the Cats out of the FCS playoff picture. Montana 33, Montana State 19 – 2009, Bozeman In a game in which each team scored a safety, Dan Beaudin and Marc Mariani caught two touchdown passes apiece for the Grizzlies, who extended their “Brawl” streak to four and improved to 11-0 for the second time in three seasons. Beaudin, a senior from Noxon, made nifty catches on a 1-yard pass from Justin Roper and a 14-yard strike from Andrew Selle, who threw for three TDs. The latter made it 33-12. MSU’s Cody Kempt, who also threw for a score, had a 1-yard TD run to cap the scoring with a minute left. Shann Schillinger had six tackles, two passes defended and interception to lead the Griz D. Mariani’s second TD began a nightmarish third quarter for the Bobcats, who had the wind in their faces and saw UM use short fields to pad a 9-5 halftime lead out to 26-5. Yet the key play came after Billings West product Joe Schreibeis scored his first collegiate TD, drawing the Bobcats to 26-12 with 12:40 left. The Griz drove 80 yards into the wind to Beadin’s second TD, but needed a fourth-and-4 pass from Selle to Mariani to keep the drive alive. Mariani made a dynamite catch; he also had 120 yards on three punt returns, including a 33-yarder that set up Beaudin’s first TD. “The individual stuff is one thing,” said Mariani. “But this senior class is 4-0 now (against them), and it’s a great feeling. It feels awesome.” Montana State 21, Montana 16 - 2010, Missoula The Griz ran into Washington-Grizzly Stadium in new allblack uniforms but couldn’t catch the Bobcats, who scored on

their first three possessions and never trailed. DeNarius McGhee, MSU’s freshman quarterback, threw touchdown passes to Great Falls’ Tanner Bleskin and C.J. Palmer, and Orenzo Davis provided the winning points with a 17-yard TD run. The Grizzlies stayed in range, answering the Cats’ first two drives with a 59-yard TD burst from Chase Reynolds and a 6-yard scoring run from QB Justin Roper. But UM was turnover-plagued: Both Reynolds and Gerald Kemp fumbled inside the MSU 5-yard line in the second half. Reynolds’ turnover came after a bad punt snap resulted in an MSU safety. The Griz also turned the ball over on downs at MSU’s 15 with 1:23 left. That cinched the Cats’ first win over the Griz and first Big Sky title since 2005. Davis ran for 140 yards for MSU. Reynolds ran for 180 yards for the Griz, who ended up 7-4 and out of the postseason for the first time since 1992. Montana 36, Montana State 10 - 2011, Bozeman It was set up as a coronation for the newly top-ranked Bobcats, but the No. 7 Griz took command in the second half behind Dan Moore and Peter Nguyen. Moore rushed for 116 yards, including a 37-yard touchdown to put UM up 29-7 at 5:37 of the third quarter. Nguyen ran for 123, including a 21-yard run to cap the scoring with 9:28 left, and send many of the record crowd of 20,247 at an expanded Bobcat Stadium for the exits. Griz quarterback Jordan Johnson threw for two touchdowns, one a 2-yard strike to Kavario Middleton on fourthand-goal with 2:15 left in the first half. That put Montana up 12-0. MSU drove to a touchdown to start the second half, DeNarius McGee hitting Elvis Akpla from 7 yards. But the Griz answered on their next offensive snap: Johnson found Jabin Sambrano for 79 yards and a TD to make it 19-7. Montana gained 316 yards of offense in the second half, and

rushed for 309 yards against the Big Sky’s top run defense. “I’m very proud and honored to be involved in a game like this, when it comes down to the great state of Montana for the championship,” second-year Griz coach Robin Pflugrad said. “It’s nice to get on that bus with a win.” Both teams lost at Sam Houston State in the FCS playoffs; the Griz fell 31-28 in the semifinals. And in 2013, as part of NCAA sanctions, the Griz’ victory that day in Bozeman was wiped off the record books.

Montana State 16, Montana 7 – 2012, Missoula The second-ranked Bobcats relied on defense, kicker Rory Perez and quarterback DeNarius McGhee to subdue the Griz. Montana led 7-3 after Peter Nguyen’s 47-yard scoring run in the first quarter but didn’t score again. Bobcat defensive ends Caleb Schreibeis (16 tackles and a sack) and Brad Daly shut down the Griz running game; Montana punted eight times after Nguyen’s TD. A record Washington-Grizzly Stadium of 26,210 saw MSU go in front on McGhee’s 15-yard scoring pass to Saco product Kruiz Siewing at 7:54 of the second quarter. McGhee threw for 246 yards and ran four times on a clockkilling drive that ended in Perez’s third field goal with 2:23 left. That made it a two-score game and clinched the Grizzlies’ first losing season since 1985. The Griz, who missed two field goals, finished 5-6. “We knew they were big up front and knew they would be a physical team,” said Schreibeis, who in January became the first Bobcat to win the Buck Buchanan Award for the top defensive player in the FCS. “We just had to weather the storm for a little bit and then let our speed kind of take control.” The Cats improved to 10-1 and finished 11-2 with a loss in the FCS quarterfinals.

Change: State title games should be moved ■ From Page 8 kids, and these communities the chance to experience championship high school football and Cat-Griz weekend. Again, I don’t think there needs to be a choice. I look at the calendar and I think we can have both. Our high school football players give us so much for three months out of the year. They entertain us, they excite us and they do it all for nothing more than the love of the game, and the love of their school and their community. And in my humble opinion, I

think it’s a shame that some of them don’t have the option of also enjoying the most important and impactful sporting event our state has to offer…and that’s the Cat-Griz game. After all, we here in Montana don’t take the Cat-Griz game for granted. We don’t have a professional team we can go watch in person for eight weeks of the season. We don’t have the massive sporting landscape, with so many different options to choose from, like other parts of the country do. No, we as Montanan’s have the Brawl of the Wild, and it

comes but once a year. And in my opinion, whether you’re a high school football player, or whether you could care less about college football for most of the year, all of us in Montana should have the option of attending a Cat-Griz football game. In my mind, the Cat-Griz game is as much a rite of passage, as much a part of our culture as is high school football. In fact, the two are very much intertwined. And there’s no reason why we can’t have both. All of us. There’s no reason why all of us can’t enjoy both. And I think it’s about time we all have that option.

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Cat-Griz rivalry reaching new heights Brawl of the Wild set to kick off for the 114th time with plenty of attention George Ferguson

Havre Daily News sports editor gferguson@havredailynews.com The rivalry between the Montana Grizzlies and Montana State Bobcats is old. In fact, it’s the 31st oldest rivalry in college football, and with the rich traditions in the world of college football, that’s impressive. But the growth of the CatGriz rivalry, especially in recent years, might even be more impressive than its age. Saturday, the Grizzlies and Bobcats will meet for the 114th time. And oh how things have changed, especially in the last few years. An expected crowd of over

26,000 will be on hand for Saturday’s game at WashingtonGrizzly Stadium. In fact, if the UM sells out all its standing room only tickets, Saturday’s crowd will not only set a new stadium attendance record, but at 26,500, would surpass this summer’s Paul McCartney Concert as the largest gathering of people ever to sit in one venue in Montana’s history. But attendance records are nothing new to the rivalry, it’s just that the sheer size of the attendance records are becoming staggering for a state that has a population of just over 1 million. Last year’s game, at Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman, was nearly 2,000 fans over capacity, as a new MSU attendance record was set when 21,527 fans took in the 2013 Brawl of the Wild. But it isn’t just record crowds ﬂocking to Missoula and Bozeman that have driven this rivalry to new heights. It’s television too. There was a time, when very few Cat-Griz games were on

television. But, in the early 1990’s, that started to change as the Montana Television Network began broadcasting the Brawl. However, those broadcasts were largely only available inside Montana, and few satellite subscribers with the right dish. However, three years ago, the way Cat-Griz is viewed took a huge turn as Root Sports Northwest, which is owned by the Seattle Mariners, was contracted to produce Big Sky Conference games. Included in the deal was the exclusive rights to the annual Brawl of the Wild. And while local television coverage for the Cat-Griz game is gone, all cable carriers in Montana carry Root NW, so the Montana audience remained. But, where the availability blossomed is with other markets. Root is carried on cable television in 24 states, and is also on DirecTV and Dish Network, meaning not only is the Cat-Griz

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See Heights Page 12

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2014 Cat-Griz By the Numbers No. 13 Montana Grizzlies

No. 12 Montana State Bobcats

7-4, 5-2

8-3, 6-1

8/30 9/6 9/13 9/20 9/27 10/4 10/18 10/25 11/1 11/8 11/15

lost at Wyoming, 17-12 def. C. Washington, 48-14 def. South Dakota 28-20 lost at NDSU, 22-10 def.N. Colorado 38-13 def. North Dakota, 18-15 def. UC Davis, 42-28 lost at Cal Poly, 41-21 def. Sacramento St., 31-13 lost at E. Washington, 36-26 def. Southern Utah, 35-17

8/30 9/6 9/13 9/20 9/27 10/4 10/11 10/18 11/1 11/8 11/15

MSU Offense

UM Offense

Montana State Bobcats at Montana Grizzlies Montana State University Location: Bozeman Nickname: Bobcats Colors: Blue/Gold Enrollment: 15,924 2013 record: 8-3 (7-1)

2012 record: 7-5 (5-3) Head coach: Rob Ash (65-23) Stadium: Bobcat Stadium Streak: The Bobcats beat the Grizzlies 16-7 in 2012 and have won two straight times in Missoula. They lost to the Griz 28-14 last year in Bozeman. They've won two in a row coming into Saturday's game.

Saturday, November 22, 2014 Wash-Griz Stadium ~ 3:07 pm University of Montana Location: Missoula Nickname: Grizzlies Colors: Maroon/Silver Enrollment: 14,964 2013 record: 7-4 (5-2)

2012 record: 10-3 (6-2 Head coach: Mick Delaney (22-12) Stadium: WashingtonGrizzly Stadium Streak: The Griz have won three four straight meetings in Bozeman. But they haven't beaten the Bobcats in Missoula since 2009. UM is looking to make the playoffs again.

The Griz average just 28 points and 382 yards of offense per game. However, UM, which is undefeated at home, averages 35 points and 420 yards of offense at Washington-Grizzly Stadium. The Griz have only turned the ball over six times all season, but they do struggle to run the ball, averaging just 160 yards per outing. UM only converts 38 percent of its third downs. The Griz are also dead last in the Big Sky Conference in time of possession. Star Watch: Senior QB Jordan Johnson has been injury plagued this season and may not be 100 percent Saturday. However, he’s still thrown for 2,092 yards and 17 TDs against just four INTs this season. Johnson is fifth on the Griz’ all-time passing list. Junior WR Jamal Jones has been the big-play threat, with 873 yards on 66 catches and six TDs. In the running game, senior Jordan Canada is closing in on a third straight 1,000yard season, while senior Travon Van has 583 yards on the ground and another 443 through the air, to go along with 14 total TDs. Tight end Mitch Saylor has also become one of Johnson’s favorite targets. UM Defense The Griz have the No. 1 scoring defense in the Big Sky, allowing just 21 points per game. That ranks fourth in the FCS. At home, UM allows a mere 15 ppg. UM also allows just 376 total yards (2nd), 149 yards (2nd) on the ground and 227 (4th) in the air. The Griz have forced 16 turnovers and are first in the conference in turnover margin at a gaudy plus-10. Montana is also only committing 57 yards in penalties per game, and has a league-high 34 sacks.

lost at Arkansas St., 37-10 def. Black Hills State, 57-10 def. C. Arkansas, 43-33 lost to E. Washington, 52-51 def. North Dakota, 29-18 def. Sacramento St., 59-56 def. UC Davis, 77-37 def. Weber State, 23-13 lost at Cal Poly, 35-27 def. Portland State, 29-22 def. Idaho State, 44-39

Star Watch: The Griz are led by senior DE Zack Wagenmann . The Buck Buchanen nominee has a Big Sky best 12.5 sacks to go along with 17.5 tackles for loss and 66 total tackles. Fellow DE Tyrone Holmes has six sacks and 10 TFLs. Junior linebacker Kendrick Van Ackeren leads the team with 99 stops, while middle linebacker Jeremiah Kose has 92. Senior Free safety Matt Hermanson is starting his fourth straight Cat-Griz game and has 91 tackles and a team-high three picks. Senior captain Tonga Takai anchors the middle of UM’s stingy defense. UM Special Teams The Griz have struggled in the kicking game this season. UM has connected on just eight field goals all year, and have had seven different attempts blocked. In the return game, is fourth in punt returns, but the Griz only average 17 yards per kickoff return, which is 12th in the Big Sky. Star Watch: The Griz sorely miss star returner Ellis Henderson. Sophomore RB John Nyguen () has handled most of the return duties this season, and he is averaging 10 yards per punt return, which is fourth in the Big Sky. UM has tried three different FG kickers, finally settling on Wyoming transfer Daniel Sullivan, who is 6-for-9 with a long of 40 this season. Chris Lider has done an outstanding job taking over the punting for star Stephen Shaw, who suffered a season-ending knee injury. Lider averages 40 yards per punt.

The Bobcats have been prolific and record-breaking this season. They average 41 points per game and 504 yards of offense. Both are among the Top 10 in the FCS. On the ground, MSU averages 257 yards per outing, second in the Big Sky, while the Cats throw for 247 yards per game. MSU is No. 1 in the Big Sky in passing efficiency, third in converting third downs, and score in the redzone 44 percent of the time. Star Watch: Sophomore quarterback Dakota Prukop has taken the Big Sky by storm. He’s thrown for 2,279 yards and 17 TDs, but he’s also rushed for 932 yards and 13 more scores. His 93 rushing yards per game is third in the conference. But a knee injury might keep him out of Saturday’s game, so MSU will start junior backup Tanner Bleskin, who is much more of a passer. Senior RB Shawn Johnson is also injured, but he has gained 570 yards on the ground. If he can’t go, watch for Anthony Knight and Chad Newell () to pick up the slack. MSU also has a bevy of young receivers, but veteran WR Mitch Greibel and TE Tia Salanoa are the top two targets in the passing game. MSU Defense

Cats allow 32 points per game, which is sixth in the Big Sky. MSU gives up 481 yards per outing, which is 12th. MSU is sixth in the Big Sky against both the run and the pass. MSU has forced 15 turnovers on the season and is plus-1 in turnover margin. The Cats only average 56 penalty yards per game. Star Watch: Senior LB Alex Singleton sets the tone for the MSU defense. He has 111 tackles and 70 solo stops on the season, which is third in the Big Sky. He also has a team-high 13 tackles for loss. Junior defensive end Odin Coe has a team-high six sacks, while cornerback Deonte Flowers is one of the top shutdown corners in the Big Sky. MSU Special Teams Cats have connected on 68 percent of their field goal tries this season. MSU is also first in the Big Sky in punting, with a 41-yard average. The Cats also excel in the return game. MSU is averaging a whopping 25 yards per kickoff return. Star Watch: Johnson came into the season as one of the top return men in the FCS. But injuries have slowed him down. But sophomore Gunnar Brekke has emereged. He has 674 yards in returns this season with a long of 70. In the kicking game, freshman Luke Daly has been outstanding. Daly is 13-of-19 in field goals with a long of 41.

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Bobcats Numerical Roster No.Name 2 3 4 5 5 6 6 7 8 9 10 10 11 12 13 14 14 15 16 17 18 18 19 20 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 30 31 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 53 54 55 56 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65

Pos.

Na'a Moeakiola LB Bryson Keeton CB Shawn Johnson RB Robert Marshall DB Dakota Prukop QB Cody Cleveland DB Bobby Crane QB David Dash WR Manny Kalfell WR Anthony Knight RB Jake Bleskin QB/P Odin Coe DL Tanner Roderick QB Khari Garcia DB Mitch Griebel WR Quinn McQueary WR/QB Toti Moeakiola LB Austin Barth TE Cole Moore LB Chad Newell RB Wyatt Christensen LB Casey Schwertfeger WR Jayshawn Gates WR Jaylen Price DB Eryon Barnett CB Nick LaSane RB Bryce Alley CB James Nelson DB Trevin Thompson K Gunnar Brekke RB Kellen Kollmorgen S Brandon Davis RB Trevor Bolton K/P West Wilson DB Tavon Dodd RB Matt Stewart P Blake Braun LB Braelen Evans CB Demonte King DB Deonte Flowers DB Trace Timmer DB Noah James RB Blake Sylvester LB Grant Collins LB Joey Michael LB Alex Singleton LB Koni Dole LB Luke Daly K Gabe Strong TE Taylor Dees DE John Carter Gonzalez Mac Bignell DB Nate Bignell DE Michael Foster LB Robert Walsh LB Monte Folsom DL John Weidenaar OL Rocky Hogue LS Rhett Young LB Fletcher Collins LB Dylan Mahoney OL Austin Oldenburger OL Matt Brownlow DT Kyle Godecke OL Andy Austin OL Christian Williams OL

Ht. Wt. Year

6-0 6-2 5-10 6-0 6-2 6-1 6-0 5-7 6-2 6-1 6-1 6-3 6-2 5-10 5-11 6-3 6-0 6-5 6-2 6-1 6-0 6-2 5-8 5-10 6-2 5-11 5-11 5-11 5-10 5-11 6-1 5-9 5-10 5-11 5-8 6-2 6-2 5-11 6-0 5-11 6-0 6-1 6-0 6-4 6-3 6-2 6-0 6-2 6-5 6-2 LB 6-1 6-2 6-1 5-11 6-2 6-8 6-3 6-1 6-2 6-6 6-3 5-9 6-5 6-3 6-2

230 187 180 195 195 186 204 174 200 232 199 242 210 178 193 180 215 243 220 220 217 178 150 187 202 213 165 193 192 195 208 176 187 198 176 242 227 183 192 183 183 196 190 222 201 235 200 180 228 270 6-0 199 277 228 218 255 285 205 217 216 255 267 278 315 285 300

Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. So. Sr. So. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Rf. Jr. Rf. Fr. So. Sr. So. So. Fr. Rf. So. Sr. Rf. Fr. Sr. Fr. So. Rf. Jr. Jr. Rf. Fr. Fr. So. Fr. Fr. Sr. Jr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Jr. Sr. Fr. Rf. Fr. Sr. 210 Rf. Jr. Sr. Jr. Rf. Jr. Rf. Sr. So. Rf. Fr. Rf. R-Fr. Sr. R-Jr.

Hometown

Euless, TX Trinity Bakersfield, CA Ridgeview Nevada Bakersfield, CA Centennial Carrollton, TX Creekview Austin, TX Vandegrift New Lenox, IL Providence Irvine, CA Santa Margarita Fontana, CA A.B. Miller Bozeman, MT Bozeman Boston, MA Great Falls, MT CM Russell Camas, WA Camas Bozeman, MT Bozeman Nevada Covina, CA Charter Oak Littleton, CO Heritage Air Force Manhattan, MT Manhattan Euless, TX Trinity Columbia Falls, MT Columbia Falls Whitehouse Station, NJ Hunterdon Billings, MT Senior Fountain Valley, CA Fountain Valley Austin, TX Austin Palo Alto, CA Palo Alto Little Elm, TX Little Elm Euless, TX Trinity Texas Dallas, TX Lovejoy Houston, TX North Shore Los Angeles, CA Long Beach Poly Helena, MT Helena Helena, MT Capital Waukee, IA Waukee Granbury, TX Granbury Louisiana Tech Great Falls, MT Great Falls Columbia, MO Rock Bridge Houston, TX John H. Reagan Corona, CA Santiago Riverside, CA Redlands East Valley Frisco, TX Hebron Los Alamitos, CA Los Alamitos San Diego, CA Samuel Morse Great Falls, MT Great Falls Kalispell, MT Glacier Corvallis, MT Corvallis UM Western Bozeman, MT Bozeman Cashmere, WA Pacific U. Thousand Oaks, CA Huntley Project, MT Huntley Project Billings, MT Central Lakeport, CA Clear Lake Worden, MT Huntley Project Fr. Sammamish, WA Drummond, MT Drummond Drummond, MT Drummond Seabrook, TX Clear Lake Eng Twin Bridges, MT Twin Bridges Dillon, MT 6-2 290 Manhattan, MT Manhattan Merced, CA Merced Augusta, MT Augusta Seattle, WA Seattle Prep Great Falls, MT CM Russell Manhattan, MT Manhattan Ag Missoula, MT Sentinel Dillon, MT Beaverhead County Billings, MT West Glendale, AZ Cactus Scottsdale CC

No.Name 66 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99

Andrew Alt Dillon Fraley Daniel Fowlie Joel Horn Alex Eekhoff Elijah Klein Caleb Gillis Wade Webster JP Flynn Zach Wright Quinn Catalano Tiai Salanoa Jacob Stanton Mitchell Herbert Hunter Mahlum Brian Flotkoetter Will Krolick Justin Paige Connor Sullivan John D'Agostino Wilson Brott Taylor Sheridan Robert Wilcox Tucker Yates Lee Perkins Devin Jeffries Zach Hutchins Curtis Amos Connor Thomas Tyrone Fa'anono Jacob Bushnell

Pos.

OL OL DE OL OL OL OL OL OL DL OL TE WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR TE DL DL DT TE DL DL TE DT DL DT

Ht. Wt. Year

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

260 278 205 320 290 245 265 274 304 242 290 264 190 205 197 211 183 166 237 177 225 286 267 303 240 215 240 214 286 261 255

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

Hometown

Roundup, MT Roundup Bigfork, MT Bigfork Livingston, MT Park Kalispell, MT Glacier Reno, NV Bishop Manogue Tacoma, WA Bellarmine Prep Glenn, MT Beaverhead County Bettendorf, IA Bettendorf Bettendorf, IA Bettendorf New Braunfels, TX New Braunfels San Diego, CA Scripps Ranch Oxnard, CA Oxnard Billings, MT Central Eugene, OR Sheldon Missoula, MT Hellgate Laurel, MT Laurel Anchorage, AK South Katy, TX Morton Ranch Ennis, MT Ennis Bozeman, MT Bozeman Billings, MT West Littleton, CO Rock Canyon Frisco, TX Princeton Grambling Colstrip, MT Colstrip Great Falls, MT Great Falls Kalispell, MT Glacier Las Vegas, NV Bishop Gorman Burleson, TX Centennial Kalispell, MT Flathead Oxnard, CA Oaks Christian Helena, MT Helena

2014 Bobcat Staff Rob Ash Jamie Marshall Tim Cramsey Bo Beck Daniel DaPrato Jason McEndoo Brian Von Bergen Kane Ioane Brandon North Demo Odems Michael Rider Clay Bignell Mike Piatkowski

Head Football Coach Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator/Secondary Assistant Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Assistant Coach/Defensive Line/Recruiting Coordinator Assistant Coach/Tight Ends/Special Teams Coordinator Assistant Coach/Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line Assistant Coach/Pass Game Coordinator/Receivers Assistant Coach/Linebackers Assistant Coach/Secondary Assistant Coach/Running Backs Assistant Coach/Defensive Line Assistant Defensive Intern Offensive Intern

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Big Sky Conference Standings Eastern Washington Montana State Montana Idaho State Northern Arizona Cal Poly Sacramento State North Dakota Northern Colorado Portland State Southern Utah Weber State UC Davis

Conf. WL

6-1 6-1 5-2 5-2 5-2 5-3 3-4 2-5 2-5 2-5 2-5 2-5 1-6

Saturday's Games Montana State at Montana Southern Utah at Northern Arizona Weber State at Idaho State Cal Poly at San Diego North Dakota at Northern Colorado Sacramneto State at UC Davis Friday's Game Eastern Washington vs Portland State

Overall WL

9-2 8-3 7-4 7-4 7-4 6-5 6-5 4-7 3-7 3-8 2-9 2-9 2-8

TSN FCS Top 25 Rec. 1. New Hampshire (74) 9-1 2. Coastal Carolina (56) 11-0 3. North Dakota State 10-1 4. Jacksonville State (10) 9-1 5. Eastern Washington 9-2 6. Villanova 9-2 7. Fordham 10-1 8. Illinois State 9-1 9. Chattanooga 8-3 10. SE Louisiana 8-3 11. Northern Iowa 7-4 12. Montana State 8-3

Pts 3879 3802 3606 3581 3381 3137 2905 2865 2598 2466 2404 2289

Rnk 1 2 4 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

13. Montana 14. Eastern Kentucky 15. Harvard 16. South Dakota State 17. James Madison 18. Indiana State 19. McNeese State 20. Youngstown State 21. Richmond 22. William & Mary 23. Sam Houston State 24. North Carolina A&T 25. Bethune-Cookman

7-4 9-2 9-0 7-4 8-3 7-4 6-4 7-4 7-4 7-4 7-4 9-2 8-3

1886 1675 1597 1489 1300 1257 1062 998 932 743 403 297 268

16 18 17 19 25 23 13 15 14 24 NR NR 20

Others receiving votes: : Sacred Heart 200, Idaho State 153, Bryant 144, Alcorn State 118, Northern Arizona 104, Charleston Southern 93, Yale 51, Southern Illinois 47, Bucknell 34, Liberty 33, Cal Poly 32, San Diego 1.

Big Sky Conference Individual Leaders For 2014

Passing: Justin Arias, ISU, 341 ypg Receiving: Mads Magnum, ISU, 117 ypg Receptions: Deondre Carter, SSU 8 rpg Rushing: Xavier Finney, ISU 135 ypg Tackles: Nick Dzubnar, CP, 15.5 tpg Sacks: Zach Wagenmann, UM, 12.5 sacks INT's: Kyle Griffin, NCU, 4 INT's

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Montana Grizzlies Offensive Starters

Montana State Bobcats Defensive Starters

Griz Offensive Numbers

Cats Defensive Numbers

Scoring: 29 ppg, 6th in Big Sky Total offense: 383 ypg, 9th in Big Sky

Scoring: 32 ppg, 10th in Big Sky Sean Haynes #80, 6-3, 195 Receiver

Deonte Flowers #37, 5-11, 183 Cornerback

Rushing: 160 ypg, 5th in Big Sky

Total defense: 481 ypg, 11th in Big Sky Rush defense: 185 ypg, 6th in Big Sky

David Reese #76, 6-7, 270 Left tackle Mike Ralston #98, 6-5, 245 Tight end

Mick Delaney UM Head Coach In three seasons at UM, Delaney has compiled a 22-14 overall record as head coach. Before taking over the program, Delaney served as running backs coach for five seasons. Delaney also coached at UM in 1968-69, spent 15 seasons as an assistant at Colorado State, and was an assistant at rival MSU and head coach UM-Western in 1981-82.

Jordan Hines #65, 6-4, 285 Left guard

Odin Coe #10, 6-3, 254

Defensive End

Alex Singleton #43, 6-2, 240 Linebacker Khari Garcia #12, 5-10, 178 Free Safety

Jordan Canada #26, 5-9, 190 Running Back

Jordan Johnson #10, 6-1, 195 Quarterback

Logan Hines #66, 6-4, 290 Center

Taylor Sheridan #90, 6-4, 280 Nose tackle

Na'a Moeakiola #2, 5-11, 220 Linebacker Rob Marshall #5, 6-0, 200 Strong Safety

Ben Weyer #70, 6-4, 270 Right guard

Taylor Dees #47, 6-2, 273 Defensive tackle

Devon Dietrich #71, 6-4, 270 Right tackle

Zach Hutchins #95, 6-3, 240 Defensive end

Cole Moore #16, 6-2, 220 Linebacker

Mitch Saylor #81, 6-5, 235 Tight end Daniel Sullivan #5, 5-10, 175 Kicker

Stephen Shaw #88, 6-3, 260 Punter

Jamaal Jones #6, 6-1, 188 Receiver

Bryson Keeton #3, 6-2, 190 Cornerback

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No. Name 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 8 9 9 10 11 11 12 12 13 14 14 15 16 17 18 19 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 54 55 56 57 58 60 62 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 75 76

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Grizzlies Numerical Roster Yr. Pos.

Ht.

Treshawn Favors RS FR Running Back 5-9 Taylor Walcott JR Wide Receiver 6-0 Ryan McKinley RS FR Cornerback 6-1 Eric Johnson JR Safety 6-2 Brady Gustafson RS SO Quarterback 6-7 Chris Parker RS FR Cornerback 6-0 Nate Hanser FR Running Back 6-0 Daniel Sullivan JR Kicker 5-10 Chase Naccarato JR Wide Receiver 5-7 Tyrel Garner SO Cornerback 6-2 Jamaal Jones RS JR Wide Receiver 6-1 Ellis Henderson JR Wide Receiver 6-0 Travon Van SR Running Back 5-11 Addison Owen RS JR Defensive End 6-2 Carl Johnson FR Running Back 6-0 Jordan Johnson RS SR Quarterback 6-1 Tristen Clark FR Wide Receiver 6-1 Nate Harris RS JR Cornerback 5-10 Sean Foley FR Wide Receiver 5-10 Matt Hermanson SR Free Safety 6-1 Joshua Janssen RS FR Wide Receiver 6-0 Joshua Dennard SR Cornerback 5-11 Will Weyer FR Quarterback 6-5 Retired in Honor of Dave Dickenson Marq Rogers RS FR Wide Receiver 6-4 Makena Simis RS FR Quarterback 6-2 JR Nelson RS SO Cornerback 6-2 Shay Smithwick-Hann RS SR Quarterback 6-4 Joey Counts JR Running Back 5-9 Retired in Honor of Terry Dillon Caleb Lyons FR Wide Receiver 5-9 Lorenzo Logwood FR Running Back 5-8 Shane Moody FR Cornerback 5-8 Jordan Canada RS SR Running Back 5-9 Nico Graham RS FR Wide Receiver 5-10 Jamaal Anderson SR Safety 5-11 Connor Strahm RS FR Linebacker 6-0 Evan Epperly FR Safety 5-10 Justin Whitted RS JR Free Safety 6-1 Zach Vis FR Linebacker 6-3 Connor Lebsock RS JR Linebacker 6-2 Jamal Wilson RS JR Fullback 5-11 Kendrick Van Ackeren JR Linebacker 6-1 Herbert Gamboa JR Linebacker 6-1 Zack Wagenmann RS SR Defensive End 6-3.5 John Nguyen SO Running Back 5-7 Jake Dallaserra RS JR Safety 5-11 Cooper Sprunk RS FR Tight End 6-4 Mick Delaney RS FR Safety 6-0 Josh Buss FR Linebacker 6-2 Nate Bradley RS FR Nose Guard 5-10 Caleb Kidder JR Defensive Tackle 6-5 Jeremiah Kose RS JR Linebacker 6-2 Austin Chadderdon FR Fullback 6-2 Derek Crittenden RS JR Defensive End 6-3 Riley Kack FR Fullback 6-1 Nick Mertes FR Defensive End 6-3 Aaron Held RS SO Snaps 6-1 Tucker Schye RS FR Linebacker 6-4 Trevor Rehm RS SR Defensive Tackle 6-3 Kyle Davis FR Defensive Tackle 6-1 Alex Thomas FR Linebacker 6-0 Shane Cochran FR Linebacker 6-1 Tyler Richtmyer FR Linebacker 6-2 Jackson Thiebes SO Offensive Tackle 6-5 Roscoe Alley FR Guard 6-4 Jordan Hines RS SR Offensive Guard 6-4 Logan Hines RS SR Center 6-4 Ben D'Alton FR Defensive Line 6-3.5 McCauley Todd RS SO Offensive Guard 6-7 Jared Clark SO Offensive Line 6-6 Ben Weyer RS SO Offensive Center 6-4 Devon Dietrich RS SO Offensive Tackle 6-4 Trevor Poole RS SR Offensive Tackle 6-5 Robert Luke FR Center 6-4 David Reese FR Offensive Tackle 6-7

*Cut and take to the game!!

Wt.

Hometown

No. Name

181 205 177 219 215

Fort Wayne, Ind. Boise, Idaho (Capital) Hacienda Heights, Calif. Kalispell, Mont. (Glacier) Mesa, Ariz. (Desert Ridge)

175 190 160 190 180 195 235 180 195 205 205 250 220 215 250 180 180 250 193 203 260 275 230 200 240 240 235 193 225 265 245 215 210 215 280 275 285 291 250 295 270 270 270 290 315 270

Lakewood, Wash. (Lakes) Oakland, Calif. Parker, Colo. (Regis Jesuit) West Covina, Calif. (Duarte) Missoula, Mont. (Big Sky) Fontana, Calif. Eugene, Ore. (Sheldon) Kalispell, Mont. (Glacier) Los Angeles, Calif. Lynden, Wash. (Lynden) Billings, Mont. (Billings Skyview) Fontana, Calif. (Boise State) Bellevue, Wash. (Hawaii) San Clemente, Calif. Missoula, Mont. (Sentinel) Seattle, Wash. (Bellevue) Butte, Mont. (Butte) Tigard, Ore. (Jesuit) Bozeman, Mont. (Bozeman) Boise, Idaho (Mountain View) Billings, Mont. (West) Helena, Mont. (Helena Capital) Oceanside, Calif. Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Whitefish, Mont. (Whitefish) Bozeman, Mont. (Bozeman) Edina, Minn. (Edina) Sacramento, Calif. (El Camino) Malta, Mont. (Malta) Dillon, Mont. San Diego, Calif. Great Falls, Mont. (C.M. Russell) Culbertson, Mont. (Culbertson) Missoula, Mont. (Sentinel HS) Kalispell, Mont. Coeur'd Alene, Idaho Phoenix, Ariz. (Phoenix College) Phoenix, Ariz. (Phoenix College) Billings, Mont. Cedar Rapids, Iowa San Diego, Calif. Bozeman, Mont. Woodinville, Wash. Spokane, Wash. (Ferris) Tacoma, Wash. Happy Valley, Ore. (Clackamas)

2014 Grizzly Staff Mick Delaney - Head Coach Scott Gragg - Assistant Head Coach/Co-Offensive Coordinator/O-Line Ty Gregorak - Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Kefense Hynson - Co-Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Jake Cookus - Safeties/Co-Special Teams Coordinator Justin Green - Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator Torrey Myers - Wide Receivers Kade Rannings - Video Coordinator Lawrence Suiaunoa - Associate Head Coach/D-Line Aric Williams - Cornerbacks Ross Brunelle - Tight Ends/Co-Special Teams Coordinator Roland Ford - Director of Football Operations Rob Oviatt - Strength and Conditioning

190 180 188 180 235 185 200 185 166 190 191 185 195 220 180 195 180 180 165 198 195 194 208

Glendale, Ariz. (Mountain Eugene, Ore. (Marist) Anthem, Ariz. (Boulder Creek) San Francisco, Calif. (Laney) Billings, Mont. (Billings West) Sioux Falls, S.D. (Washington) Broadview, Mont. (Broadview) Mill Creek, Wash. (Wyoming) Spokane, Wash. (Mt. Spokane) Henderson, Nev. Spanaway, Wash. Portland, Ore. (Hawaii) San Diego, Calif Vancouver, Wash. (Camas) Hardin, Mont. (Hardin) Eugene, Ore. (Sheldon) Deer Lodge, Mont. Chino, Calif. (Chino Hills) Whitefish, Mont. (Whitefish) Sioux Falls, SD (Washington) Missoula, Mont. (Loyola) Phoenix, Ariz. (Brophy Prep) Bozeman, Mont. (Bozeman)

77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 90 91 93 94 95 96 97 98 99

Cameron Rokich Clint LaRowe Max Kelly Sean Haynes Mitch Saylor Jermaine Jones Ryan Burke Kevin Berland Reese Carlson Austin Carver Chris Lider Stephen Shaw Aschan Richards Bo Harris Reggie Tilleman Tyrone Holmes Zach Peevey Harrison Greenberg Tonga Takai Josh Horner Ryan Johnson Mike Ralston Evan Miksich

Yr. Pos.

RS FR RS SO RS SO RS SR SR JR RS SO RS SR FR FR RS JR RS JR RS JR RS SO FR JR RS SO RS SO RS SR RS FR RS SO RS FR FR

Ht.

Offensive Tackle 6-5 Offensive Tackle 6-5 Offensive Guard 6-7 Wide Receiver 6-3 Tight End 6-5 Tight End 6-2 Wide Receiver 6-4 Wide Receiver 5-9 Wide Receiver 6-4 Wide Receiver 6-0 Kicker 6-1 Punter 6-3 Defensive End 6-6 Defensive Tackle 6-3 Tight End 6-4 Defensive End 6-4 Defensive Tackle 6-2.5 Kicker 5-8 Defensive Tackle/Snaps Tight End 6-5 Defensive End 6-2.5 Tight End 6-5.5 Defensive End 6-3

Wt.

245 290 290 195 235 225 190 175 215 195 199 245 250 280 195 245 255 170 6-2 220 255 245 240

Hometown

West Jordan, Utah Miles City, Mont. (Custer County) Spokane, Wash. Los Angeles, Calif. Vancouver, Wash. (Union) Oakland, Calif. (Laney) Billings, Mont. (Billings Central) Missoula, Mont. Gig Harbor, Wash. (Gig Harbor) Dillon, Mont. Bellevue, Wash. (Sammamish) Fullerton, Calif. Butte, Mont. (Butte Central) Fairfield, Mont. (Fairfield) Genesee, Idaho (Genesee) Eagle Point, Ore. (Eagle Point) Missoula, Mont. (Hellgate) Lake Oswego, Ore. 305 Honolulu, Hawaii Great Falls, Mont. (C.M. Russell) Vancouver, Wash Eugene, Ore. (Sheldon) Lake Stevens, Wash.

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It's time we all should enjoy Cat-Griz From the Fringe... George Ferguson Sports Editor It’s Cat-Griz week. It’s the week everybody who cares about college football, and even many that don’t on a regular basis, wait for for an entire year. In other words, it doesn’t get any better than this. Now, I always start my Cat-Griz week coverage with an opinion column. And normally, I rant and rave about how great the rivalry is, or how crazy the two fan bases are. I’ve ranted and raved about the social media era of Cat-Griz, I’ve went off on my own Cat-Griz experiences, and of course, I’ve wrote about Marc Mariani many, many times. But this column is going to be different, and in some circles, it might not be very popular. But I’ve never been about winning popularity contests. You see, this column is going in a different direction, and it has very little to do with the 114th Brawl of the Wild, which will be played Saturday afternoon in Missoula. While nearly 27,000 fans will be inside Washington-Grizzly Stadium Saturday watching the latest installment of this storied and bitter rivalry, and thousands upon thousands more

will be watching on television around the world, this column is about those select few that won’t be there, and won’t be able to see much of it on television. The annual Cat-Griz game is the largest sporting event held in Montana every year. And in many ways, it’s one of the most lucrative weekends on the calendar in Montana. But it isn’t alone. This weekend also marks the end of the Montana high school football season, as state championship games from Class AA down to Six-Man will be played Friday-Saturday. And for me, that’s always been a problem. Know this. I’m as excited as anybody out there that the Chinook Sugarbeeters are playing in the 2014 Class C state championship game Saturday. For those kids, and for every other football player that has made it this far, win or lose, Saturday will be a day they’ll remember for the rest of their lives. But again, there’s a problem. Simply put, the Cat-Griz game and the high school football championships are just too big to share the same day in my opinion, and I’ve felt that way for a long time. Some will argue that it’s a scheduling conﬂict that’s unavoidable, but I just don’t see it that way. For starters, I feel the high school football season is just too long, and I don’t see any reason why the Montana High School Association can’t

fix that. These kids started practice on Aug. 15, and for those that made it to the playoffs, which began on Nov. 1, that’s just short of a threemonth season. And for those kids who were fortunate enough to make it to state championship weekend, tack on another 21 days. Now, to me, with the missed school, the travel, the practice, the fact that some kids have jobs and family obligations, and on and on, that seems like an awfully long football season. Factor in injuries and the mental toll the pressure of high school football takes out on kids, and the football season is just too long, at least for 14-18 year olds. That’s just the way I see it. And here’s another example of how long the high school football season is getting. While many kids around the state prepare to play the game of their lives this Saturday, basketball, wrestling and swimming practice begins this week. In my 20plus years of covering, watching and coaching high school sports, I haven’t seen the seasons overlap like this before. So now we are going to ask these kids to play football for over three months, and jump right into the winter sports season with no time off. No rest, no recovery, no time to just focus on school or family, or even just to decompress from what is a pressure-packed football season. That, to me at least, is not the best idea. I know, in states like California,

the high school football season is even longer, and basketball begins well before the football season is over. But Montana isn’t California, and there aren’t nearly as many examples of high schools in the big states having to share as many athletes in as many sports as we do here in Montana. So would it be too much to ask to give these kids a little break? Even if the kids aren’t asking for that break, trust me, they need it and they sure could use it. And in my mind, there would be nothing wrong with that break coming on Cat-Griz weekend. Yes, it’s true, for the schools, the fans, the coaches and the players playing in state championship games from Kalispell to Wibaux this weekend, their minds won’t be on Missoula and the Brawl of the Wild. At least not until their games are over. For these kids, for these communities, and for these schools, Saturday is the biggest day of their lives, and in the moment, it doesn’t matter that they’re missing the Cat-Griz football game. But that doesn’t make it right. Just because that’s the way it is, and that’s the way we’ve always done it, doesn’t mean it can’t be changed. Why should anyone, football players, parents, school administrators, or anyone else associated with high school football have to miss out on what is the single biggest sporting event in Montana each and every year? Why should anyone have to miss out on what is Montana’s Super Bowl?

Subway

In other words, why can’t we have both? Why can’t communities like Chinook get to experience the thrill of playing for a state football championship, and also experience the thrill of attending or watching the Cat-Griz game if that’s what they want? Only the MHSA knows the answer to that question. But in my opinion, the answer is simple. I think we, as Montanan’s deserve the option of both, especially our high school student-athletes. I think those student-athletes, and the schools and communities they live in and play for, should be able to experience state championship football and the Cat-Griz football game in the same year. There’s been a movement that’s seemed to gain some traction in recent years, and that’s to have Missoula or Bozeman host all of the state football championship games in one stadium. The idea is, if CatGriz in Missoula, then all of the state football championship games would be played in Bozeman’s Bobcat Stadium over the course of two or three days. I personally am not opposed to that idea, and much of the rest of the country already does that at famous college and pro stadiums in respective states. But, that idea doesn’t change what I’m talking about. It doesn’t shorten the high school football season, and it doesn’t give these

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Montana Grizzlies Defensive Starters

Montana State Bobcats Offensive Starters Cats Offensive Numbers

Griz Defensive Numbers

Scoring: 41 ppg, 2nd in Big Sky

Scoring: 21 ppg, 1st in Big Sky Total defense: 377 ypg, 2nd in Big Sky

Josh Dennard #14, 5-11, 194 Cornerback

Mitchell Herbert #82, 6-4, 205 Receiver

Total offense: 504 ypg, 3rd in Big Sky Rushing: 257 ypg, 2nd in Big Sky

Rush defense: 149 ypg, 2nd in Big Sky

Alex Eekhoff #71, 6-6, 286 Right tackle

Zack Wagnemann #37, 6-3, 250 Defensive end Herbert Gamboa

#36, 6-1, 220 Linebacker

Matt Hermanson #12, 6-1, 198 Free Safety

Trevor Rehm #54, 6-3, 255 Defensive tackle Jeremiah Kose #45, 6-3, 240 Linebacker

Justin Whitted #31, 6-1, 195 Strong Safety

Tonga Takai #95, 6-2, 315 Nose tackle Kendrick Van Ackeren #35, 6-1, 220 Linebacker

Tyrone Holmes #91, 6-4, 245 Defensive end

Rob Ash MSU Head Coach

Quinn Catalano #79, 6-4, 300 Right guard

Joel Horn #70, 6-4, 330 Center

Dakota Prukop #5, 6-2, 195 Quarterback

Shawn Johnson #4 , 5-10, 180 Running back

JP Flynn #75, 6-5, 304 Left guard

John Weidenaar #55, 6-7, 280 Left tackle

Mitch Greibel #13, 5-10, 193 Receiver

Ash is in his eighth season at MSU, after coaching at Drake for 17 seasons. Ash has 65 wins in Bozeman, the most by any coach in MSU history. He's also led the Bobcats to four Big Sky Conference titles and five playoff appearances. His coaching career began at Cornell as an assistant, and he was also the head coach at Juanita for eight seasons.

Tia Salanoa #80, 6-3, 275 Tight end

Nate Harris #11, 5-10, 180 Corner

Tanner Roderick #11, 6-3, 185 Receiver

Trevor Bolton #30, 5-10, 199 Punter

Luke Daly #45, 6-2, 185 Kicker

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Nov. 21, 2014

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Nov. 21, 2014

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Griz love having a Zack attack Sprinting away from the past UM's Zach Wagenmann is more than a sack master, he's a hometown hero George Ferguson

Havre Daily News sports editor gferguson@havredailynews.com Long before University of Montana defensive end Zack Wagenmann was the best pass rusher in the Big Sky Conference, he was just another kid from Missoula dreaming about one day playing for the Montana Grizzlies. Long before Wagenmann was a Buck Buchanen Award finalist, he was playing prep football under the Lights at Missoula Sentinel High School. And even though Sentinel is a mere three miles from Washington-Grizzly Stadium, his dream of one day starring for the Grizzlies was nowhere near a reality. And long before Wagenmann was given the honor of wearing the famed No. 37 jersey for the Griz, he was just another freshman on a deep and talented Grizzly defense, not knowing exactly where he fit in. Now however, Wagenmann is everything mentioned above and then some. And heading into his final Cat-Griz showdown, he’s on the verge of taking a historic leap into the record books. With his next sack, Wagenmann will become the Grizzlies’ all-time leader. The 6-3, 215-pound defensive end, who’s started every game for Montana for nearly three seasons now, has 32.5 career sacks, which ties him with the late, great Tim Bush, who totaled the Grizzly record for sacks from 2000-2003. Wagenmann’s sack at Southern Utah last Saturday vaulted him past the great Kroy Biermann, who piled up 32 sacks from 20042007. And reaching the milestone is something Wagenmann doesn’t take lightly. But then again, he’s never take anything about playing for the Grizzlies for granted. “It’s really surreal and incredible just to be mentioned with those names — Kroy Biermann, Tim Bush and countless others that have played and been fantastic football players and pass rushers at Montana,” Wagenmann told the Missoulian Saturday night when learning he had tied the record. Now, with only one game left in his career with any certainty, as Montana fights for a playoff berth, Wagenmann can pin his ears back and go after the Grizzly record to call his own. And it’s only fitting he’ll try and do it on “Cat Week” as the Griz call the week the play rival Montana State. But the journey to the top of the pass rusher mountain at Montana was a long one for Wagenmann, and it started long before he became one of the greatest defensive players Montana has ever had. It started long before he became one a backfield tackle specialist, and long before he was given the honor of wearing the No. 37 jersey – which was handed to him by another former Missoula great, Jordan Tripp. But in essence, it wasn’t that long ago that Wagenmann started dreaming of playing for Grizzlies. After all, he really didn’t start tak-

ing football seriously until his junior year at Sentinel, according to Griz defensive coordinator Ty Gregorak. From there, the rise to greatness may have taken a lot of hard work, dedication and sacrifice, but it also seemed fast and furious. He totaled 11.5 sacks in a breakout sophomore season, and he didn’t slow down. He would have been the top sack man in the Big Sky in 2013, despite having offseason shoulder surgery, but Brad Daly’s monster season of 14 sacks was a total no one was going to catch. Still, Wagenmann earned Big First-team All-Conference honors and FCS All-American honors following his junior season, and he entered this fall as arguably the best defensive player in the country. He was touted to win the Big Sky Player of the Year, and has done nothing to slow that idea down this season. “People are going to want to compare him to Kroy, who had an exceptional motor,” Griz Gregorak said, referring to ex-UM defensive end Kroy Biermann. “I believe that Zack is every bit as good collegiately as Kroy was, and he’s going into his seventh season as an Atlanta Falcon.” Now, Wagenmann in his last season with the Grizzlies, a season in which he’s totaled a Big Sky best 12.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss. Wags as they call him, needs just one more TFL as well to tie Bush on that Grizzly all-time list as well. He’s already racked up 62 total tackles this season, and will certainly be one of the three finalists for the Buchanen Award next month. But, even though he has records, stardom and a sure-fire career in the NFL still in front of him, Wagenmann stays humble. He’s still the kid from Missoula who has made his dream of playing in Washington-Grizzly Stadium a reality. And nowhere was that more evident than when he received the No. 37 jersey from Tripp last winter. The honor and pride Wagenmann felt that day, and still feels every time he puts it on, just goes to show what a humble, hometown hero he truly is. "Oh it's an immense honor. I can't begin to tell you what it means to me growing up in Montana seeing all the greats that have worn it, too many to name. Just a million guys that have laid the foundation for a great program” Wagenmann said. “As far as 37 goes you accept it. The number is not going to change who you are,” Tripp, who now plays for the Miami Dolphins said. “You pass it on to someone who has those qualities and what that entails is to the community, to the locker room, to what your teammates see you as, because that number is on you. You're not going to see that number, everyone on the outside is going to see that number and what it represents and that's what he (Wagenmann) represents.” In a game that best exemplifies everything that is special about Montana, the CatGriz game, Wagenmann is that guy for the Grizzlies. And he always has been, even if he didn’t know it when he was playing for Missoula Sentinel. Yes, Zack Wagenmann is that Montana kid, humble, proud and hardworking, and he’s somebody everybody on both sides of the rivalry can look up to.

Dakota Prukop is blazing his own trail as the Bobcats' quarterback George Ferguson

Havre Daily News sports editor gferguson@havredailynews.com

AP Photo University of Montana senior Zack Wagenmann is arguably the best defensive player in the FCS. Wagnemann is closing in the Griz' all-time records for sacks and tackles for loss as he prepares to play in his final Cat-Griz game Saturday in Missoula.

Football legends are tough to follow. Especially if they’re a quarterback. In college football, a legendary quarterback graduating can make for a tough road for the up-andcomer who follows him. And that might have been the dilemma that Montana State University sophomore quarterback Dakota Prukop was facing when he learned he’d be the Bobcats’ next signal caller. After all, Prukop was following fouryear starter DeNarius McGhee, a two-time Big Sky Conference MVP, and a three-time FCS All-American. In his four years in Bozeman, McGhee literally rewrote the Bobcat record books. So, going into MSU’s season-opener, Prukop, the 6-2, 195-pound speedster from Austin, Texas, had a lot on his plate. He had a lot to live up to. And it might have been tough on the youngster, who hadn’t played a collegiate snap before that hot August night at Arkansas State, if Prukop was someone else. Instead, Prukop is a special talent, and a special breed of football player, and it’s taken him less than a full season to completely break out of the large shadow McGhee cast, and become who is right now, simply one of the best quarterbacks in all of FCS football. "He's a freak of an athlete, Dakota is, said MSU offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey. “To watch him run around and operate in the run game, the quarterback run game, the read game, he does a great job of that.” But the freakish athlete that Prukop is, with the speed of a top-end running back, and cat-quick moves, isn’t all he’s about. The kid can sling the football too, and his skill set is something that’s really never been seen at MSU, or for that matter, in the Big Sky Conference. Yes, McGhee, and Bobcat legend Travis Lulay were dual-threat QB’s in their own right, but not like Prukop. Neither of them had the speed, the lateral movement or the instincts to run like Prukop does. And the fact that he can throw too, well, that makes him one of the most dangerous football players in the FCS. “I think he gives us a dimension in the run game that’s extremely intriguing, and since the spring his pass efficiency, passing ability, has improved and continues to get better,” said MSU head coach Rob Ash. No doubt, the Texas speedster has gotten better, and better, and better, and now he’s a Walter Payton Award candidate. Prukop was added to the list several weeks ago, mainly because the numbers he has been producing could no longer be ignored, despite his youth. Prukop leads the Big Sky and is fifth in the FCS in total offense, as he’s tallied 2,279 yards passing to go with 17 touchdowns, while he’s run for 933 more yards and another 13 scores. He’s about to join Lulay and McGhee

AP Photo Montana State quarterback Dakota Prukop has brust on to the FCS scene. Prukop, who may or may not play in Saturday's Cat-Griz game, is among the top FCS quarterbacks in total offense, in this, his only season as a starter. as the only QB’s at MSU to throw for 2,000 yards and run for over a 1,000 in a season, and hopefully, he’ll get that chance in this Saturday’s annual Brawl of the Wild in Missoula. Prukop injured his knee two weeks ago against Portland State, and did not play against Idaho State last week. But he’s practiced all week and may be able to go against a stingy Grizzly defense. And if he can play, it will be his first time in the Cat-Griz spotlight. But he’s already proven, over and over, that spotlights and shadows are neither too big, nor too intimidating. Prukop has already shredded great defenses this season, including wins over Sacramento State and UC Davis where he threw for more than 350 yards and rushed for 150 more in each contest. But it isn’t just the numbers he puts up, it’s his confidence and leadership skills that have set him apart so quickly at MSU. McGhee and the rest of the 2013 MSU senior class

were known as the most successful class of Cats in MSU history. And that’s a tough act to follow. But with Prukop at the controls of a revamped MSU offense, the Cats haven’t missed a beat. They’re in line to claim a share of the Big Sky title with a win over Montana, and reach the FCS playoffs, something last year’s MSU seniors failed to do. And it’s no secret that success has coincided with the emergence of MSU’s newest star quarterback. "He can't sit still. He brings a lot of enthusiasm to the offense, a lot of enthusiasm to the team. He's the type of kid where sometimes you have to tone down instead of have to pick up and I'd rather do that all the time," said Cramsey. And the Walter Payton Award candidate has a reason to be confident and enthusiastic. He’s likely going to be in the running for Big Sky Player of the Year, and his team is charging towards the playoffs with him at the

controls of one of the most prolific offenses in the FCS, and one of the most productive offenses MSU fans have ever seen. Ironically though, Prukop is about his team, much more than he’s about his stats, even with his confident ways. And he says it was McGhee, who left a giant shadow over Prukop and Bobcat Stadium, that has helped him become the player he is today. And simply put, that player, Dakota Prukop, is now one of the best football players in the country. “I learned a lot from DeNarius,” Prukop said. “If it wasn’t a perfect play by him then he would put it upon himself. People say he was too hard on himself, but I always loved the idea that he was strong enough to take the pressure off other guys. “I just want to do my job,” Prukop said. “I know I can count on the other 10 guys to do their jobs to the best of their ability, so I just have to take it upon myself to do my job.”