On the eighth day, the Grizzlies did not rest.The University of Montana football team went through two more practices Wednesday at the South Campus Fields. Scout teams were carved out Tuesday, and the Griz coaches have begun implementing game planning for the season opener at Iowa.
“We've been watching film all summer, but we're just starting now to get into some of their formations and some of their stuff,” junior linebacker Tyler Joyce said of Iowa. “We'd been running against our offense for the first week or so, just to get back into contact.
Joyce, 6-foot-5 and 227 pounds, was the Grizzlies' leading tackler last season with 83. He is part of a deep group of linebackers, despite sophomore Tyler Corwin's absence because of a knee injury in the spring. None of them are seniors.
The lone graduation loss from last season's linebacker corps was Shane MacIntyre. That leaves leadership split roughly six ways - between Joyce, fellow juniors Kyle Ryan, Loren Utterback, Muckie Foreman and Alex Hawthorne, and sophomore Shawn Lebsock. That's not to mention redshirt freshmen Jace Palmer and Tyler Pelleur.
“I think we have a lot of leaders,” said Joyce. “Definitely Kyle at “mike” middle linebacker, because he's the defense's quarterback. But we've been together so long that we know what's expected. We're all leaders. I've been with these guys three years, and some have been together four.”
“The great news with our linebackers is they're experienced,” fourth-year Montana coach Bobby Hauck said. “Yet we don't have a senior in the group, so we're going to have these guys for years.”
Wednesday's late drills ended with a series of runs in 11-on-11. Practice was otherwise notable because injured running back Lex Hilliard made an appearance.
“We had a real good practice,” Hauck said. “We're eight days in now, and this is the hardest part of camp right here - today, tomorrow and Friday will be the toughest of our fall camp. It's long, there hasn't been much of a break and it's really a test of willpower to see who can go and who can't.”
Senior cornerback Tuff Harris sat out Wednesday's drills with a sore hamstring.
“He should be fine,” Hauck said. “We need him to stay in shape, but we also don't need him to pull a hamstring and lose lots of time.”
There were several red, “non-contact” shirts on display Wednesday, but Hauck was hopeful the worst was over. Of course, the loss of Hilliard to a torn Achilles tendon was a low point.
“We don't have, besides Lex, within our two-deep anything serious,” Hauck said. “Which is good. We need to keep it that way for two more weeks.”
Hilliard showed up, on crutches, roughly 24 hours after having surgery. The senior said the injury really hadn't sunk in yet, but that he “will come back next year and go for it again.”
Until then, he will be a medical redshirt and a fan.
“Some of my best friends are playing football,” said Hilliard, who is 1,186 yards short of UM's career rushing record, held by Yo Humphery. “That's about what I get to do - cheer them on and help them any way I can.”
QUICK KICKS: Montana wasn't the only Big Sky program to lose a key player - Northern Colorado's 285-pound Matt Sens, the Bears' starting center the past two seasons, left the team for personal reasons, according to the Greeley (Colo.) Tribune. Sens, a senior leader, had moved to guard during spring drills. Š Iowa's Kyle Schlicher is one of 30 preseason candidates for the 15th annual Lou Groza Aard, given to the nation's top collegiate kicker. Schlicher has hit 38 of 47 career field goals for the Hawkeyes. Š On the former Griz front, the Tennessee Titans have a rough draft of a two-deep on their Web site, and recent UM graduate Brad Rhoades is listed as backup at left tackle. The starter is former Eastern Washington standout Michael Roos. Š From Bill Parcells: “Procter played pretty good for a young guy.” Ex-Griz Cory Procter, class of '05, graded the highest among the Dallas Cowboys' offensive linemen in their 13-3 NFL preseason win over Seattle on Saturday, according to DallasCowboys.com. The free agent is fighting for a spot at guard, while Pat McQuistan, a 7th-round pick in the 2006 draft out of Weber State, is playing tackle. “That's another what I would call a pleasant surprise from camp - along with Procter,” Parcells said of McQuistan. Š Thatcher Szalay, a Griz from 1998-2001, is listed as third-string center by the Baltimore Ravens.
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