The nonconference game, set for 1:05 p.m. in Washington-Grizzly Stadium, doesn't figure to be the barn-burner it was in 2002 when the Griz outscored the Thunderbirds 68-45. Then again, that was by far the T-Birds' best game in a 1-10 season.
“Southern Utah looks like a great opponent,” fifth-year Montana coach Bobby Hauck said Tuesday. “They've got a veteran quarterback and the last two times they've been in our stadium they've hung 45 points on us. I think you'd have to be not paying attention to not know they'll be extremely difficult to beat.”
Many in the sellout crowd will be waiting for the return of Payton Award candidate Lex Hilliard, who missed last season with an Achilles injury. Hauck has mentioned that there will be “a close pitch count” on Hilliard, a 230-pounder with 2,880 career rushing yards.
“I already know what Lex can do,” Hauck added on Wednesday. “Lex is going to be Lex. I've seen him play for four years.
“I'm interested to see what our team will do.”
To that end, UM has to deal with Southern Utah's spread option offense. It centers around quarterback Wes Marshall, yet the Thunderbirds line up in a variety of ways. They'll have top rushers Kyle Coop and Johnny Sanchez in the backfield at the same time, for example.
“They've got some components of the spread offense, they've got some option components, they've got some West Coast components,” Hauck said. “They're pretty versatile and broad-based.”
“It's tough four our linebackers,” said senior Kyle Ryan, the middle backer for the Griz. “They do a lot of misdirection, which challenges our discipline. We have to keep our eyes right.
“It seems that their whole offense is a pretty talented group.”
Montana's defense, like Southern Utah's, boasts nine returning starters led by Buchanan Award candidate Kroy Biermann at one end. Whether he stays on the left side and away from SUU left tackle Matt Roan remains to be seen, though Roan - a 280-pound third-year starter - figures Biermann could move over.
“He's the kind of football player you want to play in the big games,” Roan said.
Hauck hedged on what Biermann will be doing, saying, “We can line up Kroy in a lot of spots.” But it appears many of the Griz will play, including their cornerbacks.
Seniors Quinton Jackson and Chris Clark will likely start, with true freshman Jamaine Olson, junior transfer Ciarre Campbell and redshirt freshman Jeremy Pate the next ones in.
Whoever's in, Southern Utah expects an active, rallying defense.
“It's a ton of great athletes who just play solid football,” said Roan. “There are very few teams where it seems all 11 guys are in on the tackle.”
Offensively, quarterback Cole Bergquist and the Griz will have to deal with a defense that gambles some and is rarely vanilla.
Linebackers La'Var Porter and Robert Takeno lead the way along with safeties Jovan Jackson and D.J. Senter, corners Derrick Brown and DeWaye Lewis and end Jimmy Judd.
“You never know what they're going to bring the first game,” said Bergquist, who'll be making his 10th start as a Griz. “Just in their film from last year, they've shown the ability to run almost every coverage in the book.
“That's kind of scary as a quarterback, because it makes your reads a little more difficult.”
Hilliard, held out of contact drills most of fall (as was Coop with Southern Utah), is backed up by 228-pound junior Greg Coleman, 202-pound sophomore Thomas Brooks-Fletcher and 215-pound senior Reggie Bradshaw.
All figure to see action, as well Montana's deep pool of receivers and offensive linemen.
Southern Utah doesn't have the depth - 12 freshmen are listed as backups in its depth chart - but has accumulated its most front-line talent in a while. Whether that wins out for the Thunderbirds is anyone's guess.
“We know we've got to up there and play a perfect game, and have everybody cohesive and together to have a chance,” Meier said. “It's just the tradition of everything up there. That means a lot to the players and fans. It's going to be exciting and fun.”
NOTES: Sophomore Marc Mariani will be returning punts for the Griz, but he won't be the only one, Hauck said. “We're going to have a lot of guys who'll have chances,” he said. “Punts and kicks, a lot of guys are. Through the non-conference seaqson we could as many as five or six guys.” ... Hauck, for the record, likes the Grizzlies' pre-league schedule. “If the implication is there's something wrong with it, there isn't,” he said. “That's who we should be playing - two I-AAs and a Division II. That's probably where you should be in your non-conference.” ... UM offensive lineman J.D. Quinn is to sit out this game and the next two, sources say, for disciplinary reasons. ... Friday's article has an error: Delaware actually scored 49 points in the 1993 playoffs. That's the most scored by an opponent in Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
Southern Utah
at Montana
Kickoff: 1:05 p.m., MDT
Venue: Washington-Grizzly Stadium (23,183, SprinTurf).
Forecast: 86 degrees with a 30 percent chance of rain.
TV: Tape delay at 10:30 p.m. on KPAX (Phil Buck, Bob Hermes).
Radio: KGVO 1290 AM (Mick Holien, Scott Gurnsey).
On the net: www.bigskytv.org and www.montanagrizzlies.com
Tickets: The game is sold out.
Records: Both teams are 0-0.
Series history: Montana leads 2-1.
Coaches: Bobby Hauck is 41-13 entering his fifth season at UM. Wes Meier is 10-22 heading into his fourth season at Southern Utah.
|
 |
 |
Add your comment now! Write your comment in the form below.
(Email address is for verification only. If you'd like to email a story, look for the link above)