A few days later there was still little to gripe about in Montana's 49-0 football victory over Fort Lewis on Saturday.Clearing the bench didn't affect the Grizzlies. Playing 73 gridders, the home team allowed just two first downs after halftime to the Division II Skyhawks.
“It never got sloppy, no matter who was in the game,” said fifth-year Griz coach Bobby Hauck.
For one, safety Shann Schillinger picked up a ball punched loose from Fort Lewis quarterback Dave Nieman by Paul LaMantia and took it roughly 40 yards to the end zone. The Baker product was ruled to have been out of bounds when he gathered in the rock.
A couple possessions earlier in the third quarter, Tyler Joyce had a pass from Skyhawks QB Tom Stoffel hit him right in the 6, then bounce away and knock off the umpire's hat.
Joyce has had a couple of those get away, but the 6-foot-5, 227-pound outside linebacker may have held up because he'd already had a run-in with official Dan Mahoney.
“A couple plays before that I bumped into him and ran him over,” said the senior from Aurora, Colo. “I'm sure he wasn't too happy about that. It (the missed pick) wasn't his fault. I should have still caught it.”
For the record, Joyce has one career interception, against Eastern Washington in 2005. He just happens to have several more deflections, like one early in the Iowa game last season.
“It was the same kind of thing,” said Joyce, who had five tackles Saturday. “I just dropped it. It's not something I really want to be known for.”
Hauck said Joyce took a little razzing in the film room this week.
“He got a little after the game,” he added, smiling. “Those are missed opportunities and hopefully he'll make that play next time. It would be good to catch it.”
It's not all bad, of course.
“I did lead the team in pass breakups last year,” noted Joyce, who had 10 in 2006. He now has 14 for his career.
The Grizzlies, who have a bye this weekend, practiced in full pads Tuesday and Wednesday and will again Thursday. Each practice is punctuated with a “Rookie Bowl,” where the least-experienced players go full-contact at the end.“Once we get out of fall camp, they don't get anything resembling live tempo,” said Hauck. “They get a chance to play and we get a chance to evaluate them. We watch the tape every morning to see who can tackle, who can stay on blocks, and who can learn vicariously. It's got value.
“Plus it's fun for those guys to play.”
Appalachian State had an open date this weekend, and so did Northern Arizona, which plays at the Division I FCS juggernaut Saturday at 5:35 p.m.
Another team that had an opening, of course, was Montana. But UM athletic director Jim O'Day said beyond preliminary contact nine months ago, nothing was pursued. Which was fine with Hauck.
“I'd much rather play them in the playoffs, personally,” he said. “If we both have aspirations of getting in the playoffs, there's no reason to play in September.”
Northern Arizona, meanwhile, will take a full contingent to Boone, N.C.
“They were struggling to get a game, we were struggling to get a game,” NAU coach Jerome Souers said in July of playing the Mountaineers. “Some years I wouldn't have played it. This year, it's either insane or the greatest idea in the world.
“They're the Montana of the East Coast, they have a tremendous tradition, and a very talented team. We're going to take that challenge on.”
Appalachian State will pay NAU a reported $186,000. That allows the Lumberjacks to take just about everybody connected to the program to play the two-time defending FCS champs, in a sold-out stadium.
“You'll see the benefits that you reap from that,” Souers said. “I think our people need to see that.”
Senior running back Lex Hilliard is among 22 young men selected to the American Football Coaches Association “Good Works Team” that honors players for their dedication and commitment to community service. Eleven players come from the FBS, formerly Division I-A. The rest come from the FCS, Divisions II and III and the NAIA.
The Good Works Team has been selected since 1992, and since 1997 by the AFCA. Hilliard, a Kalispell product who has a team-high 194 rushing yards, was selected for his work with middle school students in Missoula, Whitefish and Kalispell, volunteer work with the Missoula County law enforcement, as well as with youth groups and the Little Grizzly football program.
QUICK KICKS: Montana is sixth among FCS schools in the Sagarin Ratings this week, at No. 89 overall. Appalachian State is rated No. 53, followed by Southern Illinois (68), Delaware (77), Northern Iowa (83) and UMass (84). Š UM, ranked No. 2 in the Sports Network's Top 25, and UMass are tied at No. 2 in this weeks FCS Coaches' Poll. Š Montana's next opponent, Albany (Sept. 22 at home), plays No. 19 Hofstra this Saturday. Š Thirteen Griz have caught passes through the first two games. Š UM leads the Big Sky Conference in scoring defense (8.5 ppg), and the Grizzlies' Tyson Johnson continues to lead the league in punting (with a 47-yard average). Š Defensive end Kroy Biermann is tied with Portland State's Michael Dorsey for the league lead in tackles for loss, at 1.5 per game.
CLICK HERE to listen to raw audio from Wednesday's weekly Big Sky Conference football coaches conference call with the media.
Grizzly safety Shann Schillinger looks for an errant pass during Wednesday's practice.
SEPP JANNOTTA/Missoulian
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