“There’s not a better feeling than to look across the huddle or the field and see some of your best friends, just having that bond and confidence,” the Montana senior said. “You can almost see it in their eyes, ‘We’re going to get this done.’ ”
The tenacious trio of Utterback, Kyle Ryan and Tyler Joyce has been making big plays for more than three years as Griz starting linebackers. They’ve spent more time together than most siblings, and become as close as brothers in spite of their differences.
“Tyler’s a journalism major, but he kind of keeps to himself and is a little more reserved. Loren is a pharmacy major, so he likes to analyze everything. Kyle is your all-everything, clean-cut, all-American guy. He’s what every mother would want.”
One thing the three have in common, according to Gregorak, is they’re “students of the game.” Their insatiable appetite for football knowledge helps put them in position to make important split-second decisions on Saturdays.
“We’ve grown and learned the system together,” said Joyce, who has a weekly Internet program called “Joyce’s Journal” on www.montanagrizzlies.com.
“It’s great to have guys you can count on to make plays. We have a lot of confidence in each other, and if one guy is not having a good game, you know the others will pick up the slack.”
Utterback, a Fort Benton native who wears Montana’s prestigious No. 37, says the chemistry between the three starting linebackers has gotten better each season.
“We’re a lot different people, but we’ve spent enough time together to appreciate each other’s idiosyncrasies,” he said. “It’s been nice getting to know those guys.”
Utterback, Ryan and Joyce are three reasons the Griz are ranked No. 2 in scoring defense in the Football Championship Subdivision. Montana was especially tough last week when Sacramento State crossed midfield. Seven times the Hornets ventured into Montana territory, yet they finished with just three points.
“We put a lot of time into our short zone defense,” Utterback said. “That’s the most important thing, keeping points off the board, understanding where to be and when so you’re breaking up balls and not wondering where to go.”
Experience, says Ryan, is especially valuable when it comes to red zone defense. He, Utterback and Joyce have become adept at sensing what an opposing offense is going to try, giving them an advantage other linebackers don’t enjoy.
“We go in with the expectation that we don’t want to give up a point, and we’re disappointed with ourselves when we do give up points,” said Ryan, a Griz co-captain. “We go in with that kind of confidence.”
With experience also comes an understanding from Ryan, Joyce and Utterback that Montana needs to improve if it hopes to return to the national championship for the first time since 2004. The Griz have been inconsistent at times on both sides of the ball, which could hurt them dearly come playoff time.
“We still have a lot of little things to work out,” Joyce said of the defense. “You have to be able to focus no matter who the opponent is.”
Ryan echoed Joyce’s assessment.
“We’re in the best place we can be at 6-0,” said Ryan, a Billings product. “But we definitely have a lot to work on.
“There’s no one on this team that doesn’t think that. We’re not championship form right now, but I don’t think many teams could say they are. It just makes it a fun challenge each week to get better.”
Utterback says the Griz defense is excited to take the field Saturday against Northern Colorado and show the home folks that Eastern Washington’s big passing day two weeks ago at Washington-Grizzly Stadium was an anomaly.
“We’ve been on our heels a little bit on crossing routes and screen patterns,” he said. “Quarterback scrambles have been getting some first downs against us too.
“I don’t think there’s any magic bullet, just look at your assignments and tighten it up. After last week (at Sacramento State), I like where we’re at. But I’m not content. We’re still underachieving. I’ve never seen us more talented defensively, but we have a lot left to show.”
Sports columnist Bill Speltz can be reached at 523-5255 or at bill.speltz@lee.net.
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