The good was an improved defensive showing, though there were a couple decent touchdown passes surrendered.
The bad, one supposes, is a run game that didn't get untracked despite the presence of a seasoned offensive line going against a retooling D.
“That's the way it is. We saw some good things on both sides. I'm glad we don't have to play today.”
Receivers Marc Mariani and Bryan Riggs hauled in TD passes and Chase Reynolds supplied a 10-yard scoring run to highlight the practice, held in front of 1,500 fans on a near-perfect day.
Mariani, a junior from Havre, hauled in his TD on an 18-yard pass from Jeff Larson.
It was the same look Mariani had in the Grizzlies' first scrimmage, when he hauled in a 38-yard strike from Andrew Selle. He ran a deep route while a teammate ran underneath and drew one-on-one coverage.
Larson, a freshman from Cut Bank, did the rest.
“Larson stepped up and threw a great ball,” said Mariani, who had two catches for 23 yards. “He put it right on the numbers. It was right between the 8 and the 0.”
Near the end Riggs, a junior from Spokane, Wash., won a jump ball to haul in a 15-yard strike from Clint Stapp, a junior from Niwot, Colo.
In all Montana's QBs completed 17 of 30 passes, a step down from the 24-for-33 performance in the first scrimmage on March 21. The passes came mostly underneath, though Cole Bergquist had an excellent sight-adjust throw to Mike Ferriter, who gained 37 yards.
The defense came away encouraged, if cautiously so.
“I'd say we're a work in progress,” Griz defensive coordinator Kraig Paulson said.
“I thought we made great strides through the spring,” said junior safety Shann Schillinger, who had four tackles Saturday. “We lost a lot of players, and you know, it's going to take a little while to get going. But I thought we came a long ways. We've still got a long ways to go. Still a long ways to go before we play Cal Poly.”
Linebacker Thomas Bauer, a JC transfer who began his career at Northern Colorado, had a team-high six stops. He registered a sack of Bergquist on the QB's first snap. Ryan Featherston and Tyler Hobbs had back-to-back sacks of Bergquist a couple series later.
“We got a lot of stops today,” said defensive tackle Craig Mettler. “We got a few stops where instead of throwing in the (second and third units), they just threw back on first down and kept going with the same unit to give the offense some looks.”
The TD run by Reynolds, a sophomore from Drummond, around left end was the Grizzlies' longest play on the ground. They gained 48 yards on 31 carries.
“They had a couple scores here and there, but I thought the defense held its own,” said Mettler. “Joe (Smith) made a few plays, Feather got off the edge well, (Mike) Stadnyk was making some good reads, (Jesse) Carlson made some good plays.
“I don't know if it was night and day with the first scrimmage, but it was toward that. A mid-afternoon to night type of deal. It was good.”
Bergquist had the best day statistically, going 8-for-13 passing for 90 yards. Thomas Brooks-Fletcher led the way on the ground with 22 yards on six carries.
Stadnyk, Shawn Lebsock and Smith all knocked down passes.
QUICK KICKS: Selle took the day's first snaps from scrimmage at quarterback, and threw for 47 yards. ... Receiver Tony Kazmierczak of Thompson Falls didn't suit up because of injury. ... Cornerbacks Nick Haynes and Ciarre Campbell were shaken up in the scrimmage. Campbell had three tackles. ... Ferriter, Riggs and Ty Palmer all caught a scrimmage-high three passes. ... Butte product Ken Wood missed a trio of field goals, though a bad snap foiled one. ... There were no punts or kickoffs in the scrimmage.
STATISTICS
SCORING
Chase Reynolds 10 run (Ken Wood kick)
Marc Mariani 18 pass from Jeff Larson (no PAT attempt)
Bryan Riggs 15 pass from Clint Stapp (no PAT attempt)
RUSHING: Thomas Brooks-Fletcher 6-22, Chase Reynolds 7-15, Andrew Schmidt 7-13, Brady Brunelle 2-6, Brandon Utterback 3-3, Eron Krpan 1-5, Jeff Larson 1-0, Caleb Gee 1-0, Cole Berguist 3-minus 16.
PASSING: Bergquist 8-13-0 for 90 yards, Andrew Selle 6-11-0 for 47 yards, Larson 2-4-0 for 19 yards, Clint Stapp 1-2-0 for 15 yards.
RECEIVING: Mike Ferriter 3-63, Ty Palmer 3-42, Bryan Riggs 3-36, Marc Mariani 2-23, Schmidt 2-1, Kevin Klaboe 1-8, Rob Schulte 1-6, Brooks-Fletcher 1-1, Utterback 1-1.
DEFENSIVE LEADERS
Tackles: Thomas Bauer 6, Tim Anderson 5, Tom Martin 4, Shann Schillinger 4, Andy Gonzalez 3, Ciarre Campbell 3.
Sacks: Bauer, Ryan Featherston, Tyler Hobbs.
Pass deflections: Mike Stadnyk, Shawn Lebsock, Joe Smith.
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