If your job is protecting the punter and kicker for the University of Montana football team, you've got a long week ahead of you.
Coach Bobby Hauck said as much Saturday after the Grizzlies had a field goal and a point-after attempt blocked in UM's 29-24 win over UC Davis.
“The protection ... that's another thorn in my side,” Hauck said. “When I have a thorn in my side, then somebody else is going to have a thorn in their side.”
The blocked extra point, which came after Montana's second touchdown, put a damper on what was a blistering start by the offense. On the first play after UM's special teams blocked a UC Davis punt, Cole Bergquist hooked up with Mike Ferriter for a 26-yard touchdown barely five minutes into the game, giving the Griz a 13-0 lead.
But UC Davis defensive tackle John Faletoese burst through the middle of UM's line to block the point-after attempt and begin the irritation in Hauck's ribcage.
Faletoese wasn't done, either.
The 6-foot-3 senior later stuffed 34-yard field goal attempt by Brody McKnight midway through the fourth quarter, keeping the score 23-17 in favor of UM but just a one-possession game.
When the Aggies took the ensuing possession and marched 81 yards for the go-ahead touchdown, both blocks suddenly took on a radioactive glare.
Cole Bergquist and Mark Mariani eventually sent everyone home happy, but the lack of protection on Montana's special teams needs to be repaired - and soon, Hauck said.
“We gotta get that fixed,” he said. “We'll get that fixed this week. It was emphasized last week, and it's going to get more emphasis this week. I guarantee you we'll have it fixed next Saturday.”
Faletoese said his blocks were the result of good work by UC Davis assistant coaches.
“Our special teams coach pointed out their right guard might have been a weak link, and I got through twice on him,” Faletoese said. “Coach Nevan (Bergan) looked at the film and it worked out.”
Word of that bit of enterprise didn't surprise Hauck one bit.
“Central Washington is going to see something on tape - that we suck,” Hauck said. “But we'll get it right. I don't guarantee much, but I guarantee our field goal protection will be good next week.”
McKnight on mark
Of course, it wasn't all bad on UM's special teams.
In fact, aside from the two blocked kicks, things went quite well against the Aggies.
McKnight, a transfer from Purdue, made his mark in his first start of the season after shaking off an undisclosed injury. The freshman from Vancouver, British Columbia, connected on a 46-yard field goal in the first half to give Montana a 16-3 lead.
And Hauck was also pleased with Billings freshman Russell Schey, who handles the kickoff duties.
“Brody came in and hit the ball well on field goals,” he said. “Schey hit it really well on kickoffs, so we're pretty solid in the kicking game except for the field goal and PAT.”
On the defensive side of the ball, Montana has stuffed an opponent's punt in all three games this season. Saturday, it was Houston Stockton, son of Utah Jazz legend John Stockton, who provided the fireworks, blocking UC Davis' first punt of the game.
The sophomore from Spokane burst around the corner to get a hand on the boot by Aggies punter Brett Dickinson, who had rolled to his right in an effort to get off a rugby-style kick. It didn't work.
“We went to a rugby attack trying to help our punt team a little bit,” said UC Davis coach Bob Biggs, who expressed his own frustration with his special teams. “I don't know what happened. We got outflanked, and it looked like our punter ran into the guy on the end.”
Great West, great wins
The Great West Conference has been a great place for the Grizzlies so far this season.
Montana played its third straight game - and posted its third straight win - against a team from the league that organized in 2004. UC Davis, Cal Poly, Southern Utah, South Dakota and North Dakota are currently the five football-playing members of the nine-school conference.
All of the teams are FCS playoff eligible, but the league does not get an automatic bid because it doesn't have enough football-playing members.
“We're the frontrunners to win the Great West now,” Hauck quipped, with a 30-28 win over Cal Poly and a 46-10 victory over Southern Utah in his rearview mirror.
When it came to picking the team to beat in the Great West, however, Hauck had no trouble in making a selection.
“I think Cal Poly is the class of that league,” he said. “I think they're really good. I think it was an upset (that Montana beat the Mustangs). I still do. I don't think it was an upset that we won today. But with Cal Poly ... you better strap it up when you play those guys.”
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kevin m wrote on Sep 21, 2008 10:14 AM: