2023 cats Regular Season Predictions

[ElrodGrizzly]

I've meant to ask this for a while, but I don't know why Vigen is Sixx? I've tried to figure it out, and I know I must be missing some information.

He was the 6th candidate interviewed for the job.

Okay, that's funny. I didn't follow their coaching search at all, so I didn't realize that. Kind of surprises me. I think that even I could have taken the team Choate left and had this much success. (And I say that as someone who would make a shocking poor football coach). I would have figured someone would have been looking at that job as a great two year stepping stone.

Thanks for the answer, Kem.

 

[SoldierGriz]

He was the 6th candidate interviewed for the job.

Okay, that's funny. I didn't follow their coaching search at all, so I didn't realize that. Kind of surprises me. I think that even I could have taken the team Choate left and had this much success. (And I say that as someone who would make a shocking poor football coach). I would have figured someone would have been looking at that job as a great two year stepping stone.

Thanks for the answer, Kem.

With the glaring exception of hiring coordinators - sixx has done pretty well. If only he could hire men to serve as positive role models...but, alas.

 

[ElrodGrizzly]

Okay, that's funny. I didn't follow their coaching search at all, so I didn't realize that. Kind of surprises me. I think that even I could have taken the team Choate left and had this much success. (And I say that as someone who would make a shocking poor football coach). I would have figured someone would have been looking at that job as a great two year stepping stone.

Thanks for the answer, Kem.

With the glaring exception of hiring coordinators - sixx has done pretty well. If only he could hire men to serve as positive role models...but, alas.

He hasn't completely sucked at recruiting. I'm reserving judgement. He had the Choate classes there, and I have never denied that they were coached up and enthusiastic as a team. He had Troy Anderson his first year, who was huge, plus guys like Okada and O'Reilly.

I think Mellott is a good player. I have no hate for him just because he wears blue and gold. And Chambers was a great addition for their offense, but he followed Vigen from Wyoming.

Lets see if he can take kids and develop them in his system. Has he done well, or did he have a team good enough that the coaches couldn't mess it up? I'm looking forward to finding out.

 

[AZGrizFan]

Regular season you ask? Should be 8-0 again in BSC play without too much resistance. Personally, I'm already looking past the regular season.

I see the Cats playing SDSU twice next season. Praying for a split but that might be a tall order. That Jackrabbit team will be really damn good. Seriously. Can't believe that many studs stayed in place.

What do you want to bet you don't go 8-0 in conference play?

Whatever it is, I want a piece of that action.

 

[EverettGriz]

I honestly don’t know how many wins I’d predict. Sixx, maybe seven? I’m more interested to see if they end the year with more felony dui charges than victories. Should be fascinating to watch.

I've meant to ask this for a while, but I don't know why Vigen is Sixx? I've tried to figure it out, and I know I must be missing some information.

The first five guys they offered took a look at that job and said “fuuuuuuckkkk nooooooo”. I’m sure the culture we’re seeing play out right before our eyes had much to do with that. In any event, MsdUi was like, “Well, we’re having trouble here, guys. No one wants our job. Maybe we offer that one guy who no one else seems to want. Maybe he’ll take it”. And viola! Sixx was hired.

 

[ABQCat]

Regular season you ask? Should be 8-0 again in BSC play without too much resistance. Personally, I'm already looking past the regular season.

I see the Cats playing SDSU twice next season. Praying for a split but that might be a tall order. That Jackrabbit team will be really damn good. Seriously. Can't believe that many studs stayed in place.

What do you want to bet you don't go 8-0 in conference play?

I believe the Cats have improved year over year, particularly in the trenches where it matters most. What's crazy about predicting the same conference record as last year? I'm not out on a limb here. This will be a really good Bobcat football team. Like it or not.

 

[CDAGRIZ]

What do you want to bet you don't go 8-0 in conference play?

I believe the Cats have improved year over

And some people believe in Sasquatch.

 

[EverettGriz]

I believe the Cats have improved year over

And some people believe in Sasquatch.

Well, we all know their backups are better than their starters, so....

Really, for the bubs, I think it comes down to whether or not their assistants can coach from the box. And when I say "box" I don't mean the press box, if you get my drift.

 

[CDAGRIZ]

And some people believe in Sasquatch.

Well, we all know their backups are better than their starters, so....

Really, for the bubs, I think it comes down to whether or not their assistants can coach from the box. And when I say "box" I don't mean the press box, if you get my drift.

Yeah, sheesh. Both coordinators and the RB coach in the span of six months, woof. We may never know what happened with the second DUI/coverup. Local media is keeping tight lipped on that one, and I bet it’s for a reason.

 

[ABQCat]

And some people believe in Sasquatch.

Well, we all know their backups are better than their starters, so....

Really, for the bubs, I think it comes down to whether or not their assistants can coach from the box. And when I say "box" I don't mean the press box, if you get my drift.

I DO have a candidate for the inevitable 'backup better than the starter (BBTTS): OG Omar Aigbedion. Over 300# with fantastic feet. He was a wrecking ball out in space last year. Haley (or somebody) had him as one of the highest graded lineman in the nation. And guess what. He's on the 2nd string!! You can't make this stuff up!!!!

I've already made several notes on Sean Chambers in this category. You can't make this stuff up!!!!

 

[mthoopsfan]

What do you want to bet you don't go 8-0 in conference play?

I believe the Cats have improved year over year, particularly in the trenches where it matters most. What's crazy about predicting the same conference record as last year? I'm not out on a limb here. This will be a really good Bobcat football team. Like it or not.

What's crazy is that your team won't be as good, you have a tougher schedule, you play more tough games on the road, the Griz will beat you in Missoula, you were lucky town some games last season, teams won't have 3 bad punt snaps and safeties in a game, you will get crushed (and maybe injured) by SDS, you will finally have to plays SS (even tho they will be down), dui convictions will affect your coaches, teams will have better figured out your offense, etc.

 

[ElrodGrizzly]

Well, we all know their backups are better than their starters, so....

Really, for the bubs, I think it comes down to whether or not their assistants can coach from the box. And when I say "box" I don't mean the press box, if you get my drift.

I DO have a candidate for the inevitable 'backup better than the starter (BBTTS): OG Omar Aigbedion. Over 300# with fantastic feet. He was a wrecking ball out in space last year. Haley (or somebody) had him as one of the highest graded lineman in the nation. And guess what. He's on the 2nd string!! You can't make this stuff up!!!!

I've already made several notes on Sean Chambers in this category. You can't make this stuff up!!!!

I don't know about your Guard, but I find it shocking that coaches would put a worse player in the starting line up. There has to be something else there.

Chambers is a bit different. Mellot won that locker room so hard when he came in and led them into the playoffs two seasons ago. He's a tough kid, and seems to be a very natural leader. I do agree with you that Chambers is probably a better QB, but Vigen would have had an actual revolt in the locker room if he didn't stick with TDT, so they are left with a very interesting situation. I'd love to say that I expect it to blow up, but both of them seem to be handling the situation with maturity.

I have to go wash my hands after typing that, now.

 

[poorgriz]

I DO have a candidate for the inevitable 'backup better than the starter (BBTTS): OG Omar Aigbedion. Over 300# with fantastic feet. He was a wrecking ball out in space last year. Haley (or somebody) had him as one of the highest graded lineman in the nation. And guess what. He's on the 2nd string!! You can't make this stuff up!!!!

I've already made several notes on Sean Chambers in this category. You can't make this stuff up!!!!

I don't know about your Guard, but I find it shocking that coaches would put a worse player in the starting line up. There has to be something else there.

Chambers is a bit different. Mellot won that locker room so hard when he came in and led them into the playoffs two seasons ago. He's a tough kid, and seems to be a very natural leader. I do agree with you that Chambers is probably a better QB, but Vigen would have had an actual revolt in the locker room if he didn't stick with TDT, so they are left with a very interesting situation. I'd love to say that I expect it to blow up, but both of them seem to be handling the situation with maturity.

I have to go wash my hands after typing that, now.

Ya, I know it’s tough for some griz fans to wrap their heads around the fact that MSU has the kind of excellent quality depth the griz used to have eons ago. Not saying backups are BETTER than starters everywhere, but just as good.

 

[retiredpopo]

I don't know about your Guard, but I find it shocking that coaches would put a worse player in the starting line up. There has to be something else there.

Chambers is a bit different. Mellot won that locker room so hard when he came in and led them into the playoffs two seasons ago. He's a tough kid, and seems to be a very natural leader. I do agree with you that Chambers is probably a better QB, but Vigen would have had an actual revolt in the locker room if he didn't stick with TDT, so they are left with a very interesting situation. I'd love to say that I expect it to blow up, but both of them seem to be handling the situation with maturity.

I have to go wash my hands after typing that, now.

Ya, I know it’s tough for some griz fans to wrap their heads around the fact that MSU has the kind of excellent quality depth the griz used to have eons ago. Not saying backups are BETTER than starters everywhere, but just as good.

I know the scats are going to be good. They are well coached and have quality kids, same as the Griz.I think it will come down to the last game for bsc champs. I can see both teams coming into the game without a conference loss and at worst 1 loss. Not sure if the scats tougher schedule will help or hurt them. Hopefully both teams will be at full strength and it will be a great game.

 

[ilovethecats]

Ya, I know it’s tough for some griz fans to wrap their heads around the fact that MSU has the kind of excellent quality depth the griz used to have eons ago. Not saying backups are BETTER than starters everywhere, but just as good.

I know the scats are going to be good. They are well coached and have quality kids, same as the Griz.I think it will come down to the last game for bsc champs. I can see both teams coming into the game without a conference loss and at worst 1 loss. Not sure if the scats tougher schedule will help or hurt them. Hopefully both teams will be at full strength and it will be a great game.

I'd love that! Every season should come down to the Montana teams to win the conference on the last weekend of the season.

Our schedule is crazy this year. Our home schedule is brutal because it will be very boring. I'd expect us to win every game at home by 20-30.

Road schedule is just brutal because it's going to be tough as shit. South Dakota St, Weber, Sac St, Idaho and the Griz all on the road. We get through all those with only a loss or two and I'd feel really good going into the playoffs.

 

[ElrodGrizzly]

I know the scats are going to be good. They are well coached and have quality kids, same as the Griz.I think it will come down to the last game for bsc champs. I can see both teams coming into the game without a conference loss and at worst 1 loss. Not sure if the scats tougher schedule will help or hurt them. Hopefully both teams will be at full strength and it will be a great game.

I'd love that! Every season should come down to the Montana teams to win the conference on the last weekend of the season.

Our schedule is crazy this year. Our home schedule is brutal because it will be very boring. I'd expect us to win every game at home by 20-30.

Road schedule is just brutal because it's going to be tough as poop. South Dakota St, Weber, Sac St, Idaho and the Griz all on the road. We get through all those with only a loss or two and I'd feel really good going into the playoffs.

I wasn't expecting Sac or Weber to have good years, but our resident Weber poster seems to feel that they will stay right where they have been in terms of their team.

You guys are definitely getting a much tougher road schedule though, and we shouldn't have many doubts about where our teams stand by the time they play. Hoping it really is for the Big Sky title, but that usually goes to whoever has the easiest schedule among the good teams.

 

[ilovethecats]

I'd love that! Every season should come down to the Montana teams to win the conference on the last weekend of the season.

Our schedule is crazy this year. Our home schedule is brutal because it will be very boring. I'd expect us to win every game at home by 20-30.

Road schedule is just brutal because it's going to be tough as poop. South Dakota St, Weber, Sac St, Idaho and the Griz all on the road. We get through all those with only a loss or two and I'd feel really good going into the playoffs.

I wasn't expecting Sac or Weber to have good years, but our resident Weber poster seems to feel that they will stay right where they have been in terms of their team.

You guys are definitely getting a much tougher road schedule though, and we shouldn't have many doubts about where our teams stand by the time they play. Hoping it really is for the Big Sky title, but that usually goes to whoever has the easiest schedule among the good teams.

Ya I don't pretend to know the makeup of those teams; I just know that all five teams we play on the road are in the top 20 of the preseason rankings. On paper it's going to be brutal on the road and we should have a great idea if we're for real or not when we travel to Missoula

 

[ElrodGrizzly]

I wasn't expecting Sac or Weber to have good years, but our resident Weber poster seems to feel that they will stay right where they have been in terms of their team.

You guys are definitely getting a much tougher road schedule though, and we shouldn't have many doubts about where our teams stand by the time they play. Hoping it really is for the Big Sky title, but that usually goes to whoever has the easiest schedule among the good teams.

Ya I don't pretend to know the makeup of those teams; I just know that all five teams we play on the road are in the top 20 of the preseason rankings. On paper it's going to be brutal on the road and we should have a great idea if we're for real or not when we travel to Missoula

Well, I'm looking forward to it. I think we will have some surprises for you at Wa-Griz that will make it a lot harder to run like you did last year.

I appreciate your reasonable conversation, so don't take this the wrong way, but do you think the DUI trials will hurt your team? Is there any conversation around what happens if Garza is convicted next week?

 

[ABQCat]

I believe the Cats have improved year over year, particularly in the trenches where it matters most. What's crazy about predicting the same conference record as last year? I'm not out on a limb here. This will be a really good Bobcat football team. Like it or not.

What's crazy is that your team won't be as good, you have a tougher schedule, you play more tough games on the road, the Griz will beat you in Missoula, you were lucky town some games last season, teams won't have 3 bad punt snaps and safeties in a game, you will get crushed (and maybe injured) by SDS, you will finally have to plays SS (even tho they will be down), dui convictions will affect your coaches, teams will have better figured out your offense, etc.

"What's crazy is that your team won't be as good" - This is objectively false. You need to check in with your so-called insiders.

"you have a tougher schedule" - The schedule looks pretty much the same. Sub in SDSU for Oregon State, but should win the other games just like last year.

"you play more tough games on the road" - This is true although the Cats have the right tools to win these games. Those that played the game understand you win tough games in the trenches, the Cats going to be elite in both trenches. Winning the LoS and being the more physical team is a great formula for winning on the road.

"the Griz will beat you in Missoula" - I doubt it. Hard to say for certain how the injury bug plays out, but the Cats have a proven winning formula to beat the gris. Missoula has certainly lost its luster over the years as a tough place to win. Many average - good teams come in there and win. You got lucky in 2021 that our best QB already had one foot out the door. I fully expect a game similar to 2022 and 2019.

"you were lucky town some games last season, teams won't have 3 bad punt snaps and safeties" - I was at that Weber game. Weirdest game I've ever seen, and not just the snaps. The whole special teams was eff'd on both sides including the Cats. Those of us who actually played the game understand that the Cats were dominant in the trenches that day and I was sincerely hoping Weber was going to beat UND so we could have a rematch. Again, because we were the more physical and dominant team in the trenches. It played out exactly like I hoped and the Cats breezed past Weber in the rematch. Hmmm. Must not have been so lucky in the first meeting.

" you will get crushed (and maybe injured) by SDS" - Sounds like you are wishing injuries on a future opponent? Classic PR stuff right there.

"you will finally have to plays SS (even tho they will be down)" - Cats tend to play well in nationally televised regular season games. I expect that trend to continue. Should be an excellent game with the Cats edging out a victory.

"dui convictions will affect your coaches" - Possibly. Tbh this makes me very uncomfortable. I was hoping/assunming House was going to gone by now and Udy would take over as OC. He's very capable. Usually I would have lost EG, CDA, garr and others by now because I'm writing too may words, but in case they are still with me, our backup OC just might be better than our primary OC. You can't make this stuff up!!!

"teams will have better figured out your offense" - You've said this before and it makes no sense. We've been a plus-1 for quite a while now, and there was plenty of tape on TDT from the previous playoff run. It didn't make a difference as the Cats went on to break all the school rushing records and finish 2nd in nation in rushing. Teams like the gris knew exactly what was coming and they couldn't stop it. With an improved and more experienced OL, this will accelerate. Once more, for those of us who played the game, we understand this is a great formula for winning tough games on the road.

 

[ElrodGrizzly]

What's crazy is that your team won't be as good, you have a tougher schedule, you play more tough games on the road, the Griz will beat you in Missoula, you were lucky town some games last season, teams won't have 3 bad punt snaps and safeties in a game, you will get crushed (and maybe injured) by SDS, you will finally have to plays SS (even tho they will be down), dui convictions will affect your coaches, teams will have better figured out your offense, etc.

"What's crazy is that your team won't be as good" - This is objectively false. You need to check in with your so-called insiders.

"you have a tougher schedule" - The schedule looks pretty much the same. Sub in SDSU for Oregon State, but should win the other games just like last year.

"you play more tough games on the road" - This is true although the Cats have the right tools to win these games. Those that played the game understand you win tough games in the trenches, the Cats going to be elite in both trenches. Winning the LoS and being the more physical team is a great formula for winning on the road.

"the Griz will beat you in Missoula" - I doubt it. Hard to say for certain how the injury bug plays out, but the Cats have a proven winning formula to beat the gris. Missoula has certainly lost its luster over the years as a tough place to win. Many average - good teams come in there and win. You got lucky in 2021 that our best QB already had one foot out the door. I fully expect a game similar to 2022 and 2019.

"you were lucky town some games last season, teams won't have 3 bad punt snaps and safeties" - I was at that Weber game. Weirdest game I've ever seen, and not just the snaps. The whole special teams was eff'd on both sides including the Cats. Those of us who actually played the game understand that the Cats were dominant in the trenches that day and I was sincerely hoping Weber was going to beat UND so we could have a rematch. Again, because we were the more physical and dominant team in the trenches. It played out exactly like I hoped and the Cats breezed past Weber in the rematch. Hmmm. Must not have been so lucky in the first meeting.

" you will get crushed (and maybe injured) by SDS" - Sounds like you are wishing injuries on a future opponent? Classic PR stuff right there.

"you will finally have to plays SS (even tho they will be down)" - Cats tend to play well in nationally televised regular season games. I expect that trend to continue. Should be an excellent game with the Cats edging out a victory.

"dui convictions will affect your coaches" - Possibly. Tbh this makes me very uncomfortable. I was hoping/assunming House was going to gone by now and Udy would take over as OC. He's very capable. Usually I would have lost EG, CDA, garr and others by now because I'm writing too may words, but in case they are still with me, our backup OC just might be better than our primary OC. You can't make this stuff up!!!

"teams will have better figured out your offense" - You've said this before and it makes no sense. We've been a plus-1 for quite a while now, and there was plenty of tape on TDT from the previous playoff run. It didn't make a difference as the Cats went on to break all the school rushing records and finish 2nd in nation in rushing. Teams like the gris knew exactly what was coming and they couldn't stop it. With an improved and more experienced OL, this will accelerate. Once more, for those of us who played the game, we understand this is a great formula for winning tough games on the road.

I'm not the guy that's going to get into arguments with you, but you should know that Hoops did play college football, and played pretty well. I noted that there was a lot of tone from you implying that he does not understand because he did not play football, and that's just not factually accurate.