This is an interesting article, I don't want to speculate too much since I have no knowledge of the Ty Peterson issue (other than what I have heard here) but maybe this is why Ty hasn't been in the games as much as he wants, the passing offense has been put on hold and maybe Ty isn't as good a blocker as Tate and the other WRs are.
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Hancock leads Grizzlies in receiving yards
By Natalie Storey Montana Kaimin
(U-WIRE) MISSOULA, Mont. -- Tate Hancock has become Montana's leading wide receiver, but he's done it quietly.
Hancock, a junior, said he's one of the shy guys on the team, a person who doesn't normally speak up in his finance classes. He's also one of the few players on the team who rarely burst out in celebration after a big play. But when it comes to making catches, he makes a loud statement.
Hancock is Montana's leading receiver with 19 catches for 204 yards this season, an average of 11.3 yards a catch. He has scored one touchdown.
"I respect his toughness," said offensive coordinator Rob Phenicie. "He's the kind of guy who is always in the right place at the right time."
But it hasn't been all that easy for Hancock to make his statement this season. Montana's offense has been relying heavily on its running game because of injuries to quarterbacks Jeff Disney and Craig Ochs. And sometimes it's part of offensive strategy to rely more on the running game than passing the ball, like in Saturday's win against Weber State, where Montana's running backs were able to exploit Weber's defense. This resulted in fewer opportunities for Montana's wide receivers to make big plays.
Phenicie pointed out that Montana is the best rushing team in the Big Sky Conference, but admits the team hasn't met its goal for passing yards.
Hancock said he isn't too frustrated with the situation. He'd rather see the team win than see his own stats balloon.
"It's just the situation we've been put in that's made us run the ball," Hancock said. "And that's the right decision."
Despite Montana's reliance on the running game, Hancock has emerged as a consistent and level-headed receiver for the Grizzlies.
"He's always got kind of a dry smile on his face," Phenicie said. "He has a great sense of humor, and he always understands what we are trying to get done."
Besides making some big catches -- like the pass he caught for a gain of about 30 yards on Saturday -- Hancock has also administered some devastating blocks. A few of those have been particularly memorable for Phenicie.
"He's out there blocking his butt off," he said. "He put one guy's helmet on the ground."
But Hancock sets high goals for himself -- goals that have been hard to achieve with Montana's offensive strategy.
"I haven't been living up to my own expectations, but that's something I have sort of been forced into," Hancock said.
Hancock wants to succeed as a wide receiver for the Grizzlies in the same way as his brother, Tanner Hancock, who was an offensive force when he played for the Grizzlies from 1999 to 2000. The brothers are rumored to look identical, and they both started as running backs in high school and were moved to wide receiver as they became components of the Grizzly offense.
"I always looked up to [Tanner] more than anyone else I ever looked up to," Tate Hancock said. "I just always thought he was the best."
They have their differences, too, Tate Hancock said. Besides the difference in age -- Tanner is four years older than Tate -- Tate Hancock is much more serious about his school work than his older brother was.
Possibly the most notable difference is the brothers' taste in facial grooming. Phenicie said Tanner Hancock used to have long sideburns, which he referred to as "lamb-chop sideburns." He asked Tate Hancock if he'd consider growing some chops of his own. But Tate Hancock, who sports a goatee, said that despite their brotherly love, he preferred to keep that difference between them.
© 2002 Montana Kaimin via U-WIRE
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Hancock leads Grizzlies in receiving yards
By Natalie Storey Montana Kaimin
(U-WIRE) MISSOULA, Mont. -- Tate Hancock has become Montana's leading wide receiver, but he's done it quietly.
Hancock, a junior, said he's one of the shy guys on the team, a person who doesn't normally speak up in his finance classes. He's also one of the few players on the team who rarely burst out in celebration after a big play. But when it comes to making catches, he makes a loud statement.
Hancock is Montana's leading receiver with 19 catches for 204 yards this season, an average of 11.3 yards a catch. He has scored one touchdown.
"I respect his toughness," said offensive coordinator Rob Phenicie. "He's the kind of guy who is always in the right place at the right time."
But it hasn't been all that easy for Hancock to make his statement this season. Montana's offense has been relying heavily on its running game because of injuries to quarterbacks Jeff Disney and Craig Ochs. And sometimes it's part of offensive strategy to rely more on the running game than passing the ball, like in Saturday's win against Weber State, where Montana's running backs were able to exploit Weber's defense. This resulted in fewer opportunities for Montana's wide receivers to make big plays.
Phenicie pointed out that Montana is the best rushing team in the Big Sky Conference, but admits the team hasn't met its goal for passing yards.
Hancock said he isn't too frustrated with the situation. He'd rather see the team win than see his own stats balloon.
"It's just the situation we've been put in that's made us run the ball," Hancock said. "And that's the right decision."
Despite Montana's reliance on the running game, Hancock has emerged as a consistent and level-headed receiver for the Grizzlies.
"He's always got kind of a dry smile on his face," Phenicie said. "He has a great sense of humor, and he always understands what we are trying to get done."
Besides making some big catches -- like the pass he caught for a gain of about 30 yards on Saturday -- Hancock has also administered some devastating blocks. A few of those have been particularly memorable for Phenicie.
"He's out there blocking his butt off," he said. "He put one guy's helmet on the ground."
But Hancock sets high goals for himself -- goals that have been hard to achieve with Montana's offensive strategy.
"I haven't been living up to my own expectations, but that's something I have sort of been forced into," Hancock said.
Hancock wants to succeed as a wide receiver for the Grizzlies in the same way as his brother, Tanner Hancock, who was an offensive force when he played for the Grizzlies from 1999 to 2000. The brothers are rumored to look identical, and they both started as running backs in high school and were moved to wide receiver as they became components of the Grizzly offense.
"I always looked up to [Tanner] more than anyone else I ever looked up to," Tate Hancock said. "I just always thought he was the best."
They have their differences, too, Tate Hancock said. Besides the difference in age -- Tanner is four years older than Tate -- Tate Hancock is much more serious about his school work than his older brother was.
Possibly the most notable difference is the brothers' taste in facial grooming. Phenicie said Tanner Hancock used to have long sideburns, which he referred to as "lamb-chop sideburns." He asked Tate Hancock if he'd consider growing some chops of his own. But Tate Hancock, who sports a goatee, said that despite their brotherly love, he preferred to keep that difference between them.
© 2002 Montana Kaimin via U-WIRE
