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Notebook: Backup QB Smithwick-Hann shines
GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Shay Smithwick-Hann had maybe a little inkling he’d get to play Saturday in the Montana Grizzlies’ 40-34 loss at North Dakota.
Now that he’s been there with a Big Sky Conference game on the line, he wishes it had gone just a little bit better.
“We played it by ear. I get a lot of reps in practice, and I’m always ready to go, and Coach Rosie just told me to be ready,” the 6-foot-4, 200-pounder out of Kalispell Glacier said of offensive coordinator Timm Rosenbach. “I got a chance today, and it was fun, but like I said, we didn’t execute enough and I didn’t make enough plays.”
Smithwick-Hann made a few – he completed 26 of 39 passes for 306 yards and three touchdowns in three quarters of action.
He relieved Trent McKinney on the last play of the first quarter. McKinney guided one 81-yard scoring drive that was capped by Jordan Canada’s 21-yard scoring run at 4:05 of the first quarter.
On UM’s next possession he hurried a third-down pass at tight end Greg Hardy, UM punted and Smithwick-Hann entered the game when the Griz got the ball back.
“We just didn’t feel that Trent was quite on target today,” said Montana coach Mick Delaney. “And we decided coming in we’d open up the offense as much as we possibly could and if Trent was struggling we’d get Shay in there for a series or two and see what happens.
“Once he got in he took the game over for us. He did a really nice job.”
Smithwick-Hann’s scoring passes covered 58 yards to Bryce Carver, who shook a couple tackles on the way to the end zone; 15 yards to Sam Gratton; and 27 yards up the right sideline to Ellis Henderson. That put Montana up 34-31 midway through the third quarter.
“The corner was pressing me, and so I did what I was coached to do and released well,” said Henderson. “Shay threw an awesome ball. It was perfect.
“I think he played really, really well. It wasn’t a start, obviously, but (it was) his first game where he played the majority of the game in one that really mattered. He led us really well, and was a huge part of our comeback.”
McKinney was 6 for 10 passing for 52 yards in his eighth start.
“Trent has played fine through the year; he’s a young guy, he’s only been a college quarterback since Aug. 7,” Delaney began. “Shay is a tremendously smart young man; he prepares every single week. When his turn comes he’s going to be 100 percent mentally prepared and he’s been that way since he came in here as a freshman.”
Montana’s first-year head coach was noncommittal if anything permanent at QB was afoot.
“We’ll see tomorrow when we look at stuff,” Delaney said. “I’m sure (Rosenbach) will make the right decision there, whatever it is. That’s a hard question, when you ask me right at the end of the football game. We’ll have to analyze that tomorrow.”
****
Of course Smithwick-Hann’s numbers pale in comparison to UND quarterback Braden Hanson, who set a Big Sky record with 660 passing yards – and basically did that in three quarters.
Hanson had 410 yards by halftime but just 46 in a third quarter that the Griz dominated. Then he threw for 104 in the fourth quarter.
“What you saw today is partly a byproduct of what we were trying to do offensively,” said UND coach Chris Mussman. “That was to get on top of their safeties.”
Hanson was sacked three times and threw three interceptions, but with the game on the line he drove North Dakota to 10 points in the final four minutes and change.
Mussman gave credit to a defense that forced five straight punts from Montana – one after coming up short on fourth-and-inches from the Griz 8-yard line in the third quarter – but admitted his team is relying heavily on its O.
“You look at the athletes on the field,” he said. “I think our receiving corps matches up with anybody, and that’s the kind of game we have to get in right now.“
****
Three receivers went over 100 yards for North Dakota. Jameer Jackson had 8 catches for 124 yards, Blair Townsend had 13 catches for 152 and a touchdown, and of course Greg Hardin had a Big Sky-record 333 yards and three TDs on 12 receptions.
“That’s a number you can’t even get in video games sometimes,” said Hardin, who scored the game-winning TD with 12 seconds left. “I knew it was going to be a big game, but not that big.
“I was just happy to get the win honestly. It’s been a while since we’ve had one.”
QUICK KICKS: Griz kicker Stephen Shaw punted nine times for a 43.8-yard average, pinning UND inside its 20 five times. … Montana’s offense has gained 500 yards three times this season and lost each game. … Hardin’s receiving record broke the Big Sky mark of 315, set by Northern Colorado’s Patrick Walker against UND last year. … Hanson broke the 21-year-old single-game passing mark of 624 yards, set by Weber State’s Jamie Martin against Idaho State in 1991. … Hardin had 420 all-purpose yards; the Big Sky record is 437 by Portland State’s Ryan Fuqua against Eastern in 2001. … John Kanongata’a made two sacks Saturday, giving him 2.5 on the season, and Griz teammate Zack Wagenmann made his ninth sack. … UM won the turnover battle 3-1, with Greg Hardy’s first-half fumble being the lone Griz giveaway.
Notebook: Backup QB Smithwick-Hann shines
GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Shay Smithwick-Hann had maybe a little inkling he’d get to play Saturday in the Montana Grizzlies’ 40-34 loss at North Dakota.
Now that he’s been there with a Big Sky Conference game on the line, he wishes it had gone just a little bit better.
“We played it by ear. I get a lot of reps in practice, and I’m always ready to go, and Coach Rosie just told me to be ready,” the 6-foot-4, 200-pounder out of Kalispell Glacier said of offensive coordinator Timm Rosenbach. “I got a chance today, and it was fun, but like I said, we didn’t execute enough and I didn’t make enough plays.”
Smithwick-Hann made a few – he completed 26 of 39 passes for 306 yards and three touchdowns in three quarters of action.
He relieved Trent McKinney on the last play of the first quarter. McKinney guided one 81-yard scoring drive that was capped by Jordan Canada’s 21-yard scoring run at 4:05 of the first quarter.
On UM’s next possession he hurried a third-down pass at tight end Greg Hardy, UM punted and Smithwick-Hann entered the game when the Griz got the ball back.
“We just didn’t feel that Trent was quite on target today,” said Montana coach Mick Delaney. “And we decided coming in we’d open up the offense as much as we possibly could and if Trent was struggling we’d get Shay in there for a series or two and see what happens.
“Once he got in he took the game over for us. He did a really nice job.”
Smithwick-Hann’s scoring passes covered 58 yards to Bryce Carver, who shook a couple tackles on the way to the end zone; 15 yards to Sam Gratton; and 27 yards up the right sideline to Ellis Henderson. That put Montana up 34-31 midway through the third quarter.
“The corner was pressing me, and so I did what I was coached to do and released well,” said Henderson. “Shay threw an awesome ball. It was perfect.
“I think he played really, really well. It wasn’t a start, obviously, but (it was) his first game where he played the majority of the game in one that really mattered. He led us really well, and was a huge part of our comeback.”
McKinney was 6 for 10 passing for 52 yards in his eighth start.
“Trent has played fine through the year; he’s a young guy, he’s only been a college quarterback since Aug. 7,” Delaney began. “Shay is a tremendously smart young man; he prepares every single week. When his turn comes he’s going to be 100 percent mentally prepared and he’s been that way since he came in here as a freshman.”
Montana’s first-year head coach was noncommittal if anything permanent at QB was afoot.
“We’ll see tomorrow when we look at stuff,” Delaney said. “I’m sure (Rosenbach) will make the right decision there, whatever it is. That’s a hard question, when you ask me right at the end of the football game. We’ll have to analyze that tomorrow.”
****
Of course Smithwick-Hann’s numbers pale in comparison to UND quarterback Braden Hanson, who set a Big Sky record with 660 passing yards – and basically did that in three quarters.
Hanson had 410 yards by halftime but just 46 in a third quarter that the Griz dominated. Then he threw for 104 in the fourth quarter.
“What you saw today is partly a byproduct of what we were trying to do offensively,” said UND coach Chris Mussman. “That was to get on top of their safeties.”
Hanson was sacked three times and threw three interceptions, but with the game on the line he drove North Dakota to 10 points in the final four minutes and change.
Mussman gave credit to a defense that forced five straight punts from Montana – one after coming up short on fourth-and-inches from the Griz 8-yard line in the third quarter – but admitted his team is relying heavily on its O.
“You look at the athletes on the field,” he said. “I think our receiving corps matches up with anybody, and that’s the kind of game we have to get in right now.“
****
Three receivers went over 100 yards for North Dakota. Jameer Jackson had 8 catches for 124 yards, Blair Townsend had 13 catches for 152 and a touchdown, and of course Greg Hardin had a Big Sky-record 333 yards and three TDs on 12 receptions.
“That’s a number you can’t even get in video games sometimes,” said Hardin, who scored the game-winning TD with 12 seconds left. “I knew it was going to be a big game, but not that big.
“I was just happy to get the win honestly. It’s been a while since we’ve had one.”
QUICK KICKS: Griz kicker Stephen Shaw punted nine times for a 43.8-yard average, pinning UND inside its 20 five times. … Montana’s offense has gained 500 yards three times this season and lost each game. … Hardin’s receiving record broke the Big Sky mark of 315, set by Northern Colorado’s Patrick Walker against UND last year. … Hanson broke the 21-year-old single-game passing mark of 624 yards, set by Weber State’s Jamie Martin against Idaho State in 1991. … Hardin had 420 all-purpose yards; the Big Sky record is 437 by Portland State’s Ryan Fuqua against Eastern in 2001. … John Kanongata’a made two sacks Saturday, giving him 2.5 on the season, and Griz teammate Zack Wagenmann made his ninth sack. … UM won the turnover battle 3-1, with Greg Hardy’s first-half fumble being the lone Griz giveaway.
