Return Man U!!!

[mtgrizrule]

That's the Montana GRIZ!

GRIZ NATION is truly spoiled and blessed with the best returners in all of the Div 1 football!

The list of punt and kick returners in the 2000s is as impressive as any program.
How many accomplished returners have the GRIZ had?

Honestly, is it possible to get better than Junior Bergen? What are the expectations as returner after him?

GRIZ NATION take pride in the GRIZ returner legacy. No other program in the country has accomplished what the GRIZ have in returners since 2000.

 

[WaGriz4life]

Who is our Special Teams Coach? That guy has to be one of the best of all-time

 

[CrunchGriz]

{Okay, slight edits to this post (Pettis for Penny as FBS record holder, Penny's first name misspelled)--sorry about that}

Heidelberger, Segars, Schulte, Harris, Mariani, Flowers, JLM, and Junior--Yikes! No wonder no one ever kicks to us!

Three amazing NCAA Division I special teams facts:

1. Career leaders in punt returns for TD are: Dante Pettis, Washington (9 - FBS) and Junior Bergen, Montana (8 - FCS [tied with Vann of FAMU]). Rashaad Penny of San Diego State had 8 kick/punt returns for TDs; Junior has 9. Special teams coach for both Penny and Junior: Bobby Hauck.

2. Montana has now scored TDs on 2 kick returns in one playoff game in each of the last 3 years (2022, vs. SEMO: Junior, punt return, and Malik Flowers, kick return; 2023, vs. Furman: Junior, both kick and punt return; and 2024, vs. Tennessee State: Junior, two punt returns.

3. Junior has only been able to return 10 punts this season, because teams are reaaaally trying to kick away from him. Result: He’s housed 3 of the 10, and leads FCS in average punt return yardage by nearly 6 yards per return (he’s averaging 24 yards per return this year) and returns for TDs—so he has the equivalent of a .300 batting average in walk-off grand slams.

 

[MantanaGrizzly]

Time to retire #5 for JB

 

[mthoopsfan]

Heidelberger, Segars, Schulte, Harris, Mariani, Flowers, JLM, and Junior--Yikes! No wonder no one ever kicks to us!

Three amazing NCAA Division I special teams facts:

1. Career leaders in punt returns for TD are: Rashad Penny, San Diego State (9 - FBS) and Junior Bergen, Montana (8 - FCS [tied]). Special teams coach for both of them: Bobby Hauck.

2. Montana has now scored TDs on 2 kick returns in one playoff game in each of the last 3 years (2022, vs. SEMO: Junior, punt return, and Malik Flowers, kick return; 2023, vs. Furman: Junior, both kick and punt return; and 2024, vs. Tennessee State: Junior, two punt returns.

3. Junior has only been able to return 10 punts this season, because teams are reaaaally trying to kick away from him. Result: He’s housed 3 of the 10, and leads FCS in average punt return yardage by nearly 6 yards per return (he’s averaging 24 yards per return this year) and returns for TDs—so he has the equivalent of a .300 batting average in walk-off grand slams.

This is good info. Thanks, Crunch.

 

[Grizzinator]

Heidelberger, Segars, Schulte, Harris, Mariani, Flowers, JLM, and Junior--Yikes! No wonder no one ever kicks to us!

Three amazing NCAA Division I special teams facts:

1. Career leaders in punt returns for TD are: Rashad Penny, San Diego State (9 - FBS) and Junior Bergen, Montana (8 - FCS [tied]). Special teams coach for both of them: Bobby Hauck.

2. Montana has now scored TDs on 2 kick returns in one playoff game in each of the last 3 years (2022, vs. SEMO: Junior, punt return, and Malik Flowers, kick return; 2023, vs. Furman: Junior, both kick and punt return; and 2024, vs. Tennessee State: Junior, two punt returns.

3. Junior has only been able to return 10 punts this season, because teams are reaaaally trying to kick away from him. Result: He’s housed 3 of the 10, and leads FCS in average punt return yardage by nearly 6 yards per return (he’s averaging 24 yards per return this year) and returns for TDs—so he has the equivalent of a .300 batting average in walk-off grand slams.

He’s returned 30% of the punts he’s attempted this year. That’s astonishing. That’d be an incredible deep-dive stat to see who’s all-time NCAA leader for a season.