UofMGrizFan
Well-known member
http://www.montanagrizzlies.com/news/?n=2012/100/10710&m=37
Great Dan Moore quote in this article.
Running backs should be strong point for Griz
And on the third day the Griz got chippy.
The Montana Grizzlies added shoulder pads to the recipe for Thursday’s football practice, and that suggested meaningful contact.
Some of it, like safety Justin Whitted’s hit on freshman receiver Taylor Walcott, was more meaningful.
As if on cue, a couple plays later a pass descended into about three different dust-ups between the offense and defense. A few snaps after the dust settled, linebacker Jordan Tripp questioned whether Dan Moore really got into the end zone at the end of a long run.
Griz coach Mick Delaney had had it.
“I like them to compete,” he said, after delivering a mid-drills talk laced with adult language. “But we’ve got to have discipline and get that cleaned up.
“It shows that it’s important to them, and they’re competing. Now they just have to learn to keep their composure when they’re faced with difficult situations: When they get pushed or somebody takes a swing at them they can’t swing back, because we’re not good enough to give away gains. No team is.”
The Griz did not stop competing. Moore later took a handoff and then took on linebacker Brock Coyle. Coyle lost his helmet.
“Had to,” said Moore. “I saw Brock coming from the inside and said, ‘Hey, I’m not going to get many more yards, I might as well hit somebody.’
“He was mad. He was pretty mad. But I mean, that’s what I’m told to do.”
* * *
Perhaps lost in the suspension of starting quarterback Jordan Johnson is that Moore, Peter Nguyen and Jordan Canada combined for 1,845 yards and 19 touchdowns on the ground last season for the 11-3 Grizzlies.
At that time the trio was not a whole lot more experienced than Johnson, who had 20 career pass attempts as camp began.
Now the backs are veteran, which would seem to bode well for a team again looking at a new starting QB.
“I feel like the running backs are the backbone right now,” said Moore, who ran for 430 yards and seven touchdowns in 2011. “We’ve got some older guys and I feel like with that offensive line, we’re going to be pretty good at running the ball.”
Nguyen, who led the team with 835 rushing yards last fall, figures the early uncertainty at QB could help in the long run.
“I think it’s going to be more challenging as well as good for the offense,” said Nguyen, like Moore a senior. “I know everyone was really good and we really relied a lot on Jordy. This challenges the running backs as a whole and really the whole offense to get better just to support the quarterbacks.
“If we can run the ball better it will really help the passing offense and we’re going to really work on that. And pass-pro; blocking for the quarterback will be huge just to give him space to throw.”
Canada, who ran for 580 yards and nine TDs last season, has been explosive so far in camp, but the first real, even more meaningful contact will come in the first scrimmage at 7:45 p.m. Sunday at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
“Our running attack is going to be good,” Delaney said. “It’s hard to tell right now. That’s the hard thing about no pads, or just a helmet and shoulder pads: The run game suffers but you have to be able to practice that way.
“But I know we’re going to be able to run the football.”
One Griz linebacker stayed out of the action this week: Ty Timmer, who was forced to retire from the Griz because of a troublesome knee he had surgery on back in the spring of 2011.
“I gave it through all of last season and then spring ball, and they said it’d be about a year recovery. I played (spring drills) obviously, and I did OK, but it just wasn’t quite the same. I felt like I was about 85, 90 percent out there which doesn’t really get it done at this level, you know?”
Timmer plans on staying around, as a second “Coach Ty” alongside defensive coordinator Ty Gregorak.
“I’m just helping out now and doing what I can,” he said. “I’ve got two years left and trying to help the team, doing what I can do. It sucks to not be playing, but I’ve still got to be around.”
Timmer is pre-med by the way, studying Cellular Molecular Biology.
“So that’s pretty tough,” he said.
QUICK KICKS: Griz alum Jon Opperud has also been at practice while recovering from shoulder surgery. The 2011 all-Big Sky Conference offensive tackle had one tryout with Seattle and was preparing to head to camp with New England when the surgery became necessary, and he plans to keep pursuing an NFL career. … Once the Griz got inside the stadium Thursday, all the QB reps went to sophomore Shay Smithwick-Hann and redshirt freshman Trent McKinney. … Corner Josh Dennard, safeties Steven Rominger and Bo Tully, and defensive end Zach Wagenmann all had picks during 11-on-11 action Thursday, and CB JR Nelson made a nice pick in one-on-one drills.
Great Dan Moore quote in this article.
Running backs should be strong point for Griz
And on the third day the Griz got chippy.
The Montana Grizzlies added shoulder pads to the recipe for Thursday’s football practice, and that suggested meaningful contact.
Some of it, like safety Justin Whitted’s hit on freshman receiver Taylor Walcott, was more meaningful.
As if on cue, a couple plays later a pass descended into about three different dust-ups between the offense and defense. A few snaps after the dust settled, linebacker Jordan Tripp questioned whether Dan Moore really got into the end zone at the end of a long run.
Griz coach Mick Delaney had had it.
“I like them to compete,” he said, after delivering a mid-drills talk laced with adult language. “But we’ve got to have discipline and get that cleaned up.
“It shows that it’s important to them, and they’re competing. Now they just have to learn to keep their composure when they’re faced with difficult situations: When they get pushed or somebody takes a swing at them they can’t swing back, because we’re not good enough to give away gains. No team is.”
The Griz did not stop competing. Moore later took a handoff and then took on linebacker Brock Coyle. Coyle lost his helmet.
“Had to,” said Moore. “I saw Brock coming from the inside and said, ‘Hey, I’m not going to get many more yards, I might as well hit somebody.’
“He was mad. He was pretty mad. But I mean, that’s what I’m told to do.”
* * *
Perhaps lost in the suspension of starting quarterback Jordan Johnson is that Moore, Peter Nguyen and Jordan Canada combined for 1,845 yards and 19 touchdowns on the ground last season for the 11-3 Grizzlies.
At that time the trio was not a whole lot more experienced than Johnson, who had 20 career pass attempts as camp began.
Now the backs are veteran, which would seem to bode well for a team again looking at a new starting QB.
“I feel like the running backs are the backbone right now,” said Moore, who ran for 430 yards and seven touchdowns in 2011. “We’ve got some older guys and I feel like with that offensive line, we’re going to be pretty good at running the ball.”
Nguyen, who led the team with 835 rushing yards last fall, figures the early uncertainty at QB could help in the long run.
“I think it’s going to be more challenging as well as good for the offense,” said Nguyen, like Moore a senior. “I know everyone was really good and we really relied a lot on Jordy. This challenges the running backs as a whole and really the whole offense to get better just to support the quarterbacks.
“If we can run the ball better it will really help the passing offense and we’re going to really work on that. And pass-pro; blocking for the quarterback will be huge just to give him space to throw.”
Canada, who ran for 580 yards and nine TDs last season, has been explosive so far in camp, but the first real, even more meaningful contact will come in the first scrimmage at 7:45 p.m. Sunday at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
“Our running attack is going to be good,” Delaney said. “It’s hard to tell right now. That’s the hard thing about no pads, or just a helmet and shoulder pads: The run game suffers but you have to be able to practice that way.
“But I know we’re going to be able to run the football.”
One Griz linebacker stayed out of the action this week: Ty Timmer, who was forced to retire from the Griz because of a troublesome knee he had surgery on back in the spring of 2011.
“I gave it through all of last season and then spring ball, and they said it’d be about a year recovery. I played (spring drills) obviously, and I did OK, but it just wasn’t quite the same. I felt like I was about 85, 90 percent out there which doesn’t really get it done at this level, you know?”
Timmer plans on staying around, as a second “Coach Ty” alongside defensive coordinator Ty Gregorak.
“I’m just helping out now and doing what I can,” he said. “I’ve got two years left and trying to help the team, doing what I can do. It sucks to not be playing, but I’ve still got to be around.”
Timmer is pre-med by the way, studying Cellular Molecular Biology.
“So that’s pretty tough,” he said.
QUICK KICKS: Griz alum Jon Opperud has also been at practice while recovering from shoulder surgery. The 2011 all-Big Sky Conference offensive tackle had one tryout with Seattle and was preparing to head to camp with New England when the surgery became necessary, and he plans to keep pursuing an NFL career. … Once the Griz got inside the stadium Thursday, all the QB reps went to sophomore Shay Smithwick-Hann and redshirt freshman Trent McKinney. … Corner Josh Dennard, safeties Steven Rominger and Bo Tully, and defensive end Zach Wagenmann all had picks during 11-on-11 action Thursday, and CB JR Nelson made a nice pick in one-on-one drills.
arty: