Unusually critical but so obvious and well said
It was like watching an old Kansas farmer make his way to the porch in a wicked dust storm.
That was my take on Montana’s anemic offense in the second half of Saturday’s frustrating home football loss to Montana State. Two weeks to prepare and not a point to show for it once the Cats started playing for the run in the second period.
Montana State 16, Montana 7. Unacceptable.
You may argue the Griz offense was up against the best defense in the Big Sky Conference. But then you’d be forgetting Montana’s sluggish offensive play extends back two games. In its final six quarters, including the second half at Weber State on Nov. 3., it scored two touchdowns.
Don’t tell me it’s because the Griz are still regrouping from March when coach Robin Pflugrad was fired. If that were the case, if a change in leadership were the reason, then explain to me why the Griz defense played so well Saturday?
That unit, which replaced nine starters at the start of the season, was up against a dynamite Bobcat attack and played in a way that would make any ex-Grizzly proud. It’s safe to say Montana’s offense didn’t share the same learning curve.
The person I felt most sorry for after Saturday’s setback – other than every Griz fan that shelled out money for an over-priced ticket – was Montana senior running back Peter Nguyen. That guy came to play, folks. He outran defenders and even steamrolled a few with his 180-pound frame.
He ran for 88 yards and a touchdown in the first period alone. He added 24 more yards before it was over. But it could have been 124 if the Montana coaching staff used a few more creative ways to get him the ball on the edge.
You don’t have to be a genius to understand Montana’s offense is best directed by a quarterback equally adept passing and running. Someone like Jordy Johnson, who made defenders look silly last season.
To his credit, pocket passer Shay Smithwick-Hann has had his moments since taking the reins at North Dakota on Oct. 20. But it became fairly obvious midway through the third quarter Saturday he couldn’t get his team in the end zone.
Rather than try switching things up by giving cat-quick backup Trent McKinney a chance, the Griz stayed with the same ineffective approach: Predictable passes to well-covered wideouts. Not-so-deceptive runs that were doomed from the start.
As a result, Montana died a slow and agonizing death in its biggest game of the season.
“To beat them here is huge,” said Montana State’s Caleb Schreibeis, who was apparently off the radar for Montana’s coaching staff because he racked up a whopping 16 tackles at defensive end.
“ ... It’s a big deal. I remember betting on this game in third grade. It’s kind of surreal right now. I never, ever thought I’d be sitting right here after a win.”
It burns. But at least it’s over for this year.
Someone please reassure me Montana isn’t headed for more of the same on the offensive side next year. Convince me the Griz are going to score more without graduating seniors Nguyen, tight end Greg Hardy and wideouts Sam Gratton, Bryce Carver and Gerald Kemp.
I’m having a hard time believing it right now.
“This is as far as we’ve went away and we’ll be back quickly,” insisted UM coach Mick Delaney, whose team finished behind Northern Colorado in the Big Sky standings. “This is a group of guys that are coming back, that are going to be an outstanding football team.”
Instead of running the same poor-man’s version of Pflugrad’s offense again next season, how about adapting a little better to the personnel we have available?
Bill Speltz can be reached at 523-5255 or [email protected].
It was like watching an old Kansas farmer make his way to the porch in a wicked dust storm.
That was my take on Montana’s anemic offense in the second half of Saturday’s frustrating home football loss to Montana State. Two weeks to prepare and not a point to show for it once the Cats started playing for the run in the second period.
Montana State 16, Montana 7. Unacceptable.
You may argue the Griz offense was up against the best defense in the Big Sky Conference. But then you’d be forgetting Montana’s sluggish offensive play extends back two games. In its final six quarters, including the second half at Weber State on Nov. 3., it scored two touchdowns.
Don’t tell me it’s because the Griz are still regrouping from March when coach Robin Pflugrad was fired. If that were the case, if a change in leadership were the reason, then explain to me why the Griz defense played so well Saturday?
That unit, which replaced nine starters at the start of the season, was up against a dynamite Bobcat attack and played in a way that would make any ex-Grizzly proud. It’s safe to say Montana’s offense didn’t share the same learning curve.
The person I felt most sorry for after Saturday’s setback – other than every Griz fan that shelled out money for an over-priced ticket – was Montana senior running back Peter Nguyen. That guy came to play, folks. He outran defenders and even steamrolled a few with his 180-pound frame.
He ran for 88 yards and a touchdown in the first period alone. He added 24 more yards before it was over. But it could have been 124 if the Montana coaching staff used a few more creative ways to get him the ball on the edge.
You don’t have to be a genius to understand Montana’s offense is best directed by a quarterback equally adept passing and running. Someone like Jordy Johnson, who made defenders look silly last season.
To his credit, pocket passer Shay Smithwick-Hann has had his moments since taking the reins at North Dakota on Oct. 20. But it became fairly obvious midway through the third quarter Saturday he couldn’t get his team in the end zone.
Rather than try switching things up by giving cat-quick backup Trent McKinney a chance, the Griz stayed with the same ineffective approach: Predictable passes to well-covered wideouts. Not-so-deceptive runs that were doomed from the start.
As a result, Montana died a slow and agonizing death in its biggest game of the season.
“To beat them here is huge,” said Montana State’s Caleb Schreibeis, who was apparently off the radar for Montana’s coaching staff because he racked up a whopping 16 tackles at defensive end.
“ ... It’s a big deal. I remember betting on this game in third grade. It’s kind of surreal right now. I never, ever thought I’d be sitting right here after a win.”
It burns. But at least it’s over for this year.
Someone please reassure me Montana isn’t headed for more of the same on the offensive side next year. Convince me the Griz are going to score more without graduating seniors Nguyen, tight end Greg Hardy and wideouts Sam Gratton, Bryce Carver and Gerald Kemp.
I’m having a hard time believing it right now.
“This is as far as we’ve went away and we’ll be back quickly,” insisted UM coach Mick Delaney, whose team finished behind Northern Colorado in the Big Sky standings. “This is a group of guys that are coming back, that are going to be an outstanding football team.”
Instead of running the same poor-man’s version of Pflugrad’s offense again next season, how about adapting a little better to the personnel we have available?
Bill Speltz can be reached at 523-5255 or [email protected].
