wbtfg said:
According to the Missoulian SSH is starting. Not really a surprise.
What article did you read, wbtfg?
Griz hedge on starting QB for Idaho State game
By FRITZ NEIGHBOR of the Missoulian
The appearance of Shay Smithwick-Hann at the Montana Grizzlies’ weekly press conference implies more playing time for the sophomore quarterback.
But UM football coach Mick Delaney hedged on naming a starter this far ahead of Saturday’s home game against Idaho State, though Smithwick-Hann performed well in relief of Trent McKinney in the Grizzlies’ 40-34 loss at North Dakota last week.
“The quarterback position – not according to you guys, but according to us – is always a position that’s open for competition,” Delaney said Tuesday. “Just like every other position on the football team. “And Shay went in and proved that … when he got this opportunity, he was ready to play.”
Smithwick-Hann took over for McKinney in the second quarter against UND and threw for 306 yards and three touchdowns. His third TD pass, a 27-yarder to Ellis Henderson, gave the Griz a 34-31 lead at 6:05 of the third quarter.
Unfortunately Montana didn’t score again. North Dakota scored the game-winning touchdown with 12 seconds left.
Smithwick-Hann’s strengths– his ability to progress through his passing reads and knowledge of the offense – were apparent at times against UND. They were espoused Tuesday at the Sky Club inside the Adams Center.
“He knows the offense very well,” said defensive end Zack Wagenmann, the Big Sky Conference’s sack leader. “He knows where the receivers are going to be, how they break and where he’s going to put the ball.”
It was the first real action for Smithwick-Hann, who had thrown a total of nine collegiate passes before Saturday. Offensive coordinator Timm Rosenbach had told him to be ready, but that’s apparently nothing new.
“He tells me that every game, and that’s how I prepare,” Smithwick-Hann said. “Last week I was fortunate to go in and help the team out, but we didn’t make enough plays. I didn’t make enough plays at the end for us to get the win.”
McKinney started the Grizzlies’ first eight games, and could again.
“They’re still competing this week, and who will start will be up to coach Rosenbach,” said Delaney, who added that McKinney will have to adjust to not knowing his role until possibly game time on Saturday.
“I know Shay can do that,” Delaney said. “And we’ll see how Trent responds to that.”
* * *
Against the Griz, North Dakota quarterback Braden Hanson threw 61 times, which is about 11 more than an average Saturday for Idaho State’s Kevin Yost.
A pass rush that sacked Hanson three times but had little effect besides will be tested again.
“We were close on a lot of those, but we weren’t close enough,” said Wagenmann. “It’s going to be a huge focal point this week for us – to try and find that extra half-second to be faster, to affect throws.”
It used to be that defenses geared up to stop the run and set up third-and-long, but not these last two weeks. Yost threw 73 times against Sacramento State on Sept. 29 (in a 54-31 Bengals loss). Closing on the quarterback on first and second down is key as well.
“It is fun to try and chase down the quarterback,” Wagenmann said. “He’s been throwing it 60, 70 times a game – as much as he can. It’s going to be a huge game for that (pass rush), yeah.”
* * *
Idaho State will be coached by offensive coordinator Don Bailey Saturday because coach Mike Kramer has been suspended by the university for a practice incident involving receiver Derek Graves.
Bailey was Kramer’s OC at Montana State as well. Delaney said he figures the Bengals will still be throwing.
“That doesn’t change it at all,” he said. “They’ll do what they do. Don is an offensive guy and coach Kramer’s been defensive coordinator since a year ago. They’ll do what they do offensively. Yost is their guy and they have four or five fine receivers. They’ll throw it as many times as they possibly can.”
* * *
Delaney said running back Dan Moore (ankle) will miss another game, and that receiver Gerald Kemp still hasn’t been cleared to play.
“It’s in the process and it’s back in the hands of them (the NCAA),” Delaney said of Kemp, who hasn’t played this season. “I’m not counting on him this week.”
QUICK KICKS: Saturday’s game, as well as the last two regular-season games, will be televised live on ROOT Sports. Kickoff is at 1:30 p.m. Mountain. … Smithwick-Hann was UM’s nominee for Big Sky offensive player of the week. P Stephen Shaw was nominated for special teams and LB John Kanongata’a on defense. … UM has dropped to No. 30 among Football Championship Subdivision teams in the Sagarin Ratings. Idaho State is No. 110. … UND’s Greg Hardin is the third player to win the Big Sky offensive POW for a game against the Griz. … ISU’s Yost has eight career 300-yard passing games.
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