Stats BSC Preview

[EverettGriz]

All the talk about the best conference in the FCS has moved farther away from the Big Sky.

With good reason, though.

CAA Football had its big run of seasons and the Missouri Valley is riding on the shoulders of North Dakota State to the top perch nationally.

While the Southern Conference has taken a step back, the Southland, Big South and Ohio Valley have been raising their national status.

But the Big Sky is prepared to fight back in a big way - with depth.

The 2015 season is wide open out West with many candidates lining up to win the conference title and make the FCS playoffs. The complexion of the race changed considerably this past February when All-America quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. announced he was transferring from Eastern Washington for his senior season.

EWU has won at least a share of the last three Big Sky titles and is the most recent FCS national champion not named North Dakota State.

"Every game is going to be tough. It's the Big Sky Conference, every game is going to be a battle," Sacramento State senior linebacker Darnell Sankey said.

"I feel like it's like that every year. The Big Sky Conference is one of the most competitive conferences there is in the nation. Any team can beat any team."

The uncertainty in the league race was evident in its two preseason polls. Eastern Washington and Montana State had the same number of first-place votes in each, with EWU favored by the media and Montana State the slightest of picks by the coaches.

Montana also made the playoffs last season, and Cal Poly, Idaho State and Northern Arizona were not far behind. They again give the Big Sky six teams with realistic hopes of making the postseason.

"We're blessed to be in this conference, because it's very competitive," Cal Poly quarterback Chris Brown said. "All we can do is come out and focus on who we are, and compete at the highest level possible, because the other teams are."

---

PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH:

1. Eastern Washington

2. Montana State

3. Montana

4. Cal Poly

5. Idaho State

6. Northern Arizona

7. North Dakota

8. Southern Utah

9. Sacramento State

10. Portland State

11. Weber State

12. UC Davis

13. Northern Colorado

Individual team breakdowns are included on the site.

http://www.fcs.football/cfb/story.asp?i=20150814140706028791204

 

[bgbigdog]

3. MONTANA GRIZZLIES

LOCATION: Missoula, Montana
STADIUM: Washington-Grizzly Stadium

COACH: Bob Stitt (first season at Montana; 108-62-1 overall)
LAST SEASON: 9-5 overall, 6-2 Big Sky (Tie/2nd)

STARTERS RETURNING: 13 (7 offense/6 defense)
BIG LOSSES: QB Jordan Johnson, RB Jordan Canada, RB/WR Travon Van, DE Zack Wagenmann, DT Tonga Takai, CB Joshua Dennard, S Matt Hermanson

OFFENSIVE STAR: Jamaal Jones, WR, Sr., 6-1, 191 (67 receptions, 1,044 yards, 8 TDs)
DEFENSIVE STAR: Tyrone Holmes, DE, Sr., 6-4, 245 (66 TT, 14 TFL, 7.5 SK, 2 PBU, 4 QBH, 2 FF)

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: QB Brady Gustafson, R-Jr., 6-7, 235; John Nguyen, RB/RS, 5-7, 180; Ellis Henderson, WR, Jr., 6-0, 185; David Reese, LT, So., 6-7, 270; Ben Weyer, OL, Jr., 6-4, 270; Devon Dietrich, OL, Jr., 6-4, 270; Derek Crittenden, DE, Sr., 6-3, 240; Caleb Kidder, DT, Sr., 6-2, 230; Zach Peevey, DT, Jr., 6-2, 255; Jeremiah Kose, LB, Sr., 6-2, 230; Kendrick Van Ackeren, LB, Sr., 6-1, 220; Herbert Gamboa, LB, Sr., 6-1, 215; Nate Harris, CB, Sr., 5-10, 180; Justin Whitted, S, Sr., 6-1, 195; Chris Lider, PK/P, Sr., 6-1, 199; Stephen Shaw, P, Sr., 6-3, 245

OUTLOOK: That Stitt opens his Montana coaching career against four-time reigning FCS champion North Dakota State underscores the spotlight of leading the Grizzlies' historic program. Stitt, 51, was hired from outside the program at Division II College School of the Mines. He brings an offensive mindset to UM, where he doesn't have the luxury of a coaching honeymoon. He's known for the fly-sweep, which utilizes wide receivers in motion to be potential ball carriers, but out of the fast-paced pro set, new QB Gustafson will want to look downfield often to the likes of Jones and Henderson as receiving targets. The starting linebackers unit (Van Ackeren, Krose and Gamboa) is so strong that the returning Kidder, who was injured last season, has switched from linebacker to defensive tackle to be a playmaker up front. Holmes has always worked in the shadow of All-American DE Wagenmann and is primed for a banner senior season as a pass rusher. The Grizzlies will be in the Big Sky title mix, especially if Gustafson (who stands 6-foot-7) develops an early comfort level, but they have to overcome the loss of a significant senior class. The conference schedule is quite manageable through Halloween, so the Grizzlies expect to have great momentum heading into November.

SCHEDULE:
Aug. 29 - vs. North Dakota State
Sept. 5 - vs. Cal Poly, TBA
Sept. 19 - at Liberty
Sept. 26 - vs. Northern Arizona*
Oct. 3 - at UC Davis*
Oct. 10 - vs. Weber State*
Oct. 24 - vs. North Dakota*
Oct. 31 - at Portland State*
Nov. 7 - at Idaho State*
Nov. 14 - vs. Eastern Washington*
Nov. 21 - at Montana State*
* - Big Sky game

Gratuitous fly-sweep reference. No honeymoon for Stitt? (potentially correct) Krose? Kidder switches from Linebacker? (Was this the case?) I guess it could have been worse...