Last year's bozeman team had to replace four starters and two backups who played a bunch in the year prior, including one or more guys who had shots as pros, Four new starters, all but one in their first year getting significant reps, including a Griz castoff, Cole Sain, who supposedly couldn't play while in Missoula.
It may have missed by some here, but running backs, even the kinds who take direct snaps, function better with blockers, since they seldom make their own holes to run through. Minus average yards per game, they ran the ball better than every other team in the FCS statistically. That happened because their o-line played great, and they're young, so all indications are they'll be even better this season. The ass kicking Montana suffered in Bozeman was a direct result of getting blocked, blocked and blocked some more. A quarterback who can throw dimes every tme out isn't a necessity if you can run the ball for just under seven yards a carry.
No one would have traded Mellott/Chambers and the Bozeman o-line for Johnson, the.backup, and the Griz line this past season. You can bet your ass but bobby wouldn't have. Because yesterday, today and tomorrow, he's a run first guy. Now that there's an actual QB who can move the ball through the air on the squad, there will be likely be four non-home grown starters opening day. Which by the way, is much the same as the Bozeman program. And their biggest job will be keeping Vidlak upright and opening holes for a running back group that is loaded.