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Titan Fleischmann and Scottre Humphrey have fun in Pocatello
Football
Bill Lamberty
MSU hosts Northern Colorado Bears
BOZEMAN, Montana – Montana State coach Brent Vigen is aware of one of many fundamental storylines surrounding his crew's opponent this week, Northern Colorado, and he needs to listen to nothing of it.
“In Northern Colorado we face a team that has been struggling record-wise, but they've competed really well at times this year,” Vigen mentioned. “They took Abilene Christian, a ranked team, right to the brink. It took a last-second field goal for Abilene Christian to win that game. They've had flashes.”
The Bears, 0-5 on the season and 0-1 in Big Sky play, arrive in Bobcat Stadium on a 17-game dropping streak. This 12 months's squad is led by an skilled protection entrance that includes 4 seniors starters within the line and three skilled linebackers. The crew provides up 33.2 factors per sport, however that quantity is skewed by the 38 factors allowed at Colorado State and Stephen F. Austin's 48 factors scored. None of the opposite three foes reached 30 factors.
“They've got some good players up front, and that's always the first thing that jumps out at you,” Vigen mentioned. “In their front seven they have some talented players, some good size and good athleticism for that size. They move in and out of different fronts and they're not afraid to pressure.”
Safety Cam Chapa's 30 tackles leads a UNC protection that includes 10 gamers with no less than 20 tackles. Chapa and Keenan Guthrie have UNC's interceptions this season, whereas Guthrie and Ladavion Osborn have compelled fumbles that UNC recovered. That accounts for the crew's 4 takeaways this season.
Northern Colorado's season offensively has been outlined by accidents on the quarterback place. Five completely different gamers have thrown multiple go, and 4 completely different Bears have began a sport at that place. “That in itself makes your stomach turn as a coach,” Vigen mentioned of the revolving door at quarterback.
Montana State's fourth-year head coach mentioned the method of getting ready a defensive plan for a crew with a number of quarterbacks begins with who is probably going out there. “I think we feel that there's a couple guys that are out, so you narrow in on the guys that you feel like will play and what is their mode, what is their style? In this past game it doesn't appear the two guys they played are going to be out for this week and they're two different types. (Kia'i Keone) is much more of a runner, and as far as their running game goes they do have an element of quarterback run and he would be their main threat.”
Keone is the crew's second-leading rusher, averaging 4.0 yards per carry and 43.7 yards a sport. Darius Stewart 5.0 yards a carry and 58.8 yards per sport leads the crew. Kaiden Box made his debut behind middle for the Bears when he began final week's sport, and he accomplished two of his eight go makes an attempt.
The Cats return residence after a hard-fought win at Idaho State final week. “It wasn't easy,” Vigen mentioned. “Our guys had to fight for it, and a lot of the credit goes to Idaho State. They definitely have some players that cause some problems.”
The Bengals trimmed MSU's result in 17-10 early within the fourth quarter, however after that it was all Bobcats. “Our players didn't panic when it got to that point where it was a one score game,” Vigen mentioned. “They responded with a touchdown, a big play, then got a stop and a long drive for a touchdown.”
The win raised Montana State's report to 5-0 on the season, 1-0 in Big Sky play. When the 1984 National Championship Bobcats are honored at this week's Homecoming contest, the members of that crew's high-flying offense might battle to acknowledge this 12 months's ground-oriented assault as descendants. That crew gained three-quarters of its yards by way of the air, whereas the 2024 Cats acquire 64% of their yards by way of the air.
Sophomore operating again Scottre Humphrey continues to rank among the many nation's high ball carriers. He enters this week's sport with 117.4 dashing yards per sport, sixth within the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), whereas freshman operating again Adam Jones' 79.2 yards a sport is 38th. Senior quarterback Tommy Mellott rushes for 42.0 yards per sport, and he completes passes at a .682 price (70-102, no interceptions and eight touchdowns), 10th within the FCS.
Efficiency additionally stays an indicator of the Bobcats protection. MSU's 18.4 factors allowed per sport is eighth nationally, and the crew is 14th in third down protection (.294). Senior security Rylan Ortt's first interception of the season at ISU got here at a vital second of that contest, following a Bengals takeaway, and he's second on the Bobcat crew with 25 whole tackles. Linebackers McCade O'Reilly (29) and Danny Uluilakepa (25) are additionally on the high of MSU's tackles chart.
This week's sport kicks off at 2 pm, and airs round Montana on Scripps' CBS stations (together with MTN in Missoula/Kalispell).
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