Memo on the Project

Friday, December 8, 2006 p.m. at Washington-Grizzly Stadium. The temporary lights are up and aimed. The ESPN2 crew, presumably, has Semifinal Game Day brushed up on the pronunciations of “Ihedigbo (ee-HEAD- dee-BOO)” and “Beaudin (BOW-den).” Grizmas lights: Second-ranked Griz primed to battle No. 3 Minutemen (Missoulian). Seniors make last stand at Washington-Griz (Missoulian). The teams are primed. The stadium will be packed. Big crowd to send off Griz seniors (Missoulian). Griz host UMass tonight in semifinals (Billings Gazette). The winner of the first semifinal, in what can be called the Diehard UM fans make the trip (Billings Gazette, Montana Standard). Another big-time runner tests determined Griz defense (Great Falls Tribune). Division I-AA playoffs for a few more days, earns a trip to Are these teams twins, or what? (Great Falls Tribune). the Division I Football Championship next Friday in ASUM favors smaller stadium (Billings Gazette). --- Chattanooga, Tenn. GAME DAY MISSOULIAN They might be the best — Griz D ranks 6th in I-AA and possibly best in school “I think it'll be a great game,” fourth-year Grizzlies' coach history. How We See The Playoffs. Bobby Hauck said. “Probably, like most of them, down to The Edge. the wire.” Grizzly Game Day / Stat pack. Grizzly Q & A: Dan Carpenter on the hero end of the spectrum. In I-AA, the real national champion will stand up. The teams match excellent defenses and balanced offenses. From the desk of the AD: Griz faithful rise to the occasion. Both teams have had one less day to game-plan, Montana Where is Garrett Venters now? 'Doctor Doom' finds his true calling as fireman. --- for Massachusetts' gambling, pressure D and the Drum line keeps the beat in Washington-Grizzly Stadium (Missoulian). Minutemen for the Grizzlies' gap-sound, run-conscious 4- Note to ‘Muzzoola': UMass is in ‘Ammerst' (Missoulian). 3. Skybox beneficiary / Jim Caras gives former caretaker live view of semifinal (Missoulian). Grizzly-UMass game hottest ticket in town (Missoulian). “They'll be all over the place,” Hauck said of the --- Minutemen defenders, who line up 4-3, then 3-4, and keep UMass meets Montana (The Republican). Going in blind: UMass, Montana know very little about each other (Daily changing things up from there. “They'll be even, they'll be Hampshire Gazette). odd (up front), lots of line games. There will be guys He's more than worth it (Daily Hampshire Gazette). To UMass, gridiron success worth the price (Boston Globe). running all over the place, is what they'll be.” UMass's Baylark is a brush with greatness (Boston Globe). Air up there could be a problem for UMass (Boston Herald). “Their two defensive ends, I really love their foot speed,” They’re catching on: Tight end duo emerges (Boston Herald). Massachusetts draws on artful Baylark (USA Today). UMass coach Don Brown said of the Grizzlies, who --- haven't allowed a playoff touchdown. “They are very solid Brown denies interest in BC head coaching job (The Daily Hampshire Gazette). inside. Their three linebackers all can run and cover. I Facing the elements: UMass plays in a tough Montana atmosphere for shot at NT (DH Gazette). really like both the safeties. I think they have good C'mon huh? (The Daily Hampshire Gazette). coverage skills and are great tacklers. The bottom line (The Boston Globe). A leg to stand on: Hatchells put heart in UMass defense (The Boston Globe). “And their corners, again, complement their safeties extremely well.”

Grizmas lights: Second-ranked Griz But Brown's biggest concern seems to be the play of Montana quarterback Josh Swogger, who has gotten primed to battle No. 3 Minutemen healthy and been on target down the stretch.

By FRITZ NEIGHBOR of the Missoulian “They're playing very, very good defense right now,” Brown said. “But we're easily as concerned about the http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2006/12/08/sports/spor matchup of their offense against our defense. It looks like ts01.txt they're kind of functioning on all cylinders.

It isn't No. 1 vs. No. 2, but in the NCAA Division I “I don't know if there's a throw that Josh can't make.” Football Championship Subdivision, No. 2 vs. No. 3 ain't bad. Swogger, the Washington State transfer, has six touchdown passes in two playoff games after throwing for eight TDs in The stage is set for the second-ranked Montana Grizzlies to the Grizzlies' previous eight outings. The Griz lost junior battle the No. 3 Massachusetts Minutemen Friday at 5:35 receiver Mike Ferriter to a broken arm early in the Memo on the Project – Confidential

McNeese State game; Craig Chambers, Ryan Bagley and “If the run game doesn't work out, I know the receivers Eric Allen have kept it dangerous for opponents to blitz. will step up,” he said. “Once they start making plays, I just know I have to be patient, and the run game will open up.” Balancing them is a run game that is currently led by redshirt freshman Thomas Brooks-Fletcher, averaging 5.6 A sellout crowd figures to have more of an impact than the yards a carry. One telling statistic may be who has the most usual December weather in western Montana. yards by the final gun Friday - Brooks-Fletcher or UMass tailback Steve Baylark, a 220-pound senior. “I've been hearing a lot about Montana's crowd out there, and the stadium and how loud it gets,” Baylark said. “It's December, you've got to stop the run,” Hauck said. “You've got to try to drown out all that stuff and stay “And you've got to run it. That's the way of the world.” focused. It's win or go home. Right now we just want to get that win.” Baylark has 5,030 career rushing yards, 1,658 of those coming this season. He's a load, though he is impressed by Of course, so do the Grizzlies. the Griz, who held down Payton Award finalist Arkee Whitlock of Southern Illinois last week. “Regardless of what happens this will be our last game here,” said defensive end Dustin Dlouhy, one of eight “There's some big boys out there,” Baylark said. “I didn't seniors winding up their Griz careers. “This is something know they had such big boys out there in Montana.” you think about, and you do want to take everything in this week and next week, and make the most of it. And pray Baylark figures to be the key, since UMass likes the play- that everything is positive.” action pass. Yet when he's been slowed, the Minutemen have won. Mostly, he hasn't been; he ran for 198 yards against New Hampshire last week. Seniors make last stand at Washington- Maine did the best job, holding him to 50 yards on 17 Griz carries.

By FRITZ NEIGHBOR of the Missoulian “Maine knows what they're doing,” Hauck said Thursday.

“They're solid. But they didn't beat 'em (UMass won 10-9). http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2006/12/08/sports/spor It's one of those deals where they couldn't get it done.” ts02.txt

Add in super sophomore Liam Coen at quarterback, a trio Twelve straight wins have led the Montana Grizzlies' of receivers that UM defensive coordinator Kraig Paulson seniors to the brink of another championship game really likes and another all-world tight end (Brad Listorti), appearance. and the Minutemen are a handful. Much more so than SIU, which found little room to operate in a 20-3 loss to Griz Not to mention the twilight of their collegiate careers. last week.

“It's crazy to think time has gone so fast,” said senior The Minutemen won't have a fullback out there all the defensive end Mike Murphy, who'll lead the second-ranked time. Griz up against visiting Massachusetts on Friday, in the I-

AA semifinals at 5:35 p.m.. “I remember being a freshman “They do a little more,” said Paulson. “They're not so playing out here and thinking, ‘Oh, I've got a couple more dead-set on staying two-back until they have to go one- years.' It just goes so fast. back. They can switch gears.

“Hopefully we can end it right. We've got it rolling right “They're the best team we've seen. They just are.” now and it's just really fun to get these wins and extend our

season. Hopefully, we can do that Friday night.” Baylark is confident.

Of the eight Montana seniors playing - running back Lex Hilliard, quarterback Jason Washington and punter Tyson

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 2 Memo on the Project – Confidential

Johnson were lost to injury and are taking medical redshirts Montana coach Bobby Hauck described Southern Illinois - seven have been in the program five years. The eighth is tight end Braden Jones as the best one the Griz had seen transfer quarterback Josh Swogger. since the Iowa game.

For the record, Swogger doesn't want to see it end either. Now there is UMass tight end Brad Listorti, a Rutgers transfer who is third on the Minutemen with 31 catches, for “There are a lot of positive things,” said the former 514 yards. Washington State starter. “Being a 12-1 team and playing the way we have the last couple weeks in the playoffs - you “I was shocked when our defensive coaches were yelling know, it'd be exciting no matter what. Then just adding the down the hallway Sunday, about this guy being better than playoff atmosphere to that and it's been unbelievable and the last guy (Jones). He's good. He's as fast as most of their amazing.” receivers, I think.

More of that atmosphere is on its way. A sellout crowd will “They don't take their tight end off the field much.” fill Washington-Grizzly Stadium to watch UM play another 12-1 team, UMass, under the lights. One more win Listorti, 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds, averages 16.6 yards per and the Griz are off to their sixth title game in 12 seasons, reception and has a pair of touchdowns. Montana's trio of next Friday in Chattanooga, Tenn. tight ends - Dan Beaudin, Kevin Klaboe and Steven Pfahler - has combined for 29 catches for 283 yards and two Most of these seniors remember the last trip, in 2004. It scores. ended with a 31-21 loss to James Madison. Murphy and fellow defensive end Dustin Dlouhy haven't forgotten. Jones, meanwhile, didn't have a catch last week in Montana's 20-3 quarterfinal win over SIU. “We both started in that national championship game,” Dlouhy said. “Both of us made a point afterwards, when Hauck is OK with the confidence of the Minutemen. James Madison was out there yelling and screaming, to not just turn around and walk into the locker room with our “I think if you win 12 and you're rolling like they are, you heads down. ought to be confident,” he said. “You should be very confident. Their only loss was to a bowl team (Navy). By “I turned around and watched it, and I looked at Mike, and one.” we were, ‘Let's get back here. Let's get back here, be leaders, and have a different outcome next time.' That said, Hauck has found it hard to gauge the speed of UMass. He watched James Madison lose to Youngstown “We have a shot at that becoming reality.” State in the playoffs, and thought the Dukes were, “really fast.” Massachusetts came out of its 24-17 quarterfinal win over Atlantic-10 foe New Hampshire at less than 100 percent. “But these guys didn't play (JMU),” he added.

“We looked like a MASH unit on Sunday,” UMass coach He does know that the Minutemen haven't had an overly Don Brown said. “But I told the kids, ‘By Tuesday, make long time to prepare. sure you're unMASHed.' I'm sure we'll be ready to compete and play on Friday night.” “It's more fun for us to have a team that hasn't had a week off,” said Hauck, who saw three Big Sky opponents come The Minutemen lost top defensive tackle Jason Leonard, a into their Griz game with a bye. “It's fun to a play a team senior that Brown tried to recruit to Northeastern when he that hasn't spent their whole spring (preparing) for you. was the Huskies' coach, in the UNH game. Montana, They've had the same time to prepare for us that we've had meanwhile, sat defensive tackle Craig Mettler for the for them, which is good.” second straight playoff game last week. QUICK KICKS: Once again, special teams are key to both Both players' status is up in the air. programs. UMass punter Chris Koegel is averaging 40.9 yards for his career. Montana's Dan Carpenter is averaging 41.9 yards in his lone season as the punter. Š Cornerback

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 3 Memo on the Project – Confidential

Courtney Robinson, a Connecticut transfer, is the most group of guys to play with. It’s just been unbelievable and dangerous return man for UMass. Š UM's Reggie amazing and I just can’t say enough about … what we’ve Bradshaw (ribs) didn't play last week, but still leads the been able to accomplish together.” Griz in rushing. Š Each team's loss came to a I-A opponent, UMass to Navy (21-20) and UM to Iowa (41-7). Iowa, 6-6, Murphy also expressed thankfulness for being part of the is facing Texas in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio on Dec. program. 30. Navy, 9-3, faces Boston College in the Meineke Bowl in Charlotte, N.C. on the same day. ... UMass RB Steve “It’s crazy to think that time has gone so fast,” Murphy Baylark is just the third I-AA player to gain 1,000 yards in said. “I remember just being a freshman out here and four straight seasons. thinking ‘I’ve got a couple more years,’ but it’s just gone so fast. Hopefully we can end it right.”

All that aside, coach Bobby Hauck said there are no Big crowd to send off Griz seniors gimmes in football, especially when you’re this deep into the playoffs. He called UMass’s balance on offense By BILL SCHWANKE of Missoulian.com “troubling” due in no small part to Atlantic 10 player of the year Steve Baylark at running back and top-rated passer in http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2006/12/08/sports/griz/ the nation Liam Coen at quarterback. gr40.txt Throw in the fact that the Minutemen also have statistically Time is winding down rapidly for the seniors on this year’s the top scoring defense in I-AA and there’s plenty to worry Montana football team. In fact Friday night will be their about Friday night. last appearance as players in Washington-Grizzly Stadium. Hauck, when asked what he thinks the atmosphere will be The Grizzlies take on the Massachusetts Minutemen at like for a rare night game in Missoula, said it probably 5:35 p.m. in one semifinal of the I-AA playoffs. The won’t matter much in terms of player emotion. winner will face top-ranked Appalachian State or No. 4 Youngstown State a week later in the national “If we played them in the parking lot this afternoon both championship game in Chattanooga, Tenn. teams would be fired up,” he said. But he did go on to say, “It’ll be fun in our stadium on Friday night. I’m sure the Three of the Griz seniors - Dustin Dlouhy, Josh Swogger atmosphere will be electric. I anticipate a real wild scene.” and Mike Murphy - took part in Tuesday’s weekly football press conference and talked about their waning careers. Hauck said his team has improved as the season has gone on, something that was a mantra for the Grizzlies and has been in past seasons as well. But there no longer is room “That is something in the back of your mind you think for error. about and it’s there,” Dlouhy said. “You do kind of want to take everything in stride this week and hopefully next week “When you get into a game like this you have to play and get the most out of it and really build some memories. well,” Hauck said. “And you can’t mess it up. The team that messes it up this time of year, … you go home and put “(You) just pray that everything’s positive because it is the equipment away.” something in your life that’s about to come to a close,” he continued, “and you want to instill some memories that Dlouhy pointed out one interesting twist for what it’s will last for a long time.” worth.

For Swogger, his senior year has been his only year at “Aside from Cal Poly it’ll be the smallest offensive tackles Montana after he transferred from Washington State, but that Mike and Kroy (Biermann) and I will face all season,” it’s certainly been what he called a “magical season.” he said. “So that’ll be interesting to see how that plays out.” “I’m just thankful for everything that’s happened to us as a team this year,” Swogger said Tuesday. “It’s been a great Another interesting sidelight to the Grizzly season has been the connection between members of the UM coaching staff

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 4 Memo on the Project – Confidential and counterparts with virtually every team Montana has quarterback that leads the nation in pass efficiency in played this season. sophomore Liam Coen (172.2).

In the case of UMass Grizzly strength coach Mike Gerber UMass averages around 380 yards of offense per game. used to work with Minutemen head coach Don Brown The Minutemen will try to remain effective on offense in when both were at Yale in the early 90s. But sometimes front of what will be a sold-out crowd in an undoubtedly those connections don’t lead to good news. frenzied atmosphere.

“I’m not sure how much applies other than that we can get Baylark and Coen, along with star receiver Brandon an idea of what the mind set is,” Hauck said. “I should quit London, are the keys. calling the guys back there because all my buddies back in Boston talk about how good they are and how fast they are. "Steve Baylark is playing the best football of his career at this point in time," UMass coach Don Brown said earlier “It’s gonna make me more nervous rather than less.” this week via teleconference. "The difference is he is finishing plays.

Griz host UMass tonight in semifinals "Liam Coen is just a cool customer. I think he is the complete package. He has made all the right decisions for By GREG RACHAC, Billings Gazette us so we just keep our fingers crossed that he has another solid effort this week." http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/12/08/sports/lo cal/20-grizzlies.txt Massachusetts' defense, led by safety James Ihedigbo, cornerback Tracy Beltonis and linebacker Jason Hatchell, MISSOULA - The Montana Grizzlies are staring ranks No. 1 in the country in scoring, giving up just over Chattanooga square in the face. 10 points per outing.

There's just one obstacle to overcome: The Massachusetts "Defensively, they throw a bunch of different looks at you, Minutemen. and that's difficult to prepare for," said Montana senior quarterback Josh Swogger. "They bring pressure from a lot No. 2 Montana (12-1) and No. 3 Massachusetts (12-1) of different places. We just have to focus and lock in (on square off tonight in the Division I-AA semifinal round at Friday)." Washington-Grizzly Stadium for the right to go to the national championship game next Friday in Chattanooga, On the flipside, Montana is playing what is believes is its Tenn. best defensive football of the season, and has surrendered just seven, six and three points, respectively, in its last Tonight's game will be played under the lights beginning at three outings. 5:30 p.m. and will be televised nationwide on ESPN2. The contest is a matchup of two teams that mix balanced Behind the increasingly tough play of linemen Mike offenses with tough, stingy defenses. Murphy and Kroy Biermann, linebacker Tyler Joyce and safety Colt Anderson, the Grizzlies knocked off Southern "Once you get to this point it's a privilege to be here, and Illinois last week 20-3 and held running back Arkee you know your opponent is going to be very talented and Whitlock, a Walter Payton Award finalist, to a mere 80 well coached," said Montana coach Bobby Hauck. "It's a yards. pretty daunting task to get ready for these guys." Offensively, Montana has been impressive if not UMass comes into the game fresh off a 24-17 home win spectacular in the last few weeks, averaging about 21 over New Hampshire in last week's quarterfinals. points in its last three games while putting up just under an average of 375 yards in that span. The Minutemen boast a productive offense that features a 1,600-yard running back in senior Steve Baylark and a While they haven't put up a ton of points, the Grizzlies are taking care of the ball and have been consistently winning the time-of-possession battle.

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 5 Memo on the Project – Confidential

because son Terran Hillesland, a red-shirt freshman and Swogger, freshman running back Thomas Brooks-Fletcher offensive right guard, has started in nearly every game. and a stable of qualified receivers have led the way. Now, the weekly trip across Montana has become standard The Grizzlies are peaking at the right time, which Hauck procedure for the Hillesland family and a few other Sidney inferred is very important when you get to this point of the diehards. Younger son Jade frequently joins Chris. season. Terran’s mother, Therese, makes most of the games, too. Their oldest son Chad has easy duty — he only has to drive "If you aren't playing good football at this time of year, up from his home in Butte. you're going home," said Montana's fourth-year head coach. "The key for us, as it is every year, is to improve as At this time of year, the sun hasn’t even risen when the the season's gone on. That's what has happened. When you Hilleslands point their car west. By the time they reach get into a game like this, you have to play well and you Missoula nearly nine hours later, there’s little daylight to can't mess it up. If you do, you put the equipment away." spare.

NOTES: Tickets were sold out as of 11:00 a.m. To pass the time, they listen to books on tape and break the Wednesday morning. ... The game will be available in trip into mental milestones: four hours to Lewistown, High Definition format, the first-ever High Definition another hour and a half to Great Falls and only 2 1/2 hours telecast from Washington-Grizzly Stadium. ... ESPN will for the final home stretch. provide the portable lights for tonight's game. ... Dave Pasch, Rod Gilmore and Trevor Matich will call the game Chris grimaces when he remembers the one weekend they with Heather Cox reporting from the sidelines. ... The got tied up in Sidney until 7:30 p.m. By the time they winner of the UMass/Montana game will take on the arrived in Missoula, it was going on 5 a.m. winner of the No. 1 Appalachian State/No. 4 Youngstown State contest in the national championship game. “But we made it to the tailgate by 9 (a.m.),” he said, smiling.

After the game, and before pointing the car east Sunday Diehard UM fans make the trip mornings, the Hilleslands frequently take Terran — all 6 feet, 7 inches and 320 pounds of him — and some of his By Linda Halstead Acharya, of The Billings Gazette buddies out for dinner. (posted in the Montana Standard, Butte) “They order two entrees — two whole meals — when they http://www.mtstandard.com/articles/2006/12/08/sportscolle sit down,” Chris said, obviously amazed. ge/hjjdihjbjiihfd.txt This past Wednesday, as the Hilleslands prepared for their SIDNEY — It’s 560 miles from Sidney to Missoula, and final cross-state drive of the season, Chris hoped that this Chris Hillesland of Sidney is beginning to know each and season’s great travel conditions would hold out for one every one of those miles by heart. more weekend. Then he paused as he calculated the miles “We go straight across (Highway) 200,” he said, explaining they’ve traveled. If they’d made every home game, he said, that it’d be another hour by interstate. “From here to Grass the total would come to just less than 10,000 miles. And, Range, you don’t see anybody.” The Hillesland family since Terran has three years of eligibility left, Chris figures represents but a few of the nearly 24,000 Griz fans who they have tens of thousands of miles to go. will rock Washington Grizzly Stadium Friday night. But to join the Griz Nation, they must cross the entire Big Sky “He (Terran) appreciates it, and I wouldn’t trade it for State, a distance that would no doubt boggle the minds of anything,” he said. “It’s been a ball.” even the most loyal University of Massachusetts fans. *** For Hillesland, however, it’s “no big deal” to make yet another 1,120-mile round trip. This fall, he’s attended all but two of the Griz home games. He hates to miss one

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 6 Memo on the Project – Confidential

Another big-time runner tests determined Baylark averages 5.8 per carry, though he lacks the Griz defense breakaway speed of a runner like Southern Illinois' Arkee Whitlock of Cal Poly's James Noble — the best two rushers Montana has faced this season. Neither of those By GEORGE GEISE, Great Falls Tribune players got close to their season averages against the Grizzlies, who yield only 98 yards per game on the ground. http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID =/20061208/SPORTS/612080338/1006 Brown said Baylark has continued to improve during his five years at UMass, and he was pretty good to start with. MISSOULA — What if Lex Hilliard were playing tonight in the semifinals of the Football Championship Subdivision "Steve is playing the best football of his career," said the playoffs? third-year coach. "He was 15 pounds lighter coming into camp this year, and he's playing at a high level. The That's a prospect that undoubtedly would thrill Montana difference is he's finishing plays. He's had a lot more long fans, since the 6-0, 225-pounder from Kalispell may be the runs, and he's a tenth to two-tenths faster (40-yard dash) most talented running back in the history of the Grizzly than a year ago. program. "We were able to rest him early in the year and it's paid off. That won't happen, of course, because Hilliard has been He looks fresh." sidelined all season with an Achilles tendon injury. But a Hilliardesque combination of power and finesse will be Stopping Whitlock last week (80 yards in 21 carries) was playing, and Steve Baylark will be wearing the UMass UM's main defensive focus. But stopping Baylark tonight colors. isn't the Grizzlies' only goal. The Minutemen have the most efficient quarterback in I-AA football in sophomore Liam "He's more like Lex Hilliard than anybody else we've Coen, who has completed an astonishing 66 percent of his faced," UM coach Bobby Hauck said of Baylark, a 220- passes, and has thrown 25 touchdown passes with only six pounder with good speed and great durability. interceptions.

"He runs well, and he's their guy when they run the Those are Dave Dickenson-type numbers. football." "This guy (Coen) is good. He's leading the nation in pass Indeed, Baylark has carried the ball 285 times this season efficiency, he's accurate," said Hauck after watching all 13 — more than five times as often as the next-busiest back, UMass games on tape. "The wide receivers are very good. freshman Tony Nelson. He's scored 13 touchdowns rushing Part of it is their players can really go up and get it, and and three more on pass receptions, and he's expected to their tight end (6-4, 245-pound Brad Listori) is a great touch the pigskin about 30 times tonight when coach Don player. Tim (defensive backs coach Tim Hauck) said this Brown's third-ranked Minutemen (12-1) face the second- guy's better than Southern Illinois' tight end." ranked Grizzlies (12-1) in a 5:35 matchup at Washington- Grizzly Stadium. SIU tight end Braden Jones came into last Saturday's game as the Salukis' leading receiver with 32 catches, but was The game will be watched by a sellout crowd of 24,000, skunked by the Griz defense. plus a nationwide TV audience on ESPN2. Listori has hauled in 31 balls for 514 yards and two TDs. Baylark, who hails from Apopka, Fla., has rushed for 5,030 The top UMass threat is 6-4, 210-pound senior Brandon yards in his fine career and is one of a handful of running London, who has 42 catches for 705 yards and nine TDs. backs in I-AA history who have gained 1,000 or more yards in four straight seasons. "They (Minutemen) talk about speed a lot, and No. 81 (Lundon) is a really good player," said Hauck. Even Hilliard — a preseason All-American before getting injured in August — wouldn't be likely to reach 5,000 The Minutemen also go often to 6-0, 201-pound junior J.J. yards. Moore, who has 36 catches for 482 yards and four scores.

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 7 Memo on the Project – Confidential

Coen rarely runs with the ball — he has 28 carries all Montana's defense also is good at putting serious pressure season for negative yardage — but he's been sacked only on opposing quarterbacks, especially in likely throwing 14 times. The UMass offensive line is headed by all- situations. Atlantic 10 players Matt Austin (6-5, 288) at left tackle and Alex Miller (6-2, 290) at center. "I love the foot speed of the defensive ends," said Brown, "and the three linebackers all can run and cover. They're UMass has perhaps the most balanced offense Montana has very stingy on defense." faced this season. The Minutemen throw for 202 yards and rush for 177 on their way to scoring 29 points per game UM defensive coordinator Kraig Paulson likes to rotate against a tough schedule. ends Mike Murphy, Dustin Dlouhy and Kroy Biermann, and all are quick off the ball. Linebackers Tyler Joyce, Montana's offensive numbers are nearly identical, although Kyle Ryan and Loren Utterback are perhaps the fastest the Griz do it in different ways. UM uses three running group Montana has ever had at that position. backs and rarely throws to the backs or tight ends. But if senior quarterback Josh Swogger and his big receiving Fans shouldn't be surprised if both teams show some corps is on its game, freshman running back Thomas wrinkles in the kicking game. Hauck, who coaches special Brooks-Fletcher usually gets wider rushing lanes. The 200- teams, is noted for his deep bag of trick plays, and the pounder from Washington has gained more than 100 yards Grizzlies tried both a fake punt and fake field goal last in three of his last four outings. week against Southern Illinois.

The Grizzlies have rolled up almost 900 yards in playoff victories over McNeese State (31-6) and Southern Illinois One worked, one didn't, but teams must be aware of the (20-3). gadget plays.

Brown seems impressed with UM's talent. UMass also has those weapons, said Hauck.

"Well, obviously they have a very, very fine football team "They've used a few fake punts and field goals, and with team balance on offense and an outstanding reverses on kickoff returns," he said. "They do things that quarterback in Josh Swogger," said Brown. make you work."

"He's a strong-armed guy, with a good handle on what the Playing under the lights will be an oddity for both teams. coach wants to get done. They have a myriad of running UM played one night game this season at Portland State, backs, and three very good receivers. I'm really impressed while UMass played the second half of its playoff game with Eric Allen, Ryan Bagley and Craig Chambers," he last week against New Hampshire under the lights in added. Amherst, Mass.

Those three wideouts — all in the 6-3, 210-pound range — The Minutemen have played in front of big crowds — they have combined for 141 catches and more than 2,000 yards, drew 17,000 at home last week, and they played before with 17 touchdowns. Washington State transfer Swogger 30,117 at Navy in September. But they haven't seen a has found Washington transfer Chambers four times for throng quite like the 24,000 they'll see tonight, said Hauck. TDs the past two weeks. "It's going to be a wild scene Friday night, it will be full," The ability of the huge but young UM offensive line to he said. "Our crowd will be into it, you know that." keep defenders like noseguard Jason Leonard and end John Hatchell off Swogger's back probably will determine Montana is 24-2 in playoff games at Washington-Grizzly Montana's offensive play-calling. When Swogger has had Stadium, and is 5-0 in semifinal games at home. time to throw, the rifle-armed quarterback from Ohio has excelled. But he's also been sacked more than 40 times, Brown got his team early to Missoula so the Minutemen five of those last week against SIU. could work out twice (Thursday afternoon, Friday morning) at the stadium. But there's no way the visitors will understand the pressure of the crowd until the kickoff.

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 8 Memo on the Project – Confidential

"We're just have to prepare our guys the best we can, use hand signals, silent cadence," said Brown. In the other corner, we've got the UM Grizzlies, who yield a little over four yards a minute, and less than 16 points per "The flip side is, we had a great crowd at our place last game, 14th-best in I-AA football. week, and to be honest with you, our guys feed off high- energy crowds. Our guys will like to play in a hostile On the west sidelines, we've got a UMass offense that environment." passes much less than it runs, but does both well, churning out 379 yards and 29 points per game. Tonight's winner will advance to the national championship game on Friday, Dec. 15 in Chattanooga, On the east sidelines, we've got a UM offense that passes a Tenn. The other finalist will be No. 1 Appalachian State little less than it runs, but does both well, amassing 376 (12-1) against No. 4 Youngstown State (13-2). That yards and 28.3 points per game. semifinal will be played Saturday night in Boone, N.C., and will be televised by ESPN. In the visiting white uniforms, you've got a punter who averages 40.4 yards per boot, plus a placekicker who makes 70 percent of his field goals.

Are these teams twins, or what? In the home maroon uniforms, you've got a punter who averages 41.9 yards per boot and a placekicker who Geise, Great Falls Tribune converts 78 percent of his field goals. In Montana's case, it's the same guy handling all the crucial footwork. http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID =/20061208/SPORTS/612080339/1006 On both sidelines, you've got 300-pound offensive linemen, give or take a biscuit. The UMass guys might be Have two football opponents ever looked more alike — or 6-2 or 6-3, and the Montana guys tend to be 6-6 or 6-7, but sounded more alike — than UM and ...UM? they're all sturdy fellows who work well in groups.

When the University of Montana plays host to the On both sidelines, you've got athletic, tall receivers who University of Massachusetts tonight in the unfriendly know how to snag the football away from smaller confines of Washington-Grizzly Stadium, fans may need a defenders. The Minutemen are 6-4, 6-5 and 6-4 with their microscope to notice the differences. primary pass catchers. The Griz go 6-3, 6-4 and 6-3 with their top three receivers. The crisp night air could be filled On paper, this Football Championship Subdivision with high-arching spirals. semifinal looks like a heads-or-tails, call-it-in-the-air type of contest. On both sidelines, you've got agile defensive ends and linebackers who know how to get to the quarterback. Best-two-out-of three? UMass has 36 sacks this season, UM has 34.

That's out of the question with the NCAA, which mandates There are other similarities between the two squads, most an overtime in case this one's tied after 60 minutes. obviously their records.

Too close to call? UMass is 12-1 and went 8-0 in its own tough conference. The Minutemen lost only to an NCAA Division I-A This one might be too close for comfort, especially if program on the road. They've won 11 straight games. you're one of the 23,500 Grizzly partisans in the audience. Montana fans are notorious for their aversion to close UM is 12-1 and went 8-0 in its own highly competitive games, mostly because they aren't used to them. conference. The Grizzlies lost only to an NCAA Division I-A program on the road. They've won 12 straight games. In one corner, we've got the UMass Minutemen, who give up less than five yards a minute. They also give up just But these aren't mirror-image teams. Not quite. under two touchdowns a game, best in all of I-AA football.

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UMass likes to hand the football to a 6-0, 220-pound senior victories. Most teams have left with three-touchdown running back. Then they like to hand it off to him again, defeats. and again. Steve Baylark has packed the mail 285 times this season on his way to 1,658 yards and 13 touchdowns. In a close battle — and this one looks as close on paper as Nobody else has carried more than 47 times. any matchup in years — the fans usually make a difference. Many coaches figure the homefield advantage UM likes to run the ball with 200-pound freshman Thomas in Missoula is worth 14 points, at least. Brooks-Fletcher, who will be spelled by 190-pound senior Brady Green, and quite likely by 212-pound junior Reggie The edge probably won't be worth that much tonight Bradshaw. Together, they've carried the mail 341 times for against a well-coached team with no apparent weaknesses. 1,491 yards and 18 touchdowns. But even if the crowd is worth only seven points, that UMass has a medium-sized sophomore quarterback should be enough to determine a winner in a matchup this running the offense, and Liam Coen (6-2, 205) is an agile close. kid who completes 67 percent of his passes. He's thrown 25 TD passes and just six interceptions, making him one of the mosty efficient passers in I-AA football. ASUM favors smaller stadium UM has a jumbo-sized senior quarterback running the offense, and Josh Swogger (6-5, 235) is a not-so-agile guy Billings Gazette News Services who completes 55 percent of his throws. He's tossed 17 TD passes and has been intercepted 10 times, but his rocket http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/12/08/sports/lo arm makes him one of the most dangerous passers in I-AA cal/39-asum.txt football. MISSOULA - The University of Montana's student The one obvious statistical difference between these teams government has endorsed a scaled-down plan for is in their ability to protect the passer. expansion at Washington-Grizzly Stadium that includes 2,000 new seats and an increase in athletic fees of $10 per Coen is not prone to sacks. Period. He's been tipped over semester. only 14 times in 13 games. The original plan called for a $7 million, 4,000-seat Swogger is more than prone to sacks; he's often been prone expansion and a fee increase of $17.50 per semester. because of them. UM has given up more QB sacks (48) than any other I-AA team in the nation. Even though the UM's top executives pitched the revised plan to the Griz offensive line is healthy, and playing better than it Associated Students of the University of Montana on was a month ago, protection remains a major concern for Wednesday night. They plan to take it to the state Board of the Grizzly brain trust. Regents in January.

But there's one even more obvious difference between The new plan will cost about $5 million and is expected to these teams. be paid off in five years from various sources, including ticket revenue, UM President George Dennison said. UMass is playing 2,000 miles from home. Tonight's semifinal game will be the second time in school history At that time, the athletic fee increase will be repealed, he the Minutemen have played west of the Central time zone. said. They've never even flown over Washington-Grizzly Stadium. They're not used to playing at elevations above Seniors do not have to pay the $10-per-semester fee 3,000 feet. increase, because they won't be around to enjoy the benefits, he added. UM is playing in its own stadium, in a noisy den that's friendly to Grizzlies, but not to visiting football teams. The athletic fee currently is $36 per semester. Only four of the previous 26 playoff opponents who have visited Washington-Grizzly Stadium have escaped with

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For their funding boost, students will get 750 additional tackle Darren Maruqez and guard Matt Ruth, upending seats. The original $7 million proposal promised students running back Arkee Whitlock for a 4-yard loss. an additional 1,600 seats. Then, on third-and-10, Murphy zipped outside of Marquez, ASUM senators voted 19-2 in favor of the new proposal who was determined to shore off that B gap, and sacked after over 90 minutes of discussion. Salukis' quarterback Nick Hill for a 9-yard loss.

The decision was welcome news to UM administrators. The crowd of 18,832 packed into Washington-Grizzly went crazy. The game had turned. The expansion will provide more seating to a venue that usually is sold out, Dennison said. It also will create more And there were 58 minutes left. revenue for campus and raise the football program's profile. The added exposure will lead people to learn more Against a crowd that never let up and a defense that never about UM and the rest of its campus, he said. gave in, Southern Illinois ended up with just 129 yards. The Salukis ran for 92, or 153 under their average. It was, What is more important, the expansion will allow more to use UM coach Bobby Hauck's word, "spectacular." students to cheer on their classmates, said Jim O'Day, UM athletic director. "If there's ever been a better defense in the Big Sky Conference, that is an arguable point," Hauck said this "It's the students that create the excitement in the stadium," week. "Because I don't think any defense has ever played he said. "It's the students who make it a special place to better than our guys are playing right now." be." To try to compare defenses in the long history of the Big Sky Conference is an apple-and-orange puzzle. Going back through Montana's history alone makes it only slightly less so. GAME DAY MISSOULIAN Example: In 1989 the Grizzlies gave up just 70.2 rushing yards a game. What mitigates that number is the fact that in 1989, seven out of the nine Big Sky teams threw for at They might be the best — Griz D ranks 6th least 246 yards per game. in I-AA and possibly best in school Only one Big Sky team, Northern Arizona, did that this history season.

By FRITZ NEIGHBOR of the Missoulian Statistics can be skewed. Witness 1993, when Montana breezed through its Big Sky Conference slate, beating http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2006/12/08/grizmania/ Idaho by 20 on the road and earning a first-round playoff griz-gameday/gday01.txt game. Heading into the playoffs the Grizzlies were allowing just 91.6 rushing yards per game. The play of the day in Montana's 20-3 Division I-AA quarterfinal win over Southern Illinois could've been any By the time Delaware left Washington-Grizzly Stadium - one of the long, third-down catches by Ryan Bagley, Rob with 476 rushing yards and a 49-48 victory - they were Schulte or Eric Allen. allowing an average of 135.

Instead, it was a sack by Mike Murphy, one of Montana's That said, this Grizzly defense is different. It's deep, and two senior defensive ends, that paved the second-ranked talented, and fast. The secondary is filled with good Grizzlies' way into Friday's semifinal home game against tacklers and cover men, but no real star, a la Tim Hauck of No. 3 Massachusetts. One play before, the 240-pounder out the 1987-89 teams - and some feel the 1988 squad had the of Great Falls plowed through the gap between SIU left best defense in Griz history.

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The linebacker crew runs six deep and makes a ton of coach in 2004. "This is important to them. They practice tackles, but none of the starters - Tyler Joyce, Kyle Ryan or hard and they play hard. It's just outstanding, how much Loren Utterback - made first-team all-Big Sky. this means to them and how hard they work at it."

The front is built around three anonymous men in the Paulson took over as defensive coordinator in 2005, after middle in Kerry Mullan, Kelly Kain and Craig Mettler, Jeff Hammerschmidt left for a job at Cal Poly. The though the banged-up Mettler had given away to Dan Plentywood native had been in this position before: He was Carter and Jesse Carlson of late, and ends Kroy Biermann, the Griz DC from 1998-99 under head coach Mick Mike Murphy and Dustin Dlouhy. Dennehy, and returned to the school after Dennehy let him go at Utah State in 2002. It says volumes that Murphy could fall off the Buck Buchanan Award list (Biermann jumped on) and the If fans had misgivings about Paulson's return, they abated defense continued to excel. It is, in a word, a collective in 2005 when the Griz picked up three shutouts and earned effort. their 13th straight I-AA playoff berth. It was a sign of things to come - and yet it was much the same approach And it's a far cry from the old Griz games, when Montana Paulson has always used. used to pile up the points on offense, get the ball back and pile up some more. The Griz line up 4-3, add a few wrinkles here and there, go light on pressure and heavy on being in the right place at Ah, 2004. The good old days. all times.

That was the year of Craig Ochs, Jefferson Heidelberger, "You can't call us simple, because we don't do a lot of the Levander Segars, Justin Green and Lex Hilliard. The same things every week," said Paulson, a former Griz offense exploded in the final six games of the season, and running back who earned the nickname 'Barbwire' while carried the Griz to their fifth I-AA championship game. wearing No. 37 from 1983-86. "But no, we're not trying to win the scheme war. The defense was an opportunistic bunch that gave up big yards at times, but generally toughened in the red zone and "We feel like half our practice time has to be put into created plenty of turnovers. It was also young, and ended fundamentals and execution of the scheme. That's how we up giving up chunks of yards (literally) to James Madison's try to balance it." ground game in a 31-21 title-game loss. "We like to play out of our base stuff," says Ryan, the Many of those players are back. Murphy and Dlouhy team's leading tackler with 103. "Two years ago we used to started the '04 final at the ends. Ryan backed up Nick Vella switch things up. Now we have our base defenses, and it at middle linebacker. Mullan started, as did Van Cooper doesn't matter who we play. We're playing the same stuff and Matt Lebsock at safety, and Tuff Harris at corner. we learned in August."

These Griz just aren't giving up yards. Montana has won 12 The result has been some tidy games that statistically straight games, and has done it by leaning heavily on its D. border on the absurd. The believers are lining up. Cal Poly. Portland State. Montana State. Southern Illinois and McNeese State Aforementioned Northern Arizona threw for all of 93 yards combined for nine points in two playoff games at against UM in October. Idaho State's high-powered offense Washington-Grizzly. threw its first rod in Washington-Grizzly Stadium, gaining just 92 yards, 46 coming through the air. "Like the coaches say, defense wins championships," receiver Eric Allen said after the Griz topped the Cats 13-7. To be sure, the Grizzlies pressure: Witness the "Hurricane" "They've proven they're a good enough defense to stop blitzes of Jimmy Wilson against the Cats and last week everybody in the league. I'm just glad to be around them against SIU. They just don't do it as much as most teams. and I'm glad they're on my team." "I'm just not a big fan of just running guys through that "They had their turns early and are really a good group of way," said Paulson. "That can get you in a real minus kids," said Kraig Paulson, who was UM's linebackers

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 12 Memo on the Project – Confidential situation. But we run enough of it that you have to be each area, and that's all we have to worry about. That's aware of it." about all we need. That's probably a lot different than how other places do it." And at the right times. Different works - going back to the Larry Donovan era, "A lot of the sacks and things, the turnovers and stuff, are only the 1988 team allowed less than 300 yards per game, by a good call on his part," says Dlouhy. "We're just the at 279.9. Heading into Friday's game with UMass, with a ones who get all the credit for it. victory meaning their sixth I-AA title game appearance in 12 years, these Griz are allowing 251.5. "Coach Paulson coming from Utah State, people might have had mixed emotions," Dlouhy added. "But you can Even Paulson has to admit it has been spectacular. tell he personally has a lot of pride in Montana, being a Montana guy and all that. Whatever it is, there's a little "I'd be a fool to sit here and say I don't enjoy it," he said. "I something extra in him. It's about time 'Barbwire' gets a mean, I'm loving it." little love."

Paulson gives as well as he receives. He credits a defensive staff that includes Tim Hauck (safeties), Tom Hauck HOW WE SEE THE PLAYOFFS: Season (tackles), Ty Gregorak (linebackers) and Mike Hudson record: John 10-2, Fritz 10-2 (corners).

By JOHN SMITHERS of the Missoulian He talks of the work in the weight room, with strength coach Mike Gerber. http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2006/12/08/grizmania/

griz-gameday/gday02.txtPerhaps "You have to mention that," he says. "I have before and I truly believe that the players are bigger and stronger and Perhaps he is generous or perhaps slow on the draw - they're more durable." perhaps he is both - but Fritz Neighbor kindly let me back

into the running last week by picking Montana State to Then there are the players themselves. upset No. 1 Appalachian State.

"Absolutely," he said. "You have to have the players. But Heading into the semifinals of the I-AA/FCS playoffs, we it's not just their talent, it's their willingness to work and are now deadlocked at 10-2. get better. It's been awesome, no doubt. And getting that out of people is the other side of the story." You can cut the tension around here with a knife.

Publicly at least, Paulson says he feels no goal to right past It's kind of like when you ask Bobby Hauck a probing wrongs, or to prove himself. He's just doing the job, a question about the offense in a post-game press conference. couple blitzes at a time.

Speaking of Bobby Hauck, how 'bout them Grizzlies! "I think it's good for all of us," said Paulson, whose 1998 defense allowed the least yards in the Big Sky Conference. If there is a more dominant defense in I-AA, we haven't "I wouldn't say for me more than anybody else. It's a real seen it. It's downright fun to watch this team go after team effort. I've been through these battles for many years, people. Arkee Whitlock never knew what hit him. and I love coaching. I just think we ask our kids to be unselfish, so we have to be the same way. Team first." Speaking of fun, we somehow have to fill an entire half

page in Gameday with only two games to pick. This is The team blitzes maybe 15 times a game. Wilson has been going to require some long-winded blather, but we're good sent in, by Paulson's estimation, maybe 25 times this at that. season.

Blather, blather, blather. "Our playbook is huge," Dlouhy says. "But Thursday night

Coach Paulson draws from that and picks a few plays from

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Speaking of blather, what in the Sam-Bobcat was Mike happen. What Grizzly offense would show up? Would Kramer doing last Saturday calling a reverse option pass Whitlock really run rampant? Would there be enough light with Montana State down 24-17 early in the fourth quarter to play three overtimes? Probably not, but that won't matter and driving? Generally, we think Kramer - and we're going this week. ESPN and a national television audience to assume he either called the play or OK'd it - is one of the promises to provide plenty of Friday night lights. And more gifted thinkers in the Big Sky Conference. But the ill- things should roll along fairly quickly with a matchup of advised pass never had a chance, and the resulting two of the top defenses in the country. Montana ranks No. interception sealed MSU's fate. 6 overall while UMass has the top scoring defense. The Minutemen bring a far more balanced approach on offense And we were really rooting for the Bobcats. Who wouldn't than Southern Illinois did, but no one seems to find much have loved to see the Griz play the Cats for the national success against the Grizzlies these days. This will probably championship? Even if it did mean we had to endure come down to turnovers and special teams. Home-field Neighbor strutting around the office like a penguin. edge won't hurt either. In a Bobby Hauck dream game ... John: Griz 2, Massachusetts 0. Fritz: Griz 23, UMass 7. Speaking of Penguins, let's get to the picks. Unlike the usual flow of things, we're going to save Montana- Massachusetts for the end. THE EDGE: Missoulian reporter Nick Also unlike the usual flow of things, this is only the second Lockridge assesses the strength of both time since the playoffs expanded to 16 teams in 1986 that teams the top four seeds have advanced to the semifinals. The other year? 1996. Montana reached the title game as the No. 1 seed only to fall to No. 2 Marshall. http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2006/12/08/grizmania/ griz-gameday/gday03.txt

The picks: OFFENSE:

• No. 4 Youngstown State (11-2) at No. 1 Appalachian QB — Swogger had one of his most efficient games of the State (12-1): It's the first meeting ever between the two season last week with a 17-of-24 passing performance with schools. Youngstown State is basically Southern Illinois two touchdowns. UMass QB Liam Coen only leads the with a slightly better defense. The Penguins have survived nation in passer efficiency. He has completed 66 percent of two tough playoff games against James Madison and his passes for a rating of 172.3. The Swogg has a 130.3 Illinois State. Appalachian State has had an easier go of it, rating. beating Coastal Carolina and MSU, although the Bobcats clearly made the Mountaineers nervous. This is a OL — Let's see who's been packing on the holiday weight. fascinating matchup between a balanced Youngstown State The Grizzlies' starting O-line weighs a combined 1,493 team and Appy State, which has the best offense in the pounds. The Minutemen starting line weighs in at 1,445 playoffs. ASU freshman quarterback Armanti Edwards has pounds. It's UM by a couple drumsticks. thrown for nearly 2,000 yards and run for more than a 1,000. Kevin Richardson leads the Mountaineer rushing attack with 1,406 yards and 24 touchdowns. The key for RB — TBF has cracked the 100-yard plateau two weeks Youngstown will be keeping Edwards and Richardson off running, making Griz fans say, ‘No. 38, who's that?' Better the field with running back Marcus Mason, who averages start stocking up on No. 24 jerseys. Speaking of numbers, nearly 160 yards rushing a game for the Penguins. If it UMass running back Steve Baylark (No. 5) was the No. 1 turns into a defensive battle, Youngstown State has a rusher in the Atlantic 10 this fall and earned himself the co- chance. But it probably won't. John: Appalachian State 31, offensive MVP award. Youngstown State 28. Fritz: Youngstown State 31, Appy State 27. WR/TE — All bases are covered. Chris Chambers has four TDs this postseason and leads the team with eight. Eric • No. 3 Massachusetts (12-1) at No. 2 Montana (12-1): Last Allen stretches the field with deep, acrobatic catches. He week I had a little fun and predicted three overtimes, leads the team in average yards per catch and game. Ryan mostly because we didn't have a clue what was going to

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Bagley is the go-to guy, especially on third down. He tops Scoring UM 29.0 Opp 16.9 the team in receptions. Rushing yards UM 144.2 Opp 98.1 DEFENSE: Avg./rush UM 3.8 Opp 3.0 Passing UM 202-370-11 Opp 182-350-17 DL — The Grizzlies' D-line stuffed a Walter Payton Passing yards UM 231.1 Opp 163.6 Award candidate last week, held McNeese to just 99 yards Avg./pass UM 7.5 Opp 5.6 on the ground and completely dominated the Big Sky all Total offense UM 375.3 Opp 261.7 fall. Think that's going to change now? Avg./play UM 5.5 Opp 4.2

'Fraid not. 3rd down conv. UM 61-173 Opp 46-170 Time of poss. UM 30:23 Opp 29:36 LB — The warrior-style eye black on Tyler Joyce's face Fumbles-lost UM 12-9 Opp 25-11 should've been enough to earn the nod, but Joyce and UM's crew of crash test dummies forced five straight three-and- Kick returns UM 38-20.7 Opp 56-18.8 outs in the first half of last week's win. You can't fudge Punt returns UM 50-13.5 Opp 28-5.1 those statistics. Punting UM 58-42.3 Opp 82-41.7

CB/Safety — The Grizzly secondary has not picked off a Sacks by-yards lost UM 30-171 Opp 43-252 pass in two weeks, while the Minutemen defensive backs have one in each round of the playoffs, including last week Score by quarters against New Hampshire QB Ricky Santos, another Payton candidate. UM 95 82 132 39 - 348 Opponents 45 70 13 75 - 203 SPECIAL TEAMS:

K/P/Returns — In a tight game, Griz fans gotta like their chances if it comes down to a field goal. Dan Carpenter has Grizzly Q & A: Dan Carpenter on the hero made eight of his last nine attempts. The only miss in that end of the spectrum span was a 53-yarder. UMass' Chris Koepplin is six for his last nine. In a not-so-tight game, Koepplin has just one http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2006/12/08/grizmania/ PAT miss all year, Carp has four. D'oh! griz-gameday/gday05.txt

INTANGIBLES: Dan Carpenter No. 29

Year: Junior Predictions (in song) for Friday: At least THREE fat guys Position: Kicker/punter wearing Santa Claus suits in the student section,... TWO Height: 6-foot-2 dozen homemade signs with ESPN2 encrypted somewhere Weight: 211 in the message and... ONE big Montana win, which would Hometown: Helena make it a perfect 6-0 in home semifinal games. It's seven days 'til Grizmas, not 12. It's either the best or the worst position in football.

Most of the time you fly pretty much below the radar. Don't practice too hard. Show up at game time, hit a few Grizzly Game Day / Stat pack balls, and go home. http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2006/12/08/grizmania/ Then, at least a couple of times a year, the the whole game griz-gameday/gday04.txt comes down to you: The last-second kick. The 50-yarder. The on-side. That all-important go-ahead PAT. Perform MONTANA (11-1) perfectly and you're next to invisible, screw up once and you'll dream about it forever.

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Q: Do you believe a kicker can be "iced?" Does it effect When you're the kicker, there isn't a lot of middle ground you if the other team calls timeout before you try a kick? between hero and goat. A: It doesn't have a big effect. It's basically just to make the Junior Dan Carpenter lives with that pressure every week. person think about what they're actually doing and it just He also lives with a .696 career success rate on field goals gives them a little more time to think, 'This might a game- and a No. 1 ranking in 3-pointers made this season (23, out winner or to tie the game.' You can't let it get to you, you of 29). just have to think about it as just another kick, just like practice. After an injury ended the season of Montana punter Tyson Johnson in the first game of the year, Carpenter also took Q: What goes through your mind just before you attempt a over punting duties for the second straight season. big kick?

Carpenter doesn't just kick, though. When riverboat A: I'm trying not think about anything actually. I'm just gambler Bobby Hauck is running the special teams unit, trying to think about the things I think about before every there are always going to a few tricks in store for opposing field goal. I have the most trouble with watching the ball defenders. and making sure that I keep my head down and just kick through the ball. I have a tendency to pull my head up This year, the Grizzlies ran so many fake kicks that for sometimes. much of the season, Carpenter was listed as Montana's second-leading rusher. He has only recently been Q: After Tyson Johnson was injured, you've had to take supplanted on the list by freshman Thomas Brooks- over as the Griz's punter. Do you enjoy that role? Fletcher, an actual running back. A: I can't say I enjoy it, it's just something that I've always Carpenter says it's all in a day's work and, besides, kicking done, something that I did in high school. I do it because I field goals doesn't make him nervous. He saves the nerves have to do it. I'm just trying to do everything I can to help for kickoffs. team out. I'm just not really, really good at it.

Q: Does it pose any problems for you, trying to kick in Q: You never shy away from going down the field to make cold weather? a tackle on special teams. Do you pride yourself on being pretty athletic for a kicker? A: It doesn't cause a whole lot of problems. It's been a little chilly so it's harder to stay loose. You have to spend more A: I wouldn't say that I pride myself in it. Like I said, I just time warming up on sideline, hanging out by the heaters. do everything that I can to help the team win and if that involves me making a tackle so the other team doesn't go Q: Do you get nervous before you kick? score a touchdown on us, then that's something that I'm going to do, and hopefully do well. A: I've always said that I get more nervous on kickoffs than I do on field goals, because on field goals I just go when Q: The Griz always have a few tricks up their sleeve on the ball is snapped. I don't have control of when I start. special teams. Do you like running the fake field goal or Whereas on kick-offs, it all centers around me, the whole fake punts? team is waiting for me to go. I don't know, that probably sounds odd. A: The reason that I like fake field goals is that it really helps out my blocking. It makes it easier on those linemen Q: What is the most nervous you've ever been during a if the defense has to be guessing every time whether or not football game? we're running a fake. It's nice for our guys. They're not rushing the kick every time and it gives me a little more A: The most nervous that I ever was, was on my first time. kickoff at UM, during our home opening game when I was a freshman. The opening kickoff of the season. I ended up Q: Do you have a close working relationship with head kicking it out of bounds. coach Bobby Hauck, since he also runs special teams?

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 16 Memo on the Project – Confidential

A: Yeah, I'd say that our relationship is closer. If something goes wrong, we go talk to him instead of talking They would see a game without the logo of a massive to a different coach. Still, even if he wasn't the special corporation splashed on the center of the field. They would teams coach, and something went wrong, you'd still hear see a game matching two teams that fought an entire from him. season to reach this point - a win-or-go-home contest.

Q: Are you the only chemistry major on the football team? They would see a game that matters. What do you hope to do with that after you graduate? A week from now, Montana or UMass will be playing for a A: I might be the only chemistry major, but Loren national title in Chattanooga, Tenn. No computer will have Utterback and Kelly Kain are pharmacy majors and selected them; no group of sportswriters or coaches will Brandon Utterback in pre-pharmacy right now. So they are have cast the deciding vote. in related fields, at least. I'm actually thinking about becoming a teacher, probably at the high school level. Meanwhile, their bigger brethren toil away in the brighter spotlight ... for what? Q: If you weren't a kicker, what position would you want to play? When Ohio State plays Florida on Jan. 8 in the BCS championship game - a grossly inaccurate name - what will A: I'd probably want to play receiver, because that's what I be decided? Even if the Buckeyes beat the one-loss Gators did that in high school and I really enjoyed that. and remain undefeated, who's to say Michigan, given a chance to play Ohio State on a neutral field, wouldn't have Q: Be honest, how upset were you when Thomas Brooks- been a better choice. Fletcher passed you up as the Grizzlies' No. 4 overall rusher this season? And what if Florida wins, while Michigan pounds the Hollywood out of USC in the Rose Bowl? Is Florida really A: That's funny. He's been doing a really good job for the better than Michigan? No one will ever know. team right now and so I'm just happy for him. He's been getting a lot of playing time because he's the hot back right Then there's former Big Sky Conference member Boise now. He's been doing a great job. State. The Broncos have a chance at a perfect season, and they get Oklahoma and the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. Whoopee. Maybe they'll throw in a lifetime supply of potato chips.

In I-AA, the real national champion will How cool would it be for the Western Athletic Conference stand up champion to at least be given at least a chance at playing for a national title? Under the current format, we will never

see, as we have in basketball, a Villanova take down By JOHN SMITHERS of the Missoulian Georgetown. We will never see an obscure mid-major like

Gonzaga rise to national prominence. http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2006/12/08/grizmania/ griz-gameday/gday06.txt We will never see one thing that makes sports so

fascinating: David sending one of his five smooth stones When Montana and Massachusetts kick off their battle whistling into the forehead of Goliath. No, we get giants Friday night for the right to play in the I-AA national bashing giants. It's the same few teams from the same few championship, Missoula will become - at least for three conferences switching places in the same bowl games year hours - the center of the college football universe. after year.

Perhaps not too many sports fans around the country will That's not to say that the champion of a mid-level league take the time to watch the game, but they should. like the WAC should be given a shot at a national title

every season. But an undefeated one certainly should. What they would see is one of the last dynasties in all of college football in one of the great college football One of the primary reasons offered for continuing the BCS atmospheres in the nation. the way it is, is that it has given more meaning to games

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 17 Memo on the Project – Confidential during the regular season. It's true that Ohio State-Texas accompanying hoopla) don't want anything to do with a earlier this year had special significance. But how stupid is playoff system. a system where a game three weeks into the season actually has as much or even more impact on who the national In other words, Boise State, you had a great season. Here's champion is than the actual "national championship" a wad of cash. Go back to your blue turf and be happy, but game? you will never, ever win a national championship.

This system can also eliminate a team that might have one College football is the greatest game on the planet. or two bad games early and then suddenly gets things Unfortunately, right now it has stubborn, greedy people rolling and becomes the strongest team by December. running the show and, without a true playoff system, a Super Bowls have been filled with such candidates in really lame finale. recent years. Fortunately, there is still a bastion of Division I football There is the possibility in the future of a plus-one format that decides things on the field. that would feature a championship game after the BCS bowl games are over. It's not clear how this would solve Some might wonder why 12-1 Montana has more right to much, though, or how soon the powers that be might host 12-1 Massachusetts than the other way around. Well, consider such a change. sorry to say, but there is no escaping the computer. Based on wins and strength of schedule, Montana has the highest For instance, if Boise State, LSU, USC and Florida win ranking in the Jeff Sagarin poll of all the teams in the their games this postseason, who would play for the title? semifinals. The Grizzlies currently sit at 59, followed by More than likely, Boise State would still get shut out. Youngstown State at 62, Massachusetts at 63 and Appalachian State at 67. A seven-team playoff would be better than the plus-one option. No. 1 would get a first-round bye, while No. 2 By these calculations, Youngstown should be hosting would play No. 7 and so on. The semifinal games - with ASU, which isn't happening. But at least the two have a No. 1 playing the lowest-remaining seed - and the chance to settle things face to face. championship would then be played on neutral fields in a big-time bowl atmosphere resembling basketball's Final And when the lights go on Friday night at Washington- Four. Grizzly Stadium, that's exactly what will happen for UM and UMass. No gripes, no what-ifs, no campaigning by the This type of playoff would retain meaning for games early coaches. in the season - having to win just two games instead of three means a lot - but places the emphasis where it matters One team left standing, one ticket to Chattanooga. It most. doesn't get any better than that.

At the end of the season.

Teams that don't make the top seven, of course, would still From the desk of the AD: Griz faithful rise play the usual bowl schedule (How does Christmas in to the occasion Detroit sound?).

By JIM O'DAY for the Missoulian And don't even start with, "Who gets to choose between

No. 1 and No. 2 for the bye or No. 7 and No. 8 for the last http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2006/12/08/grizmania/ playoff spot?" Those would still be selected using the griz-gameday/gday07.txt current BCS system, but in the end there would be far less controversy than there is now. Once again, the Griz faithful have risen to the occasion.

This brilliant idea is so far from happening, however, it's Faced with a challenge to fill Washington-Grizzly Stadium not even funny. Why? Money. The big bowl games are for Friday's semifinal game between The University of such massive cash cows that the NCAA, the high-powered Montana Grizzlies and the Minutemen of the University of conferences and the cities that host the games (and

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 18 Memo on the Project – Confidential

Massachusetts, UM fans have responded in resounding Instead of dwelling on the negatives of a Friday night fashion. game, many fans took the opposite approach and looked at the positives. To push for a sellout, numerous businesses around town purchased blocks of tickets for their employees - and For one, the game will present live national television issued challenges to others to follow their lead. Many exposure to Missoula, the University of Montana, the state canceled Christmas parties and plans, and rescheduled for a and the Grizzly football program. Think of all the later date. Some even purchased tickets as a Christmas gift television sets across the country that will be showing the for their employees. Travelers received permission to leave only football game on TV that night ... and in prime time. work early in order to get to Missoula in time to back their This will be a real showcase event for the Griz. beloved Grizzly football team. Some even went so far as to request a special state holiday. While the request was Second, this is a chance to attend a game entirely "under denied, the thought was very much appreciated by those the lights." The last time, two years ago against New associated with UM Athletics. This is what's so unique and Hampshire, the quarterfinal contest was played in part special about being a part of the "Griz Nation." under normal conditions, with the second half under the lights. That game was played on a Saturday. At first, many fans were concerned about the prospects of a smaller crowd when the NCAA announced that the Griz- Also, the winner of Friday's game will have a one-day UMass game would be played on Friday night. The advantage to make travel plans to the national decision wasn't met favorably at first - and resulted in championship game in Chattanooga, Tenn. Planning additional challenges for many on the U of M campus. personnel at both UM and UMass would definitely Students, faculty and staff would still be occupying parking appreciate that assistance given that the championship lots; traffic would most likely come to a stand-still late in game participants must be in Tennessee by noon eastern the afternoon and many had scheduling conflicts that time on Wednesday. would prevent them from attending the game. Another positive: Students attending Friday night's However, the prospects of being part of something very semifinal game will have one more full day to study for special - attending an NCAA Division I Football final exams. Championship Subdivision semifinal game, a night under the lights and a national television audience courtesy of Finally, Friday's game means that fans can concentrate on ESPN2 - changed everything. Students purchased their men's basketball games in Dahlberg Arena both Saturday 3,360 ticket allotment by Monday afternoon and were and Sunday afternoon. The Griz host UC-Riverside on requesting more seating (which was met with a big Saturday at 3:05 p.m., and South Dakota State Sunday in a "thumbs up"). By Monday, more than 12,000 tickets had matinee game at 12:35 p.m. Your presence at both would been sold. At closing time Tuesday, the total was nearing be greatly appreciated. 17,000. Wednesday at 11 a.m. all tickets were gone - a sellout, and a real testament to all those people who are so Note the game time changes for both: the first to instrumental and dedicated to the success of the Grizzly accommodate the unexpected football game day plans, and football program. the second to help South Dakota State get to the airport early enough to catch a flight that will leave Missoula one UM Athletics really had no say in the decision to play the hour earlier than originally scheduled. SDSU students start Griz-UMass game on Friday night. Instead, that finals on Monday, and the next flight out of Missoula determination came from the NCAA. With ESPN2 holding would have been Monday morning if they couldn't make two time slots open for the two FCS semifinal games (one the 3:57 p.m. departure. Friday night at 7:30 p.m. EST and the other on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. EST), the network had to bring in lights to The number of football and basketball games being played Missoula either way. Being the No. 1 seed in the FCS the past two weeks can take a toll on the many campus/UM playoffs, Appalachian State had the first option on game Athletics staff, administrators and others directly day, and selected Saturday due to their students coming off associated with the program late in the fall semester. Often finals week. UM has its finals week starting Monday. forgotten, though, are the efforts by students and fans who continue to attend all these sporting events. Let's also not forget the band students and the "Spirit Squad"

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 19 Memo on the Project – Confidential

(cheerleaders/dance team) members. It's amazing how these groups bounce back on what seemed like a daily Boise State, a Big Sky rival the Grizzlies beat in the regular occurrence to cheer our young men and women on to season that year, ended up losing to Youngstown for the victory. All are a big reason for the success of the Grizzly championship. programs. At the top of Venters' list of memories playing for the Griz, he says, were the battles with Montana State.

Montana Grizzlies: Where is Garrett "When I first came here from out of state, I didn't realize Venters now? 'Doctor Doom' finds his true how big a game that was," he says. "But it only took me calling as fireman one year. After my freshman year, I always hated the Cats. Even now, I just want to crush them."

By DARYL GADBOW for the Missoulian The Grizzlies defeated the Bobcats for the ninth consecutive year in Venters' senior year. http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2006/12/08/grizmania/ griz-gameday/gday08.txt "We wore T-shirts under our pads that said 'Nine in a Row,' " he says. They called him "Doctor Doom" when he was terrorizing Montana opponents from his middle linebacker position in Another game that sticks out in his memory, Venters says, the early 1990s. was the 1991 matchup with Idaho at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow that decided the Big Sky championship. Now Garrett Venters is in the business of saving lives with the Missoula Fire Department. "Chuck Mason, a big guy, a defensive tackle from Bigfork, blocked an extra point in overtime, and we won by one Venters played for the Montana Grizzlies and Coach Don point," Venters recalls. "That was probably my funnest Read from 1991-94, after being recruited by most of the game." other Big Sky Conference's northern tier schools out of Richland, Wash. Then there was the 35-30 loss at Oregon, his senior year.

In his first two seasons at UM, Venters shined on special "Dave Dickenson almost brought us back to win that teams while backing up Chad Lemke of Butte at middle game," he says. "Their fans were cheering for us in the linebacker. Venters was a starter in his junior and senior fourth quarter." seasons, when he also was the Grizzlies' defensive captain. Before losing on the road to Youngstown State in the I-AA The Doctor Doom nickname was given to Venters by his semis in 1994, the Grizzlies dispatched Northern Iowa and Griz teammates for the skull-and-crossbones towel he wore McNeese State in playoff games at Washington-Grizzly on his uniform belt, given to him by his older brother when Stadium. he played for the Richland Bombers. Just as this year, Venters says, the Missoula crowd was a Venters laments the fact that he just missed the Grizzlies' big factor in those Montana victories. first Division I-AA national championship in 1995, the year after he completed his playing career. "It's 80 percent crowd," he says. "I can't emphasize it enough. I want to give the fans the recognition. It's just a "We primed those guys" for the title run, Venters jokes. fantastic place to play - the best place I've ever seen. We went to Kansas, Washington State, Oregon to play. And In 1994, the Grizzlies lost to Youngstown State in the I've watched a game in the Kingdome in Seattle. Even with semifinals of the I-AA playoffs. more fans there, it's even louder here."

Dave Dickenson, the quarterback who guided Montana to After graduating from UM in 1995 with a business the title as a senior in 1995, was injured before that 1994 communications degree, Venters took a job as manager of semifinal and was replaced by backup Bert Wilberger.

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 20 Memo on the Project – Confidential a commercial laundry in Portland, Ore. He stayed there "As a former player, it's hard not to be an armchair four years. quarterback," he says.

But while he was there, he also served as a volunteer As the defensive captain, Venters called the Grizzlies' fireman in nearby Battle Ground, Wash. defensive formations on the field.

And in that capacity, he says, he discovered his true "I still read the keys," when he watches a game, he says. "I calling. watch the O-line all the time. I'll say, 'This is going to be a run. This is going to be a pass.' "I decided that the fire department was right up my alley," he says. "It was an exciting job, a hands-on job. And it was "The Griz are doing so good," he adds. "I just love to watch like being part of a team. And I'd learned to love teamwork 'em. But it's hard not to jump up and pace around. My wife under Don Read." Caroline was my high school sweetheart. She was a cheerleader at Richland. And she came here to go to school He also knew that Missoula was the place he wanted to live too. I have to calm her down when we're watching the and raise a family. He and his wife Caroline have three games." sons, ages 9, 7 and 4. Although he's proud of winning the world championship in He was hired by the Missoula Fire Department in 1999. the Firefighter Challenge, Venters says there's one accomplishment that could top it: As a fireman, Venters soon found an outlet for his competitive nature. He began competing in the "Firefighter "I still wish I'd have won a national championship with the Challenge," an event testing the skills of firefighters from Griz." around the world.

The competition is a race involving five simulated firefighting activities.

The Firefighter Challenge, Venters says, "was the most Drum line keeps the beat in Washington- demanding thing I've ever done, physically. And that's Grizzly Stadium saying a lot having played Grizzly football. You have to train for six months for a minute and a half of competition. And you get one shot at it. You need speed, strength and By JAMIE KELLY of the Missoulian conditioning. You really do have to be an athlete for it." http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2006/12/08/news/local Venters competed in the Firefighter Challenge world /news04.txt championships with a Missoula Fire Department team in 2000 and 2001. In 2000, the team finished third. In 2001, With every Grizzly score comes a ferocious “boom!” from the Missoula team of Venters, Brad Roe, Derrick Mullins, the north end zone, but everybody knows the real Randy Thorpe and Robert Hanneman brought home the percussion comes from the south. championship. That crew also established a world record for the event - combining the three fastest individual times Snapping their wrists in strict solidarity through almost - that still stands. every break in the action, the University of Montana marching band's drum line is a tight and blistering group of In 2001, Venters' fastest time for the course - one minute, 19 student musicians who have honed their ensemble to the 26 seconds - ranked ninth or 10th in the world, he says. edge of a crash cymbal. The world record at the time was 1:19. “Discipline is the key,” says Sam McKenzie, 19, who's in Despite his round-the-clock duties as a fireman, Venters is his second year with the marching band. still an avid Grizzly football fan. It shows. Every cadence, every double-stroke roll, bass thump, crash and para-diddle pierces the Washington-

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 21 Memo on the Project – Confidential

Grizzly Stadium air with unified punctuation that says “hard work.” The rise of the UM marching band follows the general curve of the success of the football program, says Kevin And it's a discipline that every single member demands not Griggs, director of athletic bands and assistant director of only of themselves, but of each other. bands at UM.

“It's just incredible the amount of commitment you need to “Absolutely,” he says. “Students are more interested in have to play together that well,” says Eric Rokohl, who being in the marching band if they get to see good plays the tenor drums in his second year with the drum football.” line. “To really be one unit is a whole different experience.” With the rise of Grizzly football came the desire for a killer marching-band program. Over the years, the group secured One unit, 19 members. That's six snare drums, three tenor state and private money for scholarships, new uniforms and drums (the high- to low-pitched drums), five bass drums new gear, all of which has provided a lot of incentive for and five sets of cymbals. students to join. In 1990, the entire marching band had a budget of $19,000, says Robert Ledbetter, who leads the So raucous and well-rehearsed a group is the drum line, drum line and is a professor of percussion in the UM Music that they've even developed their own crowds and cheering School. section when they storm Campus Drive during pre-game festivities. Today, the scholarship budget alone is well over $100,000.

They've opened for hip-hop acts at the Elk's Club. Ledbetter calls this year's drum line the best he's ever led.

They've been invited to play off-campus parties. “It's the biggest and best all around,” he says. “Sometimes you have a weak link that might hold back the whole line. They've toured with the elite percussion group on campus, That's not the case this year.” the UM Percussion Ensemble and Islanders Steel Drum Band (of which some are members). What makes a good drum line? Ask Ledbetter, and it's all about group dedication, not individual egos. Never before in the recent history of the school has such a dedicated group of musicians formed. These 19 (12 men, “I tell them, ‘You can have a big ego when the drum line is seven women) rehearse constantly, putting in at least a good,' ” he says. “There are no stars. It's the whole concept dozen hours a week in combined group and individual that you're only as strong as the weakest link, and that's rehearsal time. That's a work day-and-a-half to you and me, absolutely clear in a drum line.” all for a group that is entirely voluntary and outside the other studies the students must complete, music major or That's a philosophy that works just fine with Evan not. Goldhahn, a fourth-year member who has watched the program grow. Dedication? You bet, says junior Alex Petrusaitis. “I was really excited when I came here as a freshman,” “I don't see drum line as something I do Monday, says Goldhahn. “I think now it's to the point that everyone Wednesday, Friday,” he says. “It's a part of my life.” wants to do the best we can. I thought we were good as a freshman, but it just keeps picking up. It wasn't always that way. Set your clocks back to 1986-87, for example. A Missoulian reporter named Jamie Kelly “When we can play something perfectly together, we get a was a member of the UM drum line, playing both the lot of pride from that.” xylophone and the cymbals. *** He was one of seven. He didn't practice a whole lot. There were only 45 people in the entire band - compared with the 140 in today's group. And traveling with the team for away games? Fuhgeddaboudit.

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 22 Memo on the Project – Confidential

Note to ‘Muzzoola': UMass is in ‘Ammerst' This is the land of Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Noah By KIM BRIGGEMAN of the Missoulian Webster and Sam the Minuteman. http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2006/12/08/news/local Dickinson wrote, presumably at the onset of a long-ago /news05.txt football season, “We are by September and yet my flowers are bold as June. Amherst has gone to Eden.” Their library's bigger than our library, but we're 3,000 feet higher. The Dickinson homestead, the poet's birthplace and lifelong residence, is now the Emily Dickinson Museum. For purely New England reasons, don't call the city from which the University of Massachusetts Minutemen hail Frost lived for years in Amherst. “Amherst.” “He wrote the poem ‘Fire and Ice' when he lived here. In “I'm not sure how Lord Jeffery (Amherst) said it, but the fact, the building he wrote it in used to be our office people who live here pronounce it ‘Ammerst,' ” said Nick building,” Grabbe said. Grabbe of the Amherst Bulletin newspaper. Webster spent 10 years in the city and helped establish UMass has sent its football team to Missoula - say Amherst College in 1821. He worked on the first edition of “Muzzoola,” for inscrutably Western frontier reasons - to “An American Dictionary of the English Language” during play the Montana Grizzlies in a Division I-AA semifinal his time there, though it took another six years to get it football game Friday night. done after he returned to his stomping grounds in Connecticut. For their five-day fling to Montana, the Minutemen will forsake W.E.B. DuBois Library on the UMass campus. At Sam the Minuteman is the UMass mascot, who catapulted 26 stories, or 297 feet, it's the tallest library in America. into the national spotlight when he finished second to Nebraska's Herbie Husker as 2005 Mascot of the Year. On the top floor, you're some 500 feet above sea level. That's an award Montana's Monte won twice. Elevation on the roof of, say, the Millennium Building in Missoula is roughly 3,500. “Let's keep this in perspective,” Sam is purported to have said. “We Minutemen helped defeat the entire British DuBois, the African-American activist, died in 1963 at age empire.” 95. He was from Great Barrington, Mass., 70 miles away. His memoirs and papers are among the collections at the On finishing second to a brawny farmhand from the Amherst library. Midwest, he added, “Like they used to say about the Red Sox, ‘Wait till next year.' ” To get from Missoula to Amherst, just jump on Interstate 90, head east and turn left several days later in Springfield, UMass is the largest of five colleges in the area, four of Mass. If you wind up in Boston, you missed your exit 90 them right in Amherst, a town of fewer than 35,000. miles back. Polizzi called it a “very P.C., very multicultural” When you reach Amherst, in the Pioneer Valley of western environment. Massachusetts, you'll find yourself in one of those small New England towns you've always heard about. One culture that's not included, however, is Republicanism.

“The trees, the ponds, the streams, and of course the snow - “Amherst is an extremely liberal community,” Grabbe said. there's all that feel to it,” said Dina Polizzi of the Amherst “Every now and then in presidential elections, we try to Area Chamber of Commerce. “Yet there's a lot of find other places around the country that gave a higher intelligent conversation that happens here. There are lots of percentage of the vote to a Democratic candidate. We coffee shops and music and original art. So it's a very cool usually can't find one.” little town. We think anyway.”

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 23 Memo on the Project – Confidential

In 2004, Amherst County contributed $109,000 to John Kerry's campaign. George W. Bush got $10,000. Skybox beneficiary / Jim Caras gives “We struggle with development issues here a lot,” Grabbe former caretaker live view of semifinal said. “The average price of houses is very high, around

$350,000. One of the reasons it's so high is any time there's By MICHAEL MOORE of the Missoulian a proposal for a housing development, the neighbors turn out in force to oppose it.” http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2006/12/08/news/top/n

ews01.txt Ninety cents of every tax dollar come from residential properties. Early Friday evening, 99-year-old Emma Kuhl will make

her way to a skybox at Washington-Grizzly Stadium and “We have a very meager business community. Many watch a University of Montana football game in person. people in Amherst are openly hostile to business,” Grabbe said. Maybe she'll be the oldest fan at the game, but maybe not.

She'll certainly be one of the happiest. At least 10 businesses with Amherst in their names aren't actually in Amherst, he added. They've moved out of town “It's going to be quite a luxury for me to be up there,” Kuhl to greener meadows. said Thursday. “I'm going to enjoy myself and root for the

home team.” A lot of students in Amherst live off their various campuses. Kuhl remembers attending a long-ago UM football game,

but she can't say exactly when. “We've had various strategies brainstormed for how longtime residents can cope with loud, often drunk students “Oh, maybe 40 years ago, I guess,” she said. “It was out late at night in residential neighborhoods, or they go to bars there at a little stadium on the end of Higgins Avenue.” downtown and make noise walking back to campus,”

Grabbe said. “Sound familiar?” That would be Dornblaser Field, which has been around

since the late 1960s. If Montanans bristle against East Coast bias, so do

Amherstonians - especially when it comes from down the Emma Kuhl, who grew up in the Orchard Homes area, road in Boston. doesn't get out much these days, particularly at night, but

she's making an exception on Friday. It's an exception for “Amherst is two hours away from Boston, so even though the man she calls “Jimmy.” a lot of political people in Boston went to UMass, they don't have that much connection to it. It's two hours away, Jimmy is Jim Caras of the Missoula Caras family, and he it's out here in the sticks,” Grabbe said. “A lot of people in has a skybox at Washington-Grizzly Stadium. Emma has Boston sort of feel like Boston is the only thing that known Jim Caras since he was born and, in fact, took care matters.” of him for years when he and his brother and sister were

kids. If Montana-UMass football doesn't mean beans in Boston, it's hot stuff in Amherst and Missoula. “Emma was a member of our family,” Jim Caras recalled.

“She cleaned our house, took care of us kids and did just Someone going by “UMass Philosopher” blogged onto about whatever needed to be done.” Egriz.com, the University of Montana's message board, this week to put things in perspective. Jim has stayed in touch with Emma over the years, and

recently took her and her son Al out to lunch. The topic of “It isn't life or death. It's football,” the Philosopher Grizzly football came up and Jim asked Emma if she'd like philosophized. “Life or death is driving in Boston.” to watch the Griz play the University of Massachusetts

Minutemen for a berth in the national championship game. ***

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 24 Memo on the Project – Confidential

“It just seemed like a nice thing to do for somebody who's “I don't know so much that it's surprising, but it sure is done so much for my family,” Caras said Thursday while heartening to see what a following we have,” O'Day said. on a trip to Atlanta. “I really thought we'd probably have some tickets on Friday, but they went out of here so fast you couldn't Emma was thrilled. She's been a football fan for a long, believe it. It's amazing.” long time; in fact, she's a fan of most sports, particularly baseball. But she's a lifelong Missoulian, too, and that By 8:45 a.m., cars were lined up on the Madison Street means she's a Griz fan. Bridge and down South Sixth Street East as buyers tried to make their way to Adams Center. O'Day said the facility's “We watch a lot of football around here,” Al Kuhl said. lobby was swarmed throughout the morning as between 5,000 to 6,000 tickets sold off. On Friday, Emma will don some Griz wear and make her way to the stadium with Al. They won't hazard a walk into “There were just people lined up everywhere,” O'Day said. the stadium, opting instead for a cart or wheelchair. The game against the third-ranked Minutemen will be “She's pretty spry, but I don't want to risk her getting hurt shown live on ESPN2, but that hardly dampened Griz fans' with the cold weather,” Al Kuhl said. enthusiasm for seeing the game in person.

Then they'll settle in with others to watch the Griz and the “We had so many businesses that stepped up to buy tickets Minutemen in the warm, enclosed comfort of Box 122C. for their employees, and other businesses that canceled Interestingly, Jim Caras won't be there; his trip lasts until their Christmas parties so that people could come to the Saturday, so he'll miss the game. game,” O'Day said.

“Bad planning,” he opined. “But I'm happy that Emma and UM came close to a sellout for the semifinal game two Al will be there.” years ago, O'Day said, but this sellout marks the first.

They're pleased, as well. “I think people know it's going to be a great game, it's going to be an event under the lights and it's just something “I'm sorry Jimmy won't be there, but we're going to have a that people want to be at,” he said. good time anyway,” Emma said. “I'm excited to get to see that stadium finally.” The Grizzlies drew more than 20,000 for the first playoff game against McNeese State, then drew about 18,500 for the quarterfinal game against Southern Illinois. The second figure was about par for a playoff game in Missoula in Grizzly-UMass game hottest ticket in town December, but athletic officials are still marveling over the McNeese State crowd, which came over the Thanksgiving By MICHAEL MOORE of the Missoulian weekend. http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2006/12/08/news/local “I saw a lot of people there on the Thanksgiving weekend /znews04.txt who maybe don't usually get an opportunity to go to games,” O'Day said. “I just saw a lot of people who Well, it's going, going, gone for tickets to the University of normally don't go to games.” Montana's semifinal playoff game against the University of Massachusetts on Friday night. Now UM has a full house on its hands, and O'Day couldn't be happier. Wednesday morning saw a mad crush for tickets to the second-ranked Grizzlies' second-ever night playoff game “ESPN has asked for 85 credentials and we have media and UM Athletic Director Jim O'Day said the tickets - from all across the state, so we're looking for a big night,” some 23,400 - were all gone by 11 a.m. he said. “It's gonna be so much fun, I can hardly wait.”

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 25 Memo on the Project – Confidential

The two defenses are two of the best in the country. Montana ranks sixth in total defense (251.46 yards) while UMass is 16th (270.69). The Minutemen are ranked No. 1 in scoring defense (11.9 points) while the Grizzlies are No. UMass meets Montana 14 (15.8).

Both defenses strive to make their opponent one- By JEFF THOMAS, The Republican dimensional, usually by taking away the run game.

Montana did that last week, shutting down Walter Payton http://www.masslive.com/umassfootball/republican/index.s Award finalist Arkee Whitlock. sf?/base/sports-0/1165552806144690.xml&coll=1

UMass went after the New Hampshire passing attack and The University of Massachusetts football team playing stifled quarterback Ricky Santos, another Payton Award Montana in a national semifinal is definitely one of those finalist. something's-got-to-give scenarios.

"It's definitely going to be a challenge where the O-line has The Minutemen are 2-0 in Division I Football to deal with some big boys and the running backs have to Championship semifinals, while the Grizzlies are 5-0 in take on some big linebackers," UMass tailback Steve semifinals played at sold out Washington-Grizzly Stadium Baylark said. "I think we're going to get it done. I think (23,117) in Missoula, Mont., which is where the teams will Liam Coen is going to step up and get it done and so will battle tonight at 7:30 for the right to play for a national our receivers." championship.

The UMass offense will strive for balance, something it has Montana has the more storied past, having won two been very good at all season. Baylark makes that happen, national titles (1995, 2001) while reaching the forcing teams to try to slow him down, which opens up the championship five times. UMass has one title, winning it passing game. all in 1998, a Cinderella story if there ever was one. A new coaching staff added a few players to a 2-9 team and beat The Minutemen will have to take better care of the ball defending champion, top-ranked and undefeated Georgia than they have in their first two playoff games. UMass has Southern. fumbled twice and Coen has thrown a pair of picks. All

four turnovers either allowed the opponent to score or kept "We used to look at the film on Georgia Southern and UMass out of the end zone. throw up," UMass coach Don Brown said.

UMass will have to avoid turnovers and penalties if it is to Brown was the defensive coordinator for Mark Whipple in overcome the disadvantage of playing on the road. 1998 and 1999, the best two years in the history of the program. Now in his third year as the head coach, Brown Southern Illinois' 20-3 loss in the quarterfinals last week at has the Minutemen breaking all kinds of team records and Montana was punctuated with penalties forced by the poised for another national championship contest. crowd noise at Washington-Grizzly Stadium, a fact that

hasn't eluded Brown. Of course, there's one little obstacle that still needs clearing

- the Montana Grizzlies. "Well, we are just going to have to prepare our guys the

best we can for it, hand signals, silent cadence, but it will "(Montana) is just a very balanced football team with no certainly be tough to assimilate during practice week," weaknesses so we are going to have to be at our best to Brown said. "But on the flip side of that coin, on the have a chance," Brown said. positive side, we had a great crowd at our place last week,

it was extremely loud. The opponents aren't quite mirror images, but they are very similar. Both enter the contest 12-1, both won their "To be honest with you, our guys feed off that high energy respective leagues by going undefeated, both have type stuff," he added. "Even though it will be somewhat excellent defenses and very efficient offenses. hostile, I know our guys will be excited to play in a great

environment."

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 26 Memo on the Project – Confidential

More than 23,800 tickets were sold for the game. "Obviously a very fine football team," Brown said. "They're playing their best football late in the season. One good note is the weather is expected to be better Looks like they're functioning on all cylinders. We've tonight in Missoula than it will be at home in Amherst, exchanged every game so there's going to be no tricks. You with a low temperature of 26 forecast for the game, at least take what's gotten you to this point, tweak it a little bit and six degrees higher than the forecast for Amherst. try to emphasize your strengths."

The winner advances to the championship game Dec. 15 at Montana is more familiar with the Atlantic 10. The Chattanooga, Tenn., against the winner of tomorrow's Grizzlies played four A-10 teams in 2004, beating Hofstra semifinal between defending national champion and Maine in the regular season. They beat New Appalachian State and Youngstown State. Hampshire in the playoffs, before falling to James Madison 31-21 in the national championship game.

Going in blind: UMass, Montana know "You don't win 12 games without being pretty dang good," very little about each other Hauck said. "They're well coached. They look like they have a lot of team speed. It's hard to get a gauge on

anybody. I know UMass losing at Navy by one with a BY MATT VAUTOUR, The Daily Hampshire Gazette chance to win is really impressive to me.

http://www.dailyhampshiregazette.com/umsports/ "Two years ago we played Hofstra, Maine, New

Hampshire and James Madison all in the same year so we MISSOULA, Mont. - There's almost no reference point in have great respect for the A-10." assessing Friday's matchup.

Time & location: 7:30 p.m. EST, Friday, Washington- University of Massachusetts coach Don Brown and Grizzly Stadium, Missoula Montana coach Bobby Hauck both go into Friday's NCAA

Division I Football Championship semifinal game taking Records: Both teams are 12-1 for granted that their opponent is very good.

Road to the semifinals: UMass 35, Lafayette 14 & UMass Both coaches have seen the other team look good on 24, New Hampshire 17; Montana 31, McNeese State 6 & videotape, but there's still a bit of mystery about the quality Montana 20, Southern Illinois 3 of the opposition on those tapes.

All-time series: First meeting Both teams swept their respective conferences, and the

Atlantic 10 and Big Sky are annually two of the best TV: ESPN2 leagues in I-AA. Each suffered their only loss to a I-A team as UMass fell to Navy and Montana to Iowa. They had no Radio: WRNX-FM (100.9), WMUA-FM (91.1) common opponents this year and their opponents had no common opponents. Internet broadcast: Links can be found at

umassathletics.com UMass has never played Montana, has never faced a Big

Sky opponent and has never played in the Mountain Time When UMass runs: The Grizzlies boast the nation's No. 6- Zone. ranked rushing defense which has allowed just 97.6 yards

per game on the ground and nine touchdowns. Last week The only other time the Minutemen played west of the the Grizzlies held Southern Illinois' Walter Payton Finalist Central Time Zone was a 44-21 win at Nevada-Reno in the Arkee Whitlock to 80 yards after the Saluki back averaged 1978 Division I-AA semifinals. 140.62 yards all season.

UMass coach Don Brown said he was impressed by what he saw of Montana on tape.

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 27 Memo on the Project – Confidential

UMass tailback Steve Baylark averaged 127.5 yards per Montana has allowed 48 sacks, more than any other team game this season, which is most of the Minutemen's 176.8 in the country. The Minutemen, who like to blitz, will be yards per game. after Swogger the whole game.

When UMass passes: Sophomore quarterback Liam Coen's David Burris leads the Minutemen with 8.5 sacks this strong game against New Hampshire returned him to the season, while John Hatchell and James Ihedigbo each have top of the nation's quarterback efficiency list with a rating five. of 172.2. Notable: The game will take place under temporary lights. Coen has averaged 197 yards per game and has thrown 25 ... If the Minutemen win, their 13 victories would be the touchdowns and just six interceptions. most in school history. ... Both coaches earned the American Football Coaches Association I-AA coach of the The Grizzlies are tied for fifth in the nation in interceptions year awards, Brown in Region 1 and Hauck in Region 5. with 17. All four of their defensive backs were named to the Big Sky's first or second all-conference teams.

When Montana runs: Injuries have pushed redshirt He's more than worth it freshman Thomas Brooks-Fletcher into the starting role down the stretch for Montana. He has thrived, rushing for BY MATT VAUTOUR, The Daily Hampshire Gazette more than 100 yards in three of the last four games including 106 against the Salukis. http://www.dailyhampshiregazette.com/umsports/

"Thomas is coming off an ACL injury (last year) so it took AMHERST - As the final seconds of Saturday's 24-17 win him awhile to get in the groove," Hauck said. "But he's over New Hampshire continued to tick off the clock, the done a nice job in the past couple weeks." University of Massachusetts players jumped into aerial chest bumps with each other. UMass has been strong stopping the run, allowing just 102.9 yards per game led by linebackers Jason Hatchell With the game finally secure, Minuteman coach Don (119 tackles), Charles Walker (111) and Brad Anderson Brown shed his normally intense sideline demeanor and (100). joined his players in the celebration, bouncing off of offensive lineman David Thompson. When Montana passes: Senior quarterback Josh Swogger transferred from Washington State to the Grizzlies in In a few hours he'd be focused again, turning his attention January and was voted team captain by his teammates in to Montana. But he allowed himself a few minutes of joy August. as the Minutemen finished off their final game this year at McGuirk Stadium while a capacity crowd swirled around Swogger is averaging 207.7 yards per game and has thrown him. 17 touchdowns with 10 interceptions. In the postseason, he has thrown just one interception to go with six TDs. There weren't many happy moments for Brown when he first returned to Amherst in 2004 to succeed Mark Whipple "They have a very fine quarterback in Josh Swogger," as the UMass head coach. Brown said. "He's a strong-armed guy and has a really good handle on what coach is trying to get done." Facing a breach-of-contract lawsuit by Northeastern University, his former employer, Brown was a lightning Hauck said, "He's a good player. He's made an impact on rod for controversy. the field and in the locker room. He's played pretty well in the playoffs." Fans knew Brown was a good coach. They remembered that the Minutemen's playoff success in 1998 and 1999 Three differed Grizzly receivers have caught at least 40 both came with Brown leading the UMass defense. But passes. many of them wondered, as they watched Northeastern unfairly drag his name through the mud: Is he worth it?

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 28 Memo on the Project – Confidential

To UMass, gridiron success worth the Three years later the question sounds silly. The Minutemen price have gone 25-10 under Brown and have gotten better every year. Friday they will take on Montana in an NCAA Division I Football Championship semifinal game and a By Bob Hohler, Boston Globe chance to play for the school's second national championship. http://www.boston.com/sports/articles/2006/12/08/to_umas s_gridiron_success_worth_the_price/ UMass couldn't have asked for much more from its football coach. AMHERST -- Two victories shy of a national championship, the University of Massachusetts football As he reflected on Saturday's win, Brown went out of his team enters its biggest game in years tonight having way to thank the people who stood by him. already cinched a singular distinction. No public college or university in the country has reported losing more money "When I first came here and it was kind of ugly, people on a Division 1-AA football program in recent years than were sticking by me. That's what I reflected back on UMass, according to financial records the school files with today," he said. "I just felt really good about the the US Department of Education. accomplishment. I felt good for all the people that trusted me and gave me this opportunity." UMass officials said the annual shortfall of at least $2.6 million has been budgeted as the price of sustaining a While the administration has been happy with him, no one competitive football program that promotes the school's has enjoyed him more than his players. While many new image, provides a unifying, entertaining resource for coaches don't connect as well with players they didn't students and alumni, and extends opportunities to student- recruit, Brown embraced the entire roster as his own. athletes, among other perceived benefits. The UMass operating budget is covered by state funds and student fees. In fact some of the players he's closest too are holdovers from Whipple. Two of them, saluted his effort. But some members of the university's newly realigned board of trustees think there may be a better way to run a "Coach has gone through a lot to get to this point," senior football program. In an initiative certain to stoke debate safety James Ihedigbo said. "He's amazing. Words can't over the school's priorities from the Amherst campus to describe what we feel about him. This is a testament to him Beacon Hill, the board members want UMass to move up and the rest of our coaching staff and everything he stands to Division 1-A and challenge Boston College and the for as a coach." University of Connecticut in New England's intercollegiate football market, a move that could ease the financial Steve Baylark agreed. "He deserves this. We love him," he burden. said. Boston College reported turning more than a $1.4 million Hiring Brown was John McCutcheon's first act as athletic profit last year on its football program, while UConn director. He said the move got him off to a good start. reported earning $2.2 million.

"He's been a pleasure to work with. He's a great person," "Nobody is saying we could pay for other programs with McCutcheon said. "Not only have we had success on the the profits we make from Division 1-A football," said field, but the academics have improved. The player Matthew Carlin, chairman of the board's committee on conduct has improved. I couldn't have asked for any more athletics. "But we're determined to enhance the UMass than he's done since he's been there." brand and we think football and excellence in athletics can continue to do that." *** Carlin said the board could vote as early as its next meeting in March on authorizing a feasibility study on UMass adopting Division 1-A football.

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 29 Memo on the Project – Confidential

"There is definitely interest in trying to take the next step," said Dr. Ken MacAfee, an oral surgeon and former In addition, McCutcheon said, annual football expenses at National Football League player who is one of six new UMass likely would more than double from about $2.9 members Governor Mitt Romney appointed in September million and the overall athletic budget of nearly $19 to the 19-member board of voting trustees. "It would be million would increase sharply to cover a commensurate nice to see another Division 1-A team in the area besides investment in women's sports to meet Title IX Boston College." requirements.

Nationally, there are 116 Division 1-AA programs, 70 of "There is a group of our fans that would love to see it which are at public schools. There are 119 Division 1-A happen," McCutcheon said. "They're passionate folks, teams. Moving up to Division 1-A would require UMass to competitive folks. But we have to think not with that build at least a 30,000-seat stadium, upgrade other facilities passion but with reality, practicality, and feasibility." and services to appeal to the nation's top recruits, and increase the number of scholarship players to 85 from 63. The university's most recent feasibility study, conducted in The school also would need to secure a potentially 2003, recommended the school revisit the issue of moving lucrative invitation to join a Division 1-A conference, such to Division 1-A in three to five years. It cited concerns as the Big East. By competing in the higher conference, the about the economy and questions about which Division 1- football program could boost its bottom line by sharing in A conference UMass could join. television revenues and bowl money, while also increasing its marketing opportunities. "UMass was in a different place at that time," Carlin said. "Now there is some interest among the president's office MacAfee said board members who share his view consider and the board to take another close look at it. We have the prospect more than a pipe dream, though he decided it makes sense to at least update the data that was acknowledged "many roadblocks" -- none greater than the collected." exorbitant start-up costs. He said the transition to Division 1-A "may be years or decades away, but hopefully we could get the ball rolling in the near future." No playoff windfall The renewed interest comes amid the football team's best Many students and alumni would welcome the jump to season since the Minutemen won the Division 1-AA Division 1-A. But a key member of the faculty senate, national title in 1998. At 12-1, with its only loss coming by biology professor Brian O'Connor, said the plan would 1 point to Division 1-A Navy, UMass faces the University trigger an "outcry" on campus, and UMass athletic director of Montana tonight in a national semifinal in Missoula, John McCutcheon said the shift would require the governor Mont. The winner will play for the national title Dec. 15 in and Legislature to unleash a massive investment of state Chattanooga, Tenn. funds, a dubious prospect considering the commonwealth's needs. The financial payoff of the Minutemen's current success, however, may be minimal. Unlike Division 1-A schools, "I'm OK with where we are, but I'm not OK if they want to which stand to reap large sums by qualifying for move up," said O'Connor, the faculty's delegate to the postseason bowl games or sharing in bowl revenues as board of trustees. "It would be absolutely foolish to think conference members, Division 1-AA teams participating in the university could move up to Division 1-A in football. playoffs receive little more than reimbursement for their The money is just not there and, if the money appeared, I travel costs, revenues from games they host, and potential would argue that we should use it to grow the faculty and marketing opportunities. reduce class size." Indeed, two Division 1-AA schools -- Southern and McCutcheon estimated it would cost $250 million to build Grambling State -- shun the playoffs for a bigger payday. a new stadium and other football-related facilities that They choose to face each other in the annual Bayou would allow UMass to compete at the highest collegiate Classic, which has paid each school $1 million to appear. level (UConn has undergone nearly $150 million in football-related capital improvements, including a state- Thanks to UMass's playoff run, the school could exceed its financed $90 million stadium, since it began the transition football revenue projections of $345,000 for the 2006-07 in 1999 from Division 1-AA to Division 1-A). academic year by about $20,000, McCutcheon estimated.

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 30 Memo on the Project – Confidential

So, with a total expense budget of $2,962,749 and revenues of $365,000, UMass football this year would cost nearly "Football becomes an easy target," McCutcheon said, "but $2.6 million. just because it has the biggest bottom line doesn't mean it's a problem." That would beat last year, when UMass spent $3,318,205 on football and generated $388,812 in revenues for a cost Not everyone on campus is tickled about it, however. Some of more than $2.9 million. The final cost in 2004-05 believe there is a better to spend the athletic department exceeded $2.8 million, and the figure topped $3 million in funds. 2003-04, according to the school's annual reports to the US Department of Education. Expenses include the maximum "My opinion is that we ought to go big on basketball and 63 scholarships allowed by the National Collegiate Athletic not worry about football," said Richard Bogartz, a Association, salaries and benefits for 10 coaches and psychology professor who serves on the faculty senate's additional staff, equipment for 95 players, travel, game-day rules committee. "I'd rather we were like Kentucky or operations, and recruiting costs, among other items. UConn. No one has heard of their football teams, but everyone knows about their basketball teams." "We've made a conscious decision to play at a competitive level," McCutcheon said. "We can afford to do it this way Bogartz appears outnumbered, though, by football fans and we can be successful [at the Division 1-AA level]." eager for UMass to reach Division 1-A. Bob DeFlavio, president of the Friends of UMass Football, said the move The UMass football program's distinction of losing more could reverse the team's financial fortunes and benefit the than any of the other 69 1-AA teams at public schools entire institution. stems in part from different accounting practices at different schools. The greatest difference is that some "You need to look at the big picture of how it could help schools, such as the flagship universities in Maine and the whole university," said DeFlavio, a former All-America Rhode Island that compete with UMass in the Atlantic-10 defensive tackle at UMass. Conference, count state funds they allocate for football as revenues, which UMass does not. He said the football team would fit perfectly in the Division 1-A Big East, playing the likes of Syracuse, The practice, while acceptable by federal guidelines, Rutgers, and West Virginia. But McCutcheon questioned effectively means a small number of schools may not have whether the Big East would admit the Minutemen because disclosed football losses greater than UMass's. the conference appears content with eight current members, including UConn, which might not appreciate UMass In any case, only one of the nation's Division 1-AA competing in its backyard. programs reported losing more money on football last year than UMass. That was Villanova, a private Catholic "I would never say never about anything in this business," institution, which reported a $3.1 million deficit. McCutcheon said, "but we would face some daunting challenges."

Breaking down figures Still, the status quo worries DeFlavio. McCutcheon said it would be wrong, however, to describe the difference between UMass football's expenses and "What scares me the most is, how many 1-AA teams are revenues as a deficit. He said the team meets its budget going to be around in 10 years?" he said. "How many can projections each year in both categories, as do the school's afford to keep playing when they cost so much and don't 22 other intercollegiate sports programs, none of which bring in revenue? UMass has had football for more than makes money. 100 years. It would be a shame if we lost it."

In fact, UMass expects to spend $27,555 per participant *** this year on the 95-member football team, less than the rates per person in five other sports: women's basketball ($80,605), men's basketball ($73,077), men's ice hockey ($36,550), softball ($30,329), and women's tennis ($28,072).

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 31 Memo on the Project – Confidential

UMass's Baylark is a brush with greatness it's just a trash can. You have to give it time to paint it as something beautiful." By Bob Duffy, Boston Globe But there's more to this mesh of endeavors. http://www.boston.com/sports/articles/2006/12/08/umasss_ baylark_is_a_brush_with_greatness/ "I think the art really helps him be creative on the field," says coach Don Brown. AMHERST -- The canvas is perched in front of him; only he can see it. A film of charcoal covers it; you have to His work against UNH was a masterpiece. The 6-foot, 225- imagine that as well. In the deserted University of pound Baylark drilled the Wildcats for 198 yards, Massachusetts football locker room, he's wielding an including a 60-yard beauty on the Minutemen's first invisible eraser, sweeping away the veneer in precise arcs possession, as good an illustration as could be of the and circles and lines. dichotomy that makes up an aspiring graphic designer and pro running back. "In art, I go into a world of my own," says Steve Baylark, UMass senior art major. "You've got to let go the rest of The compositions he does in charcoal, pencil, and oils are the world. You have to get your mind and hand to relax." mostly delicate works. But he's a punishing runner who intends to increase his speed, maintain his trimmed The gridiron is his canvas, too. There may be 10,000 physique, and give the NFL a stab before he pursues a people screeching in the stands, but there are things only he career as a designer of video sports games. can see. Running lanes aren't yet open, blocking hasn't fully materialized; only he knows where they'll be and "All 32 teams have come through asking about him," says when they're coming. Brown. "He's definitely on the NFL radar screen. He's become a legitimate pro prospect. I think this year has "When I play football, I go into a zone," says Steve really helped. He got his speed down this spring. He came Baylark, UMass senior running back extraordinaire. "It's in lighter, stronger. He committed himself to being the best just football, nothing but football. I can express myself on back he can be, and we're reaping the fruits of that." certain runs. On some runs, I can make a statement." The pros are a primary goal, but a recent one, too. An exclamation, actually. Baylark will extend his prodigious career tonight in Missoula, where UMass (12-1) "It wasn't a childhood dream of mine," says Baylark. will face host Montana (12-1) in the semifinals of the NCAA Division 1 Championship Subdivision, also known Art was. In school, the other kids were drawing stick as the Division 1-AA playoffs. He'll be seeking to boost his figures. Baylark was sketching cars, or at least season total of 1,658 rushing yards and career count of approximations of them. He had talent. 5,030, to continue his prolific playoff performance (350 yards in victories over Lafayette and New Hampshire), to "My teachers were surprised," he says. reinforce his stature as one of only four men in 1-AA history to record four 1,000-yard seasons, to burnish his They wouldn't have been if they'd known his background. credentials as a candidate for the Walter Payton Award as While growing up, he and his family would take vacations the best player in Division 1-AA. from their home in the Orlando suburb of Apopka, Fla., to his maternal grandmother's place in Aberdeen, Miss. Art will help. Minnie Baylark was an artist, and when he stepped into her The contemplative and the concussive make an odd mix, house, little Stevie would be drawn inexorably to her but they are Baylark's palette. studio.

"Football translates to art," he says. "In football, you have "Just being around her was such an influence," says to be patient, to give things time to develop. In art, you Baylark, 23. "I'd look at her paintings. And when there was have to give things time, too. You can see a trash can and nothing to do, she'd look outside the window and paint what she saw. She'd catch amazing things. And sometimes she'd do paintings just from her imagination."

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 32 Memo on the Project – Confidential

The end zone stretched before him like a horizon in a landscape painting, a captivating vista that beckoned seductively. His art training told 14-year-old Steve Baylark Air up there could be a problem for UMass that much. The rest was up to his football instincts, if he'd had any. By John Connolly, Boston Herald

"I didn't even know what a three-point stance was," he http://sports.bostonherald.com/college/football/view.bg?art says. "I'd never played organized football before. Just icleid=171066 sandlot ball with my friends. My friends pushed me to play. I was fast and I had size. They all played organized MISSOULA, Mont. - Some players and coaches gasp for ball, and when you're that age, you want to be with your air whenever the spotlight of a big game arrives, but friends." UMass coach Don Brown and his team could use a little more oxygen for a different reason: Altitude. So there he was, kickoff in hand, his first high school game Missoula’s elevation of 3,200 feet above sea level isn’t in progress, and he wasn't quite sure what to do. as dramatic as the Mile High City of Denver, but the Minutemen have taken the thin air into consideration So he ran. Right into an epiphany. during preparation for tonight’s Division 1-AA semifinal against Montana. "Ninety-something yards," says Baylark. "Right up the “We’re concerned,” Brown said after sending his team middle. Untouched. It was the biggest football thrill of my through a light practice at Sentinel High School. “I don’t entire freshman year. I haven't forgotten it to this day. I fell think we did enough to get winded, but yeah, it’s a more and more in love with football after that." concern.”

It became even more attractive when Baylark discovered UMass offensive lineman and captain Alex Miller isn’t something else. He wanted to be the first in his family to worried about the altitude. get a college degree, but money was tight. Then he found out there were these things called football scholarships. “We were pretty good,” said Miller, who, along with fellow lineman David Thompson, will start his school- "I realized football could be a way to get an education," record 49th straight game tonight. “Honestly, we didn’t do says Baylark. a lot of conditioning late in the season this year. I’m sure the first couple of series we’ll get our breath adjusted, but I Not easily, though. After leading Apopka to a Florida state think we’re going to be all right.” championship, he found his test scores were too low for Sophomore quarterback Liam Coen likes the new admission to Georgia Southern, which asked him to get his environment. grades up and reapply in the spring. “The air is definitely clearer,” he said. “I didn’t notice much of a difference with us. Of course, it was a nice day "But I wanted to go to college right away," he says. out. I’m hoping for some nice, warm weather. “There was no wind so I got some good spirals. I had no UMass obliged. He spent a year as a Prop 48 student, trouble throwing the ball at all.” bolstered his academics sufficiently to get a scholarship, The third-seeded Minutemen (12-1) arrived for their and took off on the field. game against the second-seeded Grizzlies (12-1) late Wednesday night on a charter flight from Westover Air Art helped him relax. Relaxation helped him play football. Field in Chicopee. Brown is pleased with the trip so far. Football helped pay for his art. “I told the guys we’re not playing until (tonight), so don’t put your game face on and go to a place emotionally It's a delicious symmetry, Steve Baylark acknowledges, that by (today) at noontime you’re going to be exhausted,” wearing a Mona Lisa smile as he says, "I'm able to pursue he said. “(Yesterday) is the day where we’re going to get my two passions, two things I love to do. I have the best of mentally ready to play the game in terms of cleaning up both worlds." our game plan and so forth, but don’t start putting your game face on until we go to pregame meal (today).” ***

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 33 Memo on the Project – Confidential

Montana has won 12 straight after opening its season something new. It’s going to be a big challenge on the road with a 41-7 loss against Div. 1-A opponent Iowa. The in a hostile environment. I know I’m looking forward to Grizzlies have 12 wins for the sixth time in school history, it.” and Brown has studied every game they’ve played on film. The 6-5, 235-pound Jorgensen figured his playing days “I really like what Cal-Poly did because they’re very were over after his Quincy High team beat his younger similar to us,” Brown said. “I thought (coach) Rich Ellison brother Alex’s North Quincy High squad in the 2003 had his team really prepared. They lost 10-9 (in Missoula), Thanksgiving Day matchup. Ian was headed to Mass. but it was an excellent game plan, and we were able to give Maritime Academy, unaware that his coach, Bob Noble, our guys a pretty good look.” had sent game film on Jorgensen to UMass. Montana’s biggest weapon on offense is senior “Coming out here, I’ve never come this far,” Jorgensen quarterback Josh Swogger, a 6-foot-5, 235-pound transfer said with a laugh. “The farthest I’ve been is Amherst. from Washington State. He has thrown for 2,492 yards and Taking a 4-hour plane ride out to Missoula is great. I was 17 touchdowns this season, and likes to spread the ball to looking out the plane window and I saw the mountains and receivers Ryan Bagley (53 catches), Eric Allen and Craig it’s beautiful. Everyone says it’s a different kind of cold Chambers. The Grizzlies also have three running backs - out here, and I’m starting to believe it. I like it out here. It Reggie Bradshaw, Brady Green and Thomas Brooks- always looks like Christmas. There’s always snow on the Fletcher - with at least 400 rushing yards. ground.” “I think they’re a little bit more balanced,” Brown said. Jorgensen has emerged as a secret weapon for UMass. “I think the (passing) game has come along. Usually, you Both of his career touchdown catches have come in this would think (it would be tough) with a transfer quarterback year’s playoffs, one against both Lafayette and New just getting his feet wet and figuring out and trying to Hampshire. develop a relationship with his receivers, but he’s certainly “It’s great,” Jorgensen said of his partnership with in full swing now.” Listorti. “Listorti is athletic, fast, strong. He runs great routes and he blocks great. It’s easy to find a spot for him on the field, and then when you can go to two tight end sets, it just opens everything up in the offense. So it’s a They’re catching on: Tight end duo great combination with the way we’ve been working. He’s emerges a great kid.” Jorgensen is happy with his own role.

“I consider myself anything the team needs right now, to By John Connolly/ UMass Notebook, Boston Herald tell you the truth,” Jorgensen said. “If they want me to go

in there and block, that’s fine. But (if we) take it down to http://sports.bostonherald.com/college/football/view.bg?art the goal line and they want to throw it to me, I’m not icleid=171067 saying no.”

Tight ends coach Mike Wood agreed. MISSOULA, Mont. - The UMass Minutemen’s run to the “Ian’s done a great job for us being a guy feeling very national semifinals has featured great production from the comfortable either blocking or in the pass game,” Wood tight end position, where junior starter Brad Listorti and said. “Brad transferring in and picking up the system fairly sophomore Ian Jorgensen are opening eyes. quickly in his first full season and what he’s brought to the What makes their success more intriguing is the diverse table athletically is huge. Those two guys have been great.” paths that brought them here.

A year ago, Listorti was settling for a limited role on Calicchio in fine form special teams as Rutgers geared up for its Insight Bowl date with Arizona State. With NFL prospect Clark Harris Sean Calicchio will start at right tackle tonight against ahead of him on the depth chart, Listorti sought greener Montana. The 6-5, 310-pound sophomore broke his arm in pastures. the season opener against Colgate and missed 11 weeks Since arriving at UMass, the West Haven, Conn., before seeing some action in last week’s playoff win over product has been a major force, making 31 catches for 514 New Hampshire. yards. He has at least one catch in 12 straight games. “He told me he fell on the arm a couple of times in the

game and that he feels fine, and that his arm is getting “I never expected to be out here playing in a game on stronger,” said UMass head coach Don Brown. . . . national TV,” said the 6-foot-4, 245-pound Listorti. “It’s

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 34 Memo on the Project – Confidential

Brown said his team looks “chipper,” but worries persist Minutemen are in the semifinals for the first time since the about hydration and acclimation to the thin mountain air. national championship campaign of 1998. “It’s (altitude) here,” he said. “There’s nothing you can do about it.” "In the offseason, we just thought a lot about what we wanted to establish," he says. "We've been living up to it. We just promised each other we wanted to be dominating on both sides of the ball and as individuals everyone would do whatever they needed to do to get stronger and faster." Massachusetts draws on artful Baylark Baylark, who was born in Aberdeen, Miss., and played his By Eddie Timanus, USA TODAY high school ball in Apopka, Fla., seemed well on his way to a standout athletic career at UMass following a 2004 http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/2006-12- season that put two 1,000-yard campaigns under his belt. 06-umass-baylark_x.htm But his classwork suffered as he struggled to choose a Finding his direction on the football field has never been a major. He says he thought a lot about his grandmother, problem for Steve Baylark. Finding his academic footing at Minnie Baylark, who had recently died. She earned her the University of Massachusetts proved more of a living as a housecleaner but enjoyed art as a hobby. challenge until he discovered his niche in the art Baylark says he and his family still have several of her oil department. paintings.

Baylark, a senior on course to graduate with a bachelor's "In the spring of my sophomore year, I just thought about degree in fine arts next spring, is showing some of his her a lot," Baylark says. "I used to watch her paint. I'd done finest artistry on the field this season. He is preparing to some drawing in high school, but I'd never really pursued it lead the Minutemen into Friday night's NCAA Division I- until I came to college. She really had a passion for it." AA semifinal at Montana. Baylark is the only athlete in the art school at UMass. He Baylark rushed for 198 yards and a touchdown in last still does a lot of drawing and sketching in his spare time, week's 24-17 quarterfinal victory against Atlantic 10 but much of his work nowadays is more high tech. Conference rival New Hampshire. A 60-yard burst set up his score in the first quarter. He has 1,658 yards and 13 He has worked on a number of projects for the athletic rushing TDs this year and has surpassed the 1,000-yard media relations office. This summer, he designed the cover mark in all four of his seasons in Amherst. Entering this art for a highlight DVD for the men's lacrosse team, which season, only two I-AA backs, Adrian Peterson of Georgia reached the final four. Baylark also helped edit the footage. Southern and Jerry Azumah of New Hampshire, had He's also done work behind the camera on other projects, accomplished that feat. Harvard's Clifton Dawson and including a men's basketball video. Alonzo Coleman of Hampton also joined that club this year. Some of his work is displayed at steverbaylark.com, where he lays out his career goal of becoming a graphic designer "Steve Baylark is playing the best football of his career," for sports video games. UMass coach Don Brown says. "He was 15 pounds lighter coming into camp and just playing at a high level. He's had But for now, there's still work to be done on the field. "It's a lot more long runs this year because he's a tenth or two- going to be a big challenge," he says of traveling to tenths faster than he was two years ago." perennial power Montana. "I've been hearing a lot about the crowd and the stadium out there and how loud it gets. Confirms the 225-pound Baylark: "I definitely lost some … We've got to be perfect with everything. Every play is baby fat. This summer I just worked real hard to get a little crucial, so we have to be able to execute." bit faster."

Baylark, a team captain this year, says he wasn't alone among team members trying to get better, a big reason the

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 35 Memo on the Project – Confidential

UMass coach Don Brown expects his players to feed off the stadium's energy.

Facing the elements: UMass plays in a "We're just going to have to prepare our guys the best we tough Montana atmosphere for shot at can with hand signals, silent cadence. It's going to be tough to assimilate during the practice week," he said. "Our guys national title feed off the high-energy stuff. Even though it will be somewhat hostile, our guys will be excited to play in a Matt Vautour, The Daily Hampshire Gazette great environment." http://www.dailyhampshiregazette.com/umsports/umstory. Montana coach Bobby Hauck downplayed the home-field cfm?id_no=20320 advantage that has seen his team win eight straight home games as part of their 12-1 season. MISSOULA, Mont. - It's loud, it's cold and the air is thin. "The other team likes playing here too. A lot of teams that All that and the Montana Grizzlies are really good. That's play here don't get this type of atmosphere on a week-to- what the third-seeded University of Massachusetts football week basis," Hauck said. "It's a good game day. I think team has to overcome over 2,000 miles away from both teams will really like it Friday night for sure." Amherst when it faces No. 2 Montana at 7:30 tonight in the semifinals of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Whether they'll like the weather is another story. The playoffs. predicted high temperature for today has dropped from 38 earlier in the week to 36, and that will certainly go down Missoula is about 2,000 feet closer to sea level than with the sun. Denver, but the altitude can be a factor for teams that aren't used to it at Washington-Grizzly Stadium which is nestled The Minutemen will have four gas heaters for the sideline. in the northern Rockies. The Minutemen couldn't simulate the conditions in Amherst, so they chose not to worry "It'll probably be in the 20s at game time," said Coen, a about it. Rhode Island native. "I've grown up in New England - in the playoffs in high school we played in like 17 degrees "From what I've heard, the ball travels a little further on one time. It's not fun, but hey you learn to deal with it and deep balls, so maybe we'll get a few more yards," UMass block it out." quarterback Liam Coen said. With a day in Montana before the game, Brown was trying The noise is a bigger deal. The Minutemen have practiced to keep his players from getting too hyped up too early. hand signals and silent cadences all week to prepare for the noise that Montana home games are famous for producing. "Don't put your game face on and go to that place emotionally. Don't do that until we go to pregame meal" "Communication is going to be the biggest key for us. You Friday, Brown said. can't just say, 'Hey it's going to be loud and it's no big deal.' It's a huge deal," Coen said. "You have to be able to conquer that. Miscommunication with a wideout or a running back - you go one way, he goes the other - could Brown denies interest in BC head be critical. You can't have those things happen." coaching job

Senior center Alex Miller said he believes the Minutemen are capable of handling the noise. Matt Vautour, The Daily Hampshire Gazette

"We've played in some loud places before," he said. "If you http://www.dailyhampshiregazette.com/umsports/umstory. don't get distracted by it before the game you should be cfm?id_no=20324 good during the game." MISSOULA, Mont. - Former University of Massachusetts coach Mark Whipple and current Minuteman coach Don

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 36 Memo on the Project – Confidential

Brown have both been mentioned as possible candidates to "It's been exciting just to have the opportunity to help the fill the vacant head coaching position at Boston College. team out," Jorgensen said. "Fortunately I caught them both." Eagle coach Tom O'Brien is leaving Chestnut Hill to replace the fired Chuck Amato at North Carolina State. Brown praised his progress.

Radio reports in Boston list Whipple, who is currently the "I was after him pretty good earlier in the year. I thought he quarterbacks coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, as a leading was playing inconsistent," Brown said. "In the second half candidate. Whipple did not return phone calls Thursday. of the season he's been a very steady player at tight end."

Brown denied any interest in the position. TICKETS - Montana released between 5,000 and 6,000 tickets for the game Wednesday morning after season "Some guys are comfortable in their shoes and I am," tickets were picked up for the 23,183-seat Washington- Brown said. "I'm happy with what we've got going here." Grizzly Stadium. The local newspaper, the Missoulian, reported that vehicles were backed up for several blocks RETURN OF CALICCHIO - As he sat in the doctor's and across a bridge as people tried to get to the ticket office after the season's first game against Colgate, UMass office. The game was sold out by 11 a.m. Wednesday. offensive lineman Sean Calicchio already was thinking about the postseason. His arm was broken, an injury that SPRINTURF - Tonight's game will be played on requires months of rehabilitation. SprinTurf, which is comparable to the FieldTurf at McGuirk Stadium. It's the second time the Minutemen "The first thing I asked the docs was 'What about have been on the surface. The first was their 31-21 win at playoffs?'" Calicchio said. "I knew this team had Villanova Sept. 16. It is one of four surfaces the potential." Calicchio dressed for the Lafayette game Nov. Minutemen have played on this year along with grass (New 25, but didn't play. He returned to action Saturday in the Hampshire), AstroTurf (Towson) and FieldTurf (Navy, 24-17 win over New Hampshire. Northeastern, McGuirk).

"It's a privilege to be able to play with these guys, MISCELLANEOUS - Minuteman defensive lineman Jason especially now in the playoffs," Calicchio said. "It's a real Leonard, who Brown called day-to-day with a leg injury, big deal for me. If I can come back and help the team, was healthy enough to make the trip. His status will be that's the greatest thing for me." determined at game time.

During the New Hampshire game, Calicchio fell on his arm UMass set up a video feed to have the ESPN2 broadcast of on several occasions and it withstood the impact. the football game shown during intermissions and after the Minutemen's home hockey game against Boston College at "He's getting stronger. He's not 100 percent, but he said the Mullins Center at 7 tonight. 'Coach, I fell down a couple times.' After that he felt confident," coach Don Brown said. "It's great. It's not every day you get back a 6-foot-5, 310 pound offensive tackle that we felt going into the season was one of our best C'mon huh? players." Matt Vautour, The Daily Hampshire Gazette, blog Senior center Alex Miller said he is glad to have him back. "We've been kind of missing him," Miller said. "That http://www.dailyhampshiregazette.com/umsports/blog/inde comeback is pretty special." x.cfm/2006/12/7/Cmon-huh

MR. POSTSEASON - Ian Jorgensen's contributions as a Dummy up there huh. Carol O'Conner is today's featured receiver during the regular season barely registered. The Montana grad. sophomore tight end caught two passes for 17 yards. But he has caught three passes in the playoffs, including two Missoula has been good to us so far. A group of media folk touchdowns. decended on downtown last night looking for food and a

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 37 Memo on the Project – Confidential little beer. We eventually landed at the Missoula Club a http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/football/articles/20 place that bills itself as the home of "Cold burgers and 06/12/07/a_leg_to_stand_on/ warm beer since 1890." That proved to be false advertising. The beer was cold and the the burgers were hot and the AMHERST -- In the grand scheme, John Hatchell knew locals were friendly. Picture Antonio's Pizza as a burger right away the news he got on Nov. 14 was not that big a joint with a bar and you get a little idea of thise place. deal. This wasn't life or death. It wasn't a tragedy. He would get over it. The impression I'm getting from Missoulians is that they love their football team and their town. They want your Still, when the University of Massachusetts defensive end football team to lose, but they want you to have a fun time learned that he had torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his while you're here. The bartender, who was a former left knee, it was hard to ward off the feelings of Grizzly football player, who was working and another one devastation. This was the last chance he would ever have to who was off duty and drinking (quite a bit) were both very play a game he loved. There was just one game left in the knowledgable about Grizzly football and the history of the regular season for the 9-1 Minutemen, and then the one- town and the bar. and-done intensity of the playoffs.

They knew a lot about UMass and predicted a good game. This was it. He was a senior, and while he was a standout We're planning on going back and Bob Behler was on the best defensive team in Division 1-AA, he harbored exploring the possibility of holding the Don Brown show no illusions about the NFL. Come next fall, he would head there tonight. to law school and leave the most impassioned part of his life behind. Sounds like I missed a pretty tight ending for Travis Ford and Co. All I know is what I've read in Mike Moran's fine He just wasn't ready to do it yet. piece in today's Gazette and a quick phone call with Dave Guthro, so I can't speak too inteligently on it. That said, it There was one glimmer of hope, however faint. Once in a sounded like the type of game UMass would have lost in great while, a player is able to play with an ACL tear. recent years, so they'll certainly take the win. UMass coach Don Brown, for instance, had seen one player in his 25 years as a head or assistant coach play Mmmmm cookies for breakfast... More later. through such an injury. That had happened two years ago, with a redshirt freshman linebacker. The player happened to be Hatchell's kid brother, Jason.

"The fact that he had done it," said John Hatchell, "was The bottom line inspiring."

The Boston Globe Growing up in the small town of Mullica Hill, N.J., the two brothers seemed to share everything. They weren't twins, http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/gallery/12_08_06_ but separated by just 14 months and a day, their lives were bottom_line intertwined. At the core of their connection was a love of toughness.

"We didn't idolize the flashy people like Deion Sanders," said John, a chiseled 6-foot-2-inch, 270-pounder with dark A leg to stand on hair and thick eyebrows. "My dad [John Sr.] had us idolizing people like Chuck Bednarik and Jack Lambert."

Hatchells put heart in UMass defense They were big kids from the beginning, well above the weight-limit restrictions for their age in Pop Warner. ("We By Marty Dobrow, Boston Globe Correspondent, were fat boys when we were younger," said Jason, a 6-0, December 7, 2006 224-pound linebacker with blond hair and the hint of a goatee.)

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 38 Memo on the Project – Confidential

As a result, the competitive juices were only allowed to Last year, the Hatchells helped lead UMass to the No. 1 flow in backyard football. With their dad playing scoring defense in Division 1-AA. Jason led the team with quarterback, the boys would take turns being the receiver 107 tackles. John, playing nose guard, had 36. and the cornerback in an endless game where the stakes seemed ultimate. The season ended in disappointment, though, as UMass lost its final two games to wind up 7-4, just missing the When John was in seventh grade he graduated to junior playoffs. The returning seniors met and mapped out their high football, and Jason, stuck in sixth, was consumed with strategy for a better outcome in 2006. There was too much envy. One night Jason attended an auction with his looking ahead, they all agreed. grandfather and put in a bid on an antique helmet and shoulder pads. The winning bids weren't announced until "The first thing we said is we have to focus on the task at midnight, but Jason insisted on staying -- and picking up hand," recalled John. "That was the biggest issue . . . We the prize. need to keep our minds set on this game right now. We can't look ahead. In '05, I can't tell you how many times we "The next day, of course, there was a football game in the broke on 'Chattanooga, Chattanooga, Chattanooga [the site backyard," recalled John Hatchell Sr., a manager at a car of the national championship game].' " dealership in Cherry Hill, N.J. "They were beating the daylights out of each other." Dream season Not afraid to work For the team, and for the brothers, 2006 has played out like John initially went to Lehigh, before coming to UMass in a dream. UMass is 12-1, riding a school-record 11-game 2004, joining forces with his brother, a redshirt freshman. winning streak. The Minutemen play tomorrow night at the The Hatchells instantly established themselves as fitness University of Montana in the national semifinals, with the freaks. Both could bench press more than 400 pounds. winner getting a trip to, well, Chattanooga. John, in fact, has reached 520 -- a record for a UMass player. Head trainer Jeff Smith, who has seen some "It's been kind of a Cinderella season," said Jason with a workout mavens in his time, says that from the start the tone of wonder. "Everything's clicking. Everyone's on the Hatchells were a different breed. same page. It's a different kind of attitude this year."

"No doubt about it," he said. "It is above and beyond." The brothers, who live together in an off-campus house with three other teammates, were at their best in what was John was forced to sit out that season as a transfer, and it the regular season's pivotal game, at New Hampshire Nov. looked as if Jason would sit it out as well when, just a few 4. Jason registered 18 tackles and earned the Bill Knight days before the opener, he picked up a fumble in practice, Trophy as the MVP of the annual clash between archrivals, started returning it, planted his right foot, and felt his knee a rare feat for a defensive player. And in the game's give way. "The moment I made my first cut, I knew there decisive play, with UMass leading, 28-20, and 15 seconds was something seriously wrong," he recalled. remaining with UNH facing fourth and 1 from the 3-yard line, John knocked down a pitch from quarterback Ricky The MRI confirmed his worst fears with the three most Santos to clinch the game. dreaded letters in sports -- ACL. The stabilizing ligament connecting the femur and tibia in the front of the knee had It was a dream scenario for a defensive player: to come up snapped. Almost as a matter of course, that means the end with the decisive stop to end a huge game against a star of the year, Smith said. With Jason's well-developed player. quadriceps and hamstring, however, he was able to withstand the strain, and within a few weeks he was able to But the next week, life turned completely for John when he cut and shift. To the astonishment of many, he wound up tried to throw a block on a University of Maine lineman playing eight games that season. during an interception return. His left knee gave way, and suddenly he couldn't put weight on it. As John hobbled off In the offseason he had surgery in Philadelphia, getting an the field, his father said a prayer: "Please don't let it be the Achilles' from a cadaver to replace the ACL. By the ACL." beginning of the 2005 season, he was better than ever.

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 39 Memo on the Project – Confidential

Three days later came the news. "I was crushed for him," said John Sr. The UMass defense huddled with Brown as both Hatchell brothers listened intently. There was John, bouncing on John did not play the following Saturday, the regular- both legs. There was Jason, who had been carried off the season finale against Hofstra. Before the game, he was field earlier after suffering a major contusion when he took introduced along with the rest of the seniors, and limped a helmet to his lower leg. They were ready. out to join his parents at midfield. Santos took the snap and rolled left, looking for an open "It was kind of heartbreaking, seeing all his classmates in Keith Levan in the corner of the end zone. Jason Hatchell their uniforms jumping up and down," John Sr. said. "He's was being blocked by 6-6, 270-pound tackle Josh Droesch. in his jersey, pretty much hobbling across the field." He fought off the block, reached up, and batted down the pass. By that time, though, John's rehab was well under way. He was working relentlessly with Smith with an eye toward John Hatchell didn't see the play, but when he heard how it getting back on the field, as his brother had two years was broken up, he was immediately aware of the delicious before. And sure enough, come the playoff opener against déjà vu. The brothers embraced as John said, "Man, we're Lafayette, John was in the lineup, leading Brown to shake some Wildcat killers." his head in disbelief. According to John, no one on the defense was nervous at "The inspiration and the message that he sends kind of the game's crucial juncture. "Everyone's got a lot of overwhelms you," Brown said. "I watch him bounce confidence that someone will step up and make a play around practice now, and I'm still in awe of the whole when the time is needed," he said. "The fact that it was Jay thing." was great. It's almost like a storybook ending. I don't think you could really write this up in a movie script, to tell you the truth." Wildcat killers Facing surgery, John has poured himself into the end of his Not many people would believe it. Especially when they career. He limped through the Lafayette game but found out that John Sr. is also facing knee surgery after the contributed with a couple of big tackles. Then last week, in year, because he got clipped by a car at his dealership, and the rematch against UNH, he came up with 1 1/2 sacks of damaged his medial collateral ligament. He was advised to the redoubtable Santos. have surgery right away, but, well, it was not advice he was willing to take. Of course, he needed some help. With UMass leading, 24- 17, Santos led a brilliant drive in the closing moments. "I didn't want to miss any games," he said. After a completion to David Ball, the Wildcats had fourth and 1 from the UMass 6 with 33 seconds remaining. He flies to Missoula today.

Grizzly News, Semifinal Game Day, December 8, 2006 40