FB Guide 2016.Indd
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Beat the SKY #BEATTHESKYOWNTHESTATE 22016016 BBobcatobcat FFootballootball QQuickuick FFactsacts MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY Name (Founded) ................Montana State University (1893) Location .......................................................... Bozeman, MT Enrollment ................................................................... 15,750 President ..................................................Dr. Waded Cruzado Athletic Director ..............................................Leon Costello ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS Assistant AD, Media Relations/FB Contact .......Bill Lamberty Offi ce/Cell Phone ....................406/994-5133, 406/580-6781 E-mail Address [email protected] Sports Information Director ................................Tom Schulz Offi ce/Cell Phone ....................406/994-5130, 406/580-6786 TABLE OF CONTENTS E-mail Address [email protected] Big Sky Kickoff Guest JP Flynn ..................................2 Asst. Director/Digital Comm. .........................................TBA Bobcat Tradition ............................................................3 Offi ce Phone .....................................................406/994-5349 Preseason Info and Outlook .................................4-8 E-mail Address ................................................................TBA Position Capsules ....................................................9-17 Athletics Fax Number ......................................406/994-2278 Roster .............................................................................18 Web Site .............................................www.msubobcats.com Depth Chart ..................................................................19 Opponent Capsules ............................................20-21 MEDIA INFORMATION Bobcat Coach Jeff Choate .......................................22 Radio Network ......................................Bobcat Sports Network Honors, Stats and Records .......................................... Radio Play-by-play ......................................... Jay Sanderson E-mail [email protected] 2015 RESULTS Color Commentator .............................................Dan Davies Record Overall/Conference ................................ 5-6/3-5, 8th Phone, e-mail ...... 406/994-2301, [email protected] # Weeks Ranked ...................................................................7 Beat Writer ..........................Jon Maletz, Bozeman Chronicle Final Ranking ..................................................................none Contact, ............970/618-3629, [email protected] FCS Playoffs ...................................................................none Beat Writer ......................Colter Nuanez, Skyline Sports MT Contact .................406/531-9998, [email protected] Sept. 3 Fort Lewis W 45-14 Beat Writer ...................... Scott Mansch, Great Falls Tribune Sept. 19 at Eastern Washington L 50-55 Phone, e-mail ....406/791-1431, [email protected] Sept. 26 *Cal Poly W 45-28 Beat Writer .............................Greg Rachac, Billings Gazette Oct. 3 *at Northern Arizona L 41-49 Phone, e-mail ...406/670-2026, grachac@billingsgazettecom Oct. 10 *Sacramento State W 35-13 Oct. 17 *at Portland State L 42-59 COACHING AND SUPPORT STAFF Oct. 24 East Tennessee State W 63-7 Jeff Choate (UM Western, ‘94) ....................HEAD COACH Oct. 31 *at North Dakota L 38-44 Overall Record: 0-0, 1st ...............................at MSU: 0-0, 1st Nov. 7 *Southern Utah L 23-34 Kane Ioane (MSU ‘05) ..........................Asst. HC/LBs (12th) Nov. 14 *at Idaho State W 44-20 Courtney Messingham (Northern Ia./’90) Off. Coord./QBs (1st) Nov. 21 *Montana L 35-54 Ty Gregorak (Colorado/’01) ..............Defensive Coord. (1st) BJ Robertson (UM Western/’98) .ST Coord./TE/HS Relations (1st) Brian Armstrong (UM Western/’98) .........................OL (1st) 2016 SCHEDULE (Mountain time unless noted) Michael Pitre (UCLA/’08) ................Recr. Coord./RBs (3rd) Sept. 1 at Idaho .............................7 pm MT TV TBA Matt Miller (Boise State/’14) .................................WRs (1st) Sept. 10 Bryant ................................ 2:05 pm Cowles Byron Hout (Boise State/’12) ...................................DL (1st) Sept. 17 Western Oregon ................. 2:05 pm Cowles Gerald Alexander (Boise State/’07) ......................... DB (1st) Sept. 24 *North Dakota ................... 2:05 pm Cowles Sam Richardson (Iowa State/’15) ................Offensive Intern Oct. 1 *at Sacramento State .. 7:05 pm MT Cowles Kyle Risinger (St. Cloud State/’14) .............Defensive Intern Oct. 8 *Northern Arizona ............. 5:10 pm ROOT Ryan Saparto (Washington State/’14) ...Special Teams Intern Oct. 15 *at Weber State ..................1:40 pm ROOT Oct. 22 *Eastern Washington ....... 12:05 pm ROOT Football Operation Dir. ...Brittney Johnson (Boise State/’11) Oct. 29 Open Video Coordinator ...........................................Garrett Becker Nov. 5 *at Southern Utah ............ 12:05 pm Cowles Athletic Trainer .....................................................Rob Higgs Nov. 12 *UC Davis ......................... 1:30 pm ROOT Equipment Manager ..........................................Scott Gifford Nov. 19 *at Montana ..................... 12:10 pm ROOT 22016016 BBOBCATOBCAT FFOOTBALLOOTBALL - OOverviewverview JJeffeff CChoatehoate UUshersshers IInn NNewew EErara In Jeff Choate, Montana State found a coach whose football roots lie in the Treasure State, Personnel Breakdown with a style and philosophy that fi ts the program’s history of hard-nosed play. In Montana State, TEAM INFORMATION fi rst-time college head coach Jeff Choate found what he believes is the perfect fi t. Affi liation/Conf ............ NCAA DI FCS/Big Sky “A lot of things came together,” Choate said of the Nickname...........................................Bobcats process of becoming Montana State’s head football coach last Colors .............................................Blue, gold December. “I have some familiarity with the school, the area, and Stadium .................................Bobcat Stadium my interest level was extremely high because of the respect I have Seating Capacity .................................17,777 for what they’ve done here and the tradition of this program.” Turf ...................................................FieldTurf Coaching in the Big Sky Conference has been on Choate’s mind Primary Offense/Defense ............ Multiple/4-3 for years. “I grew up watching Big Sky games, it’s my home con- ference, so to speak, and when you spend time in Dillon you take 2016 RETURNER SUMMARY in a lot of information about the Starters Returning: Offensive/Defensive/ST ..........4/8/2 Jeff Choate’s introduc- two Division I schools in the state. Offensive Lettermen Returning/Lost .....................19/10 tory press conference. I think it’s a great level of football, Defensive Lettermen Returning/Lost ......................20/9 (Dean Hendrickson) and this program attracts kids that Specialist Lettermen Returning/Lost .........................2/1 work hard and love playing football.” Choate has no delusions about the eff ort necessary to again OFFENSIVE STARTERS RETURNING raise the Bobcats into the ranks of the nation’s elite. “Th e most JP Flynn, OG 6-5/320/Sr ......Two-time All-Big Sky important factor is to identify the right individuals for this pro- Mitchell Herbert, WR 6-4/205/Jr ..........70 career catches gram - the right kind of Cat - that will buy into our philosophy Chad Newell, RB 6-2/220/Sr 1,408 career rush yards and our system. Th en it’s our job as coaches and as an Athletic Justin Paige, WR 5-11/175/Jr .........25 career catches Department to give them tools they need to succeed.” DEFENSIVE STARTERS RETURNING Mac Bignell, LB 6-1/205/Jr .........20.5 TFL in 2015 Jeff Choate presided over his Blake Braun, LB 6-2/220/Jr 7-game starter in 2015 fi rst spring practice seession Jessie Clark, DE 6-3/245/Sr .....7 TFL in last 5 gms at MSU (Dean Hendrickson) Grant Collins, DE 6-4/230/So ...88 TT at LB in 2015 BBOBCATOBCAT GGAMEAME DDAYAY Tyrone Fa’anono, DE 6-2/260/Jr ...........3 sacks in 2015 Khari Garcia, FS 5-10/195/Jr ...........4 PBU in 2015 MMSU’sSU’s HomeHome FFieldield OOffff ersers TThrillinghrilling EEnvironmentnvironment Tre’von Strong, CB 6-1/195/So ...........6 PBUsin 2015 Visit Bobcat Stadium on any given Game Day and you’ll fi nd an exciting, physical brand of Tucker Yates, NT 6-0/315/So .............22 TT in 2015 football that calls to mind great players and teams from throughout Montana State’s history. You’ll fi nd that the beautiful video board, a great marching band and spirit squad, and other SPECIALISTS RETURNING factors combine for an environment second to no school in the FCS. Rocky Hogue, LS 6-3/225/So ........Returning starter But on Game Day at Bobcat Stadium, you’ll fi nd so much more. From the campers that begin weekend festivities on Friday to the hundreds of tailgates in Bobcat Stadium’s parking lots that pop up Credits throughout the morning on Saturday, MSU’s game day unfolds like The 2016 Bobcat Football Guide was written by a call to arms for Bobcat fans. During the Bobcat Prowl fans line the MSU Sports Information Director Bill Lamberty, with path from Brick Breeden Fieldhouse to Bobcat Stadium and cheer copy editing by Tom Stuber and research from John as the Spirit of