Game Day Kaimin, September 4, 2010 Students of the Niu Versity of Montana, Missoula
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University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Associated Students of the University of Montana Montana Kaimin, 1898-present (ASUM) 9-4-2010 Game Day Kaimin, September 4, 2010 Students of The niU versity of Montana, Missoula Let us know how access to this document benefits ouy . Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/studentnewspaper Recommended Citation Students of The nivU ersity of Montana, Missoula, "Game Day Kaimin, September 4, 2010" (2010). Montana Kaimin, 1898-present. 5330. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/studentnewspaper/5330 This Newspaper is brought to you for free and open access by the Associated Students of the University of Montana (ASUM) at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Montana Kaimin, 1898-present by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. gamedaykaimin Saturday, September 4, 2010 gamedaykaimin.com A New Era. by Troy Warzocha, pg. 6. Kickoff http://twitter.com/ UM’s Independent Campus Newspaper Since 1898 80°F | 60°F UM’s Independent Campus Newspaper Since 1898 KaiminSports Montana Kaimin 2 SPORTS Saturday, September 4, 2010 Griz begin season with familiar foe Troy Warzocha Montana Kaimin With a new coaching staff in place and a horde of new players donning jerseys that are hot off the press, it may be the Grizzlies’ opponents who are more recog- nizable to fans when Montana opens their season against West- ern State on Saturday. This year will mark the sec- ond consecutive time the Griz open their season against the Western State Mountaineers. The Mountaineers represent a Division II school located in Gunnison, Colorado. On paper, the Griz throttled the Mountaineers a year ago for an emphatic 38-0 opening day win. However, to those who re- member the actual game, it’s hard to forget that the Moun- taineers fought tooth and nail against the Griz, giving up only 10 of those points in the first half. “Offensively, they’re some- what similar to what we are,” Head Coach Robin Pflugrad said at Tuesday’s press conference. “They’re wide open. Last year, in that first quarter, they moved the ball downfield and got close to red zone a couple times in the Greg Lindstrom/Montana Kaimin first quarter and we didn’t play Quarterback Andrew Selle looks for a receiver during practice on Wednesday. particularly well, especially in the first half. “ COLUMN The slow start by the Griz I was in that national champi- would become a theme through onship game.” the 2009 campaign, and at least If there’s one advantage that Pflugrad’s been perfect so far, this Saturday starting center the Mountaineers have it’s that Alex Verlanic is keen to the they already gotten their open- now he needs to win. type of fight the Mountaineers ing day anxieties out of the way. can muster. “I think it’s a terrific advan- “They’re going to be fired up tage for them,” Pflugrad said. and ready to play,” Verlanic said. “Those first game jitters and by Tyson Alger, Sports Editor Going into the contest the all those issues they’ve already Grizzlies have the edge over the gotten out of the way. They’ve He’s done everything right. urday, fans will finally have a years, it’s guaranteed the fans Mountaineers in skill position already travelled and that’s a Since being hired nine months quantitative method in judging will start to grumble. players, history, and a home field plus for them, there’s no ques- ago to fill the controversial yet Pflugrad. Any move Pflugrad Forget the fact that this Mon- that annually boasts the larg- tion about that. So I think they’re widely successfully shoes of for- has made leading up to Saturday tana team is drastically different est attendance in the Football going to play much better than mer head coach Bobby Hauck, can be discussed and debated, from the one last year. Sure, An- Championship Subdivision. they played last weekend.” Robin Pflugrad has been the dar- but from now on, there will be drew Selle and Chase Reynolds Quarterback Andrew Selle Last weekend Western State ling of Missoula. The Eugene, Ore. only one way to judge the coach, still anchor the offense. But the and running back Chase Reyn- opened up their season with a native amassed a celebrated re- and that’s by the record. Grizzlies also have an offensive olds are 2010 Walter Payton 45-20 loss to Fort Hays State. cruiting class—including the Or- Every game, every play, ev- line that has been decimated Award candidates, cornerback Selle, Reynolds, and number egon 6A player of the year Jordon ery point scored by the Griz will by either graduation or injury, a Trumaine Johnson is a candi- one wide-out Jabin Sambrano Johnson—in a short time span. be dissected. If Pflugrad’s Griz- talented yet unproven receiving date for the Buck Buchanan must be licking their chops He took to spring drills with vigor zlies don’t post a 38-0 shut out of core and a defense that lost the Award, and there’s bound to be after the Tigers racked up 543 and tempo. He’s been seen out in the Mountaineers on Saturday, leadership and dominance of at least 25,000 football-starved total yards on the Mountain- the community, and the attitude you’ll hear talk that maybe Bob- those such as Shann Schillinger fans looking to see the Griz eers in the win. The yard total of the football program is “night by would have done better. If the and Shawn Lebsock. The Griz- pursue a third consecutive title is dwarfed only by how coldly and day” compared to the Hauck Griz somehow, just so happen zlies have a lot more questions game appearance. efficient the Tiger offense was regime, a member of the staff said. to lose a regular season game than most No. 2 ranked teams in Despite the potential for an- throughout the contest. People are relaxed. They’re com- this year, again he will be com- the country should. other blowout, the Mountain- Fort Hays State averaged 7.9 fortable. Things are fun again. pared to Hauck—and this time Regardless, Pflugrad will be eers have the Grizzlies’ undi- yards per play and had their But for all the good he’s done not favorably. For all of the grief expected to win. vided attention going into this best offensive output since Oc- over the last months, nobody Hauck has gotten in the past And in the end, it only mat- year’s clash. tober of 2004. knows better than Pflugrad the year, the one thing that can’t be ters so much how many hands “Obviously, you always The only chance the Moun- inevitable truth about coach- debated was his ability to win. he shakes, how nice of a guy he want to play better,” Selle said. taineers really have is to take ing: that none of that matters Going 80-17 over a seven-year is, or just how damn much we “Coming into my senior year, advantage of an offensive line come Saturday. No matter span is downright amazing. like him. after I haven’t played for a year, that features four new starters how much he smiles during To compare Pflugrad to If Pflugrad’s team fails to you always challenge yourself and somehow find a way to interviews or jokes with play- Hauck would be absolutely un- perform starting Saturday, to be better than the game be- beat new defensive coordina- ers at practice, no matter how fair for a first-year head coach. Griz fans may be craving an fore and obviously our last tor Mike Breske’s multitude of easily he’s made people forget But in this town, it will happen. old coach, the same one they game was the national cham- blitz packages. about Bobby, starting Satur- Griz fans expect dominance; didn’t like quite so much. pionship against Villanova, so “We’re fast,” said senior day, things will be different. they crave perfection. And if [email protected] if you’re going by that number defensive tackle Tyler Hobbs. The moment the Griz take Pflugrad’s team this season un- I’m going to try to be the very “We like to play fast. We’re best I can be and be better than to Washington-Grizzly on Sat- der-performs compared to last See GAME PREVIEW, page 3 Montana Kaimin Saturday, September 4, 2010 SPORTS 3 Western State ready for rematch Division II squad returns to Missoula for second-straight season opener A.J. Mazzolini “We really don’t know what and coughed up the ball an taineers play tight ends like In the Fort Hays loss last Montana Kaimin we’re going to get,” Stewart astoundingly low eight times. most people pick their shoes — week, Prock proved he’s back said. “There’s not that famil- But a dismal running game there’s got to be at least two in in top form, snagging 10 passes What started as a defensive iarity there would be if coach made Gorham’s efforts mean- the equation. for 97 yards, easily leading the battle turned into a blow out Hauck would have been there. ingless against Fort Hays. The “Tight ends are very impor- team in both categories. last time Western State College I think there’s going to be some Mountaineers managed a mea- tant,” Teply said. “I didn’t get to make the trip of Colorado ventured to Wash- changes.