Breaking Down INSIDE Barriers Mcghee, Burton Help Make History for African-Americans in Big Sky
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FULL PapER SATURDAY, OCT. 9 InsidE GAME VS. PORTLAND STATE D ay PORTLAND STATE AT NO. 10 MONTANA STATE, 1:35 P.M. BOBCAT STADIUM — HOMECOMING GAME BREAKING DOWN INSIDE BARRIERS McGhee, Burton help make history for African-Americans in Big Sky By WILL C. HOLDEN Chronicle Sports Writer Chris Wilson went to what he called a “majority-black” NO PASSING FANCY school in Maryland for junior high. In high school, he shifted gears to what he called an “all-white” school at n Vikings more of C.M. Russell in Great Falls. a running team “I can’t sugar coat it,” Wilson said. “That’s just the way it is.” these days I 2 Part of a military family, moving wasn’t unusual for Wilson. But moving to Montana was certainly a culture shock. And listen- ing to him describe the experience is similarly shocking. 5-1? As Wilson, an African-American and n The Chronicle’s current redshirt freshman cornerback for Montana State, traveled around Montana Will Holden handicaps during track season, breaking 100-meter state today’s matchup 6 records nearly every time he ran, he heard a similar I refrain. “There goes the black kid, again.” It wasn’t whispered, though he heard the hushed voices, too. They came as he walked through BIG MIKE the halls of CMR. He said many of n his classmates knew nothing about MSU QB McGhee minorities except “what they saw on lets his father do the T.V., what they heard on the radio or what they read on the Internet.” talking I 2 “There were a lot of stereotypes I had to deal with,” Wilson said. “In my first two years there, I went through a lot of issues with racism. NIGEL BURTON I can’t count on my two hands how Portland State coach many times I’ve been called the “N” w ord .” But for an impressionable teenager, the phone call from a Great Falls police officer ordering Wilson to stop dating his teenage daughter for fear that “a black person would ruin his family” took the cake. “It was one thing hearing stuff like that from people who were immature or uneducated,” Wilson said. “But that was a grown man. That’s not a kid.” Suddenly, the normally extraverted Wilson became an introvert out of necessity. “I wanted to get out of Montana,” Wilson said. “I honestly did.” Then MSU assistant coach Justin Gaines gave Wilson a call. In a state where the African-American population is less than 0.6 percent, Gaines, an African-American who played STILL NO. 1? cornerback for the Montana Grizzlies, became someone n Bozeman, Helena Wilson could confide in. Two years later, Wilson is part of a Bobcat team that is High meet in battle of starting an African-American quarterback for the first unbeatens PAGE B1 time in its long history in a conference that now has its I first African-American coach. More BARRIERS I 5 PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER Montana State quarterback Denarius McGhee runs the ball against Sacramento State last Saturday. ProudlyProudly SupportingSupporting thethe MSUMSU BOBCATSBOBCATS 2010 CTS 4DR SEDAN • All Wheel Drive • Bose® Sound System • StabiliTrak Electronic Stability Control System • 100,000 Warranty • OnStar2 Turn-by-Turn Navigation standard for one year • STK# 06030 Black Raven • MSRP - $48,935 Best Price $43,228* 1 Monthly payment is $13.89 for every $1,000 you finance. Example down payment is 14.4% Some customers will not qualify. Not available with some other offers. Take delivery by 11/1/10. See dealer for details. 2.Visit onstar.com for coverage map, details and system limitations. ©2010 General Motors. Cadillac® CTS® CADILLAC BOZEMAN’S BEST IS LOCATED AT 8474 HUFFINE 587-5501 • 800-828-8217 RESSLERMOTORS.COM HOURS: Mon-Fri 8:30am-6pm • Sat 9am-5pm PARTS & SERVICE Open ‘til 6pm Mon.-Fri. • Sat 8am-5pm 2 | bozeman daily chronicle Saturday, October 9, 2010 BOBCAT GAME DAY Portland State at Montana State 1:35 p.m. Bobcat Stadium Sideline Portland State still figuring itself out Briefing Records By WILL C. HOLDEN Montana State 4-1, 2-0 Big Sky Chronicle Sports Writer Portland State 2-2, 1-0 A season ago, Portland State Series and Montana State romped in a 25th meeting, MSU leads 15-9 Portland rain storm before the Bobcats emerged with a 28-10 Weather forecast win. Oh, how much has changed Sunny, high 66 since then. Crowd For starters, Portland State no longer runs the pass-happy More than 14,000 expected offense of Jerry Glanville and Mouse Davis which was once TV capable of games like the 2007 ABC 28 (Chris Byers, Mike shootout against Weber State Callaghan, AJ Donatoni) in which the Vikings scored 68 points and still lost. Radio Under new head coach Nigel Burton, PSU (2-2 overall, 1-0 KXLB-FM (100.7), Jeff Lasky, Big Sky Conference) favors the Dan Davies, Tyler Wiltgen run out of the pistol offense. But just what are these new Vikings Coaches capable of accomplishing? If you ask Montana State head coach Rob Ash, it’s yet to be seen. Why? Because three of the Vikings’ four games this season have come against a pair of Pac- COURTESY OF PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY Portland State junior Cory McCaffrey (1) leads the Vikings with 322 rushing yards and two touchdowns. 10 teams and Idaho State, which has won just three games in the Super Bowl,” Burton said. with the program. It’s a criti- in practice and worried about past three years. But a win is a win. And cism that may never be levied getting hurt, you probably are ROB NIGEL The one game that caught considering they all count the on Burton. Ash said the first going to get hurt,” Burton said. ASH BURTON Ash’s eye was the first win for same in the standings, Burton thing that jumps off the tape “It all starts with the offseason MSU, 4th year PSU, 1st year this new PSU program, a 41-33 said his team isn’t discounting about Burton’s Vikings is their practices. We had 98 percent 31st year overall 4th year overall triumph on the road at UC Da- its 38-3 win over 1-4 Idaho State discipline. participation in terms of guys 24-15 at MSU 2-2 at PSU vis, a future Big Sky Conference last week. “I think Nigel has really done not just being here for the 200-114-5 overall 2-2 overall school. “I think Idaho State was a test an excellent job in his first year,” summer but being at all their “That’s really the only game for us,” Burton said. “As much he said. “(The Vikings) are very workouts. Schedules where you can base some judge- as someone could say that team good at defending the run, they “That was something that Portland State ment,” said Ash, whose team is is kind of shooting itself in the have a skilled secondary and I has never happened at Portland 9 @ Arizona St. 54 4-1, 2-0. “They played very well foot, I think our guys did things like what they’re doing on of- State before.” 41 @ UC Davis 33 against a UC Davis team that to force the issue. We played well fense. Nigel has taken the talent A good contingent of healthy 0 @ Oregon 69 went and beat a (Football Bowl when faced with that test and that he had and has molded it players has made Burton’s new 38 Idaho St. 3Subdivision team) from San now it’s on to the next one.” into his schemes very well.” pistol offense easier to install. Today Montana St. 2:05 p.m. Jose State. So I think both teams At the very least, the Vi- Burton believes it’s at least But just how good will the must be pretty good.” kings’ two wins this year have partly due to the new offseason new-look Vikings end up being? 10/16 Montana 6:05 p.m. At the very least, the win over something in common: In each program he has installed at PSU, Right now, Griffin said, it’s a 10/23 @ Weber St. 3 p.m. UC Davis will be one Burton contest, they threw the ball less which Washington Husky trans- work in progress. 10/30 Eastern Washington 6:05 p.m. and his PSU staff will remember. than 25 times. fer Willie Griffin called unique. “I’ve been around a lot of foot- 11/6 @ Sacramento St. 3 p.m. It’s even been immortalized by When was the last time PSU’s “It was so physical,” said Grif- ball programs and I know this 11/13 Northern Colorado 1:05 p.m. a still frame, as Burton and his offense threw that few times? fin, one of the program’s new team can be very good,” Griffin 11/20 @ Northern Arizona 3 p.m. coaches knelt in front of the You guessed it — during that running backs. “I’ve never seen said. “Are we progressing as fast scoreboard for a photo after the 28-10 drubbing in the deluge anything like it.” as we’d like to? Probably not. Montana State game. against MSU. Five games into the season, But we’re working every day and 59 Fort Lewis 10 It’s something Burton said It was the beginning of the the Vikings have only dealt with we’re starting to see results.” 22 @ Wash. St. 23 “will never happen again.” end for Glanville, who resigned two major injuries.