FULL PAPER INSIDE SATURDAY, SEPT. 8 GAME AT DRAKE D AY NO. 4 MONTANA STATE AT DRAKE, DRAKE STADIUM, 5 P.M. INSIDE MIRROR IMAGES n MSU and Drake resemble one another on and off the fieldI G2 NOT THEIR DAY? n ‘Dogs have won 11 ADRIAN SANCHEZ-GONZALEZ/CHRONICLE straight at home, but will Montana State head coach Rob Ash spent 18 seasons at Drake before taking over at MSU in 2007. be outmatched today, says Colter Nuanez I G6 ONCE ‘CATS, NOW COACHES FAMILIAR n Five former Bobcats are now coaches at Bozeman High I G5 FIVE PILLARS OF TERRITORY DRAKE’S SUCCESS Trip to Des Moines is a trip to a place many Bobcats used to call home n Chris Creighton wants (now Football Championship Subdi- experience to go beyond By COLTER NUANEZ • Chronicle Sports Editor vision) level. football I G5 Ash was 125-62-2 at Drake, in- ob Ash saw his kids go to school from kindergarten through cluding winning four PFL champion- 12th-grade in Des Moines, Iowa. Bo Beck used to live in an ships and posting an 82-20 record at home. apartment right down the street from Valley High, the alma During the resurrection, Marshall, materR of Alex Wilcox and a place Michael Foster went to school. Ja- now MSU’s defensive coordinator, was an all-league defensive back mie Marshall and Erik Link played at Drake Stadium before roaming (1995-98) before joining Ash’s coach- the sidelines as assistants. ing staff in 2000. Link, now MSU’s tight ends coach, was an all-league Homecoming weekend isn’t sched- big-time football, as the Bulldogs offensive lineman (2000-2002) under uled until Sept. 22 for the Montana became a NCAA Division III affili- Ash. Beck was a Drake assistant for State football team, but today’s trip ate. Then, in 1989, the school hired three seasons (2002-2004) under to Des Moines to take on Drake a Des Moines native to resurrect the Ash. Wilcox, MSU’s strength and FIrst-plACE University is a homecoming of sorts dream. conditioning coach, came to Mon- SHOWDOWN for many of the Bobcats. The capital Ash took over and quickly helped tana State last winter after spending of the Hawkeye State is a place five change the landscape both at Drake two seasons at Drake in the same n Bozeman, West gun MSU coaches and one Bobcat line- and across the country. He played position in his hometown. for 3-0 starts in Eastern backer used to call home. an integral role in helping form the While Ash spent a good portion In 1986, Drake forfeited its Divi- PioneerFootball League, a football- of his 61 years in Des Moines, he AA battle I SPORTS sion I-A stature, electing to pull only conference that stretched across isn’t calling today’s return a home all football scholarships from the America, allowing teams who didn’t coming. PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER program. The move seemed to spell give grant-in aid to football players impending doom for any dreams of to still compete at the Division I-AA More HOMECOMING | G2 bozeman daily chronicle Saturday, September 8, 2012 | G2 FCS Non-Conference BOBCAT GAME DAY No. 4 Montana State at Drake 5 p.m. Drake Stadium Sideline Briefing Bobcats, Bulldogs share similar strengths Records MSU, Drake resemble one No. 4 Montana State 1-0 Drake 1-0 another on, off the field and 51 touchdowns as he Series By COLTER NUANEZ continues his third year 1-1; Montana State won 48-21 in Chronicle Sports Editor as the MSU starter. DU 2010 in Bozeman; Drake won 54-0 senior Tyler Moorehead in Des Moines in 1940. An experienced, savvy is an outside linebacker quarterback who can with speed who flies all Weather forecast improvise under pressure. over the field and leads by Passing clouds, 77 degrees A stout defensive line example, evidence in his filled veterans who pride team captain status. You Crowd themselves on making life could say the same thing miserable for opponents. Roughly 5,000 fans excpected about MSU senior Jody A group of quick, speedy Owens. linebackers who move “Their strength is TV sidelines to sidelines definitely in the defensive None with reckless abandon. line like ours is,” Ash An offensive line short said. “The quarterback is Radio on experience, but not tremendous. Piatkowski lacking in talent. A head KXLB-FM (100.7),Tyler Wiltgen, is a fabulous player. He coach who wants his play- was the player of the year Dan Davies, ers’ experiences to go well in the Pioneer League beyond the gridiron. just like DeNarius has Coaches Sounds a lot like been the player of the Montana State if you’re a year in our league. There’s Bobcat fan. Sounds just tremendous analogies like the Drake Bulldogs and player comparisons if you live in America’s between the two pro- Heartland. grams.” Today at Drake Both programs are Stadium, No. 4 Mon- trying to work four new tana State comes to Des starters in on the offen- ROB CHRIS Moines, Iowa for a non- sive line. Here’s where ASH CREIGHTON conference showdown the first difference pops MSU, 6th year Drake, 5th year with the Bulldogs of the up, though: Of Montana 32nd year overall 16th year overall Pioneer Football League. State’s four new starters, 40-20 at MSU 31-14 at Drake On paper at least, Mon- two are redshirt freshman 216-119-5 overall 127-28 overall tana State head coach Rob and one is a third-year Ash’s current program sophomore. Drake starts Schedules and his former program five seniors along the of- Drake — he coached at Drake fensive line. 8 Grand View 28 for 18 seasons — look a In a season-opening Sept. 8 No. 4 Montana State 5 p.m. whole lot alike. 33-6 win over Chadron Sept 15 at Indiana State 1 p.m. “The foundations are State in front of a record EARL HULST/DRAKE UNIVERSITY Sept. 22 Morehead State 1 p.m. very similar in how the crowd, MSU senior Drake fifth-year senior quarterback Mike Piatkowski was the 2011 Pioneer Football League Sept. 29 at Campbell 5 p.m. program is run and oper- defensive tackle Zach Offensive Player of the Year. He’s thrown for more than 7,000 yards in his Bulldogs career. Oct. 6 San Diego 12:30 p.m. ated,” said Ash, who is Minter was a force. He Oct. 13 at Valparaiso Noon 42-20 in his sixth season registered 1.5 sacks and team is keen on MSU’s plays, so you just have to focus on anything else Oct. 20 Marist 1 p.m. at MSU after going 125- 2.5 tackles for loss in defensive strengths, par- keep playing hard until besides the game.” 62-2 at Drake. “I told our Nov. 3 at Dayton Noon less than three quarters ticularly in the trenches. you can stop them,” said Creighton’s team came team last Sunday that we of play. The 6-foot-2, “That 96 (Minter), that Moorehead, who had 10.5 to Bozeman three seasons Nov. 10 Butler 1 p.m. are going to be playing a 297-pound All-America Nov. 17 At Jacksonville Noon 3-technique, that guys is sacks last season and leads ago and left licking their mirror image of ourselves. said he is well-aware that awesome, just awesome,” the FCS with three sacks. wounds after falling 48-21 Montana State Fundamentally, they are Drake’s offensive line has 6 Chadron State 33 Creighton said. “If he “It’s more of a mentality and seeing Piatkowski very sound. They play played with each other misses the plane, I hope Sept. 8 at Drake 5 p.m. when you play an offense knocked out of the game. great defense. They are just once. they leave on time. That like Montana State’s.” The quarterback suf- Sept. 15 Stephen F. Austin 1:35 p.m. balanced on offense. They “Oh yeah that gets me dude is a special player.” Drake has won 11 fered a concussion when Sept. 22 N. Colorado (Homecoming) 2 p.m. attack teams in a smart, going, but at the same Creighton also said straight games at home. Jason D’Alba, a former Sept. 29 at Southern Utah 1:35 p.m. intelligent way. They time we are going to senior cornerback Darius That, coupled with the Drake player himself, put Oct. 6 at U.C. Davis 5 p.m. play really hard. They are prepare for them like they Jones, Owens, and junior fact that today marks the a controversial late hit on Oct. 13 Eastern Washington 1:35 p.m. committed guys who are are four year starters,” linebacker Aleksei Gro- first time Ash has coached the Bulldogs’ quarterback. Oct. 20 Open always in the right place.” said Minter, who has 16 sulak all jumped out at in his home town as the Creighton, who is 21-3 at Oct. 27 North Dakota 2 p.m. Drake tallied nine sacks career sacks. “This game him during film study. All opposition makes for an home since taking over Nov. 3 at Sacramento State 5 p.m. in a season-opening 28-6 is all about preparation, all three started for the ‘Cats interesting dynamic. But in 2008, said his team is Nov. 10 Portland State 1:35 p.m. win over NAIA Grand about learning their keys. the last time the programs the Bobcats say their de- excited for a rematch.