UM can (and will) get better (The Daily Inter Lake).
Montana-Maine press conference quotes (UM Sports Information Department).
Big Sky weekend results a mixed bag (Independent Record).
So far, so good for Seck and Hofstra (Newsday).
---
McFarland, Farris survive NFL cut-down day (AP, Missoulian).
Beary good, Monte bulls his way into NBA's Chicago Bulls (AP, Montana Standard).
---
UNC: Smashing success (Greely Tribune).
UNC: Slow day (Greely Tribune).

***


I-AA Top 25 Score Sunday

24. won NC A&T 16, NC Central 15

***


UM can (and will) get better

By Andrew Hinkelman, The Daily Inter Lake

http://www.dailyinterlake.com/NewsEngin ... -817254-56

MISSOULA -- Montana coach Bobby Hauck made a statement after his third-ranked Grizzlies beat No. 3 Maine 27-20 Saturday that has to make the stomachs of other Division I-AA coaches bubble up with enough indigestion to float the Titanic.
"We are far, far, far from being a finished product," the second-year coach said.

That’s good news for Griz fans; bad, curl-up-in-a-fetal-position news for everyone else.

Because if Montana can beat a team like the Black Bears, who started this season with a lot fewer questions than the Griz, then this could be a special year indeed.

"We’ve got some coaching to do," Hauck said. "But that’s going to be the nature of our team the first half of the season."

Coming into yesterday’s game, the Griz were supposed to have all sorts of holes to fill on an inexperienced, except for their tackles, defense.

When it was all over, Montana had 24 different players record a tackle, 13 of them underclassmen. I guess you can scratch off "inexperienced."

"We’re going to play a lot of guys on defense because we expect them to play at a certain tempo," Hauck said. "We have to play a lot of guys and all we have are freshmen, so we’re going to play them."

Continued…
http://www.dailyinterlake.com/NewsEngin ... -817254-56


***


Montana-Maine press conference quotes

By Kate Sloan, UM Sports Information Department, 9/4/2004

http://web.montanagrizzlies.com/umgriz/ ... ax=1&-Find


MAINE

Coach: Jack Cosgrove
Players: Ron Whitcomb, Marcus Walton, Marcus Williams

Cosgrove:
"You saw it, we did some things that you can't do in a game of that magnitude and of that closeness. Obviously we allowed them in the fourth quarter to get ahead of us -- I still thought we were going to win the football game at the end, I felt for sure that we'd get the onside kick, we came darn close to it, then we'd go score again and have the chance to win the thing in overtime. Didn't happen. The guys played hard throughout, played 60 minutes, and Montana, my hat's off to them -- a great football team, good program, played hard. Just some things went against us."

On pressure regarding a win next week:

"Every week is a new week, Ronny said that, that's how we plan on going about our business; plan on growing off of this situation here today. Fixing the things that didn't go the right way for us. Every week is a new challenge, and if you look at the big picture -- we're not playing the kind of football yet that you have to play on a week-to-week basis. I don't know if the University of Maine program has ever, ever been accused of not respecting each and every one of its opponents. It's the reason why we've gotten to where we are -- we have always, for a long time, had to look up to a lot of people, and we maintain that -- it's of the utmost importance to all of us in the program. So next week's game is as big as this one, and we'll prepare that way."

"Our guys battled, you know we had some situations that weren't ideal. But I know we're a team that in the third down -- we feel like we could be a great team three, four, five. If it gets bigger than that, you know, there defense did some nice things, took some of that away."


Whitcomb:

"They did some things different today that we had to get used to more in the second half, but you know, when two good teams like this plays, it comes down to penalties and turnovers."

"I think win or loss this really has no effect on our season. We're going to play every week, each game. We still have to win the Atlantic Ten, that's priority number one. We win that, we're golden."

On Griz defense this year versus last year:

Continued…
http://web.montanagrizzlies.com/umgriz/ ... ax=1&-Find


***


Grizzlies claw past UMaine

Turnovers, penalties hurt Bears

By Pete Warner, Bangor Daily News

http://www.bangornews.com/editorialnews ... ?ID=433730

MISSOULA, Mont. - Out here in the old West, when you stepped into the street
for a fight, you needed a reliable weapon.While the University of Montana
football team was a bit slow on the draw Saturday afternoon, its potent
"shotgun" was the difference.

Quarterback Craig Ochs was a poised trigger man as the Grizzlies shot up the
University of Maine, scoring 24 second-half points, on their way to a
season-opening 27-20 victory.

A vocal throng of 23,228 fans filled cozy Washington-Grizzly Stadium to
cheer third-ranked Montana to the Division I-AA victory over No. 11 Maine.

Coach Jack Cosgrove's Bears outgained the hosts 359-334, but were wounded by
12 penalties for 119 yards and committed two turnovers.

"We did some things that you can't do in a game of that magnitude and that
closeness. Some things went against us," said Cosgrove, who questioned
whether UMaine warranted two personal fouls and four holding calls while the
Grizzlies wound up with three penalties for 35 yards.

"I think it was two physical teams, two emotional teams, two good teams that
needed this win bad and I thought overall (the officials) did a terriffic
job calling the game," said Ochs, who passed for 217 yards and three
touchdowns while rushing for 33 yards.

Continued…
http://www.bangornews.com/editorialnews ... ?ID=433730


***


Big Sky weekend results a mixed bag

By TOM STUBER, Helena Independent Record

http://www.helenair.com/articles/2004/0 ... 604_02.txt

Only two of six Big Sky teams found the win column over the weekend. One of
the two wins came against a Division II team, while the other - No. 3
Montana's 27-20 win over Maine - came against a highly touted opponent.

The Grizzlies came into the game with the No. 11 Black Bears with concerns
along the offensive line, at kicker and in the defensive backfield. The
offensive line allowed just three sacks in providing slightly injured
quarterback Craig Ochs the time to complete 22-of-33 passes for three TDs
and no interceptions.

Kicker Dan Carpenter was the most uplifting player of the day for UM as the
true freshman out of Helena High kicked two field goals ( from 32 and 47
yards) and made all three of his extra points. Along with that Carpenter's
kickoffs were strong and helped allow UM's coverage team to drop the Black
Bears behind the 20-yard line on several occasions.

The Montana secondary came through with a pair of interceptions despite
allowing Maine quarterback Ron Whitcomb to complete 75% of his passes.

The Grizzlies were out-gained 359-334, but Maine collected a big chunk of
its total yardage on a last-ditch drive.


Montana's discipline was also impressive as it had just three penalties for
35 yards, compared to 12 flags for 119 yards for the Black Bears.

Portland State grabbed the other win for the conference, a 38-0 drubbing of
Western State (Colo.).

Continued…
http://www.helenair.com/articles/2004/0 ... 604_02.txt


***


So far, so good for Seck and Hofstra

BY TOM ROCK, Newsday, September 4, 2004

http://www.newsday.com/sports/college/n ... -headlines

Once again, Bobby Seck didn't finish a game he started. This time, though,
the Hofstra quarterback left with a smile instead of an injury.

Seck played just about three quarters in Thursday night's season-opening
45-0 win over Albany in front of 6,245 at Shuart Stadium. The competition
might not have been terrific but Seck's execution was; he completed 26 of 38
passes for 424 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for a score.

Seck entered the season with unanswered questions about injuries that have
haunted his first three years at Hofstra. Now he moves forward with just one
question: Can he keep this up?

"I felt as good as I've ever felt out there," Seck said. "Our offensive line
deserves a lot of the credit. They gave me a long time to sit in the pocket.
Give that to any quarterback and he'll find open receivers."

Continued…
http://www.newsday.com/sports/college/n ... -headlines


***


McFarland, Farris survive NFL cut-down day

By the Associated Press and the Missoulian

http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2004 ... orts02.txt

Former University of Montana Grizzlies Jimmy Farris and Dylan McFarland
earned spots on the 53-man rosters of their respective teams Sunday.

Farris made the Atlanta Falcons squad for the second straight season.
Farris, listed third on the depth chart at wide receiver, played in 16 games
last season and had six catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns.

McFarland, an offensive tackle from Kalispell, was taken in the seventh
round of last spring's draft by the Buffalo Bills. McFarland is listed
second on the Bills' depth chart at left tackle behind Jonas Jennings, a
fourth-year pro.



Former Grizzly All-American Scott Gragg begins his fifth season as the
starting right guard for the San Francisco 49ers. Gragg played his first
five seasons with the New York Giants. Gragg had a streak of 112 straight
starts broken last season due to an ankle sprain.

Former Grizzlies Thatcher Szalay, a center with Cincinnati, and Chris
Snyder, a kicker with Detroit, were cut last week.

In other NFL news Sunday, Tim Couch's stay in Green Bay was short and
unproductive.

The top overall draft choice in the 1999 draft by Cleveland, Couch was
released by the Browns in June. He joined the Packers and was projected as
Brett Favre's backup.

But the quarterback never progressed, and the Packers cut him Sunday as
teams got down to the 53-man roster limit for the regular season.

"He just wasn't productive enough," Packers coach-general manager Mike
Sherman said. "We took a shot in hoping he could be the guy. I don't think
it's the first time in the league that you were wrong on somebody. It
certainly won't be my last time and it wasn't my first time.

Continued…
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2004 ... orts02.txt

***


Beary good, Monte bulls his way into NBA's Chicago Bulls

By the Associated Press, Montana Standard, 09/05/2004

http://www.mtstandard.com/articles/2004 ... jbjaef.txt

MISSOULA (AP) -- From bear to bull, the man who made the University of
Montana's Monte a national mascot of the year accepted an offer Wednesday to
become the NBA's Benny the Bull in Chicago.
Barry Anderson said he turned down a financially better offer from the
Detroit Pistons when he agreed Wednesday to go with Chicago. Anderson, a
2002 UM theater graduate from Miles City, said choices aren't always about
money.

‘‘For some reason I've just always wanted to live in Chicago,'' he said.
‘‘I'm a jazz fan, I like live theater. It just felt good. Now that I've made
the decision, I have 100 percent no reservations, 100 percent no regrets.''

Benny's costume is already getting a trimmer redesign so he'll be able to
execute slam dunks.

‘‘They're putting a lot of faith -- ill-advised as that might be -- into me
doing what I feel I need to, to make Benny more like Monte,'' said Anderson,
who has been assistant marketing director for UM's athletic department for
1½ years. ‘‘They really liked what they saw on the tapes I sent them.''

Anderson, 25, plans to leave for Chicago later this month. Until then, he's
helping to train the two UM freshmen who have taken over his Monte duties.

***


Bobby Miles: Always a Griz fan

By Amy Joyner for The Montana Standard - 09/04/2004

http://www.mtstandard.com/articles/2004 ... jcfcfg.txt

When the Anaconda Copper Co. strike of 1946 hit the Butte, Anaconda &
Pacific Railroad, Bobby Miles' father, Harold, had to make some changes to
feed his family -- wife Erma and two sons.
Harold Miles, a man who joined the marines at age 14 to fight in World War
I, had the determination to move his family to Southern California to find
some work. Harold's youngest son was Bobby, and he went along.

"My brother (six years older) went to school in Bozeman and played football
there in '46 and '47," Bobby explains. Though he admits that he doesn't
utter it too often, Bobby says, "Gene Miles was one of best players who came
out of Anaconda in those days."

Harold's sister had a restaurant on Hollywood Boulevard, and promised to
find her brother some work using his plumbing, carpentry and railroad
boilermaker experience.

"It was a vacation more than anything," remembers Bobby, who is now 76 years
old. "Dad went right to work as plumber. "My mother liked it, and we decided
to stay." Bobby, then a 17-year-old high school junior, stayed behind in the
Sunshine State when his parents returned to sell the family's Anaconda home
at 309 E. Front.

When the family was together again in California, they bought a grocery
store in Sunset Beach, which had a family apartment upstairs. "I loved it
down there," Bobby recalls. "It was a whole new world to me.

"I planned on going back to school. The coach at Anaconda High, Mike
O'Leary, called. I told them I wasn't coming back. I wanted to finish high
school and play ball down there." He finished his senior year in Huntington
Beach in 1947.

Continued…
http://www.mtstandard.com/articles/2004 ... jcfcfg.txt

*** ***



UNC: Smashing success

Sam Mustari, Greely Tribune

http://www.greeleytrib.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... /109050054

Kay Dalton was reserved when giving out accolades for his University of
Northern Colorado football team Saturday afternoon at Nottingham Field --
and for good reason.

"I thought Reed Doughty played an All-American game," said Dalton, whose
team held on to edge North Dakota State 15-13 in the first-ever Division
I-AA Great West Football Conference game. "He was, by far, the most
outstanding football player on the field today."

It took the outstretched hands of sophomore Jacob Carlson to block a 34-yard
field-goal attempt by NDSU's Cory Vartanian with eight seconds left, and
five field goals by place-kicker Justin Zaitz to preserve the Bears'
victory.

The Bears, 1-0 in the GWFC and overall, had enough "All-American" plays to
fill a highlight reel before a crowd of 5,311 and a regional television
audience.

Doughty, a junior free safety will show up on nearly every replay, finishing
with 17 tackles, one forced fumble and two interceptions -- one on a
two-point conversion attempt.

Apprehensive to take credit for the best-played game of his career, Doughty
did concede that he "had a good idea about what the Bison (0-1, 1-1) like to
do. I won't say they were predictable."

For most of the afternoon, the Bison did everything but score, including
commit five turnovers -- all via interceptions of quarterback Tony Stauss --
fail on a fake field-goal attempt and miss two field goal attempts on their
way to an impressive 428 yards of total offense.

Continued…
http://www.greeleytrib.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... /109050054

***


UNC: Slow day

By SAMUEL G. MUSTARI, Greely Tribune

http://www.greeleytrib.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... /109050054

Tony Christensen had a great support system Saturday afternoon -- Reed
Doughty.

"It's good to have No. 6 on our side," said Christensen, the University of
Northern Colorado junior quarterback who relied on the Bears' defense and
Doughty, the free safety, to bail him and the offense out several times in
the Bears' 15-13 victory Saturday over North Dakota State University at
Nottingham Field.

The Bears' offense had just 233 yards.

"We had two opportunities to score," Dalton said. "One was where Tony
(Christensen) rolled out to the right, and he had two guys wide open.

"He should have hit the short guy, and instead he goes for the long guy, and
he missed 'em both."

Christensen overlooked a wide open Trent Dietz, then overthrew the deep
receiver in the end zone.

"That's inexcusable," Dalton said.

He also labeled a potential touchdown throw to preseason All-American
Vincent Jackson that was out of bounds as "inexcusable."

"His role is to stay four yards in-bounds, and if you can't do that, then
you need to climb up over the defender, and he evidently didn't do that,"
Dalton said.

Christensen's pass forced Jackson out of bounds.



Tough game for All-American
By SAMUEL G. MUSTARI

mustari@greeletrib.com

Vincent Jackson drew a crowd Saturday afternoon.

The University of Northern Colorado preseason All-American wide receiver had
the eyes of North Dakota State University cornerback Matt Gorman and his
supporting cast of defenders on him all day long.

The result: One of Jackson's less productive days, totaling two catches for
8 yards in the Bears' 15-13 Division I-AA Great West Conference victory over
the Bison.

His two catches were his lowest total since 2002, when he failed to catch a
pass in a Division II semifinal loss to Grand Valley State (Mich.).

"Vince didn't play the game Vince can play," UNC head coach Kay Dalton said.
"Now, how to get him open is a problem we're going to face all year.

"We have ways to get him open, but their zone blitz ate us up."

Gorman and the Bison also made it a long afternoon for Jackson, whose best
play came on a 48-yard kickoff return.

"We did some things different, defensively," NDSU head coach Craig Bohl
said. "We matched up a cornerback on him, and we double-teamed him a lot.

"We know he's a great player, and we matched him up with an experienced
defensive back."


Continued…
http://www.greeleytrib.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... /109050054