We're about 3 weeks out on spring camp getting started and there's some wide-open position battles brewing. Here's what I'll be watching for as spring camp unfolds.
1. Quarterback. No surprise that this would top the list. We've got a new offense and a new system. In his press conference Coach Stitt said he's looking for a QB that will make smart reads and be able to attack defenses quickly. His system has shown some need for a mobile QB but that's not the key factor. Brady Gustafson, Makena Simis, and Will Weyer all return from last years team. Willy Pflug is a true freshman and on campus. Chad Chalich and Eric Prater come to Montana as transfers. Of the roster only Chalich brings game-time experience to the table, having started in 7 games in 2013 for Idaho. Beyond that Gustafson was 0-2 passing in junk time blowouts last year. Looking at experience one might wonder if Chalich has a bit of an inside track. There's also Gus and Simis who have been with this team for a few years now and probably are much more synced up with our WR corps. We can speculate all we want and go off all of these guys high school highlight reels but we'll just have to see what happens once the practices get started.
2. Safety. Matt Hermanson, starter since 2012, has graduated leaving a very important spot on the defense wide open. Veteran player Justin Whitted will presumably hold his role but who will step up to fill Hermey's shoes? Jake Dallaserra brings some experience as he backed up and started I believe one game for Whitted. Beyond them there's a lot of youth, Epperly, Delaney, and Eric Johnson who is a senior (transferred in last year). Josh Sandry and Jerrin Williams are safety recruits coming in, but I don't think they'll be here until the fall. Also there's the message board talk that Manu Rassmussen is here and participating as well.
3. Interior Offensive Line. The Hines brothers have graduated and presumably John Schmaing, a tackle, returns. That gives the Griz some options here. Ben Weyer is one of our most experienced linemen, he's played two years at guard but I'm hearing word he might be rolling over to center as his experience, smarts on the field, and leadership is readily recognized. Regardless of where Weyer goes he's presumably going to start. That leaves two jobs open for McCauley Todd, Devon Dietrich, Robert Luke, Max Kelly, and Roscoe Alley. I'm listing Dietrich because while he played tackle last year with the return of Schmaing I could see him coming back to his natural position at guard. Luke is a bulldozer with his size, I'll be interested to see if his conditioning has helped him to be ready for an offense of this pace. Obviously if he wins the job that would put Weyer at guard and leave one more spot open. Todd finished the Wyoming game and started in the CWU game. I think he pretty much did ST and mop-up duty the rest of the season. Dietrich started and played in every game, at tackle. Kelly and Alley don't bring that in-game experience but Kelly's got great size to him. Alley's a freshman, we'll have to see how he shapes up.
4. Running Back. Unlike other positions we've got experienced players returning - we're replacing a durable workhorse RB in Jordan Canada and a playmaker in TraVon Van. John Nguyen and Joey Counts seem to be the two lead options. Good pass catchers, quick runners, not the highest speed but not slow by any means. Nguyen was the #3 back last year, Counts was the #3 back in 2013 before an ankle injury sidelined him and forced him to RS in 2014. Beyond those two there's Lorenzo Logwood and Tre Favors - both showed some skill and improvement playing late in blowout games. I'm a little more unsure on Logwood and Favors as pass catchers. If you look at CSM's stat books their feature back would usually have over 1000 yards rushing and 500 yards receiving. Jeremy Calhoun could be another option, he'll be here in the fall. Carl Johnson and Nate Hanser are on the roster too as RS Frosh. I think Johnson is a FB convert.
5. Cornerback. Nate Harris has his job locked in. Beyond him there's JR Nelson who brings two years worth of experience playing as a 4th or 3rd CB on the field. Nelson's had ups and downs and would presumably be the guy for the 2nd starting spot. However he's going to have some competition hot on his heels. ST standout and transfer Tyrel Garner comes to mind as does the RS Soph Ryan McKinley. Beyond them there's sophomores Chris Parker and Shane Moody - both I don't think did much outside some special teams work last year. There's also transfer Markell Sanders who I believe is here and will be playing in spring ball.
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I was debating about going with D-line as well since 3/4's of the D-line graduates... however my gut feeling is that the D-line has it's progression in pretty good order with Crittenden, Peevey, and Kidder rising to the starting spots and Owen, Harris, and Bradley backing up.
Should be a fun one to watch unfold this spring!
1. Quarterback. No surprise that this would top the list. We've got a new offense and a new system. In his press conference Coach Stitt said he's looking for a QB that will make smart reads and be able to attack defenses quickly. His system has shown some need for a mobile QB but that's not the key factor. Brady Gustafson, Makena Simis, and Will Weyer all return from last years team. Willy Pflug is a true freshman and on campus. Chad Chalich and Eric Prater come to Montana as transfers. Of the roster only Chalich brings game-time experience to the table, having started in 7 games in 2013 for Idaho. Beyond that Gustafson was 0-2 passing in junk time blowouts last year. Looking at experience one might wonder if Chalich has a bit of an inside track. There's also Gus and Simis who have been with this team for a few years now and probably are much more synced up with our WR corps. We can speculate all we want and go off all of these guys high school highlight reels but we'll just have to see what happens once the practices get started.
2. Safety. Matt Hermanson, starter since 2012, has graduated leaving a very important spot on the defense wide open. Veteran player Justin Whitted will presumably hold his role but who will step up to fill Hermey's shoes? Jake Dallaserra brings some experience as he backed up and started I believe one game for Whitted. Beyond them there's a lot of youth, Epperly, Delaney, and Eric Johnson who is a senior (transferred in last year). Josh Sandry and Jerrin Williams are safety recruits coming in, but I don't think they'll be here until the fall. Also there's the message board talk that Manu Rassmussen is here and participating as well.
3. Interior Offensive Line. The Hines brothers have graduated and presumably John Schmaing, a tackle, returns. That gives the Griz some options here. Ben Weyer is one of our most experienced linemen, he's played two years at guard but I'm hearing word he might be rolling over to center as his experience, smarts on the field, and leadership is readily recognized. Regardless of where Weyer goes he's presumably going to start. That leaves two jobs open for McCauley Todd, Devon Dietrich, Robert Luke, Max Kelly, and Roscoe Alley. I'm listing Dietrich because while he played tackle last year with the return of Schmaing I could see him coming back to his natural position at guard. Luke is a bulldozer with his size, I'll be interested to see if his conditioning has helped him to be ready for an offense of this pace. Obviously if he wins the job that would put Weyer at guard and leave one more spot open. Todd finished the Wyoming game and started in the CWU game. I think he pretty much did ST and mop-up duty the rest of the season. Dietrich started and played in every game, at tackle. Kelly and Alley don't bring that in-game experience but Kelly's got great size to him. Alley's a freshman, we'll have to see how he shapes up.
4. Running Back. Unlike other positions we've got experienced players returning - we're replacing a durable workhorse RB in Jordan Canada and a playmaker in TraVon Van. John Nguyen and Joey Counts seem to be the two lead options. Good pass catchers, quick runners, not the highest speed but not slow by any means. Nguyen was the #3 back last year, Counts was the #3 back in 2013 before an ankle injury sidelined him and forced him to RS in 2014. Beyond those two there's Lorenzo Logwood and Tre Favors - both showed some skill and improvement playing late in blowout games. I'm a little more unsure on Logwood and Favors as pass catchers. If you look at CSM's stat books their feature back would usually have over 1000 yards rushing and 500 yards receiving. Jeremy Calhoun could be another option, he'll be here in the fall. Carl Johnson and Nate Hanser are on the roster too as RS Frosh. I think Johnson is a FB convert.
5. Cornerback. Nate Harris has his job locked in. Beyond him there's JR Nelson who brings two years worth of experience playing as a 4th or 3rd CB on the field. Nelson's had ups and downs and would presumably be the guy for the 2nd starting spot. However he's going to have some competition hot on his heels. ST standout and transfer Tyrel Garner comes to mind as does the RS Soph Ryan McKinley. Beyond them there's sophomores Chris Parker and Shane Moody - both I don't think did much outside some special teams work last year. There's also transfer Markell Sanders who I believe is here and will be playing in spring ball.
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I was debating about going with D-line as well since 3/4's of the D-line graduates... however my gut feeling is that the D-line has it's progression in pretty good order with Crittenden, Peevey, and Kidder rising to the starting spots and Owen, Harris, and Bradley backing up.
Should be a fun one to watch unfold this spring!
