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Kittens 2018 Preview

ABQCat said:
Cats are 7-3 in conference in their last 10, and to their credit, haven't scheduled schools for the blind in the non conference games. Of the 3 losses, the game at NAU was a 1 point loss when they went for a walk-off 2 point conversion. Weber was an 8 point loss and they actually put it in the endzone late in the 4th quarter, but it was called back on a penalty. It was great game against a team that went to the semifinals. The @EWU loss was a monster comeback for a 24-7 deficit in the 2nd quarter. The Cats were in the redzone to take the lead late in the 4th quarter but Murray fumbled it away. Then of course there were the 7 wins including 2 against the grizz. If you're a Cat fan there is tons of reasons to be optimistic. If the Cats didn't get any better this off season (they did...) it's still reasonable to think 6-2 for conference play.

As for the non conference schedule, I like the Cats on August 30th at home for Gold Rush against a WIU team with a brand new coach in his first game. The Cats are historically tough for Gold Rush. The Wagner game will be a win as well. That's 8 wins folks. SDSU and Weber are both losses, and I think one game out of dUMb, EWU (home) and Idaho (home) will also be a loss.
I’ve made this post in another thread, but apart from the Griz, the other teams you beat in conference had like a combined something like .30 win percentage.

We got hammered a few years ago (maybe not specifically by you...I don’t know) by other teams’ fans because we beat a weak schedule and had a lot of “close” losses to the good BSC teams we played.

I think the Cats are trending up, but I’m not sure I see 8 wins on that schedule. Not sure I see 8 wins on our schedule, either, though.
 
cat fans have every reason to be optimistic this year. They play a style that will keep them in all their games and should win 7-8 games barring injuries.
Playing a ground control smashmouth style, they do not need their QB to put up huge numbers. Their QB is more then capable of killing you with his legs. If their defense (which was decent last year) improves this year they will be very very tough to beat.

As far as the Griz go Who knows what this group will do??? They are any where between a 4-8 win team.
I dislike the cats as much as anyone however you can't deny they look pretty good going into this season.
 
..talked with a cat friend who was with Choate...said Troy Andersen moving back to offense
because they are loaded up on defense and should be good ..Choate said that the other QB's
never really challenge Murray for the starting position...was concerned for Murray academics...
overall he felt like the team was looking really good and will be competing...especially with defense
they will be very tough!
 
grizghost said:
said Troy Andersen moving back to offense because they are loaded up on defense and should be good ..

Will play offense and defense this fall but you will see him more on defense. He was never going to solely play defense or offense despite what was said in the media or by Choate himself.

Choate said that the other QB's never really challenge Murray for the starting position...

Quarterbacks should be changed to quarterback. Going into this spring, Murray, Tucker Rovig, and transfer Travis Jonsen (Oregon/JUCO) were supposed to compete. Unfortunately, Travis slipped on the ice in January and broke his ankle so the competition only came down to Murray and Rovig. Chris responded well and has made noticeable physical improvements on top of a better understanding of the offense. In my opinion, the jury is still out on the consistency of his throwing mechanics. Rovig had a bum thumb on his throwing hand all spring and the coaches also were changing up his footwork. Regardless, Chris was 100% the best QB during spring and Tucker will likely compete for the #2/3 spot this fall. Travis Jonsen is a very talented football player but has yet to cease an opportunity to be a starting QB. He was in competition as a freshman with Dakota Prukop and Justin Herbert a few years back but had an injury that spring that limited his effectiveness. Dakota won the job, Herbert won the backup, and Travis transferred to Riverside CC. At Riverside, he competed against Vic Viramontes who was the Top JUCO QB. Vic signed with Minnesota in the offseason and Travis signed with the Bobcats. Travis and Chris are similar QBs but Travis definitely has the stronger arm and smoother throwing motion. But Chris is ahead of Travis in some very key areas like understanding of the offense, trust from teammates, and Chris is still really f***ing fast & a better overall runner than Travis. Which leads me to my next point.

was concerned for Murray academics...

Travis Jonsen was not only a good QB to bring in for competition on the field...but off the field as well. Travis is nearly a 4.0 student and the model student-athlete coaches want to have on their team. When I said Murray responded well this spring, I meant both on AND off the field. So if Chris has any slip ups and Travis has a good fall camp, I won't be surprised to Jonsen out there at some point this fall. Rovig is a solid student but needs some more seasoning to be considered ready to compete. Murray and Jonsen are both juniors so the perfect situation would be for Rovig to be ready to roll his junior year in a few years. But Rovig will be pushed each year by younger guys as Choate will recruit a QB every year.

overall he felt like the team was looking really good and will be competing...

All the kids are bought in. Its starting to look like the roster Choate wants, especially on defense and in the trenches on offense. They were good enough to compete last year but, once again, it will come down to the QB and, more importantly, the offensive system the Bobcats want to run. It has kind of changed each year since Choate was hired based off personnel on offense. Will be interesting to see what adjustments they've made.

especially with defense they will be very tough!

Pass rush was a major concern last year and the few years prior to that. The Bobcats just have not been able to develop kids to rush the passer. They believed they have finally solved the problem through a mix of transfers and development from a few kids. Transfers have included:

Bryce Sterk - University of Washington transfer who was recruited by Choate a big kid (6'5", 255 lbs.) who was a high school hurdle champion. Was buried on the depth chart and decided to transfer to play under Choate for his final two years of eligibility. A physically imposing player who just needs to prove he can make it happen on Saturdays. He will get his shot.

Dante Spiraco - University of Colorado transfer who played for the Buffs last year as a true freshman before an injury sidelined him for the remainder of the year. Some coaching changes happened and he felt his future would be better used elsewhere. His father Dino played for the Cats back in the late 90s and his mother also graduated from MSU. It was one of those fits that just worked at the right time. Dante is a quick-twitched, 6'5", 250 lbs. kid who played OLB/DE for the Buffs. He may be the #1 reason why the Bobcats will be able to use Troy more on offense than initially expected this season. Dante will be a sophomore.

Daniel Hardy - JUCO transfer who has four years to play three. More of a raw athlete than finished product at this point. He is a long, 6'4", 215 lb. OLB who will be developed to play the Buck spot. We'll see how he looks during fall camp but because of the depth, I don't see why Choate wouldn't redshirt Daniel this fall to put some more weight on his frame. Anyway, another kid with inherent pass-rushing ability but also a player who needs some development in being an overall player.

Jacob Hadley - will be a sophomore. Sat out 2017 because of a torn ACL during spring ball last year. All but won the starting Sam spot prior to the injury. He will now move down to the Buck spot. Jacob is about 6'5", 245 lbs. so he has added the strength to anchor against the run. Another kid who is very long and is not afraid to be physical at the point of attack. It will all depend on his recovery (which all signs have pointed he will make a full one). He sat out this spring for precautionary reasons as Choate was very adamant about losing players to injury during the spring (even though arguably the Cats best receiver, Jabarri Johnson, tore up one of his knees during a routine WR drill...can't control injuries). Anyway, Jacob gives the Bobcats yet another option to get after the QB.

Kyle Finch - Kyle is from the same class as Jacob but Finch has been developed at the same position (Buck) since he walked on campus. Now going into his redshirt sophomore season, Kyle is ready to contribute. One of the more technically sound defensive football players I've seen on tape out of high school since I started doing the scouting thing, Kyle just needed to simply get bigger. He'll be up to around 230+ by the time fall comes around and he got a ton of reps with the 2's this spring behind Sterk at the Buck spot. He isn't as explosive as the top four kids listed above but Kyle gives relentless effort which can make a good pass-rusher a great one.

Grant Collins - Grant was one of the two true pass-rushing threats (the other being strong-side end Derek Marks) last year for the Cats but because of the injury to Josh Hill along with depth at the Mike spot, Grant moved to MLB for a few games last year. When Josh came back for the EWU game, Grant moved back to Buck but tore up his shoulder on one of the pivotal plays chasing down Gabe Gubrud. Grant may not have the sack totals but he has affected the pocket since he moved the Buck spot two years ago. He was the only player who could really dip his shoulder and set the edge as a pass-rusher on the roster. Choate said Grant will be expected back around midseason next year. But obviously, the Choate and Gregorak knew they had to add more horses to the stable if they wanted to get after the passer with four lineman.

So there you go. I'm a little concerned about the safety depth. There will be some young players who will have to step up. Other than that, the defense should be pretty dicey.
 
Mavman said:
cat fans have every reason to be optimistic this year. They play a style that will keep them in all their games and should win 7-8 games barring injuries.
Playing a ground control smashmouth style, they do not need their QB to put up huge numbers. Their QB is more then capable of killing you with his legs. If their defense (which was decent last year) improves this year they will be very very tough to beat.

As far as the Griz go Who knows what this group will do??? They are any where between a 4-8 win team.
I dislike the cats as much as anyone however you can't deny they look pretty good going into this season.

I dont know, bignell will be tough to replace. Although the secondary is going to be a year older. I will be a very happy man when the D-Line can be as good as the Kramer years
 
CDAGRIZ said:
Honest prediction: 6-5 because I won't pick them against the Griz.
I think the Coatche gets off the losing train and justifies his extension, but just barely.

Losses:
SDSU
Eastern
Idaho
Weber
Montana
Generational mediocrity

#riding4-4th
 
VimSince03 said:
grizghost said:
said Troy Andersen moving back to offense because they are loaded up on defense and should be good ..

Will play offense and defense this fall but you will see him more on defense. He was never going to solely play defense or offense despite what was said in the media or by Choate himself.

Choate said that the other QB's never really challenge Murray for the starting position...

Quarterbacks should be changed to quarterback. Going into this spring, Murray, Tucker Rovig, and transfer Travis Jonsen (Oregon/JUCO) were supposed to compete. Unfortunately, Travis slipped on the ice in January and broke his ankle so the competition only came down to Murray and Rovig. Chris responded well and has made noticeable physical improvements on top of a better understanding of the offense. In my opinion, the jury is still out on the consistency of his throwing mechanics. Rovig had a bum thumb on his throwing hand all spring and the coaches also were changing up his footwork. Regardless, Chris was 100% the best QB during spring and Tucker will likely compete for the #2/3 spot this fall. Travis Jonsen is a very talented football player but has yet to cease an opportunity to be a starting QB. He was in competition as a freshman with Dakota Prukop and Justin Herbert a few years back but had an injury that spring that limited his effectiveness. Dakota won the job, Herbert won the backup, and Travis transferred to Riverside CC. At Riverside, he competed against Vic Viramontes who was the Top JUCO QB. Vic signed with Minnesota in the offseason and Travis signed with the Bobcats. Travis and Chris are similar QBs but Travis definitely has the stronger arm and smoother throwing motion. But Chris is ahead of Travis in some very key areas like understanding of the offense, trust from teammates, and Chris is still really f***ing fast & a better overall runner than Travis. Which leads me to my next point.

was concerned for Murray academics...

Travis Jonsen was not only a good QB to bring in for competition on the field...but off the field as well. Travis is nearly a 4.0 student and the model student-athlete coaches want to have on their team. When I said Murray responded well this spring, I meant both on AND off the field. So if Chris has any slip ups and Travis has a good fall camp, I won't be surprised to Jonsen out there at some point this fall. Rovig is a solid student but needs some more seasoning to be considered ready to compete. Murray and Jonsen are both juniors so the perfect situation would be for Rovig to be ready to roll his junior year in a few years. But Rovig will be pushed each year by younger guys as Choate will recruit a QB every year.

overall he felt like the team was looking really good and will be competing...

All the kids are bought in. Its starting to look like the roster Choate wants, especially on defense and in the trenches on offense. They were good enough to compete last year but, once again, it will come down to the QB and, more importantly, the offensive system the Bobcats want to run. It has kind of changed each year since Choate was hired based off personnel on offense. Will be interesting to see what adjustments they've made.

especially with defense they will be very tough!

Pass rush was a major concern last year and the few years prior to that. The Bobcats just have not been able to develop kids to rush the passer. They believed they have finally solved the problem through a mix of transfers and development from a few kids. Transfers have included:

Bryce Sterk - University of Washington transfer who was recruited by Choate a big kid (6'5", 255 lbs.) who was a high school hurdle champion. Was buried on the depth chart and decided to transfer to play under Choate for his final two years of eligibility. A physically imposing player who just needs to prove he can make it happen on Saturdays. He will get his shot.

Dante Spiraco - University of Colorado transfer who played for the Buffs last year as a true freshman before an injury sidelined him for the remainder of the year. Some coaching changes happened and he felt his future would be better used elsewhere. His father Dino played for the Cats back in the late 90s and his mother also graduated from MSU. It was one of those fits that just worked at the right time. Dante is a quick-twitched, 6'5", 250 lbs. kid who played OLB/DE for the Buffs. He may be the #1 reason why the Bobcats will be able to use Troy more on offense than initially expected this season. Dante will be a sophomore.

Daniel Hardy - JUCO transfer who has four years to play three. More of a raw athlete than finished product at this point. He is a long, 6'4", 215 lb. OLB who will be developed to play the Buck spot. We'll see how he looks during fall camp but because of the depth, I don't see why Choate wouldn't redshirt Daniel this fall to put some more weight on his frame. Anyway, another kid with inherent pass-rushing ability but also a player who needs some development in being an overall player.

Jacob Hadley - will be a sophomore. Sat out 2017 because of a torn ACL during spring ball last year. All but won the starting Sam spot prior to the injury. He will now move down to the Buck spot. Jacob is about 6'5", 245 lbs. so he has added the strength to anchor against the run. Another kid who is very long and is not afraid to be physical at the point of attack. It will all depend on his recovery (which all signs have pointed he will make a full one). He sat out this spring for precautionary reasons as Choate was very adamant about losing players to injury during the spring (even though arguably the Cats best receiver, Jabarri Johnson, tore up one of his knees during a routine WR drill...can't control injuries). Anyway, Jacob gives the Bobcats yet another option to get after the QB.

Kyle Finch - Kyle is from the same class as Jacob but Finch has been developed at the same position (Buck) since he walked on campus. Now going into his redshirt sophomore season, Kyle is ready to contribute. One of the more technically sound defensive football players I've seen on tape out of high school since I started doing the scouting thing, Kyle just needed to simply get bigger. He'll be up to around 230+ by the time fall comes around and he got a ton of reps with the 2's this spring behind Sterk at the Buck spot. He isn't as explosive as the top four kids listed above but Kyle gives relentless effort which can make a good pass-rusher a great one.

Grant Collins - Grant was one of the two true pass-rushing threats (the other being strong-side end Derek Marks) last year for the Cats but because of the injury to Josh Hill along with depth at the Mike spot, Grant moved to MLB for a few games last year. When Josh came back for the EWU game, Grant moved back to Buck but tore up his shoulder on one of the pivotal plays chasing down Gabe Gubrud. Grant may not have the sack totals but he has affected the pocket since he moved the Buck spot two years ago. He was the only player who could really dip his shoulder and set the edge as a pass-rusher on the roster. Choate said Grant will be expected back around midseason next year. But obviously, the Choate and Gregorak knew they had to add more horses to the stable if they wanted to get after the passer with four lineman.

So there you go. I'm a little concerned about the safety depth. There will be some young players who will have to step up. Other than that, the defense should be pretty dicey.

..very nice break down..sounds like the defense has some good size they way gregorek likes them!
 
VimSince03 said:
grizghost said:
said Troy Andersen moving back to offense because they are loaded up on defense and should be good ..

Will play offense and defense this fall but you will see him more on defense. He was never going to solely play defense or offense despite what was said in the media or by Choate himself.

Choate said that the other QB's never really challenge Murray for the starting position...

Quarterbacks should be changed to quarterback. Going into this spring, Murray, Tucker Rovig, and transfer Travis Jonsen (Oregon/JUCO) were supposed to compete. Unfortunately, Travis slipped on the ice in January and broke his ankle so the competition only came down to Murray and Rovig. Chris responded well and has made noticeable physical improvements on top of a better understanding of the offense. In my opinion, the jury is still out on the consistency of his throwing mechanics. Rovig had a bum thumb on his throwing hand all spring and the coaches also were changing up his footwork. Regardless, Chris was 100% the best QB during spring and Tucker will likely compete for the #2/3 spot this fall. Travis Jonsen is a very talented football player but has yet to cease an opportunity to be a starting QB. He was in competition as a freshman with Dakota Prukop and Justin Herbert a few years back but had an injury that spring that limited his effectiveness. Dakota won the job, Herbert won the backup, and Travis transferred to Riverside CC. At Riverside, he competed against Vic Viramontes who was the Top JUCO QB. Vic signed with Minnesota in the offseason and Travis signed with the Bobcats. Travis and Chris are similar QBs but Travis definitely has the stronger arm and smoother throwing motion. But Chris is ahead of Travis in some very key areas like understanding of the offense, trust from teammates, and Chris is still really f***ing fast & a better overall runner than Travis. Which leads me to my next point.

was concerned for Murray academics...

Travis Jonsen was not only a good QB to bring in for competition on the field...but off the field as well. Travis is nearly a 4.0 student and the model student-athlete coaches want to have on their team. When I said Murray responded well this spring, I meant both on AND off the field. So if Chris has any slip ups and Travis has a good fall camp, I won't be surprised to Jonsen out there at some point this fall. Rovig is a solid student but needs some more seasoning to be considered ready to compete. Murray and Jonsen are both juniors so the perfect situation would be for Rovig to be ready to roll his junior year in a few years. But Rovig will be pushed each year by younger guys as Choate will recruit a QB every year.

overall he felt like the team was looking really good and will be competing...

All the kids are bought in. Its starting to look like the roster Choate wants, especially on defense and in the trenches on offense. They were good enough to compete last year but, once again, it will come down to the QB and, more importantly, the offensive system the Bobcats want to run. It has kind of changed each year since Choate was hired based off personnel on offense. Will be interesting to see what adjustments they've made.

especially with defense they will be very tough!

Pass rush was a major concern last year and the few years prior to that. The Bobcats just have not been able to develop kids to rush the passer. They believed they have finally solved the problem through a mix of transfers and development from a few kids. Transfers have included:

Bryce Sterk - University of Washington transfer who was recruited by Choate a big kid (6'5", 255 lbs.) who was a high school hurdle champion. Was buried on the depth chart and decided to transfer to play under Choate for his final two years of eligibility. A physically imposing player who just needs to prove he can make it happen on Saturdays. He will get his shot.

Dante Spiraco - University of Colorado transfer who played for the Buffs last year as a true freshman before an injury sidelined him for the remainder of the year. Some coaching changes happened and he felt his future would be better used elsewhere. His father Dino played for the Cats back in the late 90s and his mother also graduated from MSU. It was one of those fits that just worked at the right time. Dante is a quick-twitched, 6'5", 250 lbs. kid who played OLB/DE for the Buffs. He may be the #1 reason why the Bobcats will be able to use Troy more on offense than initially expected this season. Dante will be a sophomore.

Daniel Hardy - JUCO transfer who has four years to play three. More of a raw athlete than finished product at this point. He is a long, 6'4", 215 lb. OLB who will be developed to play the Buck spot. We'll see how he looks during fall camp but because of the depth, I don't see why Choate wouldn't redshirt Daniel this fall to put some more weight on his frame. Anyway, another kid with inherent pass-rushing ability but also a player who needs some development in being an overall player.

Jacob Hadley - will be a sophomore. Sat out 2017 because of a torn ACL during spring ball last year. All but won the starting Sam spot prior to the injury. He will now move down to the Buck spot. Jacob is about 6'5", 245 lbs. so he has added the strength to anchor against the run. Another kid who is very long and is not afraid to be physical at the point of attack. It will all depend on his recovery (which all signs have pointed he will make a full one). He sat out this spring for precautionary reasons as Choate was very adamant about losing players to injury during the spring (even though arguably the Cats best receiver, Jabarri Johnson, tore up one of his knees during a routine WR drill...can't control injuries). Anyway, Jacob gives the Bobcats yet another option to get after the QB.

Kyle Finch - Kyle is from the same class as Jacob but Finch has been developed at the same position (Buck) since he walked on campus. Now going into his redshirt sophomore season, Kyle is ready to contribute. One of the more technically sound defensive football players I've seen on tape out of high school since I started doing the scouting thing, Kyle just needed to simply get bigger. He'll be up to around 230+ by the time fall comes around and he got a ton of reps with the 2's this spring behind Sterk at the Buck spot. He isn't as explosive as the top four kids listed above but Kyle gives relentless effort which can make a good pass-rusher a great one.

Grant Collins - Grant was one of the two true pass-rushing threats (the other being strong-side end Derek Marks) last year for the Cats but because of the injury to Josh Hill along with depth at the Mike spot, Grant moved to MLB for a few games last year. When Josh came back for the EWU game, Grant moved back to Buck but tore up his shoulder on one of the pivotal plays chasing down Gabe Gubrud. Grant may not have the sack totals but he has affected the pocket since he moved the Buck spot two years ago. He was the only player who could really dip his shoulder and set the edge as a pass-rusher on the roster. Choate said Grant will be expected back around midseason next year. But obviously, the Choate and Gregorak knew they had to add more horses to the stable if they wanted to get after the passer with four lineman.

So there you go. I'm a little concerned about the safety depth. There will be some young players who will have to step up. Other than that, the defense should be pretty dicey.

Vim- agreed on all accounts, but Anderson will be a feature back and play less than expected on D...mark it down.
Also, Cats should be getting a power 5 transfer, east of the Mississippi, here shortly...will definitely help.
 
VimSince03 said:
grizghost said:
said Troy Andersen moving back to offense because they are loaded up on defense and should be good ..

Will play offense and defense this fall but you will see him more on defense. He was never going to solely play defense or offense despite what was said in the media or by Choate himself.

Choate said that the other QB's never really challenge Murray for the starting position...

Quarterbacks should be changed to quarterback. Going into this spring, Murray, Tucker Rovig, and transfer Travis Jonsen (Oregon/JUCO) were supposed to compete. Unfortunately, Travis slipped on the ice in January and broke his ankle so the competition only came down to Murray and Rovig. Chris responded well and has made noticeable physical improvements on top of a better understanding of the offense. In my opinion, the jury is still out on the consistency of his throwing mechanics. Rovig had a bum thumb on his throwing hand all spring and the coaches also were changing up his footwork. Regardless, Chris was 100% the best QB during spring and Tucker will likely compete for the #2/3 spot this fall. Travis Jonsen is a very talented football player but has yet to cease an opportunity to be a starting QB. He was in competition as a freshman with Dakota Prukop and Justin Herbert a few years back but had an injury that spring that limited his effectiveness. Dakota won the job, Herbert won the backup, and Travis transferred to Riverside CC. At Riverside, he competed against Vic Viramontes who was the Top JUCO QB. Vic signed with Minnesota in the offseason and Travis signed with the Bobcats. Travis and Chris are similar QBs but Travis definitely has the stronger arm and smoother throwing motion. But Chris is ahead of Travis in some very key areas like understanding of the offense, trust from teammates, and Chris is still really f***ing fast & a better overall runner than Travis. Which leads me to my next point.

was concerned for Murray academics...

Travis Jonsen was not only a good QB to bring in for competition on the field...but off the field as well. Travis is nearly a 4.0 student and the model student-athlete coaches want to have on their team. When I said Murray responded well this spring, I meant both on AND off the field. So if Chris has any slip ups and Travis has a good fall camp, I won't be surprised to Jonsen out there at some point this fall. Rovig is a solid student but needs some more seasoning to be considered ready to compete. Murray and Jonsen are both juniors so the perfect situation would be for Rovig to be ready to roll his junior year in a few years. But Rovig will be pushed each year by younger guys as Choate will recruit a QB every year.

overall he felt like the team was looking really good and will be competing...

All the kids are bought in. Its starting to look like the roster Choate wants, especially on defense and in the trenches on offense. They were good enough to compete last year but, once again, it will come down to the QB and, more importantly, the offensive system the Bobcats want to run. It has kind of changed each year since Choate was hired based off personnel on offense. Will be interesting to see what adjustments they've made.

especially with defense they will be very tough!

Pass rush was a major concern last year and the few years prior to that. The Bobcats just have not been able to develop kids to rush the passer. They believed they have finally solved the problem through a mix of transfers and development from a few kids. Transfers have included:

Bryce Sterk - University of Washington transfer who was recruited by Choate a big kid (6'5", 255 lbs.) who was a high school hurdle champion. Was buried on the depth chart and decided to transfer to play under Choate for his final two years of eligibility. A physically imposing player who just needs to prove he can make it happen on Saturdays. He will get his shot.

Dante Spiraco - University of Colorado transfer who played for the Buffs last year as a true freshman before an injury sidelined him for the remainder of the year. Some coaching changes happened and he felt his future would be better used elsewhere. His father Dino played for the Cats back in the late 90s and his mother also graduated from MSU. It was one of those fits that just worked at the right time. Dante is a quick-twitched, 6'5", 250 lbs. kid who played OLB/DE for the Buffs. He may be the #1 reason why the Bobcats will be able to use Troy more on offense than initially expected this season. Dante will be a sophomore.

Daniel Hardy - JUCO transfer who has four years to play three. More of a raw athlete than finished product at this point. He is a long, 6'4", 215 lb. OLB who will be developed to play the Buck spot. We'll see how he looks during fall camp but because of the depth, I don't see why Choate wouldn't redshirt Daniel this fall to put some more weight on his frame. Anyway, another kid with inherent pass-rushing ability but also a player who needs some development in being an overall player.

Jacob Hadley - will be a sophomore. Sat out 2017 because of a torn ACL during spring ball last year. All but won the starting Sam spot prior to the injury. He will now move down to the Buck spot. Jacob is about 6'5", 245 lbs. so he has added the strength to anchor against the run. Another kid who is very long and is not afraid to be physical at the point of attack. It will all depend on his recovery (which all signs have pointed he will make a full one). He sat out this spring for precautionary reasons as Choate was very adamant about losing players to injury during the spring (even though arguably the Cats best receiver, Jabarri Johnson, tore up one of his knees during a routine WR drill...can't control injuries). Anyway, Jacob gives the Bobcats yet another option to get after the QB.

Kyle Finch - Kyle is from the same class as Jacob but Finch has been developed at the same position (Buck) since he walked on campus. Now going into his redshirt sophomore season, Kyle is ready to contribute. One of the more technically sound defensive football players I've seen on tape out of high school since I started doing the scouting thing, Kyle just needed to simply get bigger. He'll be up to around 230+ by the time fall comes around and he got a ton of reps with the 2's this spring behind Sterk at the Buck spot. He isn't as explosive as the top four kids listed above but Kyle gives relentless effort which can make a good pass-rusher a great one.

Grant Collins - Grant was one of the two true pass-rushing threats (the other being strong-side end Derek Marks) last year for the Cats but because of the injury to Josh Hill along with depth at the Mike spot, Grant moved to MLB for a few games last year. When Josh came back for the EWU game, Grant moved back to Buck but tore up his shoulder on one of the pivotal plays chasing down Gabe Gubrud. Grant may not have the sack totals but he has affected the pocket since he moved the Buck spot two years ago. He was the only player who could really dip his shoulder and set the edge as a pass-rusher on the roster. Choate said Grant will be expected back around midseason next year. But obviously, the Choate and Gregorak knew they had to add more horses to the stable if they wanted to get after the passer with four lineman.

So there you go. I'm a little concerned about the safety depth. There will be some young players who will have to step up. Other than that, the defense should be pretty dicey.
I have heard good things about Hadley in regards to him being the starter at Buck. Was also told that the plan is to develop Nolan Askelson into a Buck also. This is from a AA high school coach, this is what Choate told him. Thought that was interesting.
 
Scats don't get a lot of respect on here, and they sholdnt's, this is a Griz board. However, anyone who thinks the Scats will be an easy win are mistaken, IMO. They are trending in the right direction and were a few completed passes away from winning two or three more games last year. And worse yet, they will be better this year. Like I posted earlier. If Murray can consistently complete more than half of his passes, they win 7 or 8 games.
 
grizeyes said:
Scats don't get a lot of respect on here, and they sholdnt's, this is a Griz board. However, anyone who thinks the Scats will be an easy win are mistaken, IMO. They are trending in the right direction and were a few completed passes away from winning two or three more games last year. And worse yet, they will be better this year. Like I posted earlier. If Murray can consistently complete more than half of his passes, they win 7 or 8 games.

I took the bait and started an account...not sure it was a smart move. However, I don't understand the lack of respect thing. Naturally, if one school says something, the other one doesn't agree with, you are going to have opposing fans on your board- same thing on Bobcatnation...and i am not very impressed with that site either. I do not like the griz, at all, but it seems to me that the regulars who spew this disrespect are the most uneducated and removed people from each program...my 2 cents.
 
1-if-you-disrespect-the-cat-funny-godfather-meme.jpg
 
Vim I think Hadley is only going to be a Frosh this year. Redshirt his first year. Then he got hurt in Spring and thought he got a medical redshirt out of that.
 
Can't wait to travel to Bozeman to play the Kitty Kats, LOL, are there some good resturants? Just kidding about the kittens, if any one has ever had a live confruntation with a real bobcat, even a bobcat kitten would shred you to the bone. Just excited to travel to that part of Montana! Being a true Idahoan I really like Montana as a state the only thing that sucks is your elk season is in November and Im so old I like our October Elk season better. I guess a lifetime in the mountins, I like the wood stove too much. Would like to see a barnburner between U of M and MSU.
 
catfan406 said:
grizeyes said:
Scats don't get a lot of respect on here, and they sholdnt's, this is a Griz board. However, anyone who thinks the Scats will be an easy win are mistaken, IMO. They are trending in the right direction and were a few completed passes away from winning two or three more games last year. And worse yet, they will be better this year. Like I posted earlier. If Murray can consistently complete more than half of his passes, they win 7 or 8 games.

I took the bait and started an account...not sure it was a smart move. However, I don't understand the lack of respect thing. Naturally, if one school says something, the other one doesn't agree with, you are going to have opposing fans on your board- same thing on Bobcatnation...and i am not very impressed with that site either. I do not like the griz, at all, but it seems to me that the regulars who spew this disrespect are the most uneducated and removed people from each program...my 2 cents.

Or its because the bobpussies haven't had a winning season in how long? Just because the cats only think about 1 game every year and you beat us twice doesnt mean you're trending upward. Laughable at best.

2014: 8-5, 2015: 5-6, 2016: 4-7 2017: 5-6


Wheres this upward trend????
 
So being a realist and not delusional means you're uneducated and disconnected from the programs? Quit smoking that rock boy
 
IdaEag92 said:
Can't wait to travel to Bozeman to play the Kitty Kats, LOL, are there some good resturants? Just kidding about the kittens, if any one has ever had a live confruntation with a real bobcat, even a bobcat kitten would shred you to the bone. Just excited to travel to that part of Montana! Being a true Idahoan I really like Montana as a state the only thing that sucks is your elk season is in November and Im so old I like our October Elk season better. I guess a lifetime in the mountins, I like the wood stove too much. Would like to see a barnburner between U of M and MSU.

Archery season opens September 1. Rifle season runs mid October through November 25th.
 
all I know is we need a miracle in regards to the WR position. whether that's a transfer who produces right away or a kid who comes out of nowhere to play well....we need something.

I love murray. love what he brings to the table. but I can't be the only one very concerned that we have a qb who's an average passer throwing to receivers with zero experience. :?
 
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