Ok, this is what they're saying this week - Part #10

Sam Houston State sees FCS showdown with Montana as gauge to program's success

RONNIE TURNE, Houston ChronicleCopyright 2011 Houston Chronicle. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

By RONNIE TURNER, FOR THE Chronicle

Published 11:25 p.m., Thursday, December 15, 2011

HUNTSVILLE - Sam Houston State's quest for a national championship continues Friday night when it plays Montana in the Football Championship Subdivision semifinals at Bowers Stadium.
But to reach the pinnacle, the top-seeded Bearkats (13-0) will have to get past a program that has been among the best in the FCS for two decades.
The fourth-seeded Grizzlies (11-2) are making their 11th appearance in the FCS semifinals; Sam Houston State is playing in only its second semifinal - the first was a loss to Montana in 2004. The Grizzlies have made 18 trips to the playoffs in the last 19 years, while the Bearkats have only five postseason appearances.
Montana has had 26 consecutive winning seasons. Sam Houston State had back-to-back losing seasons before coach Willie Fritz replaced Todd Whitten at the helm in 2010. The Grizzlies have played in the national title game seven times, winning championships in 1995 and 2001. The Bearkats are in search of their first national title-game berth.
Friday's game offers Sam Houston State another shot at reaching the national championship game and its strongest challenge to date.
"It signifies where we need to be as a program and where coach Fritz anticipated this program being," senior center Travis Watson said. "We're on our way up.
"(Montana) is a premier program in the FCS. Every year, they're always in the playoffs and always pretty deep. … They're a great team, and they've made it this far for a reason. They're sound in what they do, and they don't make a lot of mistakes. It's going to be a great challenge."
The teams are evenly matched. The Bearkats lead the FCS in scoring (39.8 points per game) and are sixth in rushing offense (258.5 yards per game). They also are tops in rushing defense (67.4 ypg), second in total defense (275.7 ypg) and second in scoring defense (13.8 ppg).
The Grizzlies aren't far behind in those categories, coming in 15th in scoring (34.3 ppg), 14th in rushing offense (219.2 ypg), 13th in scoring defense (19.1 ppg), 18th in rushing defense (117.6 ypg) and 19th in total defense (314.2 ypg).
Sam Houston State's offense is more slanted toward the run with its version of the read option. Montana is more balanced between the run and the pass.
Montana State coach Rob Ash, whose squad lost to both teams this season, can't decide which team is better.
"They're built differently," Ash said after his team's 49-13 loss to the Bearkats in Saturday's quarterfinal matchup. "Montana's very big and strong … and Sam Houston State's strong also but very quick. I think it'll be a fantastic football game."
The Bearkats have made great strides in just two seasons under Fritz. Before his arrival, they went 25-28 under Whitten from 2005-09 and didn't reach the postseason. In the two years since, Sam Houston State is 19-5 and has matched the program's deepest run into the playoffs since its last appearance in 2004.
A victory Friday night would go a long way toward helping the Bearkats become more like their opponent.
"One of the things I talk to our guys about is us building a football program," Fritz said. "That means a program that's strong year after year after year like Montana's done."

ronnie.turner@chron.com
When/where: 7 p.m.; Bowers Stadium.
TV: ESPN.
Records: Montana 11-2; Sam Houston State 13-0.
Series: Montana leads 3-1.
Last meeting: Montana won 34-13 in 2004 at Missoula, Mont.
Story line: Sam Houston State so far has lived up to the expectations of being the No. 1 seed in the FCS playoffs. A win over Montana would send the Bearkats to their first national title game and move them a step closer to being the best program in the FCS.
By the numbers: Sam Houston State has won 15 consecutive games dating to the 2010 season; Montana is on a nine-game winning streak. … The Bearkats are 8-0 at home this season. … Montana is 7-3 all-time in the national semifinals.

Ok, this is what they're saying this week - Part #9

December 15, 2011

Bring ’em On

The Bearkats are as close as can be from playing in their first Football Championship Subdivision title game, but a familiar nemesis is looking to stop them in their tracks. Like teams in other sports at different levels of competition, the Bearkats know they have their own personal hurdle to clear, Montana in their case, in order to play for a national championship.

By Gene SchallenbergAssistant Sports EditorThe Huntsville ItemThu Dec 15, 2011, 11:15 PM CST

HUNTSVILLE — No matter what sport or at any level of competition, there’s always going to be a team that stands in the way of an up-and-comer. That one team often remains as the biggest hurdle between a highly successful season and one that is rewarded with a championship.

In the late 1980s, the Detroit Pistons prevented Michael Jordan and the Bulls from capturing NBA titles, that is until the ’90s when Chicago won six titles in eight seasons.

Before the Texas Rangers snapped their playoff drought in 2010, going 11 years since making their last appearance, the three previous times the Rangers had short stints in the postseason. Three times in four years (1996, 1998 and 1999), Texas met the Yankees in the divisional series and lost all three times. It was only fitting that for the Rangers to get to the World Series, they would have to go through the Yankees, which they did in 2010 and have made it to two consecutive Fall Classics.

Before the Colts finally broke through to win the Vince Lombardi trophy in 2007, the Patriots certainly had their number beating them twice in the postseason (2003 AFC championship game and 2004 division playoff game). That is until Indianapolis outlasted New England in the 2006 AFC title game in Indianapolis and eventually won the Super Bowl.

For the Bearkats, it’s pretty easy to point out which team is their Pistons, Yankees or Patriots — Montana.

Of course, Montana.

“This isn’t a surprise,” said Sam Houston offensive lineman Riley Smith, who played high school football in Huntsville and knows SHSU’s history against Montana as good as any of the Bearkats. “When we first saw the lineup for the playoffs, we kind of expected to go through Montana State and Montana.”

The last two times Sam Houston has advanced to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs in 2001 and ’04, when it was referred to as the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs, the Bearkats’ dream seasons came to an end at the hands of the Grizzlies.

In ’01, Sam Houston was sent home following a 49-24 loss in the quarterfinals.

Back in the playoffs for the first time in three years, the Bearkats were rolling following a 54-24 trouncing over Western Kentucky and coming back from a 20-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat Eastern Washington 35-34 in 2004. Advancing as far as they’ve ever gone before, the Kats were denied once again in the national semifinals 34-13.

Seven years later, the Kats are one win away from reaching the FCS national championship game and, of course, Montana is standing in the way.

“I think that’s how you want it as an athlete,” junior linebacker Darius Taylor said. “To be the best, we figure we’ve got to beat the best and play the best. We’re just accepting this challenge and we’re glad we’ve got a home game and they’ve got to come all the way down here.

“We’re going to try to get the crowd live and keep it loud to get them off their game and try to distract them a little bit with the crowd noise for a home-field advantage.”

In both playoff games against Montana, the Bearkats had to go on the road and take the field in front of a hostile crowd at Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula, Mont.

This time the Bearkats have the opportunity to make things difficult for the Grizzlies as today’s semifinal will be played in the friendly confines of Bowers Stadium.

“It’s exciting because I’ve been here for a long time and my dad was at the 2004 game in Montana, so now we get a chance to have a little revenge,” Smith said. “I know a lot of those older Bearkats and a lot of them are calling me, saying, ‘Hey, we owe them, so let’s go.’”

While the Bearkats aim at paying Montana back the favor of disappointment, the Grizzlies, who missed the playoffs last season, have plenty of history on their side and are looking to play in their sixth national championship game in the past 12 years.

Montana played for the ultimate prize in 2000, ’01, ’04, ’08 and ’09, winning the Division I-AA national championship in 2001.

Even though the Grizzlies have been one of the most dominant, consistent teams at this level, the Bearkats aren’t letting themselves be intimidated by Montana’s past successes.

“It’s more of a past thing. This is a new team. This is our new team and this is their new team. We’ve just got to come out and play them,” Taylor said. “They’re coming from Montana and we’re from Texas, I don’t think they’re respecting us as much as they should. It’s all going to be settled on the field Friday night.”

Preparing for their first semifinal playoff game in seven years, the Bearkats continue to remain loose and focused on their goals.

“I feel like we’re in our groove,” Smith added. “Last week, I think we showed ourselves and everyone else that we’re in our groove. When our offense is in our groove, no one can stop us and when our defense is in our groove, no one runs on us.

“Everybody’s ready for Friday night. We’re anxious, but not nervous.”

Ok, this is what they're saying this week - Part #8

http://www.gobearkats.com/newMediaPlayer/sl/console.htm?DB_OEM_ID=19900&CLIP_ID=806999&id=821929&DB_MENU_ID=&type=vod&oemid=19900&SPSID=&CLIP_FILE_ID=821929&SPID=

Ok, this is what they're saying this week - Part #7

Ok, this is what they're saying this week - Part #6

2011 FCS Football Playoffs: Semifinal Preview and Predictions

by Shaun Bummer

It's the Final Four of FCS college football, ladies and gentleman.
The FCS playoffs enter the semifinals this weekend. The Montana Grizzlies will venture to Huntsville, Texas to take on the Sam Houston State Bearkats Friday night at 8:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN. On Saturday, the North Dakota State Bison will be visited by the Georgia Southern Eagles in a 2:30 p.m. Eastern showdown on ESPNU.
It will be an exciting weekend of FCS College Football, as teams are only one game away from a trip to the FCS National Championship in Frisco, Texas.

Semifinal Round (Dec. 16/17)
No. 4 Montana @ No. 1 Sam Houston State
No. 3 Georgia Southern @ No. 2 North Dakota State

Sam Houston State is still the only undefeated team in the FCS an extremely impressive 13-0. Additionally, whatever doubts I had in the Bearkats in playing a medicore schedule were shattered in a 49-13 stomping of the Montana State Bobcats.
The Bearkats put up 501 yards of offense against the Bobcats, with 428 of those on the ground and an average of 10.4 yards per rushing attempt.
Throughout the entire season Sam Houston State has put up 3,297 yards of rushing offense leading the Southland Conference. This is more than double of McNesse State's rushing total of 1,629 yards which is second in the Southland.
Additionally, running backs Tim Flanders and Richard Sincere are first and second respectively for total rushing yards in the Southland Conference.
Montana may be on even more of a roll than the Bearkats. The Grizzlies have now won nine straight, including the last three against FCS playoff opponents. Additionally, they have been winning games comfortably. Their last five victories have been won by an average of 30 points per game.
Montana's quarterfinal match up with Northern Iowa was no different. The Grizzlies sparked in the second quarter and never let up, leading to a 48-10 pounding over the Panthers.
Grizzly quarterback Jordan Johnson played outstanding overall. He completed 13 of 20 passes for 196 yards for three touchdowns, and rushed for 86 yards and one touchdown. Among Montana's great tandem of running backs, the Grizzlies rushed for 267 yards.
This game is honestly a toss up. These are the two hottest teams in the FCS right now. However, Montana has been playing more consistent as of late, and the Grizzlies have more weapons on defense to slow down Sam Houston State's offense. Expect the Grizzlies to upset the Bearkats in this shootout.
Prediction
Montana 41
Sam Houston State 37

Ok, this is what they're saying this week - Part #5

FCS semifinals: Sam Houston hopes to sprint away from Griz

The Sports Network

By Sean Shapiro, FCS Assistant

DATE & TIME: Friday, Dec. 16, 8 p.m. ET

FACTS & STATS: Site: Elliott T. Bowers Stadium (14,000) - Huntsville, Texas. Surface: Real Grass Pro artificial. Television: ESPN. Announcers: Dave Neal, Andre Ware and Quint Kessenich. Home Record: Montana 8-0; Sam Houston State 8-0. Away Record: Montana 3-2; Sam Houston State 4-0. Neutral Record: Montana 0-0; Sam Houston State 1-0. Series Record: Montana (3-1). Last Meeting: Dec. 11, 2004 (Montana def. Sam Houston State, 34-13 at Montana). Series Streak: Montana has won three of the four meetings. Conference: Montana - Big Sky; Sam Houston State - Southland. Nicknames: Montana Grizzlies; Sam Houston State Bearkats. Sports Network/Fathead.com Ranking: Montana (5); Sam Houston State (1). NCAA Playoff Seedings: Montana (4); Sam Houston State (1). Head Coaches: Montana - Robin Pflugrad (second season, 18-6 at Montana and Overall); Sam Houston State - Willie Fritz (19th year, 19-5 at Sam Houston State, 155-57-1 Overall). All-Time Record: Montana (545-462-23); Sam Houston State (459-443-34). FCS Playoff Records: Montana (two national championships in 1995, 2001; 32-18); Sam Houston State (5-4). Previous FCS Playoff Appearances: Montana 20 (1982, 1988-89, 1993-2009); Sam Houston State 4 (1986, 1991, 2001, 2004).
GAME NOTES: Last week, Montana and Sam Houston State coasted to blowout victories in the FCS quarterfinals, demolishing Northern Iowa and Montana State, respectively. Quarterfinal-round demolitions are just the most recent successes of two of the hottest teams in the FCS. Montana has won nine straight, while Sam Houston State is the last undefeated team in the FCS and a winner of a school-record 15 straight games dating to last season.
Against Montana State, the Bearkats rushed for 428 yards, despite only getting 38 yards on 10 carries from Southland Player of the Year Tim Flanders (97.9 ypg). The Bearkats offense relies on multiple sets, running a version of the read option out of shotgun with quarterback Brian Bell and the "Wild Bearkat" with Richard Sincere (70.5 ypg).
While Bell wasn't relied on heavily to throw the ball against Montana State, - he did rush for a 54-yard touchdown - the sophomore is an efficient passer, completing 61 percent of his passes, and has 18 touchdowns to just four interceptions.
For Montana, quarterback Jordan Johnson was a focal point of the attack against Northern Iowa, accounting for four total touchdowns (three passing, one rushing). A sophomore as well, Johnson rushed 10 times for 86 yards, and completed 13-of-20 passes for 196 yards. Johnson spreads the ball around evenly, connecting with Jabin Sambrano (43.1 ypg), Sam Gratton (34.8 ypg) and Antwon Moutra (32.8 ypg) at least twice a game.
With the offensive explosions last week, it's easy to overlook the defense. However, both teams have dominant defensive units that have shut down opponents lately. Montana, which ranks in the top 20 for almost every defensive category, has allowed just 51 combined points in its last five games.
The Bearkats overcame a defensive hiccup against Stony Brook, 27 points, and returned to form, which had them ranked as the top-scoring defense before the start of the playoffs. Against Montana State, Sam Houston State yielded 349 total yards and limited the Bobcats to just 2.3 yards per carry.
On special teams, Sam Houston State's Brandon Closner is a dangerous return man and had an 82-yard kick return for a touchdown that sealed the game against Montana State. Montana's Sambrano didn't return a kick for a touchdown, but he had a pair of long punt returns (24 and 30 yards) that set up Montana touchdown drives.
With Sam Houston State's quick-strike, speedy offense and Montana's more methodical, power-based offense, the team that sets the tone will win this game. While Sam Houston State will be comfortable trading scores, like the second half against Montana State, Montana will likely try and slow the game down a bit.
Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Sam Houston State 31, Montana 27

Montana’s Alt & Waldhauser named to Capital One Academic All-Americ​an Division I football team

MISSOULA, MONTANA(11/14/11) – The University of Montana’s Bobby Alt and Bryan Waldhauser were recently named to the prestigious 2011 Capital One Academic All-American Division I football team as announced by Co-SIDA (College Sports Information Director’s of America.

The Grizzlies have now had one or more players named to the Division I All-American team 32 times.  Safety Erik Stoll was named to the team last season.

This is the first time since the 2001 season that Montana has had two players named to the Academic All-American squad. That season safety Vince Huntsberger and defensive end Ciche Pitcher were named to the team.

Alt,  a 6-3, 240-pound senior defensive end from Ontario, Calif., maintains 3.92 GPA in sociology.   He is the 10th leading tackler for the fifth-ranked, 11-2 Grizzlies with 47 total tackles.  He has started in all 13 games this season, and is fourth on the squad with 9.0 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.

A senior defensive tackle, the 6-4, 260-pound Waldhauser, from Worden, Mont., graduated last spring and carried a 3.62 GPA en route to earning his B.A. degree in business.  He is currently enrolled in the MBA program at Montana.

Waldhauser is the Grizzlies’ fourth leading tackler with 66 stops.  He is second on the team with 11.0 tackles for loss and had a team-high 5.5 sacks. 

Both Alt and Waldhauser have been named to the league’s all-academic teams in 2009 and 2010.
There were three players from the Big Sky Conference named to the team.  Joining Alt and Waldhauser from the league was Northern Arizona senior offensive lineman Ben Bachelier, who was a second team selection.

The 2011 Capital One Academic All-American Division I Player of the Year was Stanford junior quarterback Andrew Luck, who has a 3.48 GPA in architectural design.




Dave Guffey
The University of Montana
Associate A.D., For External and Media Relations
Hoyt Athletic Complex
32 Campus Drive
Missoula, MT  59812
406-243-5402-Office; 370-9435-Cell; 243-6859-Fax
guffeydb@mso.umt.edu