March 30, 2012
Letter from The University of Montana Football Team
Dear Parents, Griz Nation, The University of Montana, the citizens of Missoula;
We write this letter as the players of the 2012 University of Montana Football team. We also write this letter as students of a University we love, members of a community we cherish and as stewards of one of the most respected and honored football traditions of excellence in the nation.
The events over the past months regarding allegations and actions of players and most recently the firing of our head coach and the athletic director have all had a deep and profound impact on us. We understand and accept the fact that a few of our teammates' actions, whether intended and deserved or not, have contributed to this unfortunate situation. Whether or not true, regardless of obvious motivations and despite the facts, or lack of them, we have learned that the rules in today's public arena are about perception and expediency. As student athletes of this university we are left without an answer as to why our two leaders, Coach Pflugrad and Jim O'Day, are gone. These events have left us disappointed, saddened, and stunned, but they have also provided us something else.
We have been reminded of the commitment we made years ago, and supported by our families, to pursue excellence in the sport we love that led us from across the country and Montana to come here. Our responsibility to honor those who support us, our duty to respect the players and coaches who built the proud Griz tradition, and our unwavering appreciation of Griz Nation is now stronger and more deeply felt. Most importantly, our commitment to each other is stronger than ever.
Speaking with one voice, we ask for your strength, support and solidarity. We hope this series of personal and collective tragedies will give way to strengthening and rebuilding. We also ask those who have been entrusted with authority and power to carefully consider the impact of their statements and actions on our team and our great tradition.
Our team stands together, closer and stronger than ever before. Just as we will hold ourselves to a higher standard, we will also hold others. We understand that honor, truth and hard work win in the end. We are Montana.
Respectfully,
The University of Montana Football Team
Friday, March 30, 2012
Interim AD & Interim Head FB Coach
The University of Montana has announced that Jean Gee has been selected as the school’s interim athletic director, while former UM associate head coach Mick Delaney will serve as the Grizzlies’ interim head football coach, announced UM President Dr. Royce Engstrom.
Jean Gee has been involved with Grizzly Athletics for the past 15-plus years. She has served as the Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator for Grizzly Athletics for the past eight years.
Prior to that, Gee was Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance & Academic Services at UM for almost six years.
A native of Lewistown, Mont., Jean received a B.A. in psychology from UM in 1995 and a master's degree in public administration in 2006.
Delaney recently concluded his fourth season as an assistant coach at Montana and working with the running backs, and was the associate head coach. A veteran mentor, Delaney has been in coaching ranks 44 years, with 29 of them at the collegiate level. Originally from Butte, he came to Montana from Colorado State where he was an assistant coach from 1993-2007.
Prior to coaching the Rams, Delaney was the head football coach and athletic director at Western Montana in 1991-92. He served as the athletic director at Montana Tech in Butte from 1983-85. He began his coaching career at Butte Central High School (1964-67) as head wrestling coach and assistant football coach.
Delaney was an assistant football coach under head coach Jack Swarthout at UM from 1968-69. He was the head wrestling coach at Montana at that time also. He then moved on to Great Falls High School (1969-76) where he taught English and was the assistant wrestling and track and field coach. He coached at Montana State from 1979-80.
Mick earned his B.A. in education at UM-Western (Western Montana College) in 1964. He is an inaugural inductee into the Western Montana College Sports Hall of Fame.
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
Jean Gee has been involved with Grizzly Athletics for the past 15-plus years. She has served as the Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator for Grizzly Athletics for the past eight years.
Prior to that, Gee was Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance & Academic Services at UM for almost six years.
A native of Lewistown, Mont., Jean received a B.A. in psychology from UM in 1995 and a master's degree in public administration in 2006.
Delaney recently concluded his fourth season as an assistant coach at Montana and working with the running backs, and was the associate head coach. A veteran mentor, Delaney has been in coaching ranks 44 years, with 29 of them at the collegiate level. Originally from Butte, he came to Montana from Colorado State where he was an assistant coach from 1993-2007.
Prior to coaching the Rams, Delaney was the head football coach and athletic director at Western Montana in 1991-92. He served as the athletic director at Montana Tech in Butte from 1983-85. He began his coaching career at Butte Central High School (1964-67) as head wrestling coach and assistant football coach.
Delaney was an assistant football coach under head coach Jack Swarthout at UM from 1968-69. He was the head wrestling coach at Montana at that time also. He then moved on to Great Falls High School (1969-76) where he taught English and was the assistant wrestling and track and field coach. He coached at Montana State from 1979-80.
Mick earned his B.A. in education at UM-Western (Western Montana College) in 1964. He is an inaugural inductee into the Western Montana College Sports Hall of Fame.
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
Thursday, December 15, 2011
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
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.
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.”
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.”
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Ok, this is what they're saying this week - Part #6
2011 FCS Football Playoffs: Semifinal Preview and Predictions
by Shaun Bummer
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
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
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