Tim Cramsey makes a point to recognize the defensive players who standout on film each time the Montana State offensive coordinator is devising a game plan. Each week during his weekly meeting with the media, he references players that stand out by their numbers.
For three years now, Cramsey has watched two of the Big Sky Conference’s top candidates for the league’s 2015 Defensive Most Valuable Player award. As the Bobcats head into this weekend’s showdown with the rival Grizzlies, Cramsey talked about two star defensive ends by name. Cramsey’s team lost to senior defensive end James Cowser and first-place Southern Utah two weeks ago. Montana defensive end Tyrone Holmes has made a strong impression this week.
“Speed, strength, aggressiveness, high motor,” Cramsey said on Monday when talking about Holmes, the FCS leader in sacks. “He has a plan. In the pass rush game, that’s what separates him from Cowser. I think Holmes has a plan when it comes to pass rush. Cowser just tries to bully you. Holmes will hit you inside, set you up outside, come back in. He’s a really good football player.”
Holmes, Cowser and Portland State senior safety Patrick Onwuasor are the three front-runners for this year’s Defensive MVP. Cowser’s relentless style has helped him break a pair of individual Big Sky records and bring his team to the brink of its first-ever Big Sky title. Holmes has played his best in Montana’s biggest games and his sack total leads college football. Onwuasor has more interceptions than anyone in the country and has helped Portland State to its best season in a decade.
Tyrone Holmes, defensive end, 6-4, 250, senior, Montana:
Montana defensive end Tryone Holmes bursts through the line of scrimmage to record a TFL against NDSU/by Brooks Nuanez
Holmes forced a fumble and notched a pair of sacks in Montana’s season-opening upset of four-time defending national champion North Dakota State. Holmes piled up four sacks in Montana’s conference-opening 23-14 win over Northern Arizona. NAU has averaged 48.1 points per game since.
Last week, Holmes notched three sacks and forced a fumble in Montana’s 57-16 decimation of No. 10 Eastern Washington. This season, Holmes has 14 sacks, the most in the Big Sky and the FCS. He has 16.5 tackles for loss, tied with Montana State outside linebacker Mac Bignell for the league lead.
“I follow every year who wins that Buck Buchanan Award and I see the guys who win it and I’ve coached one of them here with Kroy (Biermann in 2007) and I personally think Tyrone is one of the top defensive players in the country and I do believe he’s an MVP candidate,” UM defensive coordinator Ty Gregorak said.
Holmes now has 30.5 sacks in his Montana career, fourth all-time in school history behind Zack Wagenmann (37.5), Tim Bush (32.5) and Kroy Biermann (32). Montana’s single-season record is 19 set by Andy Petek in 2000.
Holmes has 42 TFLs in his career, sixth in UM history behind Wagenmann (53), Bush (48.5), Biermann (45), Mike Murphy (44.5) and Petek (44). NFL Draft Scout currently ranks the Eagle Point, Oregon native as the No. 17 defensive end in the upcoming draft.
“Tyrone is right there among the records,” Gregorak said. “I don’t know if he’ll break those school records but he’s at least in the conversation as one of the best pass rushers to ever come through. He’s fantastic and he’s having a fantastic senior year and he’s working his butt for it.”
Montana can punch a ticket to the playoffs with a win over Montana State in Bozeman on Saturday.
James Cowser, defensive end, 6-4, 259, senior, Southern Utah:
SUU defensive end James Cowser hurries MSU quarterback Dakota Prukop/by Brooks Nuanez
Cowser accomplished one of the league’s most difficult tasks as a pass rusher when he sacked Montana State quarterback Dakota Prukop. The quarterback takedown was Cowser’s eighth of the season and just the ninth sack given up by MSU, the best total in the Big Sky. The sack also helped Cowser break a Big Sky and national record.
The sack gave Cowser 73.5 tackles for loss in his career, the most ever in both the Big Sky and the FCS. He broke Jared Allen’s Big Sky record for a career one season after breaking Allen’s single-season record of 28 tackles for loss set in 2003. Last season, Cowser racked up 28.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage.
“I’m not letting it sink in at this point because we have some big games coming up,” Cowser said of breaking the record leading up to his team’s 24-23 loss at Portland State. “I’m afraid that if I spend too much time worrying about what happened, I will miss opportunities in the future. It’s cool but I want to make this record as big a gap as I can by playing as well as I can.”
The Fruit Heights, Utah native earned two sacks against Portalnd State, giving him 10 this season and 39.5 in his record-setting career. The sack mark break’s Allen’s league record of 38.5. The Big Sky officially started recognizing sacks and tackles for loss as official record in 2000, a year before the NCAA.
“It’s been unbelievable to watch,” SUU defensive line coach Ryan Hunt said. “When he made the play to break the record, I don’t think he had any idea. I know he keeps track of that stuff but the success of the team comes before any personal recognition for him. He’s be the first one to tell you that. But I think it was a weight lifted off his shoulder. He’s been a pleasure to coach.”
Southern Utah can sew up its first-ever conference crowd with a win over visiting No. 25 Northern Arizona on Saturday.
Patrick Onwuasor, safety, 6-2, 225, senior, Portland State
PSU safety Patrick Onwuasor intercepts a pass vs. UM/by PSU Athletics
Onwuasor has had his best games in a few of Portland State’s biggest victories during a surprising campaign. Onwuasor piled up eight tackles, seven solo tackles and a tackle for loss in PSU’s 24-17 upset of Pac 12 Washington State to open the season. The former Arizona transfer snared an interception each of the next three weeks.
Following Portland State’s 66-7 win over FBS North Texas, Onwuasor was named to the STATS FCS Defensive Player of the Year watch list.
“It’s an honor to be on that list,” Onwuasor said. “I’m just playing team football and trying to be in the right position that my coaches tell me to be in and that’s why I’ve made plays.”
Onwuasor had seven tackles and an interception in a 59-42 win over No. 16 Montana State. He had eight tackles and three interceptions in a 35-13 win over No. 17 Montana, PSU’s first win over the Griz since 2004. Last week against Southern Utah, Onwuasor intercepted a pass in the end zone as the first half expired. Portland State went on to hand SUU its first league loss, 24-23.
This season, Onwuasor has 67 tackles, including 38 solos and two tackles for loss. His nine interceptions lead the FCS.
The Inglewood, California native was arrested on drug and gun charges in 2013, an incident that led to his dismissal at UA. By all accounts, he’s turned his life around and is harboring aspirations of playing behind his final college season.
“I want to keep playing as long as I can but I’m just going to take it a day at a time, a game at a time,” Onwuasor said. “I’m just trying to prepare day by day and stay locked into what my coaches tell me.”
The Vikings can strengthen its playoff resume and possibly win a Big Sky title with a win at No. 19 Eastern Washington on Saturday.
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