On one hand, the rigors of the Missouri Valley Conference have certainly prepared South Dakota State for the playoffs. On the other hand, a trip to Missoula will provide a challenge unseen by the Jackrabbits since the season’s first few weeks.
SDSU quarterback Zach Lujan throws a pass vs. UNI/by Inertia Sports Media/Dave Eggen
Five of the eight MVFC teams SDSU played during the regular season were ranked in the top 22 of the FCS at the time, including two ranked No. 2 in the country. But the rough and tumble style employed by most teams in the league is on the opposite side of the spectrum of what SDSU will face against the Montana Grizzlies on Saturday in the first round of the FCS playoffs.
The Missouri Valley featured just three offenses that threw for more then 250 yards per game. The Big Sky features nine teams that threw for at least 225 this season, including six that threw for more than 270 per outing. Southern Illinois’s Missouri Valley-leading 298 passing yards per game would’ve ranked fourth in the Big Sky.
The Grizzlies employ an up-tempo offense that throws the ball prevalently, especially now with starting quarterback Brady Gustafson back under center. The host Grizzlies throw the ball 43 times per game on average, including 48.5 times per game with Gustafson at the controls.
“It’s definitely different than the teams we usually play in the Missouri Valley,” SDSU senior linebacker T.J. Lally said. “Most of the teams in our conference tend to follow suit with each other. It is a little different but we feel like the things we put in and the things we’ve done in the past are very effective for stopping teams like this.”
UM quarterback Brady Gustafson rears back in the pocket vs. EUW/by Evan Frost
No Missouri Valley team threw the ball more than 38 times per game. The average number of pass attempts for the 10-team league was 29 throws per contest.
“Kansas was similar but certainly not as much variety as this Montana offense,” SDSU 20th-year head coach John Stiegelmeier said. “I don’t think it’s a perfect matchup for us. When we practice against ourselves, we have two tight ends and a fullback. That’s not what we are facing. The amount of reps we have against an offense like this are really kind of limited.”
Lally also compared Montana’s offense to the offenses employed by Kansas and Big Sky Conference champion Southern Utah. South Dakota State defeated the Jayhawks 41-38 before stomping SUU, 55-10.
“They are a very solid team without weaknesses,” Southern Utah head coach Ed Lamb said. “They are a great team that made us better.”
Montana enters Saturday’s first-round FCS playoff matchup with a red-hot offense that has scored 57 and 54 points in consecutive weeks. In a 57-16 win over No. 10 Eastern Washington, the Griz defense forced seven turnovers and UM converted the miscues into 27 points. In a 54-35 win over rival Montana State, Montana forced turnovers on four consecutive possessions and turned each into touchdowns as UM scored 31 straight points in the first half.
Montana running back John Nyugen looks for space against North Dakota/by Evan Frost
Since returning from a leg injury that cost him eight weeks and six starts, Gustafson has completed 64.3 percent of his passes for 310 yards per game. He threw for 353 yards and three touchdowns against the Bobcats. The 7-4 Griz are 3-1 when Gustafson starts and finishes the game.
“The things Brady is able to do mentally with our game plan gives us a lot more things we can do attacking the defense,” said Montana first-year head coach Bob Stitt, the mastermind behind UM’s spread offensive attack. “We do have more confidence but also, the confidence comes with success. When we are able to allow him to check more and he sees the field better, the confidence comes as we are executing first downs and making big plays.”
The Griz have also benefitted from playing three of the worst defensive teams in the league the last three weeks. Idaho State ranks last in the league by giving up 41 points per game. Eastern Washington was second-to-last giving up 39.5 points per game. The Bobcats surrender 475 yards and 34.3 points per outing.
The offense has been thriving because of an opportunistic defense that is forcing turnovers — “That’s been huge for us,” Stitt said, — but also because of a run game that has gained traction due to Gustafson’s injury. With Chad Chalich (for two games) and Makena Simis at the helm(for four games), Stitt reorganized his attack to include much more read option and inside zone running plays.
During conference play, Montana averaged 184 yards per game on the ground as true freshman Jeremy Calhoun emerged to compliment speed back John Nguyen. Calhoun scored eight touchdowns down the stretch and Nguyen averaged 4.7 yards per carry for the season. Montana’s offensive line, a major question mark at the beginning of the season, has improved steadily in both run and pass blocking under the direction of Chad Germer. Senior left tackle John Schmaing, a second-team All-Big Sky selection, is one of the top linemen in the Big Sky.
UM running back Jeremy Calhoun hits the hole on a TD touchdown vs MSU/by Brooks Nuanez
“Our run game got so much better the seven or eight weeks. Brady was gone and then you put it together and it’s pretty dynamic and explosive,” Stitt said. “When the season started, we had to lean on Brady with the passing game and our offensive line was not ready. Now all of a sudden we have a run game and we have a quarterback who can run what we want to run. It’s a lot of fun to game plan now.”
Stitt spent the last 15 seasons at Colorado School of Mines in Golden. He said last season, his Orediggers played a game with eight inches of snow on the ground and still threw for more than 300 yards. He is confident the offense will operate just fine regardless of weather on Saturday.
Stitt will have to devise a game plan to attack a defense that has been lights out all season long. SDSU led the Missouri Valley in scoring defense, giving up 16.7 points per game. The Jackrabbits held top 20 teams like Indiana State, Youngstown State and Northern Iowa to 10 or less points. Cole Langer, a 6-foot-3, 285-pound tackle, anchors a deep defensive line. Junior Jesse Bobbit (94 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss) and Lally (88 tackles) lead the linebackers and the unit. Senior Je Ryan Butler is the go-to guy in the secondary.
“They are solid all around and they do their job right, which is why they are in the playoffs,” said UM senior captain wide receiver Jamaal Jones, a first-team All-Big Sky selection. “I’ve looked mainly at their secondary and they are solid. Their corners play tough, they play confident. It will be a challenge for us. What we’ve done the last two weeks and what they have on offense, it will be challenge for them too.”
SDSU wide receiver Jake Wieneke catches a TD pass vs. ISU/Photo by Dave Eggen/Inertia)
South Dakota State will counter with an offense that hasn’t missed a beat since the graduation of All-America running back Zach Zenner and Austin Sumner, a four-year starter at quarterback. Since junior quarterback Zach Lujan went down with an ankle injury in a 28-7 loss to North Dakota State, Stiegelmeier has elected to have him and true freshman dual threat Taryn Christion to split time under center. Sophomore running back Brady Mengarelli (67 yards per game, six touchdowns) has become the primary option out of the backfield. Sophomore Jake Wieneke, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound monster, is one of the top receivers in FCS football. He has 1,344 yards on 66 catches (20.4 yards per catch) and he has snared 11 touchdown grabs.
The SDSU offense will face a Montana defense that has forced 12 turnovers in the last three weeks. UM senior defensive end Tyrone Holmes leads the FCS with 14 sacks and Montana has 38 sacks as a team, best in the Big Sky and fifth nationally.
“I will tell you what, we want to eliminate the amount of second and longs, third and longs because that is their forte,” Stiegelmeier said. “I’m really impressed with their defense, the whole thing, how hard they play, how well they play, how athletic they are. They are impressive.”
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