On a play near the end of Monday’s first practice of Montana’s first fall camp since 2019, Sammy Akem, the Grizzlies’ all-conference receiver, broke towards the sideline, tracking a comeback route thrown low and hard.
Cornerback Justin Ford was right behind him, making a good read on the ball and nearly knocking it loose, but Akem’s steel-trap hands snared the catch as they both went tumbling to the ground.
As they got up, the two players stared at each other for a second, nodding with appreciation of the play, a little moment of Wild West showdown as the players on the sideline hooted and hollered.
“His dreads are better, too,” guard Cody Kanouse yelled at Ford.
That was the defining play of an impressive evening practice in which the expected intensity of fall camp was matched by a surprising sharpness — and quite a bit of competition, too.
Maybe it was the result of all those firsts, the two years of waiting providing a little extra focus and ferocity.
Maybe it was the opportunity that additional year afforded, with two exhibition games in the spring providing an opportunity to develop and learn.
Maybe it was because these Grizzlies, coming off a 10-win season in 2019, have championship expectations — expectations that come with high standards to meet, even on the first day of fall practice.
“Shoot, in a way, absolutely (it was different),” junior safety Robby Hauck said. “Last year, we got, I think, one day, and I think we all kind of knew what was coming when we got shut down. So having the night practice tonight, I was very eager to get onto the field and I’m sure everybody else was. The energy was great out here.”
On a perfect summer evening at Dornblaser Field — neither the ever-present smoke nor the oppressive heat that have defined the summer so far were present — Hauck had two interceptions during the team portion of the unpadded practice, both off senior Cam Humphrey.
Humphrey finished 2 of 6 with the two interceptions during the final team session and two-minute drill.
Redshirt freshman Kris Brown was 6 of 8 during the same two periods at the end of practice.
“We want the quarterbacks to keep competing,” head coach Bobby Hauck said. “You’re always one play away from somebody else being in there anyway. So we have to keep those guys competing.
“Certainly, Cam’s in front. And, you know, that’s a question we should probably re-address maybe once a week, and I’ll let you know where it is.”
The offense and defense, meanwhile, were going right at each other. The Olympics ended Sunday, but the iron-sharpening-iron cliche Robby Hauck mentioned at the end of practice recalled NBC’s coverage of the rivalry between Sydney McLaughlin and Dalilah Muhammad on the track in Tokyo.
Tight end Cole Grossman and safety Nash Fouch, both from Washington state, started yelling back and forth after Grossman caught the best throw of the day, a perfectly-placed corner route from Humphrey, and got a foot down inbounds.
Akem made his catch against Ford a few plays later.
The defense had plenty of highlights too, rotating through players and showing off the depth that Bobby Hauck spoke about glowingly at the Big Sky Kickoff.
Sophomore safety David Koppang and redshirt freshman cornerback Trevin Gradney had interceptions in the early seven-on-seven portions of practice before Robby Hauck’s two picks.
“Practicing against some of the best competition in our conference or in the country always helps,” Robby Hauck said. “Iron sharpens iron, as we like to say, so it helps having good players around you and being able to compete and get better. … That’s what good teams do: we all push each other.”
Griz practice notes – August 9
- Cole Grossman, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound redshirt freshman tight end from Vancouver, Washington, looks like an absolute monster. He might have been the most-targeted receiver of the day.
- Sophomore cornerback Corbin Walker came in with some buzz and played as a freshman in 2019. He worked with the first string on Monday and had a great breakup in one-on-one coverage up the sideline against Akem.
- The secondary, in fact, looked stacked all the way through. Walker, Justin Ford, Oregon State transfers Omar Hicks Onu and TraJon Cotton, safeties Nash Fouch, David Koppang, Autjoe Soe, Garrett Graves … they can all play.
- Isiah Childs, a redshirt freshman running back who transferred from Akron, is still learning the ropes but moves well and looks really smooth. He’s third-string right now behind sophomore Nick Ostmo and freshman Xavier Harris.
- Hicks Onu is wearing No. 0, marking the first time a Griz has worn that number.
- Griz running back Marcus Knight was moving well and did not have a brace on his leg despite suffering a knee injury that required surgery last spring. He was not taking live reps but did run around the practice field.
- Carson Rostad, the 2018 Montana Gatorade Player of the Year as a quarterback for Hamilton High, is now playing linebacker. He is a 6-foot-3, 222-pound freshman.
- Late additions to the roster include Nick Williams, a 6-foot-5, 195-pound wide receiver from Oceanside, California and Hunter Mayginnes, a 6-foot-5, 330-pound sophomore transfer from Washington State who will play on the Griz offensive line.
