Montana State quarterback Tommy Mellott is coming off perhaps his least impressive passing performance statistically in MSU’s 41-38 win at Northern Arizona last week. However, wrapped up in all that, the Bobcat sophomore endured some experiences that his coaches think should help provide synergy between the game and Mellott’s brain.
That process also might’ve played into some of the struggles the MSU offense had in its most recent game, a thrilling 41-38 win over Northern Arizona.
“He continues to grow,” MSU head coach Brent Vigen said of the star sophomore, who connected on just 13 of 29 passes for 179 yards. “His intelligence meeting his experience; we’re still maybe not quite there. He’s so smart, but you’ve got to experience things to make it all work together.”
Against the Lumberjacks, the Bobcats found themselves going to one of their signature plays – deep sideline, back-shoulder passes – more often and with less good results than they’re accustomed.
“They (NAU) played more man-to-man and press man, in particular, and that creates some of those calls – the go-ball,” Vigen said of MSU’s penchant on Saturday to continually go back to the play. “I think there’s a confidence in Tommy, and our guys on the other end, that we’re going to make enough of those plays – that more than makes sense – but it didn’t happen.”
Mellott’s subpar statistics included a 62-yard pass to set up the game-winning field goal that was probably the best throw of his young career and came with less than a minute to play in a tie game. He scrambled to his right and while running out of bounds (and getting hit) fired a rocket to true freshman Taco Dowler — who had found a way to get behind the NAU defense as Mellott was buying time — about 40 yards downfield.
“That’s one more game where I know there’ll be some things that he’ll learn from,” Vigen said.
The Bobcats threw 19 passes in the first half alone and after a 4 for 6 start, Mellott was just 3 for 12 with about half of those going deep along the sideline.
“Is that beating our heads against the wall?” Vigen asked rhetorically of the number attempts on virtually the same route. “I didn’t necessarily see it that way. That’s been a function of our offense. If teams are going to be plus in the box, then we have to be able to make it complicated for them and it just didn’t happen in that game.”
The Bobcats attempted just 10 second half passes, which is closer to the norm for a team that typically throws the ball about 20 times per game. The result was a resuscitation of the scoring. The Bobcats put up 17 first quarter points but were skunked in the second quarter and looked out of sorts going into the locker room. They got things rolling in the second half, scoring on four out of five possessions and getting the best of the Lumberjacks 24-17 in the final 30 minutes.
“Now, we pumped the brakes certainly in the second half. (Mellott’s) capable, and I think we were capable of making a few of those. There was one inside fade to Willie (Patterson) that we go up 21-nuthin if we hit that and we should hit it in our sleep. That (pass) wasn’t even really a 50-50 deal. He was off on that one, but he was on, on a couple, too.”
The Bobcats were down starting running back Lane Sumner and starting wide receiver Clevan Thomas, Jr., which may have played into NAU’s defensive approach as well as how MSU was operating.
“I don’t think that’s anything that’s bogging him down by any means,” Vigen said. “Also, you look at the play (Mellott) made at the end of the game, that’s spectacular. That’s taking practice to the game. It’s Taco, a true freshman, knowing exactly how to treat that situation.
“A couple of his runs are amazing, his long touchdown run and the way he was able to accomplish things on short yardage. It’s a mix for him. I think he continues to get better within all that. He’s so competitive, so we can do a lot with just that.”
Mellot more than made up for any deficiencies in his passing day by running for 119 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries. He had a scintillating 44-yard touchdown run in the first quarter in which he broke four tackles along the way. He added a 7-yard score in the third quarter and another from the one-yard line in the fourth.
At the end of the day, MSU was able to get placekicker Blake Glessner in position to boot the game-winning field goal with no time remaining to give the Bobcats the win – albeit a nerve-wracking one.
Montana State is on the road again this Saturday when it travels to San Luis Obispo, Calif. to take on the Cal Poly Mustangs at 6.
