The narrative surrounding the Montana State Bobcats is that MSU has nothing left to play for this football season. But the Montana State coaching staff maintains a glimmer of hope that MSU could still at least become a candidate for the FCS playoffs given a strong finish.
“We have to think that,” said MSU head coach Rob Ash, who has led MSU to playoff berths in four of the last five seasons, advancing to the quarterfinals in 2011 and 2012. “That has to be something to hang on to. Southern Utah (MSU’s opponent on Saturday) is at the top of the league right now. That’s a signature win right now if you can get that done. The other games are big games too. You figure you have three more games, we have four wins now, we can get to seven and let the committee decide. We are going to hang on to that hope for sure.”
MSU OC Tim Cramsey motivates Bobcat defenders vs. UND
Montana State enters Saturday’s matchup with surging Southern Utah with a 4-4 record, including 3-4 against Division I opponents and 2-3 in Big Sky Conference play. If MSU can earn wins over SUU, at Idaho State and at home against rival Montana, the Bobcats would have a 7-4 record but just six Division I wins. Before the playoffs expanded to 24 teams, the baseline for eligibility was seven D-I wins, a standard that has become more flexible with the addition of eight teams to the playoff field.
“We have to find a way to win these last three games and put it in the committee’s hands at 7-4 even if its only six Division I wins,” MSU third-year offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey said. “The other thing we have to play for is the love of playing football. We have to play for each other and for the seniors.”
Montana State has 17 seniors on its roster. The group is made up of 11 players from Montana, including starting offensive linemen John Weidenaar, Kyle Godecke and Joel Horn that have played as a unit for the better part of three seasons. The group also includes transfers like tight end Beau Sandland, wide receiver Mitch Griebel, quarterback turned wide receiver Tanner Roderick, cornerback Bryson Keeton and safety Desman Carter. Former walk-ons like wide receiver Manny Kalfell and Robert Walsh and the sons of MSU Hall of Famers like punter Trevor Bolton (son of Pat Bolton) and cornerback Trace Timmer (son of Kurt Timmer) are also Bobcats playing their final seasons.
Following MSU’s 44-38 loss at the University of North Dakota last Saturday, emotions were high. The Bobcats knew that a playoff berth was a long shot at best. The Big Sky title many predicted MSU would win in the preseason polls was no longer in the cards. Ash said Sunday was an hard day of realization and refocus. Griebel said he believes in his teammates fully and embraces the upcoming three weeks.
MSU wide receiver Mitch Griebel runs after a catch vs. UND
“My job is to keep this team together and that’s all the captains’ jobs,” the captain and former Air Force transfer siad. “I think we’ve done a good job of that this whole year. Nothing is going to change for us. We are still a family. Yeah, this season might not have gone the way we wanted it to but that’s not going to separate us. We are still a family. We’ve been through thick and thin together since Day 1 so we still love each other. Nothing is going to change that.”
During Tuesday’s snowy practice at Bobcat Stadium, the Bobcats appeared loose. It seemed the weight of preseason expectations had been lifted as smiles far outweighed anything else. Earlier on Tuesday, it’s what Ash said he wanted out of his players.
“We have to go out there and start enjoying the game,” Ash said during Tuesday’s weekly meeting with the media. “You start talking about extra effort, extra motivation and then you start feeling like you are grinding and that’s not how we want to feel. We want to play sound and get better but we have to play fast and excited because we are enjoying the game.
“We have great guys. The guys get out there and play. They respect the game. They know that winning is fun and winning takes work and they will be motivated to do that.”
This season’s struggles have centered upon a defense that has struggled to find any footing on the road. MSU is giving up almost 52 points per game on the road this season and the Bobcats’ road losing streak has reached six straight dating back to last season.
Since a 5-0 start to begin Big Sky play in 2013, Montana State has posted a 10-12 record against Division I opponents. The 10 wins have come against opponents with a combined record of 32-58. MSU has defeated just three teams with winning records over the last three seasons.
MSU quarterback Dakota Prukop evades the pocket vs. UND
The recent mediocrity comes on the heels of a stretch that saw MSU win three straight Big Sky titles between 2010 and 2012. During that period, MSU posted a 30-8 record, including a 21-3 mark in league play. MSU defeated Eastern Washington on the road in 2011 and won in Missoula over rival Montana in 2010 and 2012.
The slide from the top over the last two-plus seasons has caused for rumblings to come to the forefront about Ash’s future at Montana State. The 35-year head coaching veteran signed a three-year contract in August. Although he certainly admits that this season has been a trying one, he said he is not worried about his job status. He’s just worried about finishing this season strong.
“The only pressure I’m feeling is I want these guys to enjoy the game again and we will enjoy the game when we play better and we win,” Ash said. “I want to see those guys smile again. I want to see my team after the game after a win smiling. That’s my definition of fun and that’s the only pressure I feel: to just somehow make this happen for these guys.”
Photos by Brooks Nuanez. All Rights Reserved.
