Update on the team headed into 2015

[Colter_Nuanez]

Here’s an update on various things around the Montana State program heading into the holiday week. As a reminder, now that the season is over, I will be referring to each player based on what their class is for next football season.

— Third-year sophomore safety Khari Garcia had shoulder surgery and is expected to miss spring ball.
— Curtis Amos, a heralded recruit who played defensive end in fall camp but tight end on the scout team, had knee surgery that will likely keep him out of his first spring drills.
— Senior scout team quarterback Bobby Crane did not meet academic qualifications and will not return to Montana State.
— Senior defensive end Odin Coe has left the program to join the Navy.
— Linebacker Toti Moeakiola sat out his redshirt year with an undisclosed injury. It’s unknown if he will return for spring ball.
— Sophomore cornerback Jaylen Price is healthy after missing the 2014 campaign with a torn labrum.
— Senior running back Brandon Davis, a former Louisiana Tech transfer, will return after a second straight season-ending knee surgery.
— Sophomore linebacker Blake Braun missed 2014 due to shoulder surgery. The Redlands East Valley product is expected to start at Sam with the departure of Cole Moore.
— Sophomore offensive guard Andrew Alt, a walk-on from Roundup, has transferred to Dickenson State.
— MSU’s coaches are weighing heavily the option of moving 6-4, 245-pound wide receiver Connor Sullivan, a freshman from Ennis who redshirted last season, to tight end.

Be on alert for possible defection

Redshirt freshman kicker Trevan Thompson is now behind sophomore Luke Daly on all the kicking depth charts. We’ll see if the Helena product sticks around.

Sophomore safety Kellen Kollmorgen, a walk-on from Waukee, Iowa, suffered a season-ending shoulder injury and had surgery last fall. That combined with the fact that his closes teammates and roommates quarterback Quinn McQueary (transfer to Montana Tech) as well as senior linebacker Alex Singleton are no long with the team brings his status into question.

Punter Matt Stewart was brought in to challenge for a starting job right away. He lost out to Trevor Bolton and Jake Bleskin and redshirted. He was highly touted out of high school.

Senior cornerback Trace Timmer has been a backup for the last two years and hasn’t gotten much of a chance despite the noticeable struggles of the guys in front of him. It will be interesting to see if Timmer can put up with the politics and is willing to give a fifth year to the program to play special teams.

Maybes for spring

Junior wide receiver Manny Kalefell is coming off a season-ending knee injury.

Junior linebacker Wyatt Christensen had a second straight season ended by knee surgery.

Redshirt freshman cornerback Braelen Evans was in and out of the scout team lineup this season with undisclosed ailments.

Junior defensive end Robert Wilcox has suffered torn knee ligaments for two straight years since transferring from Grambling State.

Should be good to go for spring drills

Senior CB Bryson Keeton

Junior QB Dakota Prukop

Senior TE Beau Sandland

Senior QB Jake Bleskin

Senior WR Tanner Roderick

Senior WR Mitch Griebel

Junior TE Austin Barth

Junior RB Chad Newell

Sophomore WR Jayshawn Gates

Sophomore RB Nick LaSane

Sophomore CB Bryce Alley

Junior RB Gunnar Brekke

Redshirt freshman RB Tavon Dodd

Senior K/P Trevor Bolton

Redshirt freshman SS Demonte King

Redshirt freshman RB Noah James

Redshirt freshman LB Blake Sylvester

Redshirt freshman LB Grant Collins

Senior LB Joey Michaels

Redshirt freshman LB Koni Dole

Sophomore K Luke Daly

Redshirt freshman TE Gabe Strong

Redshirt freshman LB John Carter Gonzalez

Sophomore LB Mac Bignell

Senior DT Nate Bignell

Senior LB Robert Walsh

Sophomore DT Monte Folsom

Senior LT John Weidenaar

Sophomore LS Rocky Hogue

Junior LB Fletcher Collins

Sophomore LT Dylan Mahoney

Redshirt freshman C Austin Oldenburger

Sophomore DT Matt Brownlow

Senior OG Kyle Godecke

Redshirt freshman OG Joey Marinello

Junior C Doug Hanson

Junior OG Dillon Fraley

Redshirt freshman DE Daniel Fowlie

Senior C Joel Horn

Senior RT Alex Eekhoff

Redshirt freshman OL Elijah Klein

Sophomore RT Caleb Gillis

Redshirt freshman LT Wade Webster

Junior OG JP Flynn

Redshirt freshman DL Zach Wright

Sophomore WR Jacob Stanton

Sophomore WR Mitchell Herbert

Redshirt freshman WR Hunter Mahlum

Junior WR Will Krolick

Sophomore WR Justin Paige

Redshirt freshman WR John D’Agostino

Redshirt freshman TE Wilson Brott

Senior DT Taylor Sheridan

Redshirt freshman DT Tucker Yates

Sophomore DE Devin Jeffries

Junior DE Zach Hutchins

Junior DT Connor Thomas

Sophomore DL Tyrone Fa’anono.

[msu_agfan]

I read it a few times, not seeing Prukop?

[catatac]

I read it a few times, not seeing Prukop?

LOL... well that would certainly suck!

[catatac]

Thanks Colter, good info. this is a good looking group of LB's. I know they're not all guaranteed to be back but nobody is ruled out. That can be a pretty mean looking group. I'll anxiously await your 2-deep predictions at some point.

Blake Sylvester
Grant Collins
Joey Michaels
Koni Dole
Blake Braun
Wyatt Christensen
Toti Moeakiola
John Carter Gonzalez
Mac Bignell
Robert Walsh
Fletcher Collins

[4thecats]

Any word on the TE transfer from Miami? Is he still interested in playing football, and if so, is he going to try spring ball or wait till the fall?

[Bozcat003]

Any word on the TE transfer from Miami? Is he still interested in playing football, and if so, is he going to try spring ball or wait till the fall?

Everything I've heard is that he is still on the team, and was working with the scout team this past season. Should start and will play in spring ball.

[Grandmaster Cat]

Thanks for the info, Colter. Hopefully we can make it through spring ball relatively unscathed this year...
Just a couple questions on class years:
Isn't Blake Bruan going to be redshirt sophomore? I thought he played as a true freshman in 2013 and then redshirted this year.
Pretty sure Bryson Keeton is going to be senior? I could be wrong on that one though

[mslacatfan]

any word on Prevost's status? Man I hope he can qualify and join the team, he would be a HUGE addition.

[CatsandCanesNation]

I believe keeton will be a SR. Also surprised that blake Braun didn't get a medical redshirt? Be nice if he was a RS soph instead of a JR

[bobcat99]

Any word on the TE transfer from Miami? Is he still interested in playing football, and if so, is he going to try spring ball or wait till the fall?

Word from the players is that he's a beast and will do quite well. Better than Tia.

[DicTater]

I believe keeton will be a SR. Also surprised that blake Braun didn't get a medical redshirt? Be nice if he was a RS soph instead of a JR

Braun will actually be a RS Soph. He played in 2013 as a true Freshman and redshirted in 2014 with his surgery.

[VimSince03]

Braun or Christiansen can ask (or apply) for a medical redshirt really any year until their senior year. Ronnie Hamlin applied for one last year when he was a senior and got it. Remember, it isn't just a given that you get a medical redshirt. But both of those two have very solid cases.

[DicTater]

Braun or Christiansen can ask (or apply) for a medical redshirt really any year until their senior year. Ronnie Hamlin applied for one last year when he was a senior and got it. Remember, it isn't just a given that you get a medical redshirt. But both of those two have very solid cases.

As of now, Braun really doesn't have a case for a medical redshirt because he only missed one year, which would be his redshirt year to injury. Assuming he stays healthy, he still will be able to play 4 years within 5, which means no medical redshirt, or 6th year. Christiansen, however, has a better case. He and Braun came in together. Both played as true freshmen, but Christiansen's season was cut short by his first knee injury. He was able to come back his soph year and play, but got hurt again very early in the season. But, he still hasn't redshirted, so unless he gets injured again and is forced to use his redshirt, he will still be able to play 4 years in 5. therefore, as of now, he would be unlikely to get a 6th year.

[Colter_Nuanez]

Braun is a sophomore. Christensen is a junior. Bryson Keeton is a senior. Beau Sandland practiced with the scout team all season and will be a big part of the offense next season.

And yes, Dakota Prukop is still on the team.

Sorry for the mistakes.

[wbtfg]

Whew.....for a second there i was worried Dakota was transferring to TCU

[HelenaCat95]

Whew.....for a second there i was worried Dakota was transferring to TCU

[spring creek cat]

Haha, wow colter how dare you miss a small bit of info!! Thanks for the great info, I absolutely love the work you do for us fans.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[catatac]

Whew.....for a second there i was worried Dakota was transferring to TCU

LOL

[FTG247365]

I wish they would give Connor Sullivan a shot at DE, he has the size and speed, I know he is more of a offensive type guy, but might be worth trying.

[MeerKat]

I know Connor Sullivan personally. Just talked to him on Thursday night at the Ennis vs. Twin Bridges game he's not 245, hes still 225. He really wishes bobcat nation would get it right.