2025 Griz Hail Mary

[Prodigal Cat]

The griz have been picked 1st or 2nd in the conference preseason every year since Covid. They've finished in the top 2 once in those 4 seasons and will probably be 2nd this go around. 2023 bought BH and the staff a lot of leeway but you have to bet its more of what the last 4 years have been. It doesn't really matter but it shows the bias they get, Davis and NAU have less questions going into this year but will be picked below the gris.

Even if the Griz are the 3rd or 4th best team in the conference this year they should still be able to finish in the Top 2 due to their ridiculously easy schedule. It all balances out in the long run, a couple years ago I remember they played all the best teams on the road in the same season. Same thing that ended up costing the Bobcats in 2023 when they beat Sac State on the road but then lost at Idaho and UM.

Maybe. I could see them dropping the game @ Sac. That will be a ESPN 2 game and Sac St will want to prove they are FBS caliber on national TV. Then if the Cats can break the 4 game streak of home teams winning they could end up with 2 losses there. They open at home vs Idaho who beat them there last time they played in Wa Griz. Plus the griz always struggle in Pokey. They've only won the last 2 versus ISU by 8 points and that was '23 and '22 (they didn't play last year) and I think the Bengals will be improved over what they were last few seasons. I don't know why but Pokey/ISU is to the Gris what Flagstaff is to the Cats.

I honestly think even with the easy schedule the griz are 8-4 or 9-3 team. The only position group that you can reasonably say is good to elite is the RB room. They have questions at QB, O-line, and lost pretty much every pass catcher from last year. As ??? as they on Offense they are even more unproven on Defense. Not saying they will be bad, I just don't think they are the number 2 team in BSC and are closer to 4th or 5th. Every year since Covid they've been highly ranked based on names coming back. Except for '23 they haven't met expectations. Now they are completely in a rebuild and still highly ranked.

[coloradocat]

The griz have been picked 1st or 2nd in the conference preseason every year since Covid. They've finished in the top 2 once in those 4 seasons and will probably be 2nd this go around. 2023 bought BH and the staff a lot of leeway but you have to bet its more of what the last 4 years have been. It doesn't really matter but it shows the bias they get, Davis and NAU have less questions going into this year but will be picked below the gris.

Even if the Griz are the 3rd or 4th best team in the conference this year they should still be able to finish in the Top 2 due to their ridiculously easy schedule. It all balances out in the long run, a couple years ago I remember they played all the best teams on the road in the same season. Same thing that ended up costing the Bobcats in 2023 when they beat Sac State on the road but then lost at Idaho and UM.

Maybe. I could see them dropping the game @ Sac. That will be a ESPN 2 game and Sac St will want to prove they are FBS caliber on national TV. Then if the Cats can break the 4 game streak of home teams winning they could end up with 2 losses there. They open at home vs Idaho who beat them there last time they played in Wa Griz. Plus the griz always struggle in Pokey. They've only won the last 2 versus ISU by 8 points and that was '23 and '22 (they didn't play last year) and I think the Bengals will be improved over what they were last few seasons. I don't know why but Pokey/ISU is to the Gris what Flagstaff is to the Cats.

I honestly think even with the easy schedule the griz are 8-4 or 9-3 team. The only position group that you can reasonably say is good to elite is the RB room. They have questions at QB, O-line, and lost pretty much every pass catcher from last year. As ??? as they on Offense they are even more unproven on Defense. Not saying they will be bad, I just don't think they are the number 2 team in BSC and are closer to 4th or 5th. Every year since Covid they've been highly ranked based on names coming back. Except for '23 they haven't met expectations. Now they are completely in a rebuild and still highly ranked.

From Sam Herders preview:

Montana’s offense returns its All-American running back, a quarterback who split reps last year, three of its top five offensive linemen, and it adds a 2024 All-Purpose FCS All-American. The Griz lose their top five pass-catchers.
In reps, Montana returns seven players who played 390 or more snaps.

Montana loses its top 10 tacklers and 13 of its top 15 from last fall. In snaps, the Griz lose their top 13 players in reps and return only four of their top 20. Montana added two FCS transfers with All-Conference accolades and an FBS transfer who earned Freshman All-American honors.

On offense they have a big question at QB and the only guy to throw the ball to is transfer Wortham who they hope is a Bergen clone. The returning snap count is even lower than it looks. 390 snaps over 14 games is only 28/game when they ran 68 plays per game. On defense they have even fewer guys with meaningful playing time. I know they have become Transfer U but that's simply a lot of snaps to fill on both sides of the ball. They can't have found that many plug and play guys.

[PortlandCat90]

They will be tough on defense as they return the Big Sky's top leading tackler each year over the past 8 years who will be favored to lead the league in tackles once again.

[coloradocat]

They will be tough on defense as they return the Big Sky's top leading tackler each year over the past 8 years who will be favored to lead the league in tackles once again.

"tackles"

[iaafan]

The griz have been picked 1st or 2nd in the conference preseason every year since Covid. They've finished in the top 2 once in those 4 seasons and will probably be 2nd this go around. 2023 bought BH and the staff a lot of leeway but you have to bet its more of what the last 4 years have been. It doesn't really matter but it shows the bias they get, Davis and NAU have less questions going into this year but will be picked below the gris.

Even if the Griz are the 3rd or 4th best team in the conference this year they should still be able to finish in the Top 2 due to their ridiculously easy schedule. It all balances out in the long run, a couple years ago I remember they played all the best teams on the road in the same season. Same thing that ended up costing the Bobcats in 2023 when they beat Sac State on the road but then lost at Idaho and UM.

Maybe. I could see them dropping the game @ Sac. That will be a ESPN 2 game and Sac St will want to prove they are FBS caliber on national TV. Then if the Cats can break the 4 game streak of home teams winning they could end up with 2 losses there. They open at home vs Idaho who beat them there last time they played in Wa Griz. Plus the griz always struggle in Pokey. They've only won the last 2 versus ISU by 8 points and that was '23 and '22 (they didn't play last year) and I think the Bengals will be improved over what they were last few seasons. I don't know why but Pokey/ISU is to the Gris what Flagstaff is to the Cats.

I honestly think even with the easy schedule the griz are 8-4 or 9-3 team. The only position group that you can reasonably say is good to elite is the RB room. They have questions at QB, O-line, and lost pretty much every pass catcher from last year. As ??? as they on Offense they are even more unproven on Defense. Not saying they will be bad, I just don't think they are the number 2 team in BSC and are closer to 4th or 5th. Every year since Covid they've been highly ranked based on names coming back. Except for '23 they haven't met expectations. Now they are completely in a rebuild and still highly ranked.

From Sam Herders preview:

Montana’s offense returns its All-American running back, a quarterback who split reps last year, three of its top five offensive linemen, and it adds a 2024 All-Purpose FCS All-American. The Griz lose their top five pass-catchers.
In reps, Montana returns seven players who played 390 or more snaps.

Montana loses its top 10 tacklers and 13 of its top 15 from last fall. In snaps, the Griz lose their top 13 players in reps and return only four of their top 20. Montana added two FCS transfers with All-Conference accolades and an FBS transfer who earned Freshman All-American honors.

On offense they have a big question at QB and the only guy to throw the ball to is transfer Wortham who they hope is a Bergen clone. The returning snap count is even lower than it looks. 390 snaps over 14 games is only 28/game when they ran 68 plays per game. On defense they have even fewer guys with meaningful playing time. I know they have become Transfer U but that's simply a lot of snaps to fill on both sides of the ball. They can't have found that many plug and play guys.

Calling them Transfer U implies that they have had success with transfers. That’s debatable. I would say they’re Experiment U.

Are there no teams in the BSC that are improved from last year? UM was fifth last year but they’re expected to be second this year? Are the players they’re bringing in really that good? Has Hauck proven to be good at getting transfers to play well? Is Gillman as good as everyone says? He had some great games against bad defenses but struggled a lot too last year. His performances against Poly and UNC were frankly awful. Is it just a bad OL or is he a little overrated? Something doesn’t add up.

[grizzh8r]

dUMb Football: #OverRTD since 2001

[Prodigal Cat]

The griz have been picked 1st or 2nd in the conference preseason every year since Covid. They've finished in the top 2 once in those 4 seasons and will probably be 2nd this go around. 2023 bought BH and the staff a lot of leeway but you have to bet its more of what the last 4 years have been. It doesn't really matter but it shows the bias they get, Davis and NAU have less questions going into this year but will be picked below the gris.

Even if the Griz are the 3rd or 4th best team in the conference this year they should still be able to finish in the Top 2 due to their ridiculously easy schedule. It all balances out in the long run, a couple years ago I remember they played all the best teams on the road in the same season. Same thing that ended up costing the Bobcats in 2023 when they beat Sac State on the road but then lost at Idaho and UM.

Maybe. I could see them dropping the game @ Sac. That will be a ESPN 2 game and Sac St will want to prove they are FBS caliber on national TV. Then if the Cats can break the 4 game streak of home teams winning they could end up with 2 losses there. They open at home vs Idaho who beat them there last time they played in Wa Griz. Plus the griz always struggle in Pokey. They've only won the last 2 versus ISU by 8 points and that was '23 and '22 (they didn't play last year) and I think the Bengals will be improved over what they were last few seasons. I don't know why but Pokey/ISU is to the Gris what Flagstaff is to the Cats.

I honestly think even with the easy schedule the griz are 8-4 or 9-3 team. The only position group that you can reasonably say is good to elite is the RB room. They have questions at QB, O-line, and lost pretty much every pass catcher from last year. As ??? as they on Offense they are even more unproven on Defense. Not saying they will be bad, I just don't think they are the number 2 team in BSC and are closer to 4th or 5th. Every year since Covid they've been highly ranked based on names coming back. Except for '23 they haven't met expectations. Now they are completely in a rebuild and still highly ranked.

From Sam Herders preview:

Montana’s offense returns its All-American running back, a quarterback who split reps last year, three of its top five offensive linemen, and it adds a 2024 All-Purpose FCS All-American. The Griz lose their top five pass-catchers.
In reps, Montana returns seven players who played 390 or more snaps.

Montana loses its top 10 tacklers and 13 of its top 15 from last fall. In snaps, the Griz lose their top 13 players in reps and return only four of their top 20. Montana added two FCS transfers with All-Conference accolades and an FBS transfer who earned Freshman All-American honors.

On offense they have a big question at QB and the only guy to throw the ball to is transfer Wortham who they hope is a Bergen clone. The returning snap count is even lower than it looks. 390 snaps over 14 games is only 28/game when they ran 68 plays per game. On defense they have even fewer guys with meaningful playing time. I know they have become Transfer U but that's simply a lot of snaps to fill on both sides of the ball. They can't have found that many plug and play guys.

Calling them Transfer U implies that they have had success with transfers. That’s debatable. I would say they’re Experiment U.

Are there no teams in the BSC that are improved from last year? UM was fifth last year but they’re expected to be second this year? Are the players they’re bringing in really that good? Has Hauck proven to be good at getting transfers to play well? Is Gillman as good as everyone says? He had some great games against bad defenses but struggled a lot too last year. His performances against Poly and UNC were frankly awful. Is it just a bad OL or is he a little overrated? Something doesn’t add up.

This is my point. They have been voted 1st or 2nd every year since covid and they have finished there once. And that time is the only time they have been that high since finishing tied for 2nd in 2015. Yet they have more questions than ever and still they will get voted second and start the season in the top 10. They get respect they haven’t earned. NAU and Davis both have less unknowns and Davis was better than them last season. Idaho returns some Line play and Wagner who was their starting QB for most of the year last season. If I was voting:

1.MSU
2.Davis
3.Idaho
4.NAU
5.UM
6.Sac St
7.EWU
8.ISU
9.Weber
10.Poly
11.PSU
12.UNC

[catatac]

I'm saying they lose two before Cat\Griz. 8 regular season home games is ridiculous... but good for them I guess. Maybe lose to UND or ID at home, then at Sac.