The Bobcat Nation

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2014 Montana Grizzly Football Schedule
DATE OPPONENT
Aug. 30 at Wyoming
Sept. 6 Central Washington
Sept. 13 South Dakota
Sept. 20 at North Dakota State
Sept. 27 Northern Colorado* (Homecoming)
Oct. 4 at North Dakota*
Oct. 11 Open
Oct. 18 UC Davis* (Pink Game)
Oct. 25 at Cal Poly*
Nov. 1 Sacramento State* (Military Appreciation Day)
Nov. 8 at Eastern Washington*
Nov. 15 at Southern Utah*
Nov. 22 Montana State* (114th meeting)

Really solid schedule overall and should be a good test for them. Two trips to North Dakota in three weeks could be difficult.

Road sked is nasty. Wyoming, NDSU, EWU, Poly, So. Utah.
SoDak, MSU and SSU at home.

Gotta say, after seeing the Grizzly schedule, ours is looking pretty nice. They go on the road to NDSU, EWU, SUU, and Cal Poly. Wow.

don't forget Wyoming too.

I predict 1 and 4 in those five away games. Could be 0 and 5, perhaps 2-3... but that would be a huge accomplishment.

It'll be a good test. They lost four OL/TE starters on offense and they aren't deep there. They lose six starters on D. So just 12 returning starters on a team that scraped by. They also don't their big Revenge Tour deal to rally around. I could see the offense being as good as last year, but not the defense. The talent pool has dwindled since Hauck left.

If they had to play the 2013 versions of those teams, its a very tough schedule. Will those teams be as good next year? EWU probably will, but I'm not so sure about the rest. Maybe.

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No worries.........don't forget.........the jizz are invincible! Coach "D" is righting the ship as we speak.
I predict nothing less than an undefeated season and a NC!

91catAlum wrote:If they had to play the 2013 versions of those teams, its a very tough schedule. Will those teams be as good next year? EWU probably will, but I'm not so sure about the rest. Maybe.

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Wyoming - better with Bohl there.
NDSU - worse in 2014, but still too good for UM, especially in the Fargodome.
Cal Poly - as good or better than in 2013.
EWU - Better in 2014.
SUU - Not sure but probably as good or better.

catatac wrote:

91catAlum wrote:If they had to play the 2013 versions of those teams, its a very tough schedule. Will those teams be as good next year? EWU probably will, but I'm not so sure about the rest. Maybe.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2

Wyoming - better with Bohl there.
NDSU - worse in 2014, but still too good for UM, especially in the Fargodome.
Cal Poly - as good or better than in 2013.
EWU - Better in 2014.
SUU - Not sure but probably as good or better.

I think NDSU graduates 24 seniors, along with the coaching change....I think they'll still be good next year, but not head and shoulders above the rest of the subdivision.

The new Weber coach has taken several assistant coaches from SUU...how will it affect them?

I agree with you, except maybe SUU. Not sure about them.

catbooster wrote:

catatac wrote:

91catAlum wrote:If they had to play the 2013 versions of those teams, its a very tough schedule. Will those teams be as good next year? EWU probably will, but I'm not so sure about the rest. Maybe.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2

Wyoming - better with Bohl there.
NDSU - worse in 2014, but still too good for UM, especially in the Fargodome.
Cal Poly - as good or better than in 2013.
EWU - Better in 2014.
SUU - Not sure but probably as good or better.

I think NDSU graduates 24 seniors, along with the coaching change....I think they'll still be good next year, but not head and shoulders above the rest of the subdivision.

The new Weber coach has taken several assistant coaches from SUU...how will it affect them?

I agree with you, except maybe SUU. Not sure about them.

Those teams may be losing players, but so is UM. They only return 12 starters and of those 10 guys they lost most were very good. Tripp, Coyle, KistlerPierson, Kanongata'a, Poehls, Oiland, Bieneman, and Goodwin. I don't see them replacing all those 9 players with guys with equal or greater ability.

[cat_bracket] wrote:

catbooster wrote:

catatac wrote:

91catAlum wrote:If they had to play the 2013 versions of those teams, its a very tough schedule. Will those teams be as good next year? EWU probably will, but I'm not so sure about the rest. Maybe.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2

Wyoming - better with Bohl there.
NDSU - worse in 2014, but still too good for UM, especially in the Fargodome.
Cal Poly - as good or better than in 2013.
EWU - Better in 2014.
SUU - Not sure but probably as good or better.

I think NDSU graduates 24 seniors, along with the coaching change....I think they'll still be good next year, but not head and shoulders above the rest of the subdivision.

The new Weber coach has taken several assistant coaches from SUU...how will it affect them?

I agree with you, except maybe SUU. Not sure about them.

Those teams may be losing players, but so is UM. They only return 12 starters and of those 10 guys they lost most were very good. Tripp, Coyle, KistlerPierson, Kanongata'a, Poehls, Oiland, Bieneman, and Goodwin. I don't see them replacing all those 9 players with guys with equal or greater ability.

Yea, the gritz have never been able to replace good players once they graduate.

allcat wrote:

[cat_bracket] wrote:

catbooster wrote:

catatac wrote:

91catAlum wrote:If they had to play the 2013 versions of those teams, its a very tough schedule. Will those teams be as good next year? EWU probably will, but I'm not so sure about the rest. Maybe.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2

Wyoming - better with Bohl there.
NDSU - worse in 2014, but still too good for UM, especially in the Fargodome.
Cal Poly - as good or better than in 2013.
EWU - Better in 2014.
SUU - Not sure but probably as good or better.

I think NDSU graduates 24 seniors, along with the coaching change....I think they'll still be good next year, but not head and shoulders above the rest of the subdivision.

The new Weber coach has taken several assistant coaches from SUU...how will it affect them?

I agree with you, except maybe SUU. Not sure about them.

Those teams may be losing players, but so is UM. They only return 12 starters and of those 10 guys they lost most were very good. Tripp, Coyle, KistlerPierson, Kanongata'a, Poehls, Oiland, Bieneman, and Goodwin. I don't see them replacing all those 9 players with guys with equal or greater ability.

Yea, the gritz have never been able to replace good players once they graduate.

I agree. I think it's a bit premature to be predicting that' they'll be down again next season. How many of us thought they'd go 10-2 this year, coming off their worst season in 27 years in 2012? Although, that record was probably a bit misleading, because I think they were the most overrated 10-2 team in the country. But they always seem to have talent in the pipeline, and I'll be surprised if they're not a playoff team in 2014, despite having a very challenging schedule.

They were right this year when they said Jordan Johnson was good for 4-5 wins. I believe if he stays healthy, he will win 4-5 games for the Griz, that they might not with any of their other quarterbacks.

rollo_tumasi wrote:They were right this year when they said Jordan Johnson was good for 4-5 wins. I believe if he stays healthy, he will win 4-5 games for the Griz, that they might not with any of their other quarterbacks.

There's just one problem with that. JJ didn't win the USD, Poly games. They're 8-4 without the blocked FG and KO return.

allcat wrote:

[cat_bracket] wrote:

catbooster wrote:

catatac wrote:

91catAlum wrote:If they had to play the 2013 versions of those teams, its a very tough schedule. Will those teams be as good next year? EWU probably will, but I'm not so sure about the rest. Maybe.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2

Wyoming - better with Bohl there.
NDSU - worse in 2014, but still too good for UM, especially in the Fargodome.
Cal Poly - as good or better than in 2013.
EWU - Better in 2014.
SUU - Not sure but probably as good or better.

I think NDSU graduates 24 seniors, along with the coaching change....I think they'll still be good next year, but not head and shoulders above the rest of the subdivision.

The new Weber coach has taken several assistant coaches from SUU...how will it affect them?

I agree with you, except maybe SUU. Not sure about them.

Those teams may be losing players, but so is UM. They only return 12 starters and of those 10 guys they lost most were very good. Tripp, Coyle, KistlerPierson, Kanongata'a, Poehls, Oiland, Bieneman, and Goodwin. I don't see them replacing all those 9 players with guys with equal or greater ability.

Yea, the gritz have never been able to replace good players once they graduate.

Then why didn't they do that in 2010 and 2012 when they had a combined 12-11 record and missed the playoffs both years?

John K wrote:

allcat wrote:

[cat_bracket] wrote:

catbooster wrote:

catatac wrote:

91catAlum wrote:If they had to play the 2013 versions of those teams, its a very tough schedule. Will those teams be as good next year? EWU probably will, but I'm not so sure about the rest. Maybe.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2

Wyoming - better with Bohl there.
NDSU - worse in 2014, but still too good for UM, especially in the Fargodome.
Cal Poly - as good or better than in 2013.
EWU - Better in 2014.
SUU - Not sure but probably as good or better.

I think NDSU graduates 24 seniors, along with the coaching change....I think they'll still be good next year, but not head and shoulders above the rest of the subdivision.

The new Weber coach has taken several assistant coaches from SUU...how will it affect them?

I agree with you, except maybe SUU. Not sure about them.

Those teams may be losing players, but so is UM. They only return 12 starters and of those 10 guys they lost most were very good. Tripp, Coyle, KistlerPierson, Kanongata'a, Poehls, Oiland, Bieneman, and Goodwin. I don't see them replacing all those 9 players with guys with equal or greater ability.

Yea, the gritz have never been able to replace good players once they graduate.

I agree. I think it's a bit premature to be predicting that' they'll be down again next season. How many of us thought they'd go 10-2 this year, coming off their worst season in 27 years in 2012? Although, that record was probably a bit misleading, because I think they were the most overrated 10-2 team in the country. But they always seem to have talent in the pipeline, and I'll be surprised if they're not a playoff team in 2014, despite having a very challenging schedule.

I thought the grizz would make the playoffs and lose out in the second round except I thought it would be on the road not at home.

Of the nine I listed 8 were either first or second team in the 13 team BSC. EWU had six seniors on first/second teams. NAU had four. So. Utah had two. MSU had two.

[cat_bracket] wrote:

allcat wrote:

[cat_bracket] wrote:

catbooster wrote:

catatac wrote:

91catAlum wrote:If they had to play the 2013 versions of those teams, its a very tough schedule. Will those teams be as good next year? EWU probably will, but I'm not so sure about the rest. Maybe.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2

Wyoming - better with Bohl there.
NDSU - worse in 2014, but still too good for UM, especially in the Fargodome.
Cal Poly - as good or better than in 2013.
EWU - Better in 2014.
SUU - Not sure but probably as good or better.

I think NDSU graduates 24 seniors, along with the coaching change....I think they'll still be good next year, but not head and shoulders above the rest of the subdivision.

The new Weber coach has taken several assistant coaches from SUU...how will it affect them?

I agree with you, except maybe SUU. Not sure about them.

Those teams may be losing players, but so is UM. They only return 12 starters and of those 10 guys they lost most were very good. Tripp, Coyle, KistlerPierson, Kanongata'a, Poehls, Oiland, Bieneman, and Goodwin. I don't see them replacing all those 9 players with guys with equal or greater ability.

Yea, the gritz have never been able to replace good players once they graduate.

Then why didn't they do that in 2010 and 2012 when they had a combined 12-11 record and missed the playoffs both years?

Actually they were a combined 12-10 in 2010/2012. I would argue that there wasn't that much difference in their overall talent in 2010, 2012, and 2013. The difference in their records in those three seasons was primarily due to getting a few breaks this past season, that they didn't get in 2010 and 2012. They were very fortunate to win the CP, Sac, and USD games this year. All three of those could have easily gone the other way, which would have left them at 7-5 and watching the playoffs on TV with us. By the same token, they lost several very close games in 2010 and 2012, and weren't that far away from being 8-3 or 9-2 those years. I suppose you could say the same thing for most teams, but it seems like they've had more than their share of those sorts of games the past few years. I don't think they were as good as their 10-2 record would indicate this past season, but I also think they were better than indicated by their 7-4/5-6 records of 2010/2012. And while I wouldn't necessarily say that JJ is worth 4-5 additional wins per season, there's no doubt that his return was also a significant factor in their improvement from 2012 to 2013. Their QB play was pretty brutal last season.

Their talent has been getting eroded by EWU and MSU's success and their own off field problems, which begin to get enhanced right now by probation and scholarship reduction. The players they have replacing the aforementioned don't look promising and they aren't returning much after JJ, Henderson, Canada, Wagenmann, Hermanson and Takai. Even a coue of those are questionable IMO.