Current State of Griz Football

[Grizfan7]

There's too much misinformation out there. This article from today is pretty good.

"Bobby Hauck went sprinting across the field as the final seconds ticked off the clock Saturday at the Kibbie Dome. The Montana football coach began pumping his fist as he neared the Idaho logo at midfield. He was soon met by his players for a raucous celebration in enemy territory.

Center AJ Forbes grabbed Hauck around the rib cage and hoisted him up as more players streamed in. The 16th-ranked Grizzlies had just ascended with a 23-21 victory over No. 3 Idaho, a signature and season-altering win in which they reclaimed the Little Brown Stein in the 89th meeting between the two teams.

Hauck’s fist pumps served a metaphorical purpose of showing the fighting spirit this year’s Griz team has come to identify itself by over the past three games heading into its bye week with a 6-1 record overall and 3-1 mark in Big Sky play.

Those fist pumps also served as a punch back at all the naysayers on the national landscape who declared the Griz dead and dropped them out of their Top 25 ballots after the Sept. 23 loss at Northern Arizona in the fourth week of the season.

The win gives them back-to-back road victories against ranked opponents for the first time since 2000, according to the UM athletic department. The Griz had won at then-No. 20 UC Davis last week for their first road win over a ranked team since 2019.

Their win over Idaho came in front of the first sold-out Kibbie Dome crowd since 2010.

The Griz moved up seven spots to No. 9, one position ahead of Idaho, and were named the FCS national team of the week. [No. 6 in Coaches Poll.]

Underdog or not, the Griz kept belief in themselves.

“I wouldn’t say that anybody in our locker room that we ever consider ourselves an underdog. So, we portrayed it to the media and to whoever thought that we were, but within our own walls, we didn’t think that we were the underdog.”

The Griz now sit second in the Big Sky standings and have four wins over teams currently with a winning record after getting just one such win last year.

Another thing McDowell has excelled with is not turning over the ball through the air. He’s put a couple fumbles on the ground but has not been intercepted in 84 pass attempts this season.

They did put a stop to Idaho running back Anthony Woods in the first test against an elite runner for the Big Sky’s top rushing defense. They limited the conference’s leading rusher to 41 yards on 12 carries after holding him to 31 yards on 12 carries last year in Missoula. Those are his two worst rushing performances in 19 career games.

While they’ve given up the seventh-most yards per game in the Big Sky, they haven’t allowed more than 28 points in a game and rank second in the conference with just 19.3 points given up on average. The defense last year surrendered 22.5 per game.

The Griz added to their FCS-leading interception total by picking off McCoy twice. That gives them 11 through seven games. Eight players have picked off at least one pass, with cornerback Trevin Gradney leading the way with four.

The Griz showed ferocity up front that has defined teams of past years which had pressure that seemed unstoppable at times. They recorded seven sacks of McCoy after totaling just one through their first three conference games.

“We just fight,” McDowell said. “It’s just grit. We just keep going. No matter what happens, we just keep fighting and keep prevailing.”

https://missoulian.com/sports/college/b ... -top-story

[TomCat88]

I see what you're getting at. When I saw him run out onto the field it was a Bluto Blutarsky moment for sure. "Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?" Worked out well for Bluto as the Delta took full control of the homecoming parade and he went on to become a U.S. Senator and ran off with Mandy Peppridge on that day. Bobby's more the Greg Marmalard type tho.

[Grizfan7]

Bobby was obviously fired up with the win. So was the team. The team has proven a lot in the last few games. That doesn't make a season, though, but it makes up for a lot of the weaker first part of the season. Having a starting QB is probably making a big difference, now that one has been chosen. He seems to be gaining confidence too. He's at 61% with a 148 rating and no interceptions. Chambers is 56% and 152 with 1 pick. Mellot is better in stats, but doesn't have many throws. The Cat QB's are doing much better on not having picks this year.

[cats2506]

First let me say that this poser has all the earmarks of a certain narcissistic poster on egris.

That being said, UI was a really good win for them, but it was more about UI and less about great things that UM did. UI started a Fr at center and the 3-3-5 pressure overwhelmed him, they also are currently playing another sub on the OL. Not an excuse, just a fact. I also think that Eck kinda ****** the bed and thought they were gonna cruise through this one.

If I was a gris fan I don't think I would be proclaiming the second coming quite yet, in reality they didn't look dominate at all. The entire second half was hanging on by the skin of their teeth. It pretty much assures them a playoff spot, but hearing them talk about a path to the BSC championship is pretty crazy. They seem to be not realizing that UCD being a "ranked" team is only momentarily.

They still have to get around SAC, which wont be a cake walk with the way SAC's OL and defense are playing right now, as long as the Cats don't beat them up too bad, SAC is probably the favorite against um. They also have PSU which I think should actually be the favorite in their matchup. And don't forget the baby bears have been giving decent teams fits all season, one of these days they are going to get the upset.

even if they make it through all of that they still have to face the big dogs on 11/18

[kwcat]

I see what you're getting at. When I saw him run out onto the field it was a Bluto Blutarsky moment for sure. "Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?" Worked out well for Bluto as the Delta took full control of the homecoming parade and he went on to become a U.S. Senator and ran off with Mandy Peppridge on that day. Bobby's more the Greg Marmalard type tho.

classic!

[Cataholic]

Anybody watching the telecast heard the announcer say “Hauck is running out on the field!” like a WTF is he doing observation. They were clearly noting something that NOBODY in college football does. It par for Bobby - classless and the rules don’t apply to him. To note that event with pure adornment tells me that Gris fan have forgot what it means “to act like you have been there before”.

[wbtfg]

Beating Idaho is now Bobby's Super Bowl.


Sad.

[catatac]

Beating Idaho is now Bobby's Super Bowl.


Sad.

Hahahaha, no doubt.

[tetoncat]

Current State of Griz Football is Montana.

Kudos to them though for going on road and getting wins they had to have after losing to NAU.

[CatBot]

They have played slightly less than 1/2 of 1 game in dominating fashion. That's roughly 26 out of a possible 420 minutes where they've played like they belong in the conversation. The rest of the season, including the final 34 minutes of the Idaho game, have been weak, uninspired, and frankly embarrassing for them.

[MSU01]

Watching the Griz play reminds me a little of MSU's 2021 season in that simply putting the right guy in at QB can make such a huge difference. They've still got some holes but at least they're playing hard and showing the talent they do have unlike that horrendous display in the NAU game.

[Grizfan7]

They have played slightly less than 1/2 of 1 game in dominating fashion. That's roughly 26 out of a possible 420 minutes where they've played like they belong in the conversation. The rest of the season, including the final 34 minutes of the Idaho game, have been weak, uninspired, and frankly embarrassing for them.

The Griz have played well a number of times, other than the first half at Idaho. Are you going to tell us you've watched all of the Griz games? Good teams don't have to be dominating at all times, or even at many times. It's nice to be dominating, but not necessary. The 2d half at Idaho didn't have much offense, but the D was tough and the play was not was weak, not uninspired, and not embarrassing, in the least. Look, below, at what more neutral observers and even Hero Sports said.

Why do you think UM is now in the top 10? Because they are weak, uninspired and embarrassing?

Hero Sports/Herder: "Montana skyrocketed to No. 6. I was critical of Montana’s September performances and dropped the Grizzlies out of my ballot for a couple of weeks. ....

Two things can be true: Montana wasn’t playing like a Top 25 team in September, but the Griz are playing like a Top 10 team now.

Any judgment of how Montana looked last month can be thrown away. This is a different-looking squad that has beaten two straight ranked opponents on the road. I moved them to No. 19 last week after beating UC Davis. Then Saturday saw a win at No. 3 Idaho. The Griz are now getting the defensive pressure they lacked in September, the o-line is playing with more of an edge, and Clifton McDowell has steadied the QB spot and then some by taking the reins as the starter and playing better every week.

At 6-1 overall and back-to-back ranked wins on the road, Montana no doubt deserves to be in the Top 10."

This doesn't mean UM beats the Cats or anyone else, but they don't "stink", they are not the worst Griz team in decades, and they are not "weak, uninspired and embarrassing".

[cats2506]

Yeah, I have watched all your games, they are in the top 10 because they won against the then ranked #3 who will likely finish the season 8-3 and will be on the bubble to be the 8 seed.

um will most likely lose 2 more games and be unseeded in the playoffs.

Do you have any insight that wasn't written by some sports reporter? Do you watch any of these teams and games yourself or do you just go off of what a reporter and the polls are saying today. How come you weren't here 3 weeks ago posting Sam Herder articles when he was saying that UM should not be in anyone's top 25. Was he wrong then and right today, maybe he was right then and wrong today.

I watch about 5 complete FCS games a week, and probably parts of another 7-10 games. I lurk in a lot of message boards, I usually read Sam, and Craigs articles and I listen to 3-5 FCS podcasts a week.

I'm not living in a bubble only watching 1 team play each week and cherry picking sports pages for things that make my preferred team look good. I just enjoy this level of football and its my principal hobby in the fall.

[BelligerentBobcat]

Personally, I’m glad that PR finally made it over here. Good to see you Jack!

[kennethnoisewater]

Griz fans have gotten very defensive about the lack of respect put on them BEFORE the Idaho game. Some seemed flabbergasted that, with a 4-1 record, they were out of some voters' top 25. But that 4-1 record was not good. Their best game was against Utah Tech at that point, and nobody should hang their hat on that. They would have lost to Ferris State on a neutral field, and I don't think that is a hot take. And at NAU, they looked like a team that didn't care. That was awful. Then after what should have been a wake-up-call, they struggle with Idaho State at home. Anybody who thought that was a top 15 performance through five games either wasn't paying attention, wasn't being honest, or didn't know what they were talking about.

Then came the win at UC Davis. That made me think they might be figuring some things out with the new QB. But Davis didn't have their best player, and they sure didn't look like a playoff team. But UM deserves some credit for that. Still, that one game wasn't enough to make me think this was a very good griz team. It was a pretty good win, but again, an honest look doesn't tell you that Davis is very good. Then they won by 1 at Weber, but Weber, after a good start to the season, looks like one of the worst teams in the conference. So you'll forgive FCS fans in general for not being overly impressed with what the griz had done to that point in the season.

But Saturday night was a nice win. I actually put a few bucks on the griz to win outright. They did seem like an improving team, and the "quit" I saw in them in Flagstaff seemed to be gone. Bobby's going to get his guys fired up. The offense was good in the first half, but gained 49 yards in the second half. The defense was salty as usual and they got lots of pressure against a banged up offensive line. But the griz have that fight in them, and they'll be in every game they play as long as they have that. That grit is underrated IMO, and it's what it takes to have a good defense.

We'll just see if they have what it takes to play a full game. They might, but they haven't done it yet. Still, 6-1 is MOSTLY getting it done one way or another. Yes, they looked bad in 3 of those wins, but they look like a different team now. They have a bye and then host UNCU, so they should have no problem getting to 7-1. If they can get to Cat-griz at 9-1, this will be quite a turnaround.

[The Butcher]

An intriguing statistical observation lies in the conference play point differential, with the grizzlies boasting a margin of 96 points scored and 92 points conceded. In contrast, the Cats have a remarkable point differential of 137 scored and 41 conceded. It's worth noting that the two teams won't encounter any common in-conference opponents until November.

In assessing the Cats' performance within the conference, my following thoughts: Weber has performed below expectations, PSU has exceeded expectations, and Cal Poly's performance aligns with initial expectations, although their quarterback demonstrates notable proficiency.

[RickRund]

An intriguing statistical observation lies in the conference play point differential, with the grizzlies boasting a margin of 96 points scored and 92 points conceded. In contrast, the Cats have a remarkable point differential of 137 scored and 41 conceded. It's worth noting that the two teams won't encounter any common in-conference opponents until November.

In assessing the Cats' performance within the conference, my following thoughts: Weber has performed below expectations, PSU has exceeded expectations, and Cal Poly's performance aligns with initial expectations, although their quarterback demonstrates notable proficiency.

Last time I looked, the CATS were +40 and the gris were +8 for PF/PA. Think the CATS have given up 102 points. That is just from memory...

[Grizfan7]

An intriguing statistical observation lies in the conference play point differential, with the grizzlies boasting a margin of 96 points scored and 92 points conceded. In contrast, the Cats have a remarkable point differential of 137 scored and 41 conceded. It's worth noting that the two teams won't encounter any common in-conference opponents until November.

In assessing the Cats' performance within the conference, my following thoughts: Weber has performed below expectations, PSU has exceeded expectations, and Cal Poly's performance aligns with initial expectations, although their quarterback demonstrates notable proficiency.

So, you think this stat is significant? UM has beaten two ranked conference teams on the road, and the Cats have yet to play a conference team with a winning record.

[Grizfan7]

Griz fans have gotten very defensive about the lack of respect put on them BEFORE the Idaho game. Some seemed flabbergasted that, with a 4-1 record, they were out of some voters' top 25. But that 4-1 record was not good. Their best game was against Utah Tech at that point, and nobody should hang their hat on that. They would have lost to Ferris State on a neutral field, and I don't think that is a hot take. And at NAU, they looked like a team that didn't care. That was awful. Then after what should have been a wake-up-call, they struggle with Idaho State at home. Anybody who thought that was a top 15 performance through five games either wasn't paying attention, wasn't being honest, or didn't know what they were talking about.

Then came the win at UC Davis. That made me think they might be figuring some things out with the new QB. But Davis didn't have their best player, and they sure didn't look like a playoff team. But UM deserves some credit for that. Still, that one game wasn't enough to make me think this was a very good griz team. It was a pretty good win, but again, an honest look doesn't tell you that Davis is very good. Then they won by 1 at Weber, but Weber, after a good start to the season, looks like one of the worst teams in the conference. So you'll forgive FCS fans in general for not being overly impressed with what the griz had done to that point in the season.

But Saturday night was a nice win. I actually put a few bucks on the griz to win outright. They did seem like an improving team, and the "quit" I saw in them in Flagstaff seemed to be gone. Bobby's going to get his guys fired up. The offense was good in the first half, but gained 49 yards in the second half. The defense was salty as usual and they got lots of pressure against a banged up offensive line. But the griz have that fight in them, and they'll be in every game they play as long as they have that. That grit is underrated IMO, and it's what it takes to have a good defense.

We'll just see if they have what it takes to play a full game. They might, but they haven't done it yet. Still, 6-1 is MOSTLY getting it done one way or another. Yes, they looked bad in 3 of those wins, but they look like a different team now. They have a bye and then host UNCU, so they should have no problem getting to 7-1. If they can get to Cat-griz at 9-1, this will be quite a turnaround.

The best toughest opponents prior to the Idaho game were Davis (then ranked) and Ferris (some observers said after the U game that Ferris would be a top 25 FCS team). Colter N. said this: "Ferris State would win every league in the FCS besides the MVFC and the Big Sky, [...] they would contend for the league title in the Big Sky". Ferris got beat last weekend by now no. 2 Utah Valley St. In any event, Utah Tech sure wasn't the best team UM had played.

[justafan]

Griz fans have gotten very defensive about the lack of respect put on them BEFORE the Idaho game. Some seemed flabbergasted that, with a 4-1 record, they were out of some voters' top 25. But that 4-1 record was not good. Their best game was against Utah Tech at that point, and nobody should hang their hat on that. They would have lost to Ferris State on a neutral field, and I don't think that is a hot take. And at NAU, they looked like a team that didn't care. That was awful. Then after what should have been a wake-up-call, they struggle with Idaho State at home. Anybody who thought that was a top 15 performance through five games either wasn't paying attention, wasn't being honest, or didn't know what they were talking about.

Then came the win at UC Davis. That made me think they might be figuring some things out with the new QB. But Davis didn't have their best player, and they sure didn't look like a playoff team. But UM deserves some credit for that. Still, that one game wasn't enough to make me think this was a very good griz team. It was a pretty good win, but again, an honest look doesn't tell you that Davis is very good. Then they won by 1 at Weber, but Weber, after a good start to the season, looks like one of the worst teams in the conference. So you'll forgive FCS fans in general for not being overly impressed with what the griz had done to that point in the season.

But Saturday night was a nice win. I actually put a few bucks on the griz to win outright. They did seem like an improving team, and the "quit" I saw in them in Flagstaff seemed to be gone. Bobby's going to get his guys fired up. The offense was good in the first half, but gained 49 yards in the second half. The defense was salty as usual and they got lots of pressure against a banged up offensive line. But the griz have that fight in them, and they'll be in every game they play as long as they have that. That grit is underrated IMO, and it's what it takes to have a good defense.

We'll just see if they have what it takes to play a full game. They might, but they haven't done it yet. Still, 6-1 is MOSTLY getting it done one way or another. Yes, they looked bad in 3 of those wins, but they look like a different team now. They have a bye and then host UNCU, so they should have no problem getting to 7-1. If they can get to Cat-griz at 9-1, this will be quite a turnaround.

The best toughest opponents prior to the Idaho game were Davis (then ranked) and Ferris (some observers said after the U game that Ferris would be a top 25 FCS team). Colter N. said this: "Ferris State would win every league in the FCS besides the MVFC and the Big Sky, [...] they would contend for the league title in the Big Sky". Ferris got beat last weekend by now no. 2 Utah Valley St. In any event, Utah Tech sure wasn't the best team UM had played.

they did not get beat by utah valley state.