Another nice article on Lulay
Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 8:53 am
Lulay's grit shines through with latest Bobcat rally
By SCOTT MANSCH
Asst. Sports Editor
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The Montana State Bobcats are atop the Big Sky Conference these days because Travis Lulay doesn't mind being at the bottom.
Of the pile.
The Bobcats won at Weber State 27-24 last week as Jeff Hastings kicked a 39-yard field goal on the final play of the game and Lulay rushed for a career-high 142 yards. The most important yard of that total came on 4th-and-goal from the Weber 1-yard line with about five minutes left when Lulay scored on a QB sneak.
For about 15 seconds no one knew that he was in there, for Lulay was engulfed by Weber State defenders and officials trying to sort it all out.
"I knew I was in," said Lulay Tuesday afternoon. "I was laying across the goal line, holding the ball as tight as I could."
And what was it like down there?
"A lot of pulling and kicking," Lulay said with a laugh. "There were people I couldn't even see grabbing my feet and pulling me back and I was kicking."
What else?
"Some of the stuff that goes on down there just isn't talked about," Lulay said with another chuckle.
The Bobcats, 2-0 in the conference and 4-2 overall, are ranked ninth this week among NCAA I-AA teams by The Sports Network. A victory Saturday night at Portland State (1-1, 3-3) would truly make the Bobcats a conversation piece among Big Sky fans.
For that to happen, Lulay said, the Cats have to clean things up. Although he's led second-half comebacks 10 times in his amazing MSU career, including last year in a memorable overtime triumph over Portland State in Bozeman, Lulay said his team can't continue to make a living playing from behind.
"We made a lot of mistakes last week," Lulay said of the Weber game. "Had some sloppy play. The crucial penalties are really hurting us and they have to be corrected."
For a team to overcome three penalties — all Lulay interceptions — and more than 100 yards in penalties says something about its collective will to win. And now, with a top-10 ranking for the first time since the I-AA championship season of 1984, the Bobcats hope to play up to their national reputation.
Said Lulay: "We've got to play a lot better."
And that shouldn't surprise anyone. Although the senior from Aumsville, Ore., which is about an hour from downtown Portland, has provided many highlights for Bobcat fans in his career, he isn't satisfied. And that might be the best quality for the tough QB with the strong arm and sweet feet.
"What I like most about Travis is he gets better every year," said Portland State head coach Tim Walsh.
Did you say like most about Travis?
"I guarantee you it's fun to coach against him," Walsh said. "Because if he doesn't bring out your competitive nature you shouldn't be in the business. You'd better compete against the guy. Because if you don't, he's going to eat you alive."
Lulay, who has 10,635 yards of career total offense and is about 1,650 yards away from the Big Sky Conference record held by former Weber State star Jamie Martin, has risked life and limb in recent weeks on numerable quarterback draws and scrambles. He made like John Elway in the Super Bowl against the Packers a couple of times last week with "helicopter" moves.
What in the heck was he thinking?
"I don't know what comes over me," Lulay said. "On one of them I just knew we didn't have the first down and I wanted it."
That, of course, precisely the point with Lulay. He always wants it. Victory, that is.
Montana State triumphs have come readily against Portland State ever since Lulay showed up in Bozeman. The Bobcats have won three in a row over the Vikings, including a victory in Oregon two years ago that was MSU's first at Portland State since 1974.
"As much as you'd like to look at the past, though, it really doesn't matter," Lulay said. "The fact we've won a few in a row in the series isn't going to mean anything to them on Saturday. We've got to go get it."
And if that means getting dirty at the bottom of a pile or two, all the better.
By SCOTT MANSCH
Asst. Sports Editor
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ADVERTISEMENT
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Montana State Bobcats are atop the Big Sky Conference these days because Travis Lulay doesn't mind being at the bottom.
Of the pile.
The Bobcats won at Weber State 27-24 last week as Jeff Hastings kicked a 39-yard field goal on the final play of the game and Lulay rushed for a career-high 142 yards. The most important yard of that total came on 4th-and-goal from the Weber 1-yard line with about five minutes left when Lulay scored on a QB sneak.
For about 15 seconds no one knew that he was in there, for Lulay was engulfed by Weber State defenders and officials trying to sort it all out.
"I knew I was in," said Lulay Tuesday afternoon. "I was laying across the goal line, holding the ball as tight as I could."
And what was it like down there?
"A lot of pulling and kicking," Lulay said with a laugh. "There were people I couldn't even see grabbing my feet and pulling me back and I was kicking."
What else?
"Some of the stuff that goes on down there just isn't talked about," Lulay said with another chuckle.
The Bobcats, 2-0 in the conference and 4-2 overall, are ranked ninth this week among NCAA I-AA teams by The Sports Network. A victory Saturday night at Portland State (1-1, 3-3) would truly make the Bobcats a conversation piece among Big Sky fans.
For that to happen, Lulay said, the Cats have to clean things up. Although he's led second-half comebacks 10 times in his amazing MSU career, including last year in a memorable overtime triumph over Portland State in Bozeman, Lulay said his team can't continue to make a living playing from behind.
"We made a lot of mistakes last week," Lulay said of the Weber game. "Had some sloppy play. The crucial penalties are really hurting us and they have to be corrected."
For a team to overcome three penalties — all Lulay interceptions — and more than 100 yards in penalties says something about its collective will to win. And now, with a top-10 ranking for the first time since the I-AA championship season of 1984, the Bobcats hope to play up to their national reputation.
Said Lulay: "We've got to play a lot better."
And that shouldn't surprise anyone. Although the senior from Aumsville, Ore., which is about an hour from downtown Portland, has provided many highlights for Bobcat fans in his career, he isn't satisfied. And that might be the best quality for the tough QB with the strong arm and sweet feet.
"What I like most about Travis is he gets better every year," said Portland State head coach Tim Walsh.
Did you say like most about Travis?
"I guarantee you it's fun to coach against him," Walsh said. "Because if he doesn't bring out your competitive nature you shouldn't be in the business. You'd better compete against the guy. Because if you don't, he's going to eat you alive."
Lulay, who has 10,635 yards of career total offense and is about 1,650 yards away from the Big Sky Conference record held by former Weber State star Jamie Martin, has risked life and limb in recent weeks on numerable quarterback draws and scrambles. He made like John Elway in the Super Bowl against the Packers a couple of times last week with "helicopter" moves.
What in the heck was he thinking?
"I don't know what comes over me," Lulay said. "On one of them I just knew we didn't have the first down and I wanted it."
That, of course, precisely the point with Lulay. He always wants it. Victory, that is.
Montana State triumphs have come readily against Portland State ever since Lulay showed up in Bozeman. The Bobcats have won three in a row over the Vikings, including a victory in Oregon two years ago that was MSU's first at Portland State since 1974.
"As much as you'd like to look at the past, though, it really doesn't matter," Lulay said. "The fact we've won a few in a row in the series isn't going to mean anything to them on Saturday. We've got to go get it."
And if that means getting dirty at the bottom of a pile or two, all the better.
GO BRONCOS!! 
