Chronicle article 11/27
Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 4:13 pm
MONTANA STATE FOOTBALL
Bobcats step up to national stage
Showdown with Appalachian State to be broadcast on ESPN2
By TIM DUMAS Chronicle Sports Writer
Montana State will play one of the nation’s most powerful teams Saturday in front of a national TV audience.
Top-ranked and defending champion Appalachian State will host the Bobcats at Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone, N.C., in a Division I Football Subdivision Championship (FCS) quarterfinal game that will be televised on ESPN2 at 2 p.m. (MST).
Appalachian State has won 11 games in a row and resides in the top 10 nationally in total offense, scoring, opponents‚ scoring and rushing offense. The Mountaineers (11-1) played in front of 16,223 fans in a 45-28 win over Coastal Carolina Saturday and own the second-longest home winning streak (25 games) in all of Division I. Only Southern California (33) has a longer streak.
MSU (8-4) does, however, have experience against such programs.
Just over a week ago the Bobcats played at Montana, the No. 2 team in the country, in front of 24,000 fans, and were edged by the Grizzlies. Most of the ‘Cats have also played in front of more than 40,000 in games at Colorado and Oklahoma State the past two seasons.
“Appalachian State fans are akin to what the Grizzly fans are,” MSU head coach Mike Kramer said Sunday afternoon. “It’ll be fun; great atmosphere.”
Kramer compared App State to Big Sky Conference foe Weber State, since both teams play a man-to-man defense. And while Weber held MSU to just two plays of more than 20 yards and nine offensive first downs (two others came via penalty) last month, the Bobcats have at least played against such an alignment.
“They play a lot of man-to-man. In-yourface man-to-man,” Kramer said of the Mountaineers. “And it’s what we are. It’s what we aspire to be here defensively, so we understand what it takes to be successful against it. Simply stated, you have to make big plays. We have to get yards after the catch. We have to break tackles.”
Like last Saturday’s opponent, Furman, App State runs the option. Only better. page B1
Left-handed quarterback Armanti Edwards, a true freshman, is a Walter Payton Award finalist and has run for 857 yards and 11 touchdowns and thrown for 1,862 yards and 14 scores.
Edwards, who’s a cousin of Furman QB Renaldo Gray, totaled 398 of the team’s 560 yards of total offense Saturday against Coastal Carolina.
Junior running back Kevin Richardson, the Southern Conference’s offensive player of the year, has 1,221 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns.
Thanks to a 31-0 halftime lead against Coastal Carolina, the Mountaineers, whose only loss was to Division I-A North Carolina State, made it nine times in 12 games that they haven’t allowed a touchdown in the first half. Their defense ranks sixth in the nation, allowing 13.8 points per game, and two players, defensive lineman Marques Murrell and defensive back Jeremy Wiggins, are on the Buck Buchanan Award list.
Murrell was the SoCon’s defensive player of the year and Edwards was freshman of the year. ASU placed eight members (out of 13 positions) on the conference’s first team offense.
In addition to being strong on both sides of the ball, the Mountaineers also have a threat on specials teams. Dexter Jackson ran back two punts for touchdowns in one game and is 10th in the nation for punt return yardage.
But Kramer repeated that who makes the most big plays should win.
“The key to this matchup is, No.1, how we move the ball,” he said. “And then defensively, we just cannot allow their option game big plays on the ground. We played really good run defense (against Furman) against a very similar type of attack.”
The Bobcats should be in better physical condition this week, although linebacker Epikopo King, who had a team-high 10 tackles against Furman, is listed as doubtful for Saturday. King suffered a right knee sprain and will have an MRI today. The results won’t be available until Tuesday night.
MSU will, however, have linebacker Will Claggett back. Claggett suffered a left knee injury against Northern Colorado Nov. 4 and was expected to be out six weeks. But the emotional leader has been cleared to practice and should start against App State.
Cornerback Michael Beach, who sprained his right knee in the Montana game and did not play against Furman, is listed as probable. Josh Lewis (shoulder), Aaron Papich (shoulder) and Aaron Mason (torn bursa sack in knee) did not play Saturday as well, but are expected to practice this week and play against the Mountaineers.
Sophomore tailback Isaiah Taito, who bulldozed for 69 rushing yards against Furman — 58 in the second half — is expected to again be the starter this week.
The Bobcats will practice Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday inside Brick Breeden Fieldhouse. Kramer said the team is likely to fly Thursday into Winston-Salem, N.C., where they will stay overnight. Two days later, they play a program which hasn’t lost at home since 2002.
“They, obviously, are very good at home,” Kramer said. “Everybody in the nation is impressed with them, but we’re just not impressed with anybody. We’re one of eight (remaining teams out of 116 playoff-eligible programs), and they’re one of eight. And there we go. That’s all it is.”
Bobcats step up to national stage
Showdown with Appalachian State to be broadcast on ESPN2
By TIM DUMAS Chronicle Sports Writer
Montana State will play one of the nation’s most powerful teams Saturday in front of a national TV audience.
Top-ranked and defending champion Appalachian State will host the Bobcats at Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone, N.C., in a Division I Football Subdivision Championship (FCS) quarterfinal game that will be televised on ESPN2 at 2 p.m. (MST).
Appalachian State has won 11 games in a row and resides in the top 10 nationally in total offense, scoring, opponents‚ scoring and rushing offense. The Mountaineers (11-1) played in front of 16,223 fans in a 45-28 win over Coastal Carolina Saturday and own the second-longest home winning streak (25 games) in all of Division I. Only Southern California (33) has a longer streak.
MSU (8-4) does, however, have experience against such programs.
Just over a week ago the Bobcats played at Montana, the No. 2 team in the country, in front of 24,000 fans, and were edged by the Grizzlies. Most of the ‘Cats have also played in front of more than 40,000 in games at Colorado and Oklahoma State the past two seasons.
“Appalachian State fans are akin to what the Grizzly fans are,” MSU head coach Mike Kramer said Sunday afternoon. “It’ll be fun; great atmosphere.”
Kramer compared App State to Big Sky Conference foe Weber State, since both teams play a man-to-man defense. And while Weber held MSU to just two plays of more than 20 yards and nine offensive first downs (two others came via penalty) last month, the Bobcats have at least played against such an alignment.
“They play a lot of man-to-man. In-yourface man-to-man,” Kramer said of the Mountaineers. “And it’s what we are. It’s what we aspire to be here defensively, so we understand what it takes to be successful against it. Simply stated, you have to make big plays. We have to get yards after the catch. We have to break tackles.”
Like last Saturday’s opponent, Furman, App State runs the option. Only better. page B1
Left-handed quarterback Armanti Edwards, a true freshman, is a Walter Payton Award finalist and has run for 857 yards and 11 touchdowns and thrown for 1,862 yards and 14 scores.
Edwards, who’s a cousin of Furman QB Renaldo Gray, totaled 398 of the team’s 560 yards of total offense Saturday against Coastal Carolina.
Junior running back Kevin Richardson, the Southern Conference’s offensive player of the year, has 1,221 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns.
Thanks to a 31-0 halftime lead against Coastal Carolina, the Mountaineers, whose only loss was to Division I-A North Carolina State, made it nine times in 12 games that they haven’t allowed a touchdown in the first half. Their defense ranks sixth in the nation, allowing 13.8 points per game, and two players, defensive lineman Marques Murrell and defensive back Jeremy Wiggins, are on the Buck Buchanan Award list.
Murrell was the SoCon’s defensive player of the year and Edwards was freshman of the year. ASU placed eight members (out of 13 positions) on the conference’s first team offense.
In addition to being strong on both sides of the ball, the Mountaineers also have a threat on specials teams. Dexter Jackson ran back two punts for touchdowns in one game and is 10th in the nation for punt return yardage.
But Kramer repeated that who makes the most big plays should win.
“The key to this matchup is, No.1, how we move the ball,” he said. “And then defensively, we just cannot allow their option game big plays on the ground. We played really good run defense (against Furman) against a very similar type of attack.”
The Bobcats should be in better physical condition this week, although linebacker Epikopo King, who had a team-high 10 tackles against Furman, is listed as doubtful for Saturday. King suffered a right knee sprain and will have an MRI today. The results won’t be available until Tuesday night.
MSU will, however, have linebacker Will Claggett back. Claggett suffered a left knee injury against Northern Colorado Nov. 4 and was expected to be out six weeks. But the emotional leader has been cleared to practice and should start against App State.
Cornerback Michael Beach, who sprained his right knee in the Montana game and did not play against Furman, is listed as probable. Josh Lewis (shoulder), Aaron Papich (shoulder) and Aaron Mason (torn bursa sack in knee) did not play Saturday as well, but are expected to practice this week and play against the Mountaineers.
Sophomore tailback Isaiah Taito, who bulldozed for 69 rushing yards against Furman — 58 in the second half — is expected to again be the starter this week.
The Bobcats will practice Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday inside Brick Breeden Fieldhouse. Kramer said the team is likely to fly Thursday into Winston-Salem, N.C., where they will stay overnight. Two days later, they play a program which hasn’t lost at home since 2002.
“They, obviously, are very good at home,” Kramer said. “Everybody in the nation is impressed with them, but we’re just not impressed with anybody. We’re one of eight (remaining teams out of 116 playoff-eligible programs), and they’re one of eight. And there we go. That’s all it is.”
