OFFENSE
QB
SUU
Wes Marshall is one of seven starters coming back on offense for Southern Utah. He led the team to a 3-8 mark overall, 0-4 in the Great West Conference. Junior Cole Bergquist is 6-3 as Montana’s starter. He started just once in 2006, but was named the Big Sky’s preseason all-conference quarterback.
OL
Montana
SUU
The Thunderbirds return three linemen from ’06 with starter experience. The Grizzlies bring back three linemen named All-Big Sky last season and all five of their big guys started at least part of the year. Watch senior left tackle Cody Balogh, who has started in 29 consecutive games.
RB
Montana
SUU
The T-Birds return their top three rushers, including Marshall, who checks in third behind senior Johnny Sanchez and junior Kyle Coop. Sanchez and Coop combined for nearly 1,000 yards. Senior Reggie Bradshaw was the Griz leader in rushes, yards (572) and TDs last season. There’s also that Hilliard guy, too.
WR/TE
Montana
SUU
Eric Allen and Ryan Bagley were the top two pass catchers for Montana last season. They combined for nine TD grabs, too. Pretty good duo for Bergquist to start with. Southern Utah’s top three receivers exhausted their eligibility last season. Coop is the only guy back with a receiving touchdown.
DEFENSE
DL
Montana
SUU
Kroy Biermman (No. 53) kicks off his Buck Buchanan watch with an eye on the QB position. SUU signal callers were dropped 21 times last season. Bierman has 18½ career sacks entering the 2007 season. He needs one on Saturday to move into seventh place on the Grizzlies’ all-time sacks list.
LB
Montana
SUU
Kyle Ryan, Loren Utterback and Tyler Joyce. These three seniors started every game together last season, except one. Ryan and Joyce tied for the team lead in tackles and both are ranked in UM’s top 25 for career tackles. This could be one of Griz’s best backer groups in history. Enjoy.
CB/SAFETY
Montana
SUU
The Southern Utah secondary has four starters back, including the team’s top tackler strong safety D.J. Senter. Cornerbacks Derek Brown and DeWayne Lewis have a leg up on UM’s Quinton Jackson and Chris Clark, neither of whom started in ’06. The Griz do return all-league safeties Torrey Thomas and Colt Anderson.
SPECIAL TEAMS
K/P/Returns
Montana
SUU
Griz kicker Dan Carpenter and punter Tyson Johnson are all-Big Sky performers that are back for their senior seasons. The Thunderbirds have new specialists, though kicker Steve Pulver and punter Trevor Ward excelled before going on LDS missions. The bigger question is who follows the footsteps of Tuff Harris and Levander Segars for UM?
Intangibles
Montana
SUU
Griz fans still remember the T-Birds coming into Washington-Griz and winning that home opener in 1998. Southern Utah plays nine ranked FCS teams this year. The Grizzlies have been ranked in the Sports Network’s Top 25 poll for 122 consecutive weeks. Lightning won’t strike twice for the Thunderbirds. No shocker here, Griz win.
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