bull
Coattailing Cheerleader
the FCS championship
I'll get this thing started with the write-up from the staff writer of Sports Network. He likes Montana. I lean toward Richmond, but have another 48 hours to decide. The rest of this post is not my own verbiage.
By David Coulson, FCS Executive Director
Chattanooga, TN (Sports Network) - Not many people would have picked a Montana-Richmond final for the NCAA Division I Football Championship, either before the season, or even three weeks ago when the playoff field was announced.
But these two hard-nosed, workmanlike teams have survived the 16-team field and won difficult games on the road to set up an unexpected, yet compelling title game.
"I am not sure what to expect from this team," Montana coach Bobby Hauck said in July at the Big Sky Conference media event in Park City, UT. "But that is what makes this season exciting."
Like a child anticipating Christmas morning, Hauck has a bigger package than expected under his championship tree, as the Grizzlies play for their third national crown and the sixth-year coach looks for his first title as the head man.
Richmond's first-year coach Mike London, a standout defensive back with the Spiders from 1979-82, knew he was inheriting a strong program, with plenty of talent back from last year's national semifinal squad, but he has managed to push his team even farther than predecessor Dave Clawson.
"A lot of people said, 'You guys don't belong here,'" London explained. "I think we belong. In the first three rounds we played conference champions. This is a significant accomplishment for these players."
Richmond (12-3) actually was ranked No. 1 in the Sports Network FCS top-25 poll for one week this season, but the Spiders lost 26-20 to Villanova the next Saturday (Sept. 27) and then dropped a 38-31 decision to James Madison two weeks later, blowing a 31-23 lead in the final minute.
But since that time, the No. 7-ranked Spiders have won eight consecutive games, including wins over second-seeded Appalachian State - the three-time FCS champion - and No. 3 Northern Iowa, at two of the toughest road venues in the subdivision.
Montana (14-1) also survived some out-of-kilter performances early in the season, including a 45-28 loss at Weber State on Oct. 4. Following that loss, however, the Grizzlies have won 10 consecutive games.
Defense has been the key to the improved performances of both teams.
Richmond has allowed just 13.3 points per game since the loss to JMU, and ranks sixth overall in scoring defense (16.2). The Spiders are third in turnover margin (plus-22 on the season), 14th in rushing defense (98 yards), 22nd in passing defense (169 yards) and 10th in total defense (266 yards).
Richmond's defensive success starts with its bookends at defensive end, Sherman Logan and Lawrence Sidbury, Jr.
Logan is a rare sixth-year senior, who missed all but four games last year with a broken foot. Returning to All-American form this season, Logan has piled up 12.5 tackles for loss, six sacks and 49 tackles.
Sidbury has blossomed in his senior season, with 16 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and 51 tackles.
With those two garnering plenty of attention from offenses, linebackers Eric McBride (team-high 103 tackles) and Patrick Weldon (89 tackles, 13 tackles for loss) have been able to make plays.
The Spider secondary has been largely responsible for the team's ability to force turnovers. Richmond has 28 interceptions, one behind Grambling for the most in FCS.
Cornerback Justin Rogers has seven of those picks and is one off the team record held by Jeff Nixon (1976). Michael Ireland, Derek Hatcher and Seth Williams have four each.
Montana doesn't have as quality overall defensive numbers as Richmond (45th in total defense, allowing 331 yards per game), but the Grizzlies have been nearly as tough to score on (eighth in FCS at 17.3 points per game) and have also excelled in forcing turnovers (eighth nationally, plus-18).
The Grizzlies, with their bend-but-don't-break philosophy, are giving up 131 yards rushing on average (39th), but have shown more vulnerability in shutting down passing attacks (61st at 200 yards per game). But Montana is 19th in passing efficiency defense.
Montana had allowed just 91 points in its previous nine wins, but was stung for 27 points and 419 yards by James Madison, the third-highest total offense figure the Grizzlies had given up all year. But Montana made up for it by forcing four turnovers.
Senior strong safety and Buchanan Award candidate Colt Anderson is the heart and soul of the Montana defense. He had 18 tackles in the win over JMU, and 121 tackles for the season.
Defensive end Mike Stadnyk, who has already been drafted in the second round by the Saskatchewan Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League, is the lone Montana player remaining that played in the 2004 national championship loss to JMU. He has 59 tackles, 7.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss.
Jace Palmer (44 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss) anchors the other side of the Grizzly defensive line, while defensive tackle Craig Mettler is a force on the inside (48 tackles, five tackles for loss).
Brandon Fisher (102 tackles), Tyler Corwin (91 tackles) and Shawn Lebsock (89 tackles) give the Grizzlies a solid linebacking corps.
The similarities for the two teams on offense start with the offensive lines. Both squads are big and solid up front, and that works well for teams that want to establish the running game.
Three of Montana's offensive linemen - guard Colin Dow, tackle Brent Russum and center J.D. Quinn - are pro prospects. Richmond lost one All-American tackle in Tim Silver to injury, but has another in Matthew McCracken, while Michael Silva has stepped into the gap forced by physical ailments.
It took a while for Montana to offset the loss of running back Lex Hilliard to the NFL, but the offense awoke around the gritty rushing of sophomore Chase Reynolds, who played eight-man football in high school. Reynolds has eight straight 100-yard rushing efforts on the way to 1,536 yards (5.7 average per carry) and a school-record 21 TDs on the ground.
Reynolds' work has made it easier for quarterback Cole Bergquist to thrive as a play-action passer. The efficient Bergquist has thrown for 2,889 yards and 28 touchdowns, while being intercepted just seven times.
Bergquist has a pair of first-class receivers to depend on, with Marc Mariani (62 catches, 18.3 average, 15 TDs) and Mike Ferriter (49 catches, 16.7, 10 TDs). Mariani is also a threat as a returnman.
The focal point of the Richmond attack is running back Josh Vaughan (1,722 yards, 5.2 average, 19 touchdowns). His success takes the pressure off quarterback Eric Ward, who is often more dependable as a runner (394 yards, eight TDs) than as a passer.
Ward has thrown for 2,712 yards and 16 TDs, including a game-winning pass with 15 seconds left against Northern Iowa. But he is often inaccurate when he is forced from the pocket.
Another problem for the Spiders has been the health of top receiver Kevin Grayson (59 catches, 14.0 average, three TDs), who suffered a leg injury against UNI that could limit his ability to stretch the defense. If Grayson is unable to be effective, freshman Tre Gray (53 catches, 12.8 average, four TDs) will have to step up.
Tight end Joe Stewart has become a more important target of late for Ward. Stewart had a career-high five catches for 71 yards last week, including the game-winning 13-yard touchdown reception in the 21-20 win over Northern Iowa.
Montana and Richmond are two of the few teams left in FCS that still put an emphasis on using fullbacks in the power rushing game. The Grizzlies' Kevin Klaboe and Spiders' John Crone are two of the best blocking backs in the country.
If the game comes down to the kicking game, Andrew Howard of Richmond has the reputation as one of the top clutch kickers in the country. He holds the NCAA record for career extra-point percentage (148-of-150, 98.6%), but he has struggled of late, missing one PAT and five field goals in four games.
Montana freshman Brody McKnight replaced the all-time leading kick scorer in FCS, Dan Carpenter, now of the Miami Dolphins. McKnight has been up and down, but did have a game-winning field goal against Central Washington.
This game may come down to how well the two offenses control the ball on the ground, and if either of them can strike for big plays in the passing game. Both teams have also shown the ability to force turnovers, so ball security will be even more important.
In a contest where points are likely to come at a premium, Montana probably has a few more playmakers than Richmond, and expect the Grizzlies to come away with one or two more plays to win their fourth national championship.
Montana 21, Richmond 17.
I'll get this thing started with the write-up from the staff writer of Sports Network. He likes Montana. I lean toward Richmond, but have another 48 hours to decide. The rest of this post is not my own verbiage.
By David Coulson, FCS Executive Director
Chattanooga, TN (Sports Network) - Not many people would have picked a Montana-Richmond final for the NCAA Division I Football Championship, either before the season, or even three weeks ago when the playoff field was announced.
But these two hard-nosed, workmanlike teams have survived the 16-team field and won difficult games on the road to set up an unexpected, yet compelling title game.
"I am not sure what to expect from this team," Montana coach Bobby Hauck said in July at the Big Sky Conference media event in Park City, UT. "But that is what makes this season exciting."
Like a child anticipating Christmas morning, Hauck has a bigger package than expected under his championship tree, as the Grizzlies play for their third national crown and the sixth-year coach looks for his first title as the head man.
Richmond's first-year coach Mike London, a standout defensive back with the Spiders from 1979-82, knew he was inheriting a strong program, with plenty of talent back from last year's national semifinal squad, but he has managed to push his team even farther than predecessor Dave Clawson.
"A lot of people said, 'You guys don't belong here,'" London explained. "I think we belong. In the first three rounds we played conference champions. This is a significant accomplishment for these players."
Richmond (12-3) actually was ranked No. 1 in the Sports Network FCS top-25 poll for one week this season, but the Spiders lost 26-20 to Villanova the next Saturday (Sept. 27) and then dropped a 38-31 decision to James Madison two weeks later, blowing a 31-23 lead in the final minute.
But since that time, the No. 7-ranked Spiders have won eight consecutive games, including wins over second-seeded Appalachian State - the three-time FCS champion - and No. 3 Northern Iowa, at two of the toughest road venues in the subdivision.
Montana (14-1) also survived some out-of-kilter performances early in the season, including a 45-28 loss at Weber State on Oct. 4. Following that loss, however, the Grizzlies have won 10 consecutive games.
Defense has been the key to the improved performances of both teams.
Richmond has allowed just 13.3 points per game since the loss to JMU, and ranks sixth overall in scoring defense (16.2). The Spiders are third in turnover margin (plus-22 on the season), 14th in rushing defense (98 yards), 22nd in passing defense (169 yards) and 10th in total defense (266 yards).
Richmond's defensive success starts with its bookends at defensive end, Sherman Logan and Lawrence Sidbury, Jr.
Logan is a rare sixth-year senior, who missed all but four games last year with a broken foot. Returning to All-American form this season, Logan has piled up 12.5 tackles for loss, six sacks and 49 tackles.
Sidbury has blossomed in his senior season, with 16 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and 51 tackles.
With those two garnering plenty of attention from offenses, linebackers Eric McBride (team-high 103 tackles) and Patrick Weldon (89 tackles, 13 tackles for loss) have been able to make plays.
The Spider secondary has been largely responsible for the team's ability to force turnovers. Richmond has 28 interceptions, one behind Grambling for the most in FCS.
Cornerback Justin Rogers has seven of those picks and is one off the team record held by Jeff Nixon (1976). Michael Ireland, Derek Hatcher and Seth Williams have four each.
Montana doesn't have as quality overall defensive numbers as Richmond (45th in total defense, allowing 331 yards per game), but the Grizzlies have been nearly as tough to score on (eighth in FCS at 17.3 points per game) and have also excelled in forcing turnovers (eighth nationally, plus-18).
The Grizzlies, with their bend-but-don't-break philosophy, are giving up 131 yards rushing on average (39th), but have shown more vulnerability in shutting down passing attacks (61st at 200 yards per game). But Montana is 19th in passing efficiency defense.
Montana had allowed just 91 points in its previous nine wins, but was stung for 27 points and 419 yards by James Madison, the third-highest total offense figure the Grizzlies had given up all year. But Montana made up for it by forcing four turnovers.
Senior strong safety and Buchanan Award candidate Colt Anderson is the heart and soul of the Montana defense. He had 18 tackles in the win over JMU, and 121 tackles for the season.
Defensive end Mike Stadnyk, who has already been drafted in the second round by the Saskatchewan Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League, is the lone Montana player remaining that played in the 2004 national championship loss to JMU. He has 59 tackles, 7.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss.
Jace Palmer (44 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss) anchors the other side of the Grizzly defensive line, while defensive tackle Craig Mettler is a force on the inside (48 tackles, five tackles for loss).
Brandon Fisher (102 tackles), Tyler Corwin (91 tackles) and Shawn Lebsock (89 tackles) give the Grizzlies a solid linebacking corps.
The similarities for the two teams on offense start with the offensive lines. Both squads are big and solid up front, and that works well for teams that want to establish the running game.
Three of Montana's offensive linemen - guard Colin Dow, tackle Brent Russum and center J.D. Quinn - are pro prospects. Richmond lost one All-American tackle in Tim Silver to injury, but has another in Matthew McCracken, while Michael Silva has stepped into the gap forced by physical ailments.
It took a while for Montana to offset the loss of running back Lex Hilliard to the NFL, but the offense awoke around the gritty rushing of sophomore Chase Reynolds, who played eight-man football in high school. Reynolds has eight straight 100-yard rushing efforts on the way to 1,536 yards (5.7 average per carry) and a school-record 21 TDs on the ground.
Reynolds' work has made it easier for quarterback Cole Bergquist to thrive as a play-action passer. The efficient Bergquist has thrown for 2,889 yards and 28 touchdowns, while being intercepted just seven times.
Bergquist has a pair of first-class receivers to depend on, with Marc Mariani (62 catches, 18.3 average, 15 TDs) and Mike Ferriter (49 catches, 16.7, 10 TDs). Mariani is also a threat as a returnman.
The focal point of the Richmond attack is running back Josh Vaughan (1,722 yards, 5.2 average, 19 touchdowns). His success takes the pressure off quarterback Eric Ward, who is often more dependable as a runner (394 yards, eight TDs) than as a passer.
Ward has thrown for 2,712 yards and 16 TDs, including a game-winning pass with 15 seconds left against Northern Iowa. But he is often inaccurate when he is forced from the pocket.
Another problem for the Spiders has been the health of top receiver Kevin Grayson (59 catches, 14.0 average, three TDs), who suffered a leg injury against UNI that could limit his ability to stretch the defense. If Grayson is unable to be effective, freshman Tre Gray (53 catches, 12.8 average, four TDs) will have to step up.
Tight end Joe Stewart has become a more important target of late for Ward. Stewart had a career-high five catches for 71 yards last week, including the game-winning 13-yard touchdown reception in the 21-20 win over Northern Iowa.
Montana and Richmond are two of the few teams left in FCS that still put an emphasis on using fullbacks in the power rushing game. The Grizzlies' Kevin Klaboe and Spiders' John Crone are two of the best blocking backs in the country.
If the game comes down to the kicking game, Andrew Howard of Richmond has the reputation as one of the top clutch kickers in the country. He holds the NCAA record for career extra-point percentage (148-of-150, 98.6%), but he has struggled of late, missing one PAT and five field goals in four games.
Montana freshman Brody McKnight replaced the all-time leading kick scorer in FCS, Dan Carpenter, now of the Miami Dolphins. McKnight has been up and down, but did have a game-winning field goal against Central Washington.
This game may come down to how well the two offenses control the ball on the ground, and if either of them can strike for big plays in the passing game. Both teams have also shown the ability to force turnovers, so ball security will be even more important.
In a contest where points are likely to come at a premium, Montana probably has a few more playmakers than Richmond, and expect the Grizzlies to come away with one or two more plays to win their fourth national championship.
Montana 21, Richmond 17.
