Previewing the 112th Brawl of the Wild

It's almost that time.  The 112th Brawl of the Wid between the Montana Grizzlies and Montana State Bobcats is just around the corner.  Tomorrow, Montana's equal to the Super Bowl will be played in Missoula, and both teams will be playing with totally different mindsets.

Last year, the Bobcats entered their big battle with the Grizzlies with the #1 ranking in the nation and home field advantage.  The ingredients were there for the Bobcats to enter the FCS playoffs as the top seed.  Instead, the Grizzlies spoiled the party, as Montana (literally) ran away with the game and cruised to a share of the Big Sky title with the Bobcats.

But things will be different this year.  The Bobcats have all but wrapped up a spot in this season's FCS playoffs, as they enter tomorrow's contest ranked 2nd in the nation behind defending national champion North Dakota State.  Montana, on the other hand, has struggled for much of the season (mostly with late game leads), and their defensive bugaboos have all but knocked them out of the playoff picture.

The Bobcats to watch on Saturday: The Bobcats have played to their expectations this season.  The great play of fleet-footed quarterback Denarius McGee and the running back tandem of Cody Kirk and Orenzo Davis have made Montana State's running game one of the best in all of FCS football this season.  Also, wide recever Tanner Bleskin has had a great season as well, as he leads the Bobcats in receptions (54) and receiving yards 693).

But their defense hasn't been too shabby, either.  Among their defensive stars this season is senior defensive end Caleb Schreibeis (pictured right, #49), who leads the FCS in forced fumbles (7, a Montana State school record) and is the Big Sky's leader in quarterback sacks (11) entering the Brawl.  Another star worth mentioning is senior linebacker Jody Owens, who is leading the team in total tackles (70) for the second year in a row, while senior defensive back Darius Jones leads the teams in interceptions with four.

Head coach Rob Ash recently became Montana State's all-time winningest head coach, after the Bobcats mauled Portland State 65-30.  With that win, Ash passed Sonny Holland with his 48th victory at the helm of the Bobcats' football program.  And a win on Saturday would mark his second career win against the Grizzlies.

The Grizzlies to watch on Saturday: The 2012 season has been nothing more than a disappointment for the Grizzlies, as number of factors, including inconsistency on defense and giveaways have led to the team missing the postseason for the second time in three years.  Ever since the Grizzlies installed Shay Smithwick-Hann at quarterback, the fortunes of their passing offense have made a turn for the better.  Unlike the Bobcats, the Grizzlies use a three-headed monster with their running game.

Among that trio of talented running backs is senior Peter Nguyen, who leads the Grizzlies in net rushing yards with 812 (needs 188 to reach 1,000 on the season) is also one of the Big Sky's top return specialists.  The team's second-leading rusher is sophomore Jordan Canada with 550 yards.  But bruising senior Dan Moore is expected to play on Saturday, and could give the Bobcat defense problems much like he and Nguyen did last season in Bozeman (the duo combined for 239 rushing yards against the Bobcats defense, with 116 of those yards coming from Moore).

After taking over the football program on an interim basis on March 30 and assuming the full position on July 29, head coach Mick Delaney has had a pretty eventful year after beginning the 2012 calendar year as a retiree from the coaching ranks.  But now he has a chance to beat his former employer on Saturday, as he served as an assistant coach at Montana State from 1976 to 1980.  And a win for Montana will have the Grizzlies entering the 2013 season with some confidence for the returning players, as well as a three-game winning streak.

Photo credits: Bozeman Daily Chronicle/AP

2012-13 Big Sky Conference Basketball Countdown: Montana

It's time to conclude the countdown by taking a look at the Grizzlies and Lady Griz of Montana.  The Grizzlies enter this season as the reigning Big Sky Conference champions and are the prohibitive favorites to win the conference again.  The Lady Griz on the other hand, are looking for their 20th NCAA Tournament appearance over the last 31 years, after finishing the 2011-12 season with a 16-14 record.

MBB: What a spectacular 2011-12 season the Montana Grizzlies had.  They set a conference record for wins in a season by winning 15 of 16 league games last season, and before falling to Wisconsin in the NCAA tournament, they had a 14-game win streak at one point.  Their 25 overall wins was the third-highest mark in program history.  Only the 1949-50 and 1991-92 seasons were better, as both those squads went 27-4.

Head coach Wayne Tinkle is back for his 7th season at his alma mater, and he returns three starters--also his top three scorers--as they make a run for another conference championship.  Tinkle also returns two of his assistant coaches in Freddie Owens and Jono Metzger-Jones, but lost top assistant Bill Evans to Idaho State, as he was named the head coach in Pocatello.  Replacing Evans is Kerry Rupp, who had previously served as head coach at Louisiana Tech and recently served as director of basketball operations at Hawaii.

One of those three starters back in the fold is senior guard Will Cherry (above left), who led the team in scoring last season at just under 16 points/game.  However, Cherry won't be back in the lineup until December at the latest, as he's out with a foot injury he sustained playing a pick-up game in late September.  In his abscence, a trio of sophomore guards (Keron Deshields, Jordan Gregory, and Kevin Henderson) are expected to pick up the slack in Cherry's place.

The other starters back are senior forward Mathias Ward and junior guard Kareem Jamar.  Ward was the team's third-leading scorer last season as he averaged just under 11 points/game, while Jamar was second on the team in both scoring (13.6 points/game) and rebounding (5.6 boards/game).  Jamar also recorded a triple-double (to match his jersey number, ironically) in the Grizzlies' Bracket-Buster game against Hawaii on February 18 (21 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists).

The starters lost to graduation were center Derek Selvig, who led the Grizzlies in rebounding (at 6.1/game) and blocks (35), and forward Art Steward, who led the team in field goal percentage (61%) in league games.  Junior center Eric Hutchison appears to be the favorite to replace Selvig at center, while junior Spencer Coleman (a JC transfer) or sophomore Mike Weisner will compete to take the place of Steward in the starting lineup.  Also back for the Grizzlies are redshirt freshmen Nick Emerson and Morgan Young (both of whom were walk-ons last season, with Emerson now on scholarship), while true freshmen Andy Martin (center) and Jake Wiley (forward) round out the roster.

Center Billy Reader is no longer on the team, as he transferred to College of Southern Idaho after academic issues caused him to miss the second half of the 2011-12 season.  Guard Riley Bradshaw will join the team at the beginning of spring semester after he transfers from Utah State (where he originally committed) at the end of fall semester.  Bradshaw can practice with the team, but he will not be eligible to play until the second half of the 2013-14 season due to NCAA transfer rules.

VERDICT: Despite losing two starters to graduation, the Grizzlies are still very dangerous with their three main scorers coming back.  But with the additions of North Dakota and Southern Utah to the conference this season, it makes the conference race more interesting.  Still, the Grizzlies and Weber State are the class of the league, and the conference title will once again have to go through either Missoula or Ogden.

WBB: The Montana Lady Griz are the only team in the Big Sky Conference--men's or women's--to bring back all five of the team's starters.  The team also has the elder statesman of all league coaches in Robin Selvig, who is entering his 35th season as the Lady Griz skipper.  Selvig also has the luxury of having the most experienced assistant coaching staff in the nation, all consisting of former players that played under him.

Senior center Katie Baker (right) is regarded as the team's best player, as she led Montana in both scoring (15 points/game) and rebounding (7.2 boards/game).  The 2011-12 season was the first time she played (and started) in all of the team's games, as a knee injury caused her to miss the second half of her freshman season and an appendectomy forced her to 6th man duty midway through her sophomore season.  Baker is one of the conference's top inside threats, and she should be in the mix for Big Sky MVP at season's end.

The two other senior starters are guard Kenzie DeBoer and forward Alyssa Smith.  DeBoer was second on the team in scoring at 10.8 points/game, but is regarded more for her defense, as she led the team in steals with 72.  Smith was third on the team in rebounding at 6.1 boards/game despite scoring only 4.9 points/game.

There are two junior starters that are back this season: forward Jordan Sullivan and guard Torry Hill.  Sullivan was second on the team in rebounding at 6.6 boards/game and was the 4th leading scorer at 7 points/game.  Hill is the team's top deep threat, as she led the team in three-pointers with 53, and with her great range behind the arc, she could be in for a huge junior season.

With all that talent in the starting lineup, there's plenty of it on the bench as well.  Top bench players for the Lady Griz include senior Alexandra Hurley and three sophomores: guard Kellie Cole and forwards Carly Selvig and Maggie Rickman.  Redshirt freshman Hannah Doran will see some playing time this season, as will a pair of true freshmen in guard McCalle Feller and forward Shenae Gilham.

Rounding out the roster are sophomore guard Haley Vining and three more true freshmen: forward Molly Klinker (who won three Class B titles at Fairfield High School), forward Rachel Staudacher (who is the cousin of former Griz guard Ryan Staudacher), and guard DJ Reinhardt (who chose to stay in Missoula and play for the Lady Griz).

VERDICT: With five starters coming back and Robin Selvig as head coach, the Lady Griz are a team that should not be counted out of the race for the conference title.  But their bugaboo in the past couple of seasons has been shooting the ball, while at the same time defense has been the team's best strength.  With an experienced team and plenty of threats off the bench, Montana is a serious threat to unseat Idaho State as conference champion.

And that concludes the basketball version of the Big Sky Conference Countdown.  It should be a great season with two new teams and an expanded conference tournament.  Enjoy the season everybody!

Photo credits: Missoulian

2012-13 Big Sky Conference Basketball Countdown: Montana State

Moving ahead with the countdown, it's time to take a look at the Montana State Bobcats.  Both teams experienced very different campaigns last season, as the women's team recorded a 19-11 record and an appearance in the conference semifinals against conference runner-up Northern Colorado.  The men's team, on the other hand, struggled during their season, which included an eight-game losing streak in the middle of conference play, and an offseason that included two players having a brush with the law.

WBB: Ever since Tricia Binford took over the women's basketball program prior to the 2005-06 season, the Lady Bobcats have gone from conference bottom-feeder to regular conference contender.  They just haven't won a conference tournament under Binford--yet.  But with four starters coming back from last year, their chances of finally getting over the hump look promising, despite losing top scorer Katie Bussey to graduation.  The Bobcats' top returning scorer is senior forward Rachel Semansky (right), who was second on last season's team at 13.8 points/game and led the team in rebounding at 8.8/game.  Another starter coming back for Montana State is junior forward Ashley (Albert) Brumwell, who is the only other top scorer to average double figures per game.  Senior guard Latisha Adams and junior center Chelsea Banis round out the returning starters for the Bobcats.

VERDICT: Tricia Binford enters her eighth season as the winningest head coach in program history.  Her teams have gotten progressively better throughout her tenure in Bozeman, and with the talent she's assembled this year, the Bobcats will definitely be in the mix with Idaho State, Montana, and Northern Colorado for the conference crown.  If the Bobcats win the Big Sky championship, it will only be their second in program history (1993 was their only conference championship).

MBB: The 2011-12 season was a disappointment for the men's basketball squad, as they finished the season 12-16 overall (7-9 in conference) and failed to make the conference tournament.  Then their offseason was marred by turmoil, as forwards Tre Johnson and Jeff Budinich were both arrested & charged with two counts of criminal trespass to vehicles and theft, respectively.  Head coach Brad Huse (left) dismissed Johnson (who started 20 of the Bobcats' 26 games last season and led the team in rebounding) from the team while Budinich, who was mostly used off of the bench, was suspended.  Outside of the turmoil, Huse brings in four junior college transfers (Paul Egwuonwu, Antonio Biglow, Flavien Davis, and Calen Coleman) and five freshmen (one redshirt), but does bring back leading scorer from last season in senior guard Xavier Blount (11.7 ppg).  Other key players returning for Montana State include senior guards Jamie Stewart and Christian Moon, who both made spot starts in the Bobcats' starting five.

VERDICT: While they're no where close to being a top-tier team like Montana or Weber State, making the tournament shouldn't be a big surprise as long as the Bobcats play well in league play.

UP NEXT: Montana

Photo credits: Bozeman Daily Chronicle

2012-13 Big Sky Conference Basketball Countdown: Eastern Washington

The 2011-12 seasons for the Eastern Washington basketball teams would be considered average by most people's standards, as the men's team went 15-17 and hosted a conference tournament game against Idaho State before falling in the semifinals to eventual conference champion Montana.  The women's team, on the other hand, went 16-14 and lost in the first round of the tournament to Sacramento State.  One team is hoping to continue to build on the success they found last year with a second-year head coach, and the other is having to establish a new identity after losing two key players to graduation.

MBB: 2011-12 was a far better campaign for the Eagles' men's basketball program than past campaigns under former head coach Kirk Earlywine.  Jim Hayford is entering his second season at the helm, and his team is beginning to emerge as a team to watch this season that keeps getting better.  The team returns two senior starters in forward Collin Chiverton (pictured left) and guard Jeffrey Forbes.  Chiverton is the team's top returning scorer, as he recorded just under 14 points/game after coming to the Eagles last season from City College of San Francisco.  But the team lost most of their rebounding punch as top rebounders Cliff Ederaine and Laron Griffin graduated over the offseason, so outside of Chiverton, the Eagles' frontcourt will be short on experience when the regular season starts.

VERDICT: Combining an experienced backcourt with an inexperienced frontcourt could make for an interesting 2012-13 season, which could explain why the Eagles were voted to finish anywhere from 3rd (media) to 6th (coaches).  Still, this is a very good basketball team that could very much be in the hunt for a conference championship.

WBB: The women's basketball team is in need of a new identity this coming season, as they lost reigning conference MVP and top scorer Brianne Ryan, as well as starting point guard Chene Cooper in the offseason to graduation. Wendy Schuller enters her 12th season at the helm, which is the second-longest tenure in the Big Sky for a current women's coach, and her squad will have their work cut out for them with the losses of Ryan and Cooper.  Three starters from last season are back, among them senior forward Carrie Ojeda (right), who led the team in rebounding last season and is also the top returning scorer.  The two other starters returning this season are junior guard Aubrey Ashenfelter and sophomore forward Melissa Williams.

VERDICT: The road back to the Big Sky Tournament may be tougher than it has been in past seasons for the Eagles, as both the coaches and media picked the Eagles to finish 8th, which means if they do finish there they would be the first team on the outside looking in.  The losses of Ryan and Cooper will hurt, as younger players will have to step up.  But the Eagles are a competitive team, and it would be no big surprise if they overachieve this season, much like defending conference champion Idaho State did last season.

UP NEXT: Montana State

Photo credits: Eastern Washington athletics

2012-13 Big Sky Conference Basketball Countdown: Idaho State

One team is entering its season as defending Big Sky champions, the other is entering the 2012-13 campaign with a new head coach and a looming cloud of controversy stemming from an NCAA investigation.

WBB: The Idaho State women's basketball team made a trip to the NCAA tournament last season, their first since 2007, with a 24-8 record (14-2 in conference play).  Fifth-year head coach Seton Sobolweski returns four starters from his conference championship squad--three of them averaged more than 10 points/game last season.  Among those three top scorers is senior guard Kaela Oakes (right, in black), who was the team's second leading scorer behind the now-graduated Chelsea Pickering (but Oakes played six more games than Pickering did in 2011-12).  Oakes, along with fellow senior Ashleigh Vella and junior Lindsey Reed combined to score a total of 1064 points between them.  The other starter back this season is the team's leading rebounder from last season in junior forward Cydney Horton, who averaged just under 7 rebounds/game.

VERDICT: The prospects of repeating as Big Sky conference champion look very good, as both the coaches & media picked them to repeat as conference champions.  But they will definitely have a bulls-eye on their back coming into conference play with great teams like Montana, Montana State, and Northern Colorado nipping at their heels.

MBB: New head coach Bill Evans (left, at the podium) could be in for a very tough first season at the helm of the Bengals men's basketball program.  The program is under investigation by the NCAA, which was triggered by a letter written by former interim head coach Deane Martin to ISU athletic director Jeff Tingey.  The 2011-12 season wasn't kind to the team either, despite making the conference tournament with a 9-21 record (7-9 in conference) and losing to Eastern Washington 81-75 in the first round.  The Bengals return two starters from last season which includes senior guard Melvin Morgan, who averaged 12.2 points/game (3rd on last year's team) and junior guard Andre Hatchett, who averaged 4.5 rebounds/game (also 3rd on last year's team).

VERDICT: After spending 15 seasons at the helm at Southern Utah, and the last four years as Wayne Tinkle's primary assistant at Montana, Evans is once again back as a head coach, and he'll have a tall task at hand.  The coaches and media both picked the Bengals to finish 9th, but preseason polls won't matter at season's end.  If the Bengals can play well this season, they just might squeeze their way into the conference tournament.

UP NEXT: Eastern Washington

Photo credits: Spokesman-Review (Kaela Oakes)/Idaho State athletics (Bill Evans)

2012-13 Big Sky Conference Basketball Countdown: Weber State

Talk about a tale of two different seasons at Weber State.  One team was one game away from playing in the NCAA tournament, the other was just playing for their lives.  The men's basketball team proved they're still a force in the conference as they played to a 25-7 record and an appearance in the CollegeInsider.com postseason tournament.  The women's team, under first-year head coach Bethann Ord, went a dismal 2-27 and failed to record a single victory in conference play.

MBB: Oh, Damian Lillard will be missed in Ogden this season.  One of the greatest scorers in conference history was drafted 6th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2012 NBA Draft, after deciding to forgo his senior season with the Wildcats.  With Lillard in the NBA now, the Wildcats return just two seniors, one of them being guard Scott Bamforth (left).  As Lillard led last year's team in scoring at 24.5 PPG, Bamforth was second at 14.5 PPG.  The other senior returning to the Wildcats is forward Frank Otis, who battled injuries throughout last season.  Otis, along with junior center Kyle Tresnak, are the top returning rebounders for an otherwise young but always talented Wildcats team.

VERDICT: Seventh-year head coach Randy Rahe again has a solid team, but with the loss of Lillard to the NBA, it remains to be seen if the Wildcats will remain one of the best in the conference.  Rahe-coached teams have traditionally been very strong, winning 20 or more games in four of his six years in charge.  Another 20-win campaign by Weber State and conference tournament appearance shouldn't be out of the question.

WBB: There's only one way to go but up for the Weber State women's basketball team.  The 2011-12 season was a rather forgettable campaign, as they failed to record a win in conference play.  And this year's team will have a lot of inexperience to fall back on, as there are more freshmen on the roster (nine) than there are upperclassmen (two seniors and three juniors).  One of the upperclassmen back for the Wildcats this season is senior forward Amanda Hughes (right), who was second on the team in scoring at 10.2 PPG and led the team in rebounding at 9.1 RPG, so the potential of her averaging a double-double per game is there for her senior season if everyone else can play well.

VERDICT: This team returns only five players from last year's team. That's right--FIVE.  It may be looking to be another long season in Ogden with a very young and inexperienced team, as they have a ways to go before they become a tournament team again.

UP NEXT: Idaho State

Photo credits: Weber State athletics

2012-13 Big Sky Conference Basketball Countdown: Northern Arizona

The 2011-12 basketball season was one to forget down in Flagstaff.  Both Northern Arizona men's & women's basketball squads struggled for much of their seasons, with the women's team finishing 9-20 (4-12 in conference) while the men's team recorded a 5-24 record (1-15 in conference).  But things should be looking up for both squads, as they both hired new head coaches in the offseason.

WBB: Let's start with the women's basketball team.  Under former coach Laurie Kelly, the program made six conference tournament appearances and earned a trip to the big dance in 2006 during her nine-year tenure in Flagstaff.  Now, former Air Force head coach Sue Darling is in charge, after she had previously served as an assistant at Arizona.  The squad she inherits from Kelly includes four seniors, one of whom is guard Amy Patton (pictured above).  Patton led the Lumberjacks in both scoring (14.6 PPG) and rebounding (6.5 RPG).  Other key players back for the Lumberjacks include junior Amanda Frost, who finished second in scoring with 8.6 PPG, and junior center Shay May, who was second in rebounds (5.4 RPG).

VERDICT: Last year's team endured a nine-game losing streak in the middle of the season, which dropped the 'Jacks to an 0-6 start in conference play.  It depends on how this year's team will respond to coach Darling's up-tempo offensive style that was used in Tuscon, and they can pick it up well, they might knock on the conference tournament door.

MBB: The 2011-12 season was a train wreck for the Lumberjacks men's basketball team.  The wheels began to fall off when head coach Mike Adras abruptly resigned just nine games into the season amid an investigation by the school and the NCAA.  Former women's head coach Dave Brown took over from there, and after going 3-1 in his first four games in charge, the Lumberjacks plummeted from there as they lost their final 15 games.  Now, Jack Murphy is the man in charge of the Lumberjacks program, coming to Flagstaff after serving as an assistant coach at Memphis.  He's got a huge rebuilding effort ahead, especially with a roster with six seniors.  One of those six seniors is Gabe Rogers (pictured above), who is the team's top returning scorer at 10.2 PPG.  The top returning rebounder back this season is sophomore forward Gaellan Bewernick, who averaged 5.1 RPG, as well as leading the team in field goal percentage, making 59.1 percent of his shots.

VERDICT: The Lumberjacks were picked by both the coaches and the media to finish the season dead last.  But preseason polls won't matter at season's end.  Still, I'm not expecting the Lumberjacks to make the conference tournament this season, but the program should be headed in a more positive direction in the years ahead under coach Murphy.

UP NEXT: Weber State

Photo credits: Northern Arizona athletics

2012-13 Big Sky Conference Basketball Countdown: Portland State

Continuing with the countdown, the Portland State Vikings are featured.  The men's basketball team concluded their 2011-12 season with a 17-15 record and a berth in the Big Sky tournament, falling in the conference semifinals to eventual runner-up Weber State.  The women's team had a nearly equal season with a 15-14 campaign, but they missed the conference tournament for the first time since the 2004-05 season.

MBB: The men's basketball team made their first conference tournament since 2010, and just like the last time there, their season came to an end against eventual conference runner-up Weber State.  Head coach Tyler Geving is entering his third season in charge, after he took over the program from previous head coach Ken Bone (who went to Washington State after the 2008-09 season).  He has a team with no freshmen, as the vast majority of his team consists of transfers from junior colleges and two other Division I schools.  Among the five seniors on the roster include forward Renado Parker (pictured above left, #30 green), who is the team's top returning scorer and rebounder from last season, although he did not start any games.  Two starters are back, both are senior guards--Lateef McMullan and Michael Harthun.

VERDICT: This team has continued to make improvement under Geving's tutelage, and expect more of the same again this season, despite not having any freshmen on their roster.  They're a good team that can't be overlooked, as they should be able to fly under the radar for much of the season, and make another trip to the conference tournament.

WBB: Missing the Big Sky tournament is not typical of a Portland State team that plays under sixth-year head coach Sherri Murrell (right).  One year after hosting the conference tournament and two years after winning it, the Viking women just missed out on the tournament despite posting a respectable 15-14 record.  This year, the Vikings bring back four of their five starters from last season, as the only starter they lost to graduation was guard Eryn Jones, who was second on the team in scoring with 13.3 ppg.  Junior guard Kate Lanz, last season's newcomer of the year, led the Vikings in both scoring & rebounding last season at just under 16 points/game and 7.3 rebounds/game respectively.  Other returning starters include senior guards Courtney VanBrocklin and Karley Lampman, and junior forward Keaton McFadden.

VERDICT: Murrell is one of the best coaches in the Big Sky Conference, and she knows how to put together a very good team year in and year out.  With four starters back in the fold, a return to the Big Sky tournament shouldn't be out of the question for this talented squad.

UP NEXT: Northern Arizona

Photo credits: University of Oregon athletics (Parker) and Associated Press (Murrell)

2012-13 Big Sky Conference Basketball Countdown: Sacramento State

The 2011-12 seasons for the Sacramento State basketball teams were almost identical in regards to where their records stood.  The men's team concluded their 2011-12 campaign with a 10-18 record under Brian Katz, who is entering his 5th season at the helm.  On the other hand, the women's team made the 2012 Big Sky tournament and pulled off a mild upset against Eastern Washington (first conference tournament game in school history) before losing in the semifinals to eventual league champion Idaho State.

WBB: Fourth-year head coach Jamie Craighead utilizes an up-tempo style of basketball to her squad, which is run & gun offensively and utilizing a full-court press defensively--a style that has helped the Hornets become one of the most explosive teams in the conference.  One of the key cogs on the Hornets' roster is senior forward Kylie Kuhns (above right), who averaged a double-double per game last season (13.6 ppg & a league-best 11.6 rpg) and finished 3rd in the nation with 21 double-doubles.  The Hornets' second-leading scorer is back as well, as junior guard Alle Moreno finished last season with 13.3 ppg, and finished just 10 points behind Kuhns in total points scored (413 to Kuhns' 423).  Also back are two more starters: sophomore guard Fantasia Hilliard and senior forward Mallorie Franco.

VERDICT: The Hornets under Craighead have a penchant for turning games into track meets, and while they're one of the best offensive-minded teams in the conference, the thing that just might keep them from being one of the best teams in the league overall is their defense--they coughed up 78.6 ppg last season.  Regardless, they're a very good basketball team with some talented players.  If they can bring their points against down this season, they could make the race for the top of the league interesting, because their offense just might be their golden horseshoe towards a potential conference championship.

MBB: The men's basketball team, as indicated earlier, concluded last season with a 10-19 record and did not make the conference tournament.  It marked the first time under Brian Katz the team recorded more than 10 wins in a season.  His team returns their five top scorers, including senior forward John Dickson (left), who averaged 12.4 points a game, and senior guard/forward Joe Eberhard, who averaged 11.1 points and a team-high 5.9 rebounds per game.  Junior guard Jackson Carbajal finished tied for second with Eberhard in scoring, while senior center Konner Veteto (9.0 ppg and 4.7 rpg) and sophomore guard Dylan Garrity (8.1 ppg) round out the team's main point contributors.

VERDICT: With the Hornets' top five scorers back this season, this team is plenty capable of surpassing the team's 10-win total from last season.  The team went on a 5-3 run during the second half of conference play last season after going 0-8 to start.  As long as they can win the close games during league play this season, don't be surprised to see Sacramento State make a trip to the conference tournament.

UP NEXT: Portland State

Photo credits: Sacramento State athletics

2012-13 Big Sky Conference Basketball Countdown: Northern Colorado

The countdown continues with the teams from Northern Colorado.  Both teams had opposite seasons in 2011-12, with the women's team being the conference runner-up and making an appearance in the WNIT, while the men's team struggled for much of the season.

WBB: The Northern Colorado women's basketball program has been knocking on the door to win the Big Sky tournament, but they just haven't gotten over the hump yet.  Last year they came up one win short of making the big dance for the first time by falling to eventual conference champion Idaho State in the Big Sky championship game.  They instead settled for a WNIT berth, only to fall to Colorado 54-42 in Boulder.  This program has steadily improved under Janie White, who is entering her 7th season as head coach (and one win away from becoming the school's all-time leader in victories by a head coach).  Among top players coming back include senior forward Lauren Oosdyke (pictured above), who was second on the team in scoring (12.8 ppg) and rebounding (6.2 rpg).  Also back is junior D'shara Strange, who not only lead the team at 13.8 ppg and 8.2 rpg, but also enters the season as the reigning Defensive Player of the Year as well.  Other key players back this season include senior guard Victoria Timm and junior forward Kim Lockridge.

VERDICT: The Bears' chances of winning the Big Sky title and making the NCAA tournament look very good.  During White's tenure as head coach, this team has gotten better every year.  If history stays true to itself like it has the past two seasons, the Bears might have their dancing shoes on the ready come March.

MBB: The 2011-12 season was not very kind to the men's basketball team, one year removed from making the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history.  The 9-19 record the team recorded last season was far from the more respectable 21-11 mark the 2010-11 team posted.  But last year's team was a mostly young squad, and the same will hold true for this year's team coached by third-year skipper B.J. Hill (pictured right).  The team lost only one player from last year's team in forward Mike Proctor (led the team in rebounding at 6.8 rpg), but with no seniors on this year's team, the potential for improvement is there.  The team's top two scorers are back in junior guard Tatum Unruh (11.3 ppg) and sophomore guard Tevin Svihovec (10.8 ppg), along with junior center Connor Osbourne, who was second on the team in rebounding at 4.2 rpg.

VERDICT: This Bears team will bounce back in 2012-13.  They're far from a 20-win team at this point in time.  But if this team can play to their potential they just might compete for a conference tourney berth.

UP NEXT: Sacramento State

Photo credits: University of Northern Colorado athletics

2012-13 Big Sky Conference Basketball Countdown: Southern Utah

Next up on the Big Sky basketball countdown is the other all-sport newcomer to the league in the Southern Utah Thunderbirds.  Both men's and women's teams recorded losing records in their final season in the Summit League, with the men's team going 14-17 (and losing in the conference semifinals against eventual champion South Dakota State) and the women's team going 6-23.

MBB: The Thunderbirds return two starters from last year's team, and both are seniors heading into this season.  Forward Jackson Stevenett (right, #21 in white) led the team in both scoring (14.1 ppg) & rebounding (5.7 rpg) in 2011-12, while guard Damon Heuir from Australia was third in scoring at 10.8 ppg. Only one other player started games for the T-Birds last season, and that's junior forward Wade Collie, who started four games.  The team's three other seniors (guard Jordan Johnson and forwards Tyson Koehler and Julian Scott) and two other juniors (centers Jason Cheeseman and Jaren Jeffery) were primarily used in reserve roles.

VERDICT: Expect this Thunderbirds team to make some strides this season, as there will be three new starters in their lineup in their first season in the Big Sky.  And this will also be their first season under a new head coach in Nick Robinson, who played at Stanford (2001-05), with three seasons played under former Montana head coach Mike Montgomery.  If Jackson Stevenett can keep up his solid numbers heading into his senior season, their chances of competing for a conference tournament spot look good.

WBB: For fourth-year head coach JR Payne, the 2011-12 season is a season her team would like to forget after posting a paltry 6-23 record.  But everyone that started at least one game last season is back, and one of them is senior Tayler Anderson (left, #31), who started all 29 games for the Thunderbirds.  Also back is leading scorer Hailey Mandelko, who posted a team-high 13.1 ppg as a true freshman despite missing the team's last 10 games with an injury.  Leading rebounder Carli Moreland, who led the team with 8.3 rpg during her sophomore season, is also back as she was the only other player on the roster to start all the games.

VERDICT: This team is entering their first season in the Big Sky after struggling for most of the 2011-12 season.  Despite having only two seniors on their roster, there are six juniors on the roster, so there is plenty of experience to go around, and if Hailey Mandelko can stay healthy all season, the team will have something to build on should they not make the Big Sky tournament.

UP NEXT: Northern Colorado

Photo credits: Southern Utah University athletics

2012-13 Big Sky Conference Basketball Countdown: North Dakota

The 2012-13 basketball countdown begins with the men's & women's basketball teams from the University of North Dakota.

MBB: Looking at the men's team, they return four starters from last season's squad that went 17-15 under head coach Brian Jones, who is entering his 7th season in charge.  Among the four starters back for North Dakota is junior guard Troy Huff (left), who was the team's leading scorer at 13.1 PPG, and second-leading rebounder at 5.9 RPG.  The team's leading rebounder is back as well. in junior post Brandon Brekke.  He led the team at 6.1 RPG.  Also back are two more juniors: guards Aaron Anderson (11 PPG & 2.9 RPG) and Jamal Webb (9.5 PPG & 3.5 RPG).

VERDICT: This team is loaded with experience, as there are four more juniors on the roster (along with the four returning starters) to go along with four senior reserves.  But in the years ahead, Brian Jones and his staff will have to fill the cupboard to replace a significant chunk of talent that will graduate from the program over the next two years.  Despite that, North Dakota will be coming to play in 2012-13, and could make the conference race very interesting once league play starts.


WBB: Just like with the men's team, the women's team returns most of their scoring and rebounding, but will be doing so with a brand new head coach, and someone the players on the UND roster are familiar with.  Travis Brewster inherited the reins of the program from long-time skipper Gene Roebuck, who retired over the offseason after a 21-11 record in his 25th and final season in charge.  Three starters on the team are back, led by senior guard Nicole Smart (right).  Also back are junior center Allyssa Wall, who led the team in scoring at 10.4 PPG, and junior forward Madi Buck, who led in rebounding at 7.4 RPG.

VERDICT: There's a very nice balance of experience on the team; half the players are upperclassmen, half are underclassmen.  But the true test is how good of a job Brewster will do in filling the relatively huge shoes that Roebuck left behind.  This is still a very good basketball team, and with the talent that they have, a conference tournament berth is very doable.

COMING UP: Southern Utah

Photo credits: University of North Dakota athletics

2012-13 Big Sky Conference Basketball Countdown

Over the summer, I took a look at the Big Sky Conference football teams and how they might fare during the 2012 season.  Now with basketball season around the corner, it's almost time to take a look at the men's & women's basketball teams of the Big Sky Conference.  All the women's teams have started their practices, while all the men's teams will start practicing tomorrow.

In men's basketball, the defending conference champion is the Montana Grizzlies.  Seventh-year head coach Wayne Tinkle guided the Grizzlies to a conference record 15 wins in conference play in 2011-12 and a 25-7 overall record.  While the Grizzlies' spectacular season ended with a 73-49 loss to Wisconsin in the NCAA tournament, they were on a 14-game win streak entering their battle with the Badgers.

On the women's side, the Idaho State Bengals enter the season as defending conference champions.  Head coach Seton Sobolewski is also coming off Coach of the Year honors, and his team is loaded with experience as 11 of his 15 players are upperclassmen.  The Bengals' 2011-12 season concluded with a 70-41 loss to the Miami Hurricanes at the NCAA tournament.

The countdown will start on Monday, with the men's & women's basketball teams of nickname-less North Dakota.

Image credit: Big Sky Conference

2012 Big Sky Conference Countdown: Montana

It's time to conclude the countdown with defending Big Sky Conference champion Montana.  After missing the FCS playoffs for the first time since the first George Bush was in the White House, the Grizzlies made it back to the postseason, which in large part was aided by a huge win over in-state rival (and top-ranked) Montana State in Bozeman.  They made a deep run with playoff wins at home over Central Arkansas and Northern Iowa, only to come up one win short of the FCS championship game to eventual FCS runner-up Sam Houston State. 

This offseason has been a tumultuous one in Griz Nation.  It all began when University of Montana president Royce Engstrom, out of the blue, fired athletic director Jim O'Day and head coach Robin Pflugrad.  Then on July 31st, starting quarterback Jordan Johnson was charged with sexual assault without consent, and has since been suspended from the team indefinitely.  While the athletic director position has yet to be filled, former assistant coach Mick Delaney was brought out of retirement to serve as head coach for this season and the 2013 campaign.  This will be Delaney's first head coaching gig since serving the same position at UM-Western in the early 1990s.

With Jordan Johnson now out of the picture at quarterback, redshirt freshman Trent McKinney has earned the starting job out of fall camp.  The dual threat quarterback from Hawaii had the best camp out of the other three quarterbacks on the Grizzly roster, beating out sophomore Shay Smithwick-Hann, true freshman Brady Gustafson, and redshirt freshman transfer Adam Brzczek.  At running back, there's three different threats back this season: seniors Peter Nyguen and Dan Moore, and standout sophomore Jordan Canada.  The trio combined to rush for 1,845 yards and 19 touchdowns last season.  The top returning receiver is senior Sam Gratton, who shared a three-way tie for the team lead in receptions with 36.

The defensive side of the ball is very young, as only two starters from last season return.  Among those are junior linebackers John Kanongata'a and Jordan Tripp (pictured).  Kanongata'a was second in total team tackles last season and lead the team in tackles for loss, but Tripp is coming off a redshirt season after a shoulder injury sidelined him after only three games in 2011.  Before fall camp, Tripp gave up the #44 his father Bryan wore for the Grizzlies in 1989 and 1990, and switched over to Montana's trademark #37, which is worn by a defensive player from Montana (true freshman defensive lineman Caleb Kidder now dons #44 for the Griz).  Also back for the Grizzlies (and expected to be a starter) is sophomore safety Matt Hermanson, who shared the team lead in interceptions with three.

MY THOUGHTS: After an offseason filled with turmoil and change, all will be forgotten when the Grizzlies hit the field against South Dakota and former Griz head coach Joe Glenn.  The expectations to win the Big Sky Conference and make the FCS playoffs are still high, as they are every year.  But if all the distractions from the offseason can be forgotten, it will be business as usual for the Grizzlies.

And that's your countdown, everybody.  Thanks for reading, and enjoy the season!  My next conference countdown should come around October, when basketball season is around the corner.

Image credit: University of Montana athletics

2012 Big Sky Conference Countdown: Eastern Washington

One year after winning their first FCS championship in program history, the Eastern Washington Eagles struggled mightily in trying to defend their championship.  They finished the 2011 season with a 6-5 record and failed to make the playoffs, as they opened their season with four straight losses (Washington, South Dakota, Montana, and Montana State).  Now with a new season around the corner, the Eagles won't have the pressure of entering a season as defending FCS champion.

Head coach Beau Baldwin should have his troops ready to go this season.  He's been at the helm in Cheney since former coach Paul Wulff left the program to coach at Washington State in 2008.  Baldwin guided the Eagles to the FCS national championship in 2010, in the program's first season back in the postseason after the NCAA imposed a two-year postseason ban on the program for rules violations (the Eagles were banned from postseason play in 2008 and 2009).

Last season the Eagles' passing game was by far the most prolific in the conference, averaging 368.4 yards/game, with the now-graduated Bo Levi Mitchell throwing for 4,009 yards and 33 touchdowns on the season.  Now, Kyle Padron will be the Eagles' signal-caller this season, whom like Mitchell, transferred to EWU from SMU, and Padron beat out redshirt freshman Vernon Adams and junior Anthony Vitto for the starting job.  The Eagles bring back their two leading receivers in seniors Nicholas Edwards (pitcured above) and Greg Herd, who both had over 1,000 receiving yards.

On defense, the Eagles bring back their leaders in tackles, sacks, and interceptions.  Junior linebacker Ronnie Hamlin recorded 85 total tackles, while senior defensive end Paul Ena shared the team lead in tackles for loss with 12.  Senior defensive end Jerry Ceja led the team with 5.5 sacks, even though he didn't start any games in 2011.  Junior defensive back T.J. Lee III shared the team lead in interceptions with two.

MY THOUGHTS: The Eagles are a team you just don't overlook.  Dating back to when Mike Kramer was their head coach in the 1990s, EWU has made a reputation of being a giant killer when you least expect it, especially to perennial power Montana.  Back when Kramer was coaching the Eagles in 1997, they ended the Grizzlies' 40-game home winning streak (a streak that dated back to the 1992 season), and ended another long win streak by the Grizzlies (25 straight dating back to 2001) at Joe Albi Stadium in Spokane in 2002.  Look for 2012 to be a bounce back season for the Eagles.

UP NEXT: Montana

Image credit: Eastern Washington athletics

2012 Big Sky Conference Countdown: Montana State

The bright lights will definitely be on the Montana State Bobcats in 2012.  After their disappointing end to the 2011 season against eventual FCS finalist Sam Houston State, they'll be preparing for what could be another big season.  They'll be opening their regular season with their first-ever night game at home against Chadron State, after lights were installed at Sonny Holland Field late in the 2011 season, but were never used in a game--not even in their playoff win over New Hampshire.

Before fall camp began, the Bobcats were picked to finish on top of the Big Sky by both the coaches and the media, proof the Bobcats should be in the conversation for an FCS championship in 2012.  Head coach Rob Ash has done a phenomenal job in charge of the Bobcats, after taking over that program after former head coach Mike Kramer was abruptly fired in 2007.  And they bring back a lot of great talent heading into the start of their season.

Let's start on offense.  Despite the Bobcats losing top receiver Elvis Akpla to graduation, their more dangerous threats are back.  Quarterback Denarius McGhee (#9) and running back Cody Kirk (#25) are both back for their junior seasons, with McGhee being named to the Walter Payton Award's preseason watch list.  The stats McGhee put up last season (3,283 total yards and 29 total touchdowns in 2011) are definitely worthy enough to be considered for that award if he has another big season.  Kirk ran for 1,351 yards and 14 touchdowns last season but may have some competition for his carries and yards as senior Orenzo Davis returns, after he was academically ineligible for the 2011 season.

On defense, the Bobcats bring back most of their star players.  Senior linebacker Jody Owens dominated in the tackles department, with 107 total stops (58 solo) and 17 of tackles were for loss of yardage, which led the Big Sky.  Also back is last year's league leader in sacks, junior defensive end Brad Daly (12.5 sacks), as well as the team's leader in interceptions in junior linebacker Na'a Moeakiola (3 interceptions for 15 yards).

MY THOUGHTS: These Bobcats are a scary good bunch of football players, and I'd expect them to be dominant again this season.  But there's always that other school in Missoula that could throw a monkey wrench into their national title plans, like they did in Bozeman last season when the Bobcats entered the 2011 Brawl of the Wild ranked #1 in the nation.  This year's installment of the Brawl is in Missoula this year, and the last time the two met there the Bobcats prevailed on a very cold Saturday afternoon, which remains coach Ash's only win against the Grizzlies to this point.

UP NEXT: Eastern Washington

Image credit: Jon Kasper/Big Sky Conference

2012 Big Sky Conference Countdown: Idaho State

The 2011 season was not kind to the Idaho State Bengals.  They finished the 2011 season with a 2-9 record, not what you would expect out of a team coached by one of the real characters of the Big Sky in head coach Mike Kramer.  But they can only go up from here.

As stated with my Weber State write-up, Kramer is one of two head coaches in the Big Sky that calls their own defensive plays.  And Kramer has been mostly successful wherever he's gone, including at Eastern Washington and Montana State.

The Bengals' passing game was one of the bright spots in an otherwise forgettable season.  Quarterback Kevin Yost is back for his senior season, after just missing out on a 3,000 yard campaign in 2011.  The junior college transfer from Peoria, Arizona had the second-most passing attempts for a season in school history with 493 attempts.  Senior wide receiver Rodrick Rumble is also back, as he had 112 receptions for 1,348 yards and nine touchdowns.

If there's one side of the ball that needs serious work, it's the defense, especially against the run.  The Bengals gave up 250 yards/game against the run (as opposed to giving up a respectable 203 yards/game against the pass).  The team does bring back their leaders in sacks and interceptions, as both defensive lineman Jake Rouser (3.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss) and defensive back Donovan Henley (4 interceptions) are both back for their senior seasons

MY THOUGHTS: The Bengals are young (only 14 seniors on the roster), but the team has a bright future ahead with 43 freshmen on the roster (33 of them true freshmen).  But you can't really win games if you can't run the ball, much less stop it on defense.  Either way, the Bengals have a long way to go, but given Mike Kramer's success as a head coach, they should improve in 2012.

NEXT UP: Montana State

Photo credit: U.S. Presswire

2012 Big Sky Conference Countdown: Weber State

What a strange offseason this has been for Weber State.

It was already academic the Wildcats would have a new head coach after Ron McBride retired at the conclusion of the 2011 season.  Initially, veteran coach John L. Smith, a one-time graduate assistant at Weber State, was hired to lead the Wildcats program after serving as special teams coach at Arkansas.  But when Razorbacks head coach Bobby Petrino was fired for his own off-field shenanigans stemming from a motorcycle accident, Smith went back to Fayetteville to keep the Razorback program afloat.

Now, defensive coordinator Jody Sears is serving as head coach, and will already have his hands full in coaching the team's safeties as well.  Sears is one of two Big Sky head coaches serving as their own defensive coordinator (Idaho State's Mike Kramer is the other).  He comes to the Wildcats after serving as an assistant at Washington State under former Eastern Washington head coach Paul Wulff.

The team ran a relatively balanced attack on offense in 2011, averaging 209.5 yards/game in the passing game and 205.5 yards/game on the ground.  Junior running back Josh Booker led the team in rushing last season (118 carries for 715 yards), but senior C.J. Tuckett finished 2011 strong with two huge performances in the Wildcats' last two games (47 carries, 467 yards, and 8 touchdowns).  Starting quarterback Mike Hoke is back as well, after throwing for 19 touchdowns last season.

On defense, the teams leaders in tackles, sacks, and interceptions are all back, and all hail from the state of Oklahoma.  Junior linebacker Anthony Morales led the Wildcats with 115 total tackles (10 for loss of yardage).  Senior defensive lineman Trevor Pletcher had 6.5 sacks, and shared the team lead in tackles for loss with Morales.  Sophomore cornerback Devin Pugh had amazing freshman season (after redshirting in 2010), leading the Wildcats in interceptions with three.

MY THOUGHTS: The Wildcats were picked to finish mid-pack in both coaches' and media polls, and I think that's about where they'll finish the 2012 campaign.  They traditionally have one of the most physical teams in the entire conference, as much of the players are more physically mature than other teams, in large part because some players have served LDS church missions before playing football.  With the talent they have coming back, they should be better than the 5-6 mark they ended last season with.

UP NEXT: Idaho State

Image credit: August Miller/Deseret News

2012 Big Sky Conference Countdown: Northern Arizona

Moving on with the countdown, it's time to take a look at the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks.  If there was one team in the Big Sky that had too many tough losses, it was these young men in Flagstaff.  The team finished the 2011 season with a 4-7 record, and four of their losses were by four points or less.

Despite the disappointing season, head coach Jerome Souers is back for his 15th season as the Lumberjacks' head coach, making him the second longest-tenured head coach in the conference behind UC Davis' Bob Biggs.  During Souers' long tenure in Flagstaff, he has never had a 10-win season in his head coaching career, with his best season coming during the 2003 season as the Lumberjacks finished 9-4.

The Lumberjacks possess one of the best offenses in the conference, as they averaged 435 yards a game last season.  Leading rusher Zach Bauman is back for his senior season, after he set a school record in 2011 with 15 rushing touchdowns, and ran for more than 100 yards seven times during the 2011 season (ended the season with 1,435 yards).  Starting quarterback Cary Grossart is also back, after he threw for 2,745 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2011.

Defensively, co-leader in tackles Craig Frum is back, as he enters his sophomore season.  Frum shared the team lead in tackles with the now-graduated Scott McKeever, with 30 unassisted tackles.  Senior defensive lineman Jarret Bilbrey was number two on the team in quarterback sacks last season, with five of them.  And the team leader in interceptions is back for his senior season in safety Taylor Patton.

MY THOUGHTS: The Lumberjacks have traditionally been a very good team that have typically finished mid-pack year after year.  They just might be the team that always lurks in the weeds, waiting to pounce on anyone at any time.  But if they want to contend for the conference title, they can help their cause by winning the close games.

UP NEXT: Weber State

Photo credit: Josh Biggs/Arizona Daily Sun

2012 Big Sky Conference Countdown: Portland State

Continuing on with the countdown, it's time to take a look at the Portland State Vikings.  The Jerry Glanville era on the Park Blocks was a rather forgettable one, despite the publicity the Man in Black brought to the program, along with run & shoot offense patriarch Mouse Davis.  Now, the program has been in the hands of Nigel Burton since 2010, and the Pistol offense (which got its start at Nevada and almost every school in the nation is using some form of it) is all the rage in Oregon's largest city.

The Vikings concluded the 2011 season with a 7-4 record, and could very well have been considered for an FCS playoff berth had they not lost their season finale at home to Weber State.  Their biggest win of last season had to be their close 38-36 win over a Montana State team that would later be the top-ranked team in FCS football (before the Bobcats were mauled by the Grizzlies in Bozeman).  Not bad for a team that finished 2-9 in 2010.

On offense, the Vikings do not have a quarterback that completed a pass last season, as last year's starter Connor Kavanaugh graduated over the offseason.  With the wide-open nature of the Pistol offense, Kavanaugh led the Vikings in both passing and rushing, rushing for 1,189 yards and throwing for 1,628 more.  Leading receiver Justin Monahan (52 catches for 707 yards and 6 TDs) is back, but will be catching passes from a new quarterback.

On the defensive side of the football, the team's leaders in tackles and quarterback sacks in 2011 are gone, but the team's leader in interceptions is back.  Linebacker Joel Sisler intercepted three passes while starting 10 games for the Vikings.  The team's #2 sack person is also back, in senior linebacker Ian Sluss (also the team's leading top tackler, as he was third in total tackles).

MY THOUGHTS: The Vikings are a very good football team with a very exciting offensive system.  If they can maintain their level of play from 2011, they could easily make some noise in 2012 and should be in the conversation for a Big Sky championship and an FCS playoff berth.

NEXT UP: Northern Arizona

Image credit: AP/Michael Albans

2012 Big Sky Conference Countdown: Sacramento State

The 2012 countdown continues with the Sacramento State Hornets.  Last year they finished the 2011 season with a 4-7 record, but two of their four wins were upsets.  They opened the season beating an FBS school, Oregon State, in an overtime thriller.  But their biggest win of 2011 came at home against eventual FCS semifinalist Montana, which was also their first-ever win against a Grizzlies program they had never beaten before, but had come close on four separate occasions.  The most notable occasion was the infamous "PAM Game" in Missoula in 2002, where four Hornet defensive linemen sprayed PAM cooking spray on their jerseys in an attempt to make it tough for Grizzly offensive linemen to block them.
Head coach Marshall Sperbeck is back for his sixth season in charge of the Hornets football program, and has a career record of 24-32 (.429).  His best season came in 2010, where his team went 6-5.

The offense of the Hornets will be young at the skill positions.  Leading receiver Morris Norrise is back for his junior season (38 catches for 471 yards), but the team's leading passer (Jeff Fleming) and leading rusher from 2011 (Bryan Hilliard) graduated in the offseason.  The top returning quarterback is sophomore Garrett Safron and top returning running back is Sam McCowan.

Defensively, the Hornets return their three leading tacklers from 2011.  Junior linebacker Todd Davis, senior defensive back Ryan McMahon, and senior linebacker Jeff Badger (pictured above) are all back, and combined for 267 total tackles last season.

MY THOUGHTS: The Hornets have never won the conference championship in football, and if they can't win most of the close games this season, they may not even get a sniff of the top spot in the conference.

Image credit: hornetsports.com

UP NEXT: Portland State

2012 Big Sky Conference Countdown: Northern Colorado

If there is one team in the Big Sky that's got nowhere to go but up, look no further than Greeley, Colorado and the Northern Colorado Bears.  2011 was not kind to the Bears, and despite the addition of a new head coach in Earnest Cooper, Jr., they did not win a single game last season.  They couldn't even beat Lindenwood, an NAIA school (now transitioning into NCAA Division II), that came into Greeley to open the Bears' season and escaped with a 22-20 upset victory.

If the Bears want to win their first game since 2010 (won at Portland State 35-30 on November 13, 2010), they'll have to improve on both sides of the football.  Offensively, one dimension was a bright spot in an otherwise forgettable season in the form of their passing game.  The Bears bring back their leading passer, junior Seth Lobato, who threw for 2488 yards and 17 touchdowns last season.  However, leading receiver Patrick Walker, who had 84 catches for 1171 yards and 10 touchdowns, graduated, leaving the Bears short on production at wide receiver.

The one side of the ball that definitely should improve is their defense.  They gave up a dreadful 35 points a game last season.  But they do return their leaders in tackles, sacks, and interceptions.  Junior linebacker Clarence Bumpas led the Bears with 145 total tackles.  Sophomore defensive end Devontae Chappel recorded a team-high 5.5 sacks.  Senior linebacker Cameron Friend picked off three passes, and was also second on the team in total tackles with 93.

MY THOUGHTS: When you go 0-11 in a season, it's tough finding anything positive with a season like that.  As I said earlier, every bad season has it share of positives, like the play of certain players who stand out.  If the Bears can play hard enough in all their games this season, they can certainly win more than one game in 2012, and snap that embarrassing losing streak that dates back to that bad loss to a now-former NAIA school.

NEXT UP: Sacramento State

Photo credit: uncbears.com

2012 Big Sky Conference Countdown: Cal Poly

The countdown continues with the Cal Poly Mustangs, the fourth and final newcomer to the Big Sky. The Mustangs have played almost every conference team on the gridiron over the years, and now they're officially a football-only member of the conference, beginning with this season.  They are coming off a 6-5 season in 2011 and hope for plenty of success in their first season.

They are the only team in the league that runs the triple option offense (much like their FBS counterparts at Georgia Tech and Navy), which makes it difficult for defenses to stop, because you never know who the ball carrier is going to be.  Head coach Tim Walsh (formerly head coach at Portland State) kept the system in place after former head coach Rich Ellerson accepted the head job at Army in 2009, while he ran a different system with the Vikings during his 14-year tenure in Portland.  Walsh is currently 17-16 as the Mustangs head coach, entering his fourth season in charge.

When a team runs an option attack, throwing the football doesn't happen very often.  No wonder starting quarterback Andre Broadous (#3 in above photo) only has ONE career interception to his credit (thrown in a 24-17 loss at UC Davis last November 5th).  He's back for his senior season, and while he led the team in passing (1235 yards and 9 touchdown passes), he's also the top returning rusher (797 yards on 204 carries) as leading rusher from 2011 Jake Romanelli graduated.  The team's leaders in receiving yards in 2011 are only sophomores in Lance Castaneda (26 catches for 283 yards and a touchdown) and Willie Tucker (14 catches for 265 yards and two touchdowns).

Defensively, the Mustangs struggled as they gave up almost 30 points a game, and that is something they'll have to improve on this year.  Their top three tacklers from last season are back: linebackers Johnny Millard (a junior) and Kennith Jackson (a senior), and senior cornerback Bijon Samoodi.  A co-leader in quarterback sacks is also back with junior defensive tackle Sullivan Grosz, who had 6.5 sacks last season.

MY TAKE: The Mustangs have always fielded a competitive team, and with Tim Walsh patrolling the sidelines, that isn't expected to change.  But if they want to contend for a conference title in their first season, it's important their defense lower their points against this season, because giving up 30 points a game won't help you win the conference, much less make the FCS Playoffs.

NEXT UP: Northern Colorado

Image credit: Brad Puckett/San Luis Obispo Tribune

2012 Big Sky Conference Countdown: UC Davis

Today, it's time to take a look the third of four Big Sky Conference newcomers, and the first of two football-only members.  The UC Davis Aggies are joining the conference this season after playing in the now-defunct Great West Conference (along with North Dakota, Southern Utah, and Cal Poly).  And the Aggies will definitely be a motivated team to play well in 2012, after finishing 2011 with a 4-7 record in the Great West's swan song.

Speaking of swan songs, the 2012 season will be just that for Aggies head coach Bob Biggs, who announced at the end of 2011 that this season will be his last on the UC Davis sideline.  Biggs has served as head coach at his alma mater since 1993, and has a career record of 140-78-1 over 19 seasons.  He previously served as the team's quarterbacks coach before becoming head coach, and also lettered for the Aggies from 1969 to 1972 as a quarterback.

The Aggies have had a penchant for sending solid quarterbacks to the NFL.  One of the most notable is Ken O'Brien, who had a successful career with the New York Jets during the mid to late 1980s.  Another Aggie that made it to the NFL was J.T. O'Sullivan, who was mostly a journeyman in the league, but now plays for the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Offensively, the team's leading passer is back in 2012.  Junior Randy Wright started 10 of the team's 11 games last season, throwing for 2250 yards and 14 touchdowns.  In fact, 13 of Wright's 14 touchdown passes were caught by the team's two leading receivers, Tom Hemmingsen and Anthony Soto, who are both back this season.  Also, leading rusher Colton Silveria is back, as he's coming off a 603-yard, 6 touchdown freshman season.

MY THOUGHTS: If there is one team that could really use a bounceback season, it's these UC Davis Aggies.  There should be definite improvement on both sides of the football, as 2011 was a building year for the Aggies.  This will be coach Biggs' only season in the Big Sky, and with the success he's had in throughout his head coaching career, I could see the Aggies having a winning season in 2012.

Photo credit: Shazib Haq/The California Aggie

2012 Big Sky Conference Countdown: Southern Utah

Yesterday, the countdown began with the currently nickname-less North Dakota football team.  Today, it's time to take a look at another Big Sky newcomer: the Southern Utah Thunderbirds.

In 2011, the Thunderbirds ended their season with a respectable 6-5 record.  Their big win last season was at FBS member UNLV, where they crushed the Rebels 41-16.  They also blew out fellow Big Sky newcomer UC Davis in Cedar City with a 34-3 victory over the Aggies.  In the Thunderbirds' five losses in 2011, four of them were by seven points or less, including three straight last October (lost at home to North Dakota 26-20, at South Dakota 24-19, and at Cal Poly 31-27).

Heading into this season, the Thunderbirds bring back their starting quarterback in senior Brad Sorenson, who had a pretty good 2011 season (threw for 3,143 yards and 17 TDs).  But they are inexperienced at the other offensive skill positions, as leading rusher Austin Minefee and leading receiver Brady Measom both graduated over the offseason.  So the returning receivers and running backs will have to step up, or it could be a long season for the Thunderbirds offense.

On the defensive side of the ball, leading tackler Chad Hansen is back.  The junior linebacker led the team in total tackles with 104 (53 solo tackles).  However, the team's leader in sacks (Tyler Osbourne) and co-leaders in interceptions (Erron Vonner and Nick Witzmann) graduated, so there may be some holes to fill defensively.

MY THOUGHTS: The Thunderbirds are a young team heading into this season.  It helps their starting quarterback and leading tackler are back for the 2012 season, but there's a lot of younger guys that will have to step up if they want to duplicate or improve on their respectable 6-5 mark, and that might be difficult to accomplish playing in the more competitive Big Sky Conference.  They lost four of their five games by seven points or less, so sealing the deal in close games will be crucial if they even want a sniff of the conference title, let alone an FCS playoff berth.

NEXT UP: football-only newcomer UC Davis.

2012 Big Sky Conference Countdown: North Dakota

The preseason countdown begins with a look at a Big Sky Conference newcomer in the University of North Dakota.  

The team will begin the season without a nickname, the only school in the conference with that distinction (for now).  During the offseason, the controversial  Fighting Sioux nickname was retired by way of a statewide vote.  The school's athletics programs otherwise would have been deemed ineligible to participate in postseason competition per NCAA regulations, in regards to Native American-related nicknames.

  

Controversy aside, the football program has historically been strong, winning the Division II national championship in 2001, and finishing as runner-up in 2003.  In 2008, North Dakota began to make the transition from Division II to Division I, and the transition has boded well for them with a total record of 23-20 under the tutelage of head coach Chris Mussman.

North Dakota's best season since moving to Division I happened just last year, when the team finished 2011 with an 8-3 record and won a share of the final Great West Conference championship.  The team brings back their leading rusher from last season in junior Jake Miller (991 yards on 195 carries), but their most experienced quarterback is senior Marcus Hendrickson (career stats 13/47, 137 yds, 2 interceptions) who last took a snap in 2010 and did not take any last season.

Much of North Dakota's receiving corps is back, led by juniors Greg Hardin (43 catches, 549 yards, 3 TD) and R.J. McGill (34 catches, 433 yards, TD).  Their top tight ends are seniors Seth Nichols (13 catches, 109 yards, TD) and Seth Wisthoff (7 catches for 76 yards).  The rest of their tight ends are all underclassmen (sophomore long-snapper Taylor Grant, redshirt freshman Zach Alder, and true freshmen Luke Mathewson, Tucker Nordby, and Tanner Vesladahl).

Defensively, the team recorded 31 sacks and 8 interceptions.  They return their leaders in quarterback sacks (senior lineman Ross Brenneman) and one of their co-leaders in interceptions (sophomore defensive back Daryl Brown), but they also return as their top two returning tacklers, as leading tackler in 2011 Dan Hendrickson graduated.

MY THOUGHTS: With a bigger Big Sky, this will be an interesting season for the North Dakota football team, now that they're playing in a tougher and more competitive conference.  It's going to be interesting to know that they won't have a nickname for now, so that's something fans of other schools will have to get used to with the now-retired Fighting Sioux nickname on the shelf.  But they're a very good team and could easily turn some heads this season if they can play everybody tough.

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