BOZEMAN (AP)
Montana State head football coach Rob Ash put his Bobcats through their first full-contact scrimmage on Saturday and generally liked what he saw. He says the offense started strong; but when the defense settled in and started playing well, the offense looked a little sloppy. But Ash says that's a function of where they are in camp, and of it being the first live scrimmage. Overall, he says it went well. The Bobcat coaching staff allowed 90 minutes for the scrimmage, but it lasted just more than an hour. Ash says a lightning storm moving in from the west motivated them to move quickly. Saturday marked Montana State's first double-day practice session, and Ash gave the team Sunday off as a reward for working hard in the first week of fall camp. Meanwhile, in Missoula, he University of Montana Grizzlies open spring drills on today. The Griz are in an unfamiliar role this season: in a rebuilding mode and needing to replace 14 starters and several recordsetting players who graduated. Montana returns 10 starters, seven on offense and three on defense. The Griz are the defending Big Sky Conference champions, and have advanced to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs 15 years in a row. Sixth-year UM head coach Bobby Hauck sports a 52-14 overall mark and a Big Sky record of 32-5. UM has 46 lettermen from its 11-1 team of last year that was 8-0 in the Big Sky. The Griz have won 16 straight league games and was ranked 10th in the final Sports Network poll after losing a playoff game to Wofford. Former Havre High School standout Marc Mariani begins his junior season with the Grizzlies, and is expected to be one of UM's top receivers and return men.
