RMC announces Samson as a finalist for head job

A pair of very familiar names to local football fans have been announced as finalists for the head coaching position at Rocky Mountain College.

One of those names is current Havre High head coach and former Montana State University-Northern head man Mark Samson. The list was announced Tuesday afternoon by RMC athletic director Bruce Parker.

Samson, along with former Montana Grizzly head coach Robin Pflugrad are among five finalists who will interview for the position next week in Billings. The other finalists are, current RMC defensive coordinator Matt Hollowell, University of South Dakota defensive coordinator Jason Petrino and South Dakota School of Mines offensive coordinator Zach Tinker.

"We are very fortunate and proud to have attracted such a quality group of finalists," Parker said in a press release. "The position attracted over 80 applicants, which says a lot about the quality of program Coach (Brian) Armstrong built, as well as what Rocky Mountain College and the city of Billings have to offer."

The RMC position opened when Armstrong was hired to coach the offensive line for new Montana State head coach Jeff Choate.

Samson just finished his first season as head coach of the Havre Blue Ponies, leading them to their first Central A championship in four years, as well as an 8-3 overall record and a berth in the Class A semifinals. The Ponies had a six-game winning streak during the 2015 season and were one of the top offenses in Class A football.

Samson coached the Lights from 2004-2013, leading them to the 2006 NAIA playoffs, and is the winningest coach in MSU-N history.

Pflugrad has over 30 years of coaching experience. In 2011, he led the Grizzlies to the FCS semifinals. Following his dismissal at Montana, he served as Weber State's offensive coordinator for one season. He served this past season as the assistant head coach/offensive coordinator at Phoenix College.

Petrino has local ties as well. A Kalispell native, he played at Carroll College, as part of his family legacy, and has had several coaching stops in 16 years. He has spent the last four seasons under former Griz head coach Joe Glenn at South Dakota.

Hollowell is a Hysham native who played collegiately for Dickinson State, while Tinker has Frontier Conference experience, having coached at Eastern Oregon before going to South Dakota Mines.

Parker said on campus interviews will start next week, with public forums as well.

"We expect to announce our final decision following the completion of the on-campus interviews," Parker said.