Lights return to Tech ready to go

The last time the Montana State University-Northern Lights were inside Montana Tech’s Alumni Coliseum, they were on the wrong side of history. On that day, Oct. 21, 2017, the Orediggers pummeled the Lights 93-19, shattering all kinds of records in the process.

Now, Northern (0-3, 1-3) is headed back to Butte for another showdown with Tech, but it’s obvious through the first four games of 2018 that, the Lights are different, and the past is exactly where it belongs, in the past.

Northern and No. 24 Montana Tech (2-1, 2-1) will square off for the only time this season when the two rivals meet Saturday at 1 p.m. in Butte.

“Montana Tech is a very experienced, well-coached football team,” Northern head coach Andrew Rolin said. “When I look at their two-deep, I see a lot of juniors and seniors. They have a talented football team, so it’s going to be a challenge for us. We’re going to have to execute well in all three phases of the game.”

Continuing to execute is exactly what the Lights need to do, too. Northern has shown vast improvements thus far in 2018, including playing a strong defensive game in a 32-14 loss to Carroll College last Saturday in Havre. And still, MSU-N is allowing 38 points and over 500 yards of offense defensively, while the Lights want to be better offensively, too. On that side of the ball, MSU-N is averaging just 19 points per game, and 355 yards of offense.

“I think one of the big keys for us, both offensively and defensively is being better on third down,” Rolin said. “Against Carroll, we gave up too many big plays in the run game, and we didn’t get off the field enough on third down. I was encouraged by how physical our defense was, and I thought we tackled really well. But we have to get off the field on the third down. And offensively, same thing, we have to execute better and convert more on third down. I thought we were much better in the redzone against Carroll, and we didn’t turn the ball over, but we have to convert on third downs and keep drives moving.”

Northern’s offense, which is led by senior quarterback Tommy Wilson, who has thrown for 877 yards and four scores, as well as junior running back Jett Robertson, who has 356 yards and averages 89 ypg this season, will need to be sharp Saturday, because Montana Tech presents plenty of challenges with its big, physical defense.

And it’s a Tech defense that will be out to prove something after the Diggers were thrashed by Southern Oregon last Saturday, in a game where they surrendered nearly 500 yards of offense and 278 yards on the ground in a 44-12 loss.

Still, even with the stinging defeat at SOU, Tech isn’t short on talent on the defensive side of the ball. Linebacker Connor Wines led the Frontier Conference in sacks a season ago, while DL Chance Hansen will be a handful for MSU-N’s offensive line. Former Chester-Joplin-Inverness standout Justin May is also a tackling machine in the secondary.

“Defensively, Tech is experienced, especially in the their front seven,” Rolin said. “They’re big and strong up front. They’re physical, and they tackle really well. They’re very similar to Carroll in that regard. But schematically, we’re going to see a much different defense this week. They’re going to throw a lot of different looks at us, so we’ve got to be ready for that, and be ready to execute at a high level.”

Defensively, Northern will need to execute as well, and the focus will be on trying to slow down Tech’s star running back, Jed Fike. The junior has been a handful for every team in the Frontier since he arrived at Tech last season, and he comes into Saturday’s game averaging 125 yards per outing. Tech also has a star receiver in Dion Williams, but the Diggers are also starting a young quarterback in sophomore Tanner Kump, and while he’s shown flashes early in the season, Tech is only averaging 202 yards passing and Kump has five interceptions and five touchdowns so far.

“Offensively, Tech is very solid,” Rolin said. “They’re disciplined and they have a lot of experience. It all starts with their running back. He’s a really good football player, and what they do centers around their run game. They have good receivers, too. They have a lot of really solid playmakers, but I think it all starts with him (Fike). He’s a really talented football player.”

Indeed. Stopping Fike will be critical, and that falls on Northern’s young front seven, including emerging star at defensive tackle, Justin Pfeifer, who has 10 tackles and a sack this season. Northern’s linebackers will also be key, and that group has played well. The quartet of Jake Norby, Jaren Maki, Chase Gilbert and Alec Wagner have combined for nearly 100 stops so far this season, with Gilbert racking up 31 and two interceptions in the last three games alone.

“I was really encouraged by what I saw from our defense last week,” Rolin said. “They’re growing, they’re getting better, and that’s what you want to see out of a young defense.”

And in all phases, that’s what the Lights are trying to do, grow and get better. Northern showed that in last Saturday’s loss to Carroll, especially given the fact the Lights didn’t have a turnover and only committed two penalties. And Rolin says, that kind of execution and growth needs to continue if the Lights are going to have success at Montana Tech.

“We have a good game plan for this game,” Rolin said. “Tech is very talented, very experienced. They’re a really solid football team. But we like our game plan we have, and now, it’s up to us to go down there and just do our jobs. We need to execute at a high level in all three phases of the game. It’s about us, it’s about what we do. So that’s our focus right now, just making sure we all do our jobs and making sure we execute.”

Saturday’s game between the Lights and Orediggers kicks off at 1 p.m. in Butte. The Lights have their bye next week, and will return to the field for a night game against Eastern Oregon Oct. 6 at Blue Pony Stadium.

Back to Butte

MSU-Northern Lights (0-3, 1-3) at #24 Montana Tech

Orediggers (2-1, 2-1)

Saturday, 1 p.m.

in Butte

Streaming: http://www.golightsgo.com

Radio: 92.5 KPQX FM

Twitter: Twitter/Havredaily