Rob Ash is still feeling the effects of the pre-Rob Ash era. Montana State isn't even close to it's 63 scholarship allotment by the NCAA because of continuing academic sanctions. Bobcat fans would have been right to be nervous about this signing class because the team just didn't have that many scholarships to give out.
No need to be nervous anymore. This is a VERY good recruiting class.
Both Head Coach Rob Ash and Recruiting Coordinator Noah Joseph came out yesterday, lauding the effort of the entire coaching staff to bring in the class they did. I liked the way Joseph put it, "We did a pretty good job of getting the top guys on the board. It's exciting cause that's a hard thing to do... To think (in December) that it's gonna work out like it did is really hard to picture."
Well picture this: A class of 21 high school seniors plus one transfer from the University of Oregon. 11 Total Montana kids (more than the Griz). Six Montana Superstate selections (more than the Griz). If you're a Bobcat fan, you have to be exceptionally happy today about those numbers and a whole lot more.
I'm not trying to say the Cats class is better than the Griz' class, or the Cats wiped the Griz out in Montana. The Griz won battles over a lot of great in-state recruits like Great Falls linebacker Ty Timmer and Dillon quarterback Bryce Carver. What I AM trying to say is through this class, Coach Ash and his entire staff have shown me a determination to recruit successfully here in Big Sky Country despite the Griz' recent success on the field.
MONTANA
I've already started talking about the Montana kids, so I might as well keep on going. Brad Daly is the biggest Montana name in this class, and as he put it in his interview right here on this blog, he's got some pretty big shoes to fill (those of his older brother, the recently graduated Bobby Daly). Brad was the Montana AA Defensive MVP last season as a D-End, the same position Bobby played in high school, and the Cats will make him into a linebacker. Coach Ash says he expects Daly the younger to become an outstanding player.
Jase Muri played quarterback for the state runners-up Billings West Bears, but will play wide receiver for MSU. If you've watched the recruiting video in this blog, his athleticism jumps off the screen. I have a feeling, judging by the one play they show him blocking on a reverse, that toughness won't be an issue in his transition to wideout.
Historically, MSU and UM don't recruit too many corners from in state. That makes CMR product Chris Wilson all the more special. Wilson won the 100M last track season, and I've heard "big fish" stories about him chasing people down on the football field. Noah Joseph (also secondary coach for MSU) told us yesterday Wilson looks like an NFL cornerback. Hopefully for Cat fans, his skills continue to develop as well.
Joel Fuller is an interesting prospect. He played at Libby where he was quarterback and the biggest guy on the field. The Cats want to try him at safety, where he also played as a Logger. Any time someone (coach Joseph) compares a recruit to Kane Ioane, Bobcat fans' ears will perk up.
TEXAS
After the success of last year's Texas recruits, MSU decided to go down to the Lone Star State again, and they managed to pull away several promising prospects.
Denarius McGhee is a quarterback Rob Ash sees as having "unbelievable leadership ability". That's good. Have you seen him on tape below? You should. It's good. He also quarterbacked his team his junior year to the Texas 5A State Championship. He's a winner. That's good. His senior year he was honorable mention all state and won his team's sportsmanship award. That's good. I see McGhee as the clear QB of the future for Rob Ash, and maybe even the present as well.
Everette Gilbert is a wide receiver in the Desean Thomas mold. He's a bit shorter than Thomas at about 5-9, but his playmaking ability is unquestionable. Watch the tape below. Speed? Check. Hands? Check. Elusiveness? Check. He hasn't qualified for college yet, but Coach Ash said yesterday he's on the right path, and the coaches here don't expect any problems. What they do expect is a player who will impact the MSU offense this year.
If DL prospect Preston Gale (6-3, 240) can really run a 4.5 40 yard dash, that's mighty impressive. I haven't seen any video of him, so I'll wait to judge anything more.
TAPE STUD
Though these guys above (save Gale) impressed me on tape, NO ONE impressed me more than DL prospect Zach Minter from Glendale, AZ. It just seemed like he was running through the offensive line like it wasn't even there. at 6-1 250, he'll need to hit the weight room to become that type of playmaker in the interior of a Big Sky defense, but I expect this guy to be that type of player a few years down the road.
STARTERS
A question I've heard a lot in the last day is, "How many starters do you see out of this class?" We saw last year that Coach Ash isn't afraid to put his freshman in important roles, so you can bet if someone deserves a spot, he'll get a spot.
My guess? One starter, maybe two. Four players do not receive redshirts.
First off, the transfer receiver from Oregon, Elvis Akpla, should start. Coaches describe him as a deep threat they didn't have in previous years. Asked if he expects Akpla to make an immediate impact, Coach Joseph replied, "He'd better".
After that, the next best chance to start is Everette Gilbert, the wide receiver from Texas I spoke about above. It'd be hard for ANY coaching staff to keep a playmaker like Gilbert off the field, much less this coaching staff, which lost four senior receivers (Ty Lulay, Deon Toliver, DeAndre Green, Tyler Bolton) from last year's roster. The Cats also lost a lot of playmaking ability with Demetrius Crawford leaving.
If the coaches feel they need another bigger wide receiver in the mix, either Tanner Bleskin (Great Falls, MT - CMR) or Gianni Carter (Eugene, OR - Marist) would fit that bill. They'd have to beat out Derek Green for that space, but I've never been too impressed with Green anyway. That's doable. Still, you have Mark Desin who can play wideout as well, so don't expect BOTH of these guys to play this year.
Defensive Tackle Christian Keli'i has an outside chance to start, and should be in the rotation on the D-Line. Coaches said wide receiver and the D-Line were the two most important positions they had to fill, so I'd expect someone to make an impact here. Chris Kolone left a large gap in the middle of that D-Line. Keli'i will fill it down the road, if not this season.
QB Denarius McGhee will be given a chance to prove himself in camp, but I've just always liked Mark Iddins as the QB of this team, even last year before the season, as those who read this blog know.
I've heard a few people like either Chris Wilson or fellow DB prospect Darius Jones to start, but I just DO NOT see that. Cory Nicol had a fantastic season last year, and then freshman James Andrews performed very well in the third corner roll. I think those guys will start with last year's redshirt Zach Coleman taking the third corner spot. Remember, coaches debated for a while whom to redshirt, Coleman or Andrews. If they want a fourth corner this year, they'll have to decide in camp between Wilson and Jones like they did last year between Coleman and Andrews.
MY INITIAL DEPTH CHART FOR 2009
With a few and/or's placed in there of course. If I forgot somebody, I apologize.
QB - Mark Iddins, Cody Kempt
RB - CJ Palmer, Ricky Evans, Aaron Mason
WR - Desean Thomas, Gianni Carter OR Colby Kinna
WR - Elvis Akpla, Derek Green
WR - Everette Gilbert, Mark Desin
TE - Joe Schreibeis, Kyle Beggar
OT - Jeff Miller
OG - Conrad Burbank
C - Alex Terrien
OG - Jeff Hansen
OT - Mike Person*
* Redshirts Ben Tauanuu and Matt Bernard should be two main backups for the o-line along with Anthony Patterson and Jesse Hoffmann. Coach Ash told me last fall camp he really thought Tauanuu would turn into an excellent player. I wouldn't be surprised if either he or Bernard started over Miller.
DE - Dane Fletcher, Dustin O'Connell
DT - Dan Ogden, Leo Davis OR Casey Dennehy OR Jason D'Alba
DT - Ryan Cerise, Christian Keli'i
DE - Brad Smith, John Laidet
WLB - Jeff Price
MLB - Clay Bignell
SLB - Chase Gazzero*
* There will be PLENTY of backup linebackers to redshirt all of the incoming freshman. Believe me. Take a look at the roster.
CB - Cory Nicol, Zach Coleman
CB - James Andrews, Chris Wilson OR Darius Jones
SS - Kevin Retoriano, Jordan Craney
FS - Arnold Briggs, Michael Rider OR Beau Watkins
K - Jason Cunningham
P/PK - Eric Fisher
NON RED SHIRTS INCLUDED:
1) Everette Gilbert
2) Christian Keli'i
3) Chris Wilson OR Darius Jones
?4) Gianni Carter?
There's always a chance for that fifth -- QB Denarius McGhee...
It all depends on Fall Ball and of course the elephant in the room... Injuries. Let's hope and pray for none.
~ Dave Griffiths
dave@maxmontana.com
