Griz picked second in Big Sky

The Montana Grizzlies and Montana State Bobcats don't begin the 2016 football season for well over a month. But, the conference the Griz and Cats play in got the party started this week in Park City, Utah.

At the annual Big Sky Kickoff event, coaches, players and media gathered for three days to officially preview the upcoming season. And on Tuesday, the Big Sky Preseason Polls were released.

The Big Sky puts out two preseason polls each July with a Media Poll and a Coaches Poll, and in both editions on Tuesday, the Grizzlies were picked to finish second behind Northern Arizona. Montana finished second a year ago in the Big Sky, in what head coach Bob Stitt's first season at the helm.

While NAU and Montana were the top choices in both polls, the Bobcats, under new head coach Jeff Choate, were picked 8th by the media and seventh by the coaches. Montana State went 5-6 and tied for eighth a year ago in the Big Sky, in what would be Rob Ash' last season.

In the media poll, Eastern Washington, North Dakota and Portland State rounded out the top five, while defending league champ Southern Utah was 7th. In the coaches poll, Portland State tied Montana for 2nd, while EWU and UND made up the rest of the top five.

Back on Monday in Park City, the 2016 Big Sky Preseason honors were also announced, and three Bobcats and two Grizzlies were recognized, including Montana senior defensive end Caleb Kidder, who tabbed the Big Sky Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Kidder and senior safety Yamen Sanders were also selected to the Preseason All-Conference Team.

MSU saw senior offensive guard J.P. Flynn, senior running back Chad Newell and junior linebacker Mac Bignell named to the Big Sky Preseason All-Conference Team as well.

As expected, reigning FCS Offensive Player of the Year Cooper Kupp, now a senior wide receiver at EWU, was named the Big Sky Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.

Both the Griz and Cats will begin fall camp the first week of August. Montana State opens its season Sept. 1 at the University of Idaho. The Grizzlies begin their season Sept. 2 at home against Saint Francis University (PA).

Big Sky Conference Preseason Polls

(1st-place votes in parentheses)

MEDIA

1. Northern Arizona (8)...287

2. Montana (7)...283

3. Eastern Washington (5)...269

4. North Dakota (2)...262

5. Portland State (3)...252

6. Weber State...174

7. Southern Utah...162

8. Montana State...157

9. Cal Poly...153

10. Northern Colorado...111

11. Idaho State...58

12. UC Davis...56

13. Sacramento State...50

COACHES

1. Northern Arizona (8)...132

2. Portland State (2)...121

2. Montana...121

4. Eastern Washington (2)...112

5. North Dakota (1)...105

6. Weber State...83

7. Southern Utah...73

7. Montana State...73

9. Cal Poly...66

10. Northern Colorado...43

11. Sacramento State...30

12. Idaho State...24

13. UC Davis...23