From Chinook to the Lights

Jake Norby always knew that he was a good football player, but the former 8-Man football standout with the Chinook Sugarbeeters maybe underestimated the jump from Class C football to the 11-Man game at the NAIA Level.

Norby, who played in two state championship games for Chinook and won one back in 2015 as a linebacker and wide receiver, started his college football career last fall with the Lights. In the beginning, it was a lot to take in.

“When I was playing 8-Man football, I didn’t think there was that much difference between 8-Man and 11-Man,” Norby said. “But those three extra guys make a lot of difference. Makes things a lot more complicated.”

Norby said that when he first started practicing last fall, it took him awhile to make the adjustment and after being told he was going to redshirt, he was worried he would be forgotten about.

“It’s easy to be forgotten about when you are a redshirt, but I never felt that way,” Norby said. “I was out there competing every day and I was getting time with the two’s. The coaches just said they wanted to see me develop a little more.”

One of the most interesting developments of Norby’s young career with Montana State University-Northern, is that he was supposed to start out as a wide receiver, but according to head coach Aaron Christensen, he never showed up for the receivers meeting.

“He didn’t show up and he was supposed to be in that group,” Christensen said. “So I asked him what he wanted to play and he said defense. So now he’s an outside linebacker.”

While Norby played outside linebacker with Chinook, in the Beeters 3-4-1 defense, playing outside linebacker in Class C football and doing it in the Frontier Conference is a little different. For one thing, Norby said he blitzes a lot, during during high school he either played coverage or looked to stop the run.

“We never really blitzed much at Chinook,” Norby said. “So I was in coverage a lot. Sometimes, I was even in deep half coverage. I still have coverage responsibilities now, but it mostly backs out of the backfield or the seam. So I am not used to rushing the passer a whole lot.”

Norby, who is 6-2, 195 pounds, has quickness off the edge and it's already apparent. Earlier this week, practicing with the first-team defense, Norby notched a what would have been a sack in live competition. He also made stuffs in the run game, tackling the ball-carrier near the line of scrimmage.

“I would say my speed off the edge is my best weapon,” Norby said. “I think that’s what allows me to get around some of those big offensive lineman, cause if guys like Clint Willis, get their hands on me, it’s tough.”

Norby, who was 175 pounds just last fall, has been working on getting bigger. He has already added 20 pounds to his frame and over the next few years, he said he is hoping to get as big as 230 pounds.

“Coaches told me that they wanted to me to be about 195 for spring practice,” Norby said. “And I thought that was crazy, but with my body, I have a lot of room to grow and I was able to get there.”

Now, after maturing physically and adjusting to 11-Man football during his redshirt season, Norby is making an impression on the coaching staff and is seeing snaps with the first and second-team defense at outside linebacker.

“He had to adjust from playing 8-Man football,” Christensen said. “But he’s a good football player. He’s quick and he just had really good instincts. He’s going to be a good player for us.”

For Norby, it’s just exciting to get a chance to show what he can do.

“I am ecstatic about it,” Norby said. “For a while there, I wasn’t sure how I would do at this level and I was kind of overwhelmed when I began, but I am having a lot of fun right now. It’s fun to get a chance to compete and I am just hoping I can continue to take advantage of this opportunity and keep this going for the rest of the spring and continue it in the fall.”

If he can, Norby will be seeing meaningful snaps for the Lights on defense, much sooner than expected.

The Lights continue spring drills with a pract this afternoon, and will keep going with three more next week.