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MSU-N among teams with deep pass-catching groups
Montana State University-Northern's Marvin Williams is part of a talented group of wide receivers and tight ends heading into the 2018 season. The Lights begin fall camp Aug. 5 and open the season Aug. 25 at home against Mayville State at Blue Pony Stadium. For a look at the top linebackers in the Frontier Conference, see Thursday's Havre Daily News sports section.
The Frontier Conference has been a league that prides itself on running the football. That has always seemed to be a formula for success. But make no mistake, the Frontier is no stranger to modern-day spread offenses either, and because of that, you'll always find some great and talented pass catchers.
The 2018 Frontier season will be no different, as star wide receivers abound, and that includes with the Montana State University-Northern Lights.
New head coach Andrew Rolin has a quarterback competition brewing when fall camp commences next week, but the Lights have a stable of outstanding wide receivers returning, led by the likes of Fotios Jordanoglou, Marvin Williams and Sam Mix. Williams, as a true freshman, paced the Lights with over 600 yards and 37 caches as a season ago, while Jordanoglou came on strong at the end of the season then had a breakout spring. Mix and fellow veteran Seth Roemmele also have a ton of experience under their belt, and they add to what Rolin is most excited about when it comes to his receiving corp - depth. Rolin also expects TE Jordan Pugh to have a big impact on the MSU-N offense this season.
"That's a really good group," Rolin said. "Fotios played really well in the spring, and Marvin is a guy we're very excited about. But what I really like about that group is we have a ton of guys in that room who can step up and make plays, our veteran guys. But we also have guys like Jake Horner and Bryce Bumgardner, and we have some incoming freshmen, like Keagan Stroop and Da'Jon Thomas, who are coming here and could also be in that mix, so that's an exciting group for sure, and we expect big things from our receivers."
And that's what receivers do, make big things happen. And perhaps no receiver in the league is more adept at doing that than Southern Oregon's Bronsen Ader (5-11, 200). The senior caught 68 passes for 1,020 yards for the Raiders last season on his way to First-Team All-Conference honors. The Raiders are normally stacked at the WR position, and with the talented Jordan Suell, who led the Raiders with nine TD receptions last season also back, SOU's passing attack won't be lacking this fall.
While SOU is once again loaded with talented pass catchers, there is perhaps no one in the Frontier as good as Montana Tech senior Dion Williams. An NAIA All-American a year ago, Williams (6-1, 185) caught 77 passes for 1,401 yards and nine TDs last season, and to many, he's considered one of the top NFL prospects in the Frontier in 2018.
As for breakout stars coming into 2018, watch out for Carroll College's Shane Sipes (6-2, 190). Sipes was an all-conference kick returner as a freshman last season, but he was also second for the Saints in receiving with 495 yards and four touchdowns. There's no question, Carroll also has perhaps the league's top returning tight end in Eric Dawson (6-2, 235). As a junior, Dawson led the Saints with 31 catches for 326 yards and two scores.
UM-Western had a strong passing attack last season, and while the Bulldogs will be looking for a new quarterback this fall, they have two really good WRs returning in senior Melvin Walser (6-5, 195) and sophomore Nate Simkins (5-11, 160). Together, the duo combined for over 1,700 yards and seven scores a year ago.
Rocky Mountain College also has a good pass catching duo coming back in Max Grey and Luc Overton, but the Bears also have an outstanding tight end in Darneall Jenkins (6-5, 250), who caught 36 passes for 412 yards a year ago. RMC head coach Jason Petrino also has perhaps the best TE tandem in the league because Brandon Mosely (6-3, 230) is also back after grabbing 29 balls a year ago.
Other pass catchers to watch this season include Eastern Oregon's Brendan Kelly, who had nine touchdowns and earned All-Conference honors last season, as well as College of Idaho TE Keegan Crafton, who grabbed 30 passes for 471 yards and five scores in 2017.
Editor's Note: This is the fourth story in a series featuring the top returning players at each position in the Frontier Conference for 2018. For a glance at the top linebackers in the Frontier, see Thursday's HDN.
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