First scrum gets Lights closer to the season

The Montana State University-Northern Lights are growing.

And Saturday's scrimmage showed lots of potential and promise.

The Lights are fast-approaching their second season under head coach Andrew Rolin, bringing about some noticeable improvements, along with some apparent struggles on both sides of the pigskin.

"I'm excited," Rolin said when asked about the scrimmage.

Rolin added that his team's effort and physicality are present, but the team still needs to grow.

The Lights have been working hard and motivating the team to rise to the top. Brenden Medina, one of the quarterbacks for the Lights, along with his fellow quarterbacks, study film twice a day, every day, to improve themselves and to help the offense run smoothly. Bryce Bumgardner, a wide receiver for the Lights, has focused on hand-eye coordination exercises and pass-catching to further better himself as one of the Lights good receivers.

The defensive side of the ball under Defensive Coordinator Jake Chestnut has made a staple in emphasizing third-downs in the game. Chestnut's defense even has a code-name for third-downs, calling it "Money," which gets the defense rallied and mentally prepared for the play, as it is an important one in the game.

Along with scrimmage, the Lights' fall camp kicked off much of the grinding the team was to work on.

"The camp has went good," Rolin said. "Now, we're just working on getting ready for Arizona Christian."

Offensively, the Lights are looking to utilize multiple offensive weapons, such as running back Jett Robertson, wide Bumgardner and a quarterback who can give the offense the drive it needs to succeed.

Saturday's scrimmage saw these offensive tools spark, but also presented other standouts. Quarterback Tre Long proved to possess awareness in the pocket and provided the offense with a good run-option. Long also threw for a touchdown, sparking the dual-option potential at his position. Wide receiver Jake Horner caught a pass and ran in for a touchdown, running back Kyle Jacklich proved his skill and toughness, making multiple keys runs and a long run up the outside, and quarterback Oakley Kopp ran in for a touchdown in the second half of the scrimmage.

Much of the offense's skill showed up in the second half, following a rough first half.

The first half saw multiple pass drops, an often-stuffed running game and some problems concerning the offensive line. Even with the struggles in the first half, the offense has great potential moving forward and could prove to be a versatile weapon in the upcoming season.

The Lights' defense also had a very promising scrimmage.

The defense executed multiple 3-and-outs, disrupted the passing game and came up with two sacks and an interception in the late second half by Joshua Rose, a true freshman from Las Vegas, Nevada.

"We have a one-play mentality. Forget your memory and play the next series," junior linebacker Jaren Maki said about the Lights' defense and its great play-making that took place at the scrimmage.

Other defensive standouts included defensive lineman B.J. Hatcher, who showed to be a threat at pass rushing, Joe Fehr, another defensive lineman who had a sack on the quarterback, and Jake Norby, who flexed his talent by proving to be a key player for blitzes and breaking-up passes.

Chestnut credited one of his fellow coaches, Jake Crain, for his help in coaching the defense and being well in-tune with his players, creating a defense that responds well to the coaching they're given.

The defense also had some struggles, mainly with stopping the deep-threat and staying consistent with its attack. Overall, the Lights' defense presents an edge that can control the game and wreak havoc at its full potential.

In the end, the Lights have some work to do, but Saturday's scrimmage game showed that Lights' fans can look forward to a season full of sparks and potential on both sides of the ball.

The team's excitement and hype for the season is something to behold and will impact how the team moves forward. The Lights have some work to do, but their team spirit and rising potential could make this team something to fear in the upcoming season.

The Lights' season opener Aug. 31 at Arizona Christian University kicks off at 7 p.m. and is a game the Lights are pressing to prepare for. The Lights will begin Frontier Conference play at Rocky Mountain College Sept. 6.