Cat-Griz Primer: Bobcats saying now is the time

Editor’s note: This version inserts attribution that was inadvertently left out to 406 MT Sports on quotes used in the story.

The 2018 season may have ended with a rough time at North Dakota State. But, that game in the FCS playoffs by no means diminished just what the Montana State Bobcats accomplished last year.

For the first time in now fourth-year head coach Jeff Choate's tenure, the Cats posted a winning record, going 8-5 overall, 5-3 in Big Sky Conference play, and, reaching the playoffs for the first time in four years. Oh, and for good measure, MSU beat Montana for the third straight time, the Cats' longest winning streak in the Brawl of the Wild in more than four decades.

In other words, life was pretty good in Bozeman in 2018.

And yet, as the Cats prepare to open the season Saturday at FBS Texas Tech, Choate, the Bobcats and their fans feel as though life is about to get even better. MSU comes into the season with perhaps as much talent as any team in the Big Sky, especially on defense, and they carry a No. 13 ranking, the highest a Bobcat club has been ranked under Choate.

So, make no mistake, the time for the Cats to put something big together is certainly now.

"I feel like we're in a very good spot right now," Choate said. "Our kids understand the mission and the vision. We've got a very good group of senior leaders. And it's going to be an exciting year."

Excitement is at a fever pitch as MSU, especially with the talent returning in Bozeman. And of course, perhaps the biggest talent in all of the FCS resides right inside Bobcat Stadium in the form of junior Troy Andersen. In two seasons at MSU, Andersen has electrified Bobcat fans in the Big Sky, at both running back, and, as an All-Conference quarterback in 2018, where rushed for over 1,200 yards and led the league in rushing touchdowns. However, this fall, Andersen will shift to full-time linebacker - though, full-time is a relative term. Andersen still expects to take snaps at quarterback in certain packages, as well as see some carries at running back. He may even line up at receiver some, and, though he's considered a starting LB for the Cats this season, he was named to the Peyton Award Watch list, the award for the FCS's top offensive player.

"I don't know what the pitch count is for him," Choate told 406 MT Sports about Andersen's availability to play offense, "but I do know this - I've told (MSU defensive coordinator Kane) Ioane that there's going to be times when he's not going to have Troy on defense for this series, or a couple of series, because we're going to be utilizing him more on offense or we're going to roll with him on offense or whatever the case may be."

Andersen can roll just about anywhere, and MSU has a lot of talent. But, for the fourth straight season, the Bobcats will also be rolling with a new starting quarterback. In fall camp, red-shirt freshman Casey Bauman beat out returning sophomore Tucker Rovig for the starting job. Bauman is an impressive figure, standing 6-6 with a rocket for an arm. But, he also has very little playing experience, so, he will look to a stacked deck of running backs, and a big offensive line to help ease the transition. MSU returns sophomore running back Isaiah Ifanse, who finished fourth in the Big Sky in rushing last season, while veterans Logan Jones and Karl Tucker II will back him up. Add in Andersen getting carries, and a very good offensive line, and MSU will again be one of the top rushing teams in the league. And while the Cats did finish third in rushing a year ago, scoring and total offense was down, as was the passing game.

Despite winning a first-round playoff game, the Cats were just 10th in the Big Sky in passing a season ago, but with star receivers Kevin Kassis and Travis Jonsen back, and with a pure passer in Bauman taking the snaps, Choate believes the offense can be much more explosive this season.

However, with how good MSU might be on defense in 2019, the offense may not even need to put up gaudy numbers. The Cats were third in the Big Sky in total defense a year ago, and they could be even better with the return of All-American Bryce Sterk, as well as senior Derek Marks at DE. Add University of Washington transfers Amadre Williams and Jason Scrempos, returning starting safeties Brayden Konkol and Jaquaye Alleyne, and LB Josh Hill, who missed last season with injuries, and the Bobcats have the makings of a defense that could be one of the FCS's very best.

And that's the goal at Montana State. The Cats no longer desire to be a team on the rise. They want to win the Big Sky title this season, and go deeper into the playoffs, and, with a schedule that doesn't include Big Sky contenders Eastern Washington or Weber State, and, with the annual Brawl of the Wild in Bozeman this season, the Cats believe they can do everything they are setting out to do.

"I think our players expect to compete for a championship, and certainly our fan base," Choate, who is 17-18 overall as MSU's coach, told 406 MT Sports. "For me, I expect us to improve.

"I think everyone in this program believes we can compete for a championship," Konkol told 406 MT Sports. "When coach Choate first got here he said it was going to take four years - the first year we'd lose big, the next year lose small, the third year win small and then the fourth year win big. I think the last three years we've done exactly what he said. This is the year to win big, and I think we've got the talent to do it, we've got the coaches to do it, and we've got the leadership to do it. So I'm super excited about this year's team."

MSU opens its season Saturday at Texas Tech. The regular season concludes with the annual Brawl of the Wild Nov. 23 in Bozeman.

MSU Bobcats Schedule

Aug. 31 at Texas Tech, 1 p.m. Fox SW

Sept. 7 vs SE Missouri, 6 p.m., SWX

Sept. 15 at Western Illinois, 2 p.m., ESPN+

Sept. 21 vs Norfolk State, 1 p.m., SWX

Sept. 28 vs Northern Arizona, 1 p.m., SWX

Oct. 5 at Cal Poly, 6 p.m., SWX

Oct. 12 vs Sacramento St., 2 p.m., SWX

Oct. 26 at North Dakota, 12 p.m., SWX

Nov. 2 vs Southern Utah, 12 p.m., ROOT

Nov. 9 at N. Colorado, 12 p.m., SWX

Nov. 16 at UC Davis, 5 p.m., SWX

Nov. 23 vs Montana, 12 p.m., ROOT