Frontier Preview: Coaches with Havre, Northern ties

The Frontier Conference football season won't happen for at least another five months. And that's a long time to wait, considering the season was set to being in a mere two weeks before the league postponed the fall due to the coronavirus pandemic.

And yet, when football does resume next spring, the league will have a lot of familiar names donning headseats, as every coach but one from last season returns for another season at the helm. And even that new head coach, is a familiar name to the Frontier.

The league's newest head coach, Montana Tech's Kyle Samson, has been a star in the Frontier for a long, long time. Samson was once an All-American quarterback at Montana State University-Northern, before becoming an offensive coordinator for his father Mark with the Lights. He joined Montana Tech as the OC last season, before being named head coach this past offseason after Chuck Morrell took an assistant coaching position at Fresno State.

Samson led the Flathead High School football program for five seasons prior to arriving in the Mining City. The Braves had one of the top offenses in the state reaching the AA state title game in 2018 for the first time since 2000. Flathead also made the playoffs three out of his five seasons while in Kalispell. Samson called the offense and coached the quarterbacks at Flathead. Samson served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for seven seasons at Montana State Northern 2007-14. The Lights offense was ranked in the top 10 nationally from 2011 to 2013. A player first, Samson was an all-state quarterback at Helena Capital High School. A three-time All-Conference selection for Montana State-Northern, Samson was the 2006 Frontier Conference Offensive Player of the Year. Samson finished his career with 5,303 yards passing and 1,591 yards on the ground. He had a 62.1 career completion percentage while scoring 45 total touchdowns. Samson lives in Butte with his wife Brooke and their three children: Troy (9), Jordyn (7) and Beau (3).

Here's a look at the bios of the rest of the coaches in the Frontier Conference

MSU-Northern

Andrew Rolin was introduced Dec. 21, 2017, as Head Football Coach at Montana State University-Northern after spending nearly the past decade coaching at both the FBS and FCS levels. He has served as an assistant at San Jose State University, the University of Washington, and the University of San Diego. In 2016, Rolin served as the Wide Receivers Coach/Recruiting Coordinator at San Jose State. From 2013-2015, Rolin served as the Running Backs coach at San Jose State. Rolin came to the Spartans after spending 2012 as a graduate assistant at the University of Washington. The 2009 University of San Diego graduate majored in business administration. He began his coaching career that same year at his alma mater. Rolin coached the team's running backs for three seasons. In that time, three Torero running backs received All-Pioneer League post-season honors, including Kenn James who was ranked 2nd nationally (FCS) in all-purpose yards. in 2011. As a player, the Rancho Cordova, California native was a quarterback on the 2005 through 2008 USD teams that won three conference championships and had a 40-6 win-loss record. In that time he played for both head Coaches Jim Harbaugh and Ron Caragher.

In 2017, Rolin served as the Offensive Coordinator at Libby HS in Libby. He and his wife, Jessica, a two-time All-West Coast Conference volleyball setter and former Athletic Performance Coach at Stanford University, reside in Havre. The Rolin's have two children: daughter, Payton, and son, Bo William.

Carroll College

Troy Purcell became the 21st football coach at Carroll College Dec. 7, 2018. Purcell came to the helm with the Saints after being an assistant at the University of Idaho under Paul Petrino. Purcell coached in multiple roles, beginning by coaching the inside linebackers, then tight ends and finally becoming the team's special teams coordinator and tight ends coach. As the head coach of the Bozeman Hawks from 2005 to 2016, Purcell guided the Hawks to three Class AA state championships in 2010, '13 and '15. Prior to that, the Hawks last state championship came in 1917. Under Purcell, the Hawks finished runner-up another season, earned three divisional championships and advanced to the quarterfinals three times. Prior to that, Purcell coached the Blue Ponies of Havre High School to a run of success. At Havre, Purcell posted a 40-13 record and also broke a championship drought with a title in 2004. Havre's last championship prior to that came in 1970. The Blue Ponies made four playoff appearances and twice went to the semifinals, with two Central championships as well as a state runner-up finish under Purcell. He started his Montana coaching career in Eureka for Lincoln County High in 1994, serving as the Lions' head coach until 1999. There he went 32-23, won three District 6 championships and made the playoffs six times. Purcell prepped at Capital High, playing football for the Bruins, becoming an All-State selection in 1985 and all-conference in 1984 and '85.

Purcell and his wife, Krista, have one daughter, Brooklyn. Purcell received a degree in elementary education and health enhancement from Carroll College in 1990. He obtained a master's degree in learning development from Montana State-Northern in 2010.

Montana Western

Ryan Nourse begins his fifth season as head coach, and third straight season, after serving as the University of Montana Western Athletic Director from 2013 to 2016. Before accepting the role as AD, Nourse was the head football coach from the spring of 2011 through the spring of 2013, where he led the team for two regular seasons. On top of serving as the head coach, Nourse will be the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He will oversee all assistants and monitor recruiting, academics, camps, travel and strength and conditioning. Nourse earned a Bachelor of Science in history and political science education from Western Montana College - now the University of Montana Western - in 1997 and a Master of Arts in professional education from Morningside College in 2007. Before returning to his alma matter, Nourse served as the offensive coordinator at Morningside College in 2010-2011, his second stint at Morningside, where he also coached the quarterbacks and was the recruiting and camp coordinators. The offense ranked in the top-25 in total offense and scoring offense with Nourse at the helm. From 2008 to 2010, Nourse was the defensive coordinator at Truman State University in Missouri and served as the linebackers coach and the academic coordinator. Nourse was at Morningside College from 2001 to 2008 where he spent his last six seasons (2003-2008) as the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator. As a student-athlete at the University of Montana Western, Nourse was on the 1993 and 1994 Frontier Conference championship teams as a wide receiver. In 1994, he helped lead his team to the NAIA National Semi-Finals. His 1994 team is now in the Montana Western athletics hall of fame for their accomplishments. A Libby native, Nourse graduated from Libby High School in 1990. He is married to Tracy Nourse and they have two children, Olivia (15) and Eli (13).

Rocky Mountain College

Chris Stutzriem was hired as the 18th head football coach of the Battlin' Bears in December 2018. Stutzriem is returning to Rocky after serving as an assistant at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, an NCAA Division II program, for the past season. Prior to that, he served two years as the Rocky Mountain College offensive coordinator under Petrino. Stutzriem first came to Rocky after spending three seasons as the offensive coordinator at William Penn University. Stutzriem had a successful career as a college quarterback. He played at NCAA Division I programs Wyoming and Indiana State University, before finishing the final year of his career at NAIA powerhouse Morningside College (Sioux City, Iowa). He started 20 games during his college career and threw for nearly 3,800 yards and 36 touchdowns. At Wyoming, where he started the team's final four games and even helped the Cowboys win 13-7 at Tennessee, Stutzriem was named the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week. After being named honorable mention to the MWC All-Freshman team, he transferred to FCS Indiana State. Stutzriem received a master's of business leadership degree from William Penn in 2012. A native of Lawton, Oklahoma, he played high school football at Eisenhower High School, where he earned all-state as a senior and was ranked the No. 1 quarterback in the state.

Eastern Oregon

At 13 seasons, Tim Camp is the longest tenured coach in the Frontier. During his time at the helm, Camp has compiled an overall record of 71-60. Sept. 10, 2016, on the road against Montana Western, Camp became EOU's all-time winningest coach (49) with a 35-23 triumph. Prior to becoming the head coach at EOU, Camp served as an assistant coach for the Mountaineers for two seasons. In addition to being the offensive line coach, Camp was also the recruiting and camp coordinator. Before making his way to La Grande, Camp served as the offensive coordinator at Bucknell University and the offensive line and tight ends coach at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. From 1997 to 2002, Camp served as offensive line coach, recruiting coordinator, and strength and conditioning coordinator at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee In 2000, he was promoted to offensive coordinator. Camp's collegiate coaching career began in 1996 at Western Oregon University, where he coached the offensive line, tight ends and special teams. Camp earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Oregon State University in 1995. He was a four-year starter on the offensive line for the Beavers and received all-conference accolades. After graduating from OSU, Camp signed a free agent contract with the San Diego Chargers. Camp and his wife, Janet, have two sons, Willie and Walker, and one daughter, Kali.

Southern Oregon

Charlie Hall enters his fourth year with the Raiders. Hall needed only to make a short trek down the street after a highly successful run at Ashland High, where he had been the head coach since 2005. The 57-year-old went 94-44 with the Grizzlies while winning four conference titles, appearing in the state quarterfinals six times, the state semifinals twice and the championship game once. After stints as an assistant at six universities, he was voted conference coach of the year four times. Prior to his time at Ashland, he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Northern Arizona University from 2001 to 2005. His 2003 team led the Big Sky Conference in total offense on its way to a title, and he was subsequently named the NCAA Division 1AA Offensive Coordinator of the Year by American Football Monthly. He played and was a student assistant at SOU until 1983. After that, he served as an assistant at University of Washington, University of Idaho and University of New Mexico. He returned to Ashland as the Raiders' offensive coordinator, 1996-97, under Jeff Olson, was offensive coordinator and receivers coach at University of North Texas, 1997-98, and was a defensive coordinator under Jim Nagel at Ashland High, 1998-2001. Hall's wife, Jennifer, played volleyball at SOU from 1980-to 1982 before graduating from University of Washington. His son, Nicholas, is a graduate of Pacific Lutheran University and is the current head baseball coach at Ashland High, and his daughter, Cassandra, is an alum of Linfield College and currently works as a registered nurse in Medford.

College of Idaho

Mike Moroski is in his seventh year as head coach at the College of Idaho and has a 35-32 all-time record. Was named head coach in January 2013 and led the Yotes through their "zero year" program, prior to the return to the field in September 2014. His 2018 squad closed the season with a six-game win streak and ended the campaign ranked No. 22 in the NAIA, while his 2019 team completed a perfect 10-0 league record, winning the Frontier Conference title, reaching the NAIA Football Championship Series quarterfinals, ending the season 11-1 and ranked No. 5 in the NAIA postseason national poll. The 17-game wining streak spanning the 2018 and 2019 season is a school record. Moroski came to the College after three decades at UC-Davis – both as a player and a coach. As offensive coordinator from 1993 to 2010, his schemes helped the Aggies to eight NCAA Division II postseason appearances, including three trips to the national quarterfinals and trips to the national semifinals in 1996, 1997, 2000 and 2001. In 2000, his offense averaged 47 points per game, ranking second in Division II, while in 2001, his offense averaged 41 points and 511 yards per game, helping Moroski earn Division II National Assistant Coach of the Year honors. With Moroski serving as offensive coordinator, UC-Davis posted an overall record of 148-80, including a 98-32 record as a Division II school. Moroski coached every offensive group during his tenure at UC-Davis – quarterbacks (1987-88), wide receivers (1992-97), offensive line (1998-2009), tight ends (2010-11), and running backs (2012), while serving as the junior varsity head coach from 1989-1991. He helped the Aggies in their move from Division II to the Football Championship Subdivision in 2003, with UC-Davis transitioning to the Great West Conference and and the Big West Conference. A native of Novato, California, Moroski played quarterback at UC-Davis from 1975-1978, earning Far West Conference Player of the Year honors in both 1977 and 1978, and leading the Aggies to the 1977 Division II national semifinals. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the sixth-round of the 1979 NFL Draft, spending eight years as a backup quarterback with the Falcons (1979-84), the Houston Oilers (1985) and the San Francisco 49ers (1986). Moroski played in 69 career games, completing 57 percent of his passes for 2,864 yards and eight touchdowns. Moroski graduated from UC-Davis with a degree in managerial economics and has a master's in educational psychology. He and his wife, Cathie, have four children – sons, Nate, Will and Ben, and daughter, Emilie.