Frontier Notebook: Northern's Isaiah Paul leads NAIA in interceptions

In 2018, the Rocky Mountain College Battlin' Bears won the Frontier Conference championship and went to the NAIA playoffs for the first time in a decade. But, their head coach left after that season, and the next year, Rocky fell to 4-7, and in the COVID-19 spring season of 2021, RMC went just 1-3.

Needless to say, the start to the Chris Strutzreim era was a bit rocky. But, 2021 has been anything but. This fall, Rocky is 5-1, the Battlin' Bears have won three straight games and are quickly moving up in the NAIA Top 25.

Rocky is doing it with a great balance of a high-scoring offense, and a defense that's coming into its own.

Of course, Rocky's path to its second Frontier title in four years is not an easy one. After this week's bye, the bears play Carroll, Montana Tech and Northern, who are all in the second half of the league standings right now. But the Bears have to go to Western to finish the season, and if things go to form, that game could likely be a winner-take-all affair in Dillon Nov. 13.

Still, no matter what happens in RMC's final four games, the Bears have proven that the Chris Strutzreim era is headed in the right direction, and Rocky is back to being a perennial Frontier power.

Interceptor

MSU-Northern's Isaiah Paul is having quite the season in the secondary. Paul has five interceptions so far, which not only leads the Frontier Conference, but is tied for first in all of the NAIA. Paul, according to head coach Andrew Rolin, is one of the very best defensive backs in the Frontier, and he's proving it on a weekly basis, as he continues to rack up interceptions at an exciting pace.

Poll Changes

Three Frontier teams are in the Top 25 yet again, but none of them are ranked among the Top 15, which means, the league already faces an uphill climb to get more than the automatic qualifier into the playoffs.

RMC moved up four spots this week to No. 19, while Western climbed three spots to No. 21. College of Idaho re-enters the coaches poll at No. 25.

Frontier Honors

RMC quarterback Nate Dick has been named Frontier Offensive Player of the Week. In No. 23 Rocky's 34-17 road conference win over (RV) Eastern Oregon, Dick was 14 of 26 for 224 yards and four touchdowns. He rushed for 123 yards on 17 carries.

C of I defensive end Keagan McCoy was named Frontier Defensive Player of the Week. In College of Idaho's 28-23 come-from-behind road conference win over Montana Tech, McCoy recorded two solo tackles, three assisted tackles, one tackle for loss (-15 yards) and one quarterback sack (-15 yards). He made two game-changing fourth quarter plays. First, a blind-side QB sack to end a Tech drive which led to a C of I touchdown. And, he recovered an Oredigger fumble with 2:02 left, returning it 40 yards for a touchdown to cap the come the from-behind-victory.

Rocky kicker Riley Garrett was named Frontier Special Teams Player of the Week. In No. 23 Rocky's 34-17 road conference win over (RV) Eastern Oregon, Garrett kicked four extra points and booted two field goals (48, 33).