Montana State released its first depth chart following its first fall camp under first-year head coach Jeff Choate as the team begins preparation for Idaho. Montana State opens it season on September 1 in Moscow.
MSU wide receiver Kevin Kassis (85)
The new depth chart has a slew of changes compared to the final depth chart released after spring drills, including the presence of true freshmen wide receivers Karl Tucker and Kevin Kassis, linebacker Balue Chapman, cornerback Damien Washington and safety Jacob Hadley on the two-deep.
Battles for starting positions included: junior Monte Folsom beating out classmate and fellow Dillon native Caleb Gillis at right guard; redshirt freshman Mitch Brott holding off graduate transfer Patrick Carroll at right tackle; junior Justin Paige is the starter at Z receiver, ahead of Kassis and senior Will Krolick while senior Brandon Brown and redshirt freshman Cam Sutton are listed OR behind Mitch Herbert at X receiver; Tucker is listed as Johnny D’Agostino’s backup in the slot.
On defense, sophomore Grant Collins, MSU’s starting middle linebacker last season, is the starter at Buck end ahead of senior Jessie Clark and junior Jakob McCarthy, the latter a linebacker convert in the last week; junior Tyrone Fa’anono and junior Shiloh Laboy are listed as OR at defensive end after Fa’anono missed most of fall camp, causing LaBoy to move from Buck end to d-end full time; Redshirt freshman Josh Hill and junior Lukas McCarthy are listed as co-starters at Will linebacker ahead of Blake Braun, a junior who missed most of fall camp in a walking boot; sophomore Tre’Von Strong and graduate transfer senior John Walker are MSU’s starters at corner; sophomore Tavon Dodd, a converted running back, and sophomore Braelen Evans are listed as OR backups behind Strong at Boundary corner; junior Bryce Alley and Washinton are listed as OR behind Walker at Field corner.
True freshmen quarterback Chris Murray, running back Anthony Pegues, kicker Gabe Peppenger, kicker/punter Jered Padmos, offensive guard Taylor Tuiasosopo, defensive lineman Derek Marks and defensive end Lewis Kidd are not on the two-deep but are on the 70-man travel roster.
MSU linebacker Josh Hill (58)
Non-freshmen not on the travel roster: redshirt freshman quarterback Brady McChesney, senior safety Zach Stern, sophomore running back Logan Jones, junior safety West Wilson, redshirt freshman safety Ty Robbie, sophomore fullback Dylan Stenseth, sophomore linebacker Blake Sylvester, sophomore linebacker Koni Dole, redshirt freshman tight end Woody Brandom, redshirt freshman tackle Colin Hammock, redshirt freshman guard Kash Perry, sophomore wide receiver Hunter Mahlum, redshirt freshman Keon Stephens, redshirt freshman fullback B.J. OJo.
The true freshmen offensive linemen group of Jake Sessions, Kyle Murack, Jarrod Asche, Denver Krone and Conner Floden are not on the depth chart or the travel roster and will presumably redshirt. So likely will quarterback Kamden Brown, running back Sean Opland, safety Will Martel, safety Brian Campbell, running back Nick Van Horssen, defensive end Chase Benson, defensive end Kyle Finch, tight end Clark Judisch, defensive end Michael Jobman and linebacker Austin Barrette.
Montana State’s roster expands to 104 players with the start of school on Monday. After MSU’s trip to Moscow, the Bobcats have three straight games at home. Montana State dresses all its players for home contests. MSU’s first road trip October 1 to Sacramento State will be the time when final roster decisions in regard to redshirting will have to be made.
2016 Montana State Bobcats preseason depth chart
OFFENSE
Left tackle
55 Dylan Mahoney, junior, 6-6, 283
79 Wilson Brott, sophomore, 6-5, 240
Left guard
75 J.P. Flynn, senior, 6-6, 312
74 Wade Webster, sophomore, 6-5, 285
Center
70 Alex Neale, sophomore, 6-3, 290
67 Jake McFetridge, redshirt freshman, 6-6, 300
Right guard
54 Monte Folsom, junior, 6-2, 295
73 Caleb Gillis, junior, 6-6, 285
Right tackle
63 Mitch Brott, redshirt freshman, 6-6, 265
65 Patrick Carroll, graduate transfer, 6-5, 320
Quarterback
11 Tyler Bruggman, junior, 6-2, 190
12 Ben Folsom, redshirt freshman, 6-2, 205
Halfback
2 Gunnar Brekke, senior, 5-11, 180
OR
17 Chad Newell, senior, 6-1, 220
23 Nick LaSane, junior, 5-11, 213
X Receiver
82 Mitchell Herbert, junior, 6-4, 205
4 Brandon Brown, senior, 6-0, 180
OR
84 Cam Sutton, redshirt freshman, 6-5, 200
H Receiver
88 John D’Agostino, sophomore, 6-1, 195
13 Karl Tucker II, freshman, 6-1, 205
Z Receiver
3 Justin Paige, junior, 5-11, 166
85 Kevin Kassis, freshman, 5-11, 178
Or
7 Will Krolick, senior, 6-1, 184
Tight end
15 Austin Barth, senior, 6-6, 250
87 Connor Sullivan, sophomore, 6-4, 220
OR
80 Curtis Amos, sophomore, 6-0, 225
DEFENSE
Buck end
41 Grant Collins, sophomore, 6-4, 222
33 Jessie Clark, senior, 6-3, 245
32 Jakob McCarthy, junior, 6-2, 235
Tackle
96 Zach Wright, sophomore, 6-2 260
56 Brandon Hayashi, junior, 6-0, 300
OR
90 Fou Polataivao, junior, 6-1, 305
Nose
92 Tucker Yates, sophomore, 6-0, 303
93 Matt Brownlow, senior, 5-9, 305
End
57 Tyrone Fa’anono, junior, 6-2, 260
OR
2 Shiloh Laboy, junior, 6-3, 245
99 Marcus Ferriter, freshman, 6-3, 225
Sam
49 Mac Bignell, junior, 6-0, 190
42 Joey Michael, senior, 6-2, 205
OR
35Balue Chapman, freshman, 6-1, 189
Mike
59 Fletcher Collins, senior, 6-2, 216
43 Walker Cozzie, redshirt freshman, 5-11, 210
Will
58 Josh Hill, redshirt freshman, 5-11, 200
OR
11 Lukas McCarthy, junior, 6-1, 220
34 Blake Braun, junior, 6-2, 227
Boundary cornerback
1 Tre’Von Strong, sophomore, 6-1, 190
9 Tavon Dodd, 5-8, 176, sophomore
or
5 Braelan Evans, sophomore, 6-0, 185
Strong safety
10 Bryson McCabe, junior, 6-0, 190
48 Jacob Hadley, freshman, 6-6, 195
Free safety
12 Khari Garcia, junior, 5-10, 178
37 Sidney Holmes III, redshirt freshman, 5-11, 195
OR
8 Chris Harris, redshirt freshman, 6-3, 185
Field cornerback
John Walker, graduate transfer, 5-9, 168
24 Bryce Alley, junior, 5-11, 165
OR
27 Damien Washington, freshman, 5-10, 176
SPECIALISTS
KO — 40 Jered Padmos, freshman, 6-2, 175
Or
31 Gabe Peppenger, freshman, 6-0, 220
P — 40 Jered Padmos, freshman, 6-2, 175
OR
83 Devon Tandberg, redshirt freshman, 5-10, 176
KR
2 Gunnar Brekke, senior, 5-11, 180
OR
17 Chad Newell, senior, 6-1, 220
PR
2 Gunnar Brekke, senior, 5-11, 180
OR
12 Khari Garcia, junior, 5-10, 178
85 Kevin Kassis, freshman, 5-11, 178
LS
56 Rocky Hogue, junior, 6-3, 205
Holder
11 Tyler Bruggman, junior, 6-2, 190
