Big Sky Conference

Bobcats, Vikings both remain undecided at QB entering Big Sky opener

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BOZEMAN — Jeff Choate and his staff most often don’t have a crystal ball but they had some ability to predict an inevitable future last spring.The Montana State football coaches had an idea that Chris Murray’s academics likely would not be in order for the 2018 season. The Bobcats gave Tucker Rovig the second half of the spring practices to assert himself as the front-runner to be Montana State’s starting quarterback this fall.

That did not happen, the next in a long line of dominoes for MSU’s tumultuous situation under center. From a fall camp quarterback competition won by converted running back and linebacker Troy Andersen to an injury suffered by Andersen in MSU’s season-opening win to Rovig’s out of nowhere breakout performance last week against Wagner, Montana State has itself a quarterback dilemma entering Big Sky Conference play.

Perhaps Choate and his offensive staff should consult Bruce Barnum as Portland State’s head coach prepares his team to host MSU on Saturday. The Vikings have been facing a similar predicament ever since Alex Kuresa graduated in 2016.

Barnum waffled between athletic and unpredictable true freshman Jalani Eason and savvy, steady senior wide receiver Josh Kraght early in the season. Late, Barnum went with strong-armed gunslinging true freshman Davis Alexander. None of the three were able to lead Portland State to a win during last fall’s 0-11 nightmare.

It’s still unknown who will start between Alexander and Eason in Saturday’s conference opener at Hillsboro Stadium against MSU, although PSU’s film would indicate Alexander will get the majority of snaps even if Eason plays consistently.

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Photos by Brooks Nuanez. All Rights Reserved. 

 

About Colter Nuanez

Colter Nuanez is the co-founder and senior writer for Skyline Sports. After spending six years in the newspaper industry with stops at the Missoulian, the Ellensburg Daily Record and the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, the former Washington Newspaper Association Sportswriter of the Year and University of Montana Journalism School graduate ('09) has cultivated a deep passion for sports journalism during his 13-year career covering the Big Sky Conference. In August of 2014, Colter and brother Brooks merged their passions of writing and art to found Skyline Sports.

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