BOZEMAN, Montana — All of a sudden, the Montana State Bobcats are searching for answers. And after a stretch of futility, Southern Utah seemed to have all the answers last week.
Montana State ripped off five straight wins to move as high as No. 6 in the national FCS polls. The Bobcats’ longest winning streak since 2012 came to a screeching halt in a 34-21 loss on homecoming to Sacramento State. After a bye week where self-reflection was the primary talking point, MSU laid an offensive egg in a 16-12 loss at North Dakota.
In 2017, Southern Utah won seven games in a row, including beating three ranked FCS squads to finish 9-2 and earn the program’s second Big Sky Conference title in three seasons. Those Thunderbirds went to the playoffs for the third time since 2014 under second-year head coach Demario Warren, losing 30-13 at home to in-state rival Weber State.
Since then, wins have been almost impossible to come by. Last year’s Thunderbirds lost five straight games, beat a Sacramento State team that would end up winless in Big Sky play, and lost five straight more to finish 1-7 in league, 1-10 overall.
This season, Southern Utah won its third non-conference game 45-38 in overtime against Stephen F. Austin after an 0-2 start, then lost five more in a row. At that point, SUU had lost 18 of its last 20 games.
That is, until last week’s unlikely yet impressive explosion against Idaho State. The Thunderbirds jumped out to a 28-7 first-quarter lead thanks to three different short fields, let ISU cut it to 28-20 with less than five minutes to go in the first half, then scored 17 straight to enter the final quarter up 45-20.
In the final frame, Carlton Johnson’s 51-yard interception return for a touchdown put a final bow on a 59-34 victory.
Southern Utah visits Montana State on Saturday afternoon. MSU head coach Jeff Choate has his charges on high alert with a suddenly surging SUU squad coming to Bobcat Stadium.
“Coach Warren has got these guys improving,” Choate said during his Monday press conference. “When you look at them statistically, at Weber State, one of the best teams in the league, they play a really close, competitive ball game (29-14 loss). They played really well against Davis, lose the game (33-25). Then they get Idaho State and they route ‘em.
“They are a very confident team coming off that victory, as they should be.”
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Southern Utah’s once-fearsome defense used to feature an array of NFL talent. The T-Birds are trying to get back to that level but have struggled mightily over the last two seasons. In 2018, SUU ranked last in the league in scoring defense by giving up 41.5 poitns per game. Opponents averaged 541.2 of total offense per game against Southern Utah and 269.5 yards per game on the ground, both 13th out of 13 teams in the Big Sky. SUU also ranked last in the league in pass defense, allowing 272 yards per game. Quarterbacks averaged a rating of 171.4 against SUU I 2018.
This season, Southern Utah is giving up 38.1 points per game, 12th in the league. SUU has improved its pass defense, leading the league by allowing 206.3 yards per contest. But the rushing defense continues to struggle, allowing 213.6 yards per game and 28 rushing touchdowns, both last in the league. SUU is giving up 22.7 first downs per game, 12th in the Big Sky, and opponents are converting 45 percent of their third downs against the T-Birds.
Because of a combination of injuries to key players like Troy Andersen and Isaiah Ifanse and the continued struggles in operation have caused MSU’s offensive numbers to take a dip. A team that averaged 40 points per game against FCS opponents its first five outings has scored just 33 points over the last two games. A rushing attack that was churning out 268 yards per game has rushed for 360 over the last two.
“We see a different defense anyway every week,” Choate said. “Maybe the exception is North Dakota because they are so aggressive anyways. But this isn’t a team that has a high blitz percentage. But if you are watching us, you are probably going, ‘Bring field wave as much as you possibly can’ and see if they have an answer for it.’
MSU is still averaging almost as many rushing yards (5.5) per attempt as it is per pass completion (6.3). Montana State has scored 23 of its 32 offensive touchdowns on the ground, including five each from Andersen, slasher Travis Jonsen and explosive senior Logan Jones, all three who Choate said remained “banged up” coming into Saturday’s game.
Numbers aside, the Bobcats are not overlooking Southern Utah, at least according to Choate.
“They are a dangerous team with a lot of momentum coming in,” Choate said.
QUICK HITS
Location: Cedar City, Utah
Nickname: Thunderbirds
Enrollment: 11,225
Founded: 1897
Stadium:Eccles Coliseum, which seats 8,500. It opened in 1967. SUU has averaged 5,068 fans in four home games in 2019.
THE TEAM (1-4 in Big Sky play, 2-7 overall)
The Coach: Demario Warren, fourth season at Southern Utah. One of the youngest head coaches in college football, who’s spent his entire 12-year coaching career at Southern Utah, was one of the hottest young coaching names in the country last offseason after leading the Thunderbirds to two winning seasons in two tries. That included a 9-3 campaign in 2017 that saw SUU make it to the second round of the playoffs for the first time in school history. The Thunderbirds shared the Big Sky title with Weber State, earning the league’s auto bid into the playoffs for the second time in three seasons.
It’s been tough sledding since. Warren won 15 of his first 22 games as a head coach, then endured three five-game losing streaks while winning just three games over the last two seasons.
Warren played running back at UC Davis for three years before taking the running backs coach position in Cedar City on Ed Lamb’s staff. He switched to defense as the secondary coach in 2008, and became the defensive coordinator in 2014 before being promoted to head coach before the 2016 season.
PLAYERS TO WATCH – The Offense
Chris Helbig, quarterback, 6-4, 212, sophomore — Brad Sorenson led the T-Birds into the Big Sky Conference before getting drafted by the San Diego Chargers of the NFL in 2012. Ammon Olson, a hulking former BYU transfer, quarterbacked Southern Utah to the 2015 Big Sky title. Patrick Tyler, an athletic dual-threat and the consummate competitor, quarterbacked the Thunderbirds to the 2017 league crown.
Last season, Southern Utah’s quarterback carousel spun out of control with failed additions and injuries. SUU started four different players at quarterback last fall. Helbig, a former Butler Community College transfer, was one of the injured QBs. He threw 1,011 yards and five touchdowns in four games before his injury.
This season, Helbig had his breakout performance against Stephen F. Austin, throwing for 375 yards and two touchdowns in SUU’s first win this season. He has thrown for more than 300 yards in three of his last four games, but one of those outings, he threw four picks against Weber State.
Helbig has his best game against Idaho State last week, completing 20-of-25 passes for 268 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed 16 times and scored a touchdown. This season, he has thrown for 2,285 yards, 13 touchdowns and has rushed for six more scores.
“Their quarterback, who is a transfer, has continued to get better and better as the year went on,” Choate said. “He has identified who he is comfortable with.”
“I think that has helped them and helped their offense start to gel.”
Lance Lawson, running back, 5-7, 191, sophomore — The powerful powder keg is listed as a running back but he’s more like a safety outlet and an extension of the run game through short passes for Helbig and the SUU offense.
Lawson has at least five receptions in every SUU game and at least seven catches in SUU’s first six contests. He had a season-high 13 catches for 131 yards and two scores against SFA. He also caught eight passes for 100 yards and a score against Portland State.
“He’s a really good athlete, a spark for them on offense in a variety of ways,” Choate said.
Lawson leads SUU with 67 catches for 634 yards. He has three touchdowns, tied with Zach Nelson for a team-high.
Zach Larsen, center, 6-1, 305, senior — Larsen, the younger brother of a pair of NFL offensive linemen including former SUU captain Cody Larsen, is on his way to the NFL as well.
He has been a first-team All-Big Sky selection at center each of the last two seasons, a third-team All-American as a sophomore and first-team All-American honors last season despite SUU’s struggles.
“He has been one of the best offensive linemen in the country over the last couple of years,” Choate said. “They definitely have some talent there.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH — The Defense
Alex Sims, linebacker, 6-1, 205, junior — The Las Vegas product started contributing as a sophomore, notching 47 tackles and two tackles for loss. He played in four games last season before his campaign ended do to an injury. He was able to take a redshirt and has two years of eligibility remaining.
This season, Sims leads the Thunderbirds in total tackles with 59. His five tackles for loss are tied with Nela Otukolo, Bishop Jones and Aaron Romero.
Aaron Romero, defensive line, 6-2, 272, sophomore — The strong, stout Mesa, Arizona product showed flashes in four games of action as a true freshman last season.
His breakout performance came against Stephen F. Austin this season when he had 3.5 tackles for loss. This season, he ash 14 tackles and five tackles for loss along with a forced fumble. Of those 3.5 tackles for loss against SFA, three were solo sacks. He leads Southern Utah with 4.5 sacks this season.
Carlton Johnson, cornerback, 5-11, 155, redshirt freshman — Johnson took full advantage of the new redshirt rule last season, playing in four games, notching four tackles and recovering a fumble.
This season, he is one of the Big Sky’s leaders in interceptions after snaring two last week against Idaho State, including the final pick-6. He has three interceptions (the other came in a 43-7 loss to No. 3 South Dakota State) and he has 23 tackles.
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Photos Courtesy of Southern Utah Athletics; or by Brooks Nuanez. All Rights Reserved.
