With Montana State beginning its first fall camp under Jeff Choate this week, Skyline Sports will break down MSU’s roster by highlighting prominent battles for playing time in each position group.
Today’s position: “Buck” defensive end
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The players: Grant Collins (a 6-foot-4, 232-pound third-year sophomore), Shiloh Laboy (a 6-foot-3, 245-pound junior) and Jessie Clark (a 6-foot-3, 245-pound senior).
What’s at stake: Montana State built its foundation of success during Rob Ash’s first six seasons at the helm on the backs of elite pass rushers like Dane Fletcher, Caleb Schreibeis and Brad Daly. Schreibeis and Daly became the first two Bobcats to win the Buck Buchanan Award as the top defensive player in the FCS. But since Daly exhausted his eligibility following 2013, Montana State’s pass rush has taken a big step backward.
The “Buck” end is a new defensive end position in Ty Gregorak’s multi-faceted defense. The position will have a variety of requirements; from being a pass rushing spot to playing standing up to covering the flat in pass coverage. Gregorak, an assistant at rival Montana for 12 of the last 13 years, has proven he can produce elite pass rushers. Zack Wagenmann (Big Sky Conference Defensive MVP in 2014) and Tyrone Holmes (FCS Defensive Player of the Year in 2015) are both in the NFL after playing in defenses coordinated by Gregorak at Montana.
Finding at least one player who can hold the edge and rush the passer will go a long ways in curing what has ailed Montana State defensively over the last two-plus seasons.
How they fared in 2015: Clark struggled to grasp the Division I game early on after transferring from Los Angeles Community College but thrived on third downs when all he had to do was get after the quarterback. He finished third in the Big Sky Conference with 5.5 sacks.
Collins, a Bozeman High product, played his redshirt freshman season as a middle linebacker. His 88 tackles ranked second on MSU and 14th in the league. But new head coach Jeff Choate and Gregorak determined Collins was a better fit playing on the edge, making him switch positions during spring drills.
After transferring from College of the Redwoods, Laboy showed flashes of his talent during fall camp but was never able to grasp MSU’s defense. He appeared in 10 games and notched three tackles, including half a sack. He is now playing a different position and is listed as a co-starter with Collins at the new spot.
The case for Collins: Collins is one of Montana State’s most productive, talented returning players. He showed great promise as a freshman in the middle of MSU’s defense. Collins is tough, athletic, plays with a high motor and runs well. It remains to be seen how he adjusts to playing on the line of scrimmage after spending most of his football career as a standup linebacker. But he has several good mentors to teach him the nuances of playing on the edge, both in the form of Choate and Gregorak as well as his father, Shane, a second-round draft pick by the Washington Redskins after an All-America career at Arizona State in the early 1990s.
The case for Laboy: Laboy made strides as noticeable as any Bobcat during spring drills. Gregorak took an instant liking to Laboy because of his fluent movement, natural athleticism and prototype size. Laboy tried his hand at both defensive end positions during spring, ultimately rising to hold the co-No. 1 spot with Collins, a testament to his growth over the last year.
The case for Clark: Clark is the most natural pass rusher of the three vying for the “Buck” end position. But he has to prove to Choate and Gregorak that he can play within the constructs of a defense and play assignment-sound football if he wants to be an every-down player. There’s no doubt that Clark’s talent will be put to use in some form even it is in third-down packages.
What they must accomplish during fall camp: Montana State’s defensive struggles have come from a multitude of factors – poor safety play, lack of cornerback depth, unsound run fits, shaky inside linebacker play – but a lack of a pass rush has been among the leading factors of the demise of a once-proud defense. In a league filled with spread offenses, having players who can thrive on the edge and eliminate space with length will be crucial. All three Buck candidates have length, explosion and talent. The one who grasps the mental aspects of MSU’s new defense will be the one who rises to the top.
Also on the roster: Redshirt freshman B.J. Ojo (6-1, 220), himself a converted inside linebacker, is listed as the No. 4 “Buck” end on MSU’s first depth chart. Montana State also signed freshmen Chase Benson (Helena), Kyle Finch (Dillon), Michael Jobman (Huntley Project), Derek Marks (Belgrade) and Lewis Kidd (Minneapolis) from the prep ranks in February. Each has a to be determined position after one day of fall camp.
[/restrict]Photos by Brooks Nuanez. All Rights Reserved.
