The Montana State Bobcats released their first public depth chart of the Jeff Choate era during the Big Sky Kickoff media conference earlier this week. Choate took over at MSU in December of 2015. He has conducted 15 spring practices with his team and did not release a depth chart during spring drills. The first-year head coach’s squad was picked to finish eighth in the Big Sky Conference by the media and seventh by the league’s 13 coaches.
Last season, the Bobcats endured their first losing season since 2001. Since 2002, MSU has claimed six Big Sky titles and qualified for the FCS playoffs seven times. Montana State went 5-6 in 2015. MSU must replace All-Americans at quarterback (Dakota Prukop, transferred to Oregon), tight end Beau Sandland (drafted by the Carolina Panthers) and left tackle John Weidenaar (signed with Cincinnati Bengals). MSU must also replace starters at all offensive line positions except senior preseason All-Big Sky left guard J.P. Flynn. Captain slot receiver Mitch Griebel, a trio of defensive tackles and retired defensive end Zach Hutchins all depart.
Senior running back Chad Newell, junior wide receivers Mitch Herbert and Justin Paige, sophomore converted middle linebacker Grant Collins (now a defensive end), sophomore nose tackle Tucker Yates, all three linebackers (senior MLB Fletcher Collins, junior OLBs Mac Bignell and Blake Braun), junior safeties Khari Garcia and Bryson McCabe and sophomore cornerbacks Bryce Alley and Tre’Von Strong return as starters.
2016 Montana State Bobcats preseason depth chart
OFFENSE
Left tackle
55 Dylan Mahoney, junior, 6-6, 283
79 Wilson Brott, sophomore, 6-5, 240
72 Colin Hammock, redshirt freshman, 6-3, 240
Left guard
75 J.P. Flynn, senior, 6-6, 312
67 Jake McFetridge, redshirt freshman, 6-6, 300
64 Lane Knows His Gun, redshirt freshman, 6-0, 240
Center
70 Alex Neale, sophomore, 6-3, 290
54 Monte Folsom, junior, 6-3, 295
Right guard
73 Caleb Gillis, junior, 6-6, 285
74 Wade Webster, sophomore, 6-5, 285
76 Kash Perry, redshirt freshman, 6-6, 315
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
14 Brady McChesney, redshirt freshman, 5-11, 185
Tailback
2 Gunnar Brekke, senior, 5-11, 180
OR
17 Chad Newell, senior, 6-1, 220
OR
23 Nick LaSane, junior, 5-11, 213
20 Noah James, sophomore, 6-1, 205
28 Logan Jones, sophomore, 5-7, 180
X Receiver
82 Mitchell Herbert, junior, 6-4, 205
7 Will Krolick, senior, 6-1, 184
86 Keon Stephens, redshirt freshman, 6-2, 180
H Receiver
88 John D’Agostino, sophomore, 6-1, 195
19 Jayshawn Gates, junior, 5-8, 150
4 Brandon Brown, senior, 6-0, 180
Z Receiver
3 Justin Paige, junior, 5-11, 166
84 Cameron Sutton, redshirt freshman, 6-5, 200
83 Hunter Mahlum, sophomore, 6-1, 200
Tight end
15 Austin Barth, senior, 6-6, 250
80 Curtis Amos, sophomore, 6-0, 225
46 Woody Brandom, redshirt freshman, 6-4, 230
OR
Connor Sullivan, sophomore, 6-4, 220
DEFENSE
Buck end
41 Grant Collins, sophomore, 6-4, 222
OR
2 Shiloh Laboy, junior, 6-3, 245
33 Jessie Clark, senior, 6-3, 245
51 B.J. Ojo, freshman, 6-0, 220
Tackle
96 Zach Wright, sophomore, 6-2 260
OR
90 Fou Polataivao, junior, 6-1, 305
6 Robert Wilcox, senior, 6-1, 250
68 Garrett Gregg, sophomore, 6-0, 280
Nose
92 Tucker Yates, sophomore, 6-0, 303
56 Brandon Hayashi, junior, 6-0, 300
93 Matt Brownlow, senior, 5-10, 305
End
57 Tyrone Fa’anono, junior, 6-2, 260
94 Devin Jeffries, junior, 6-1, 245
99 Marcus Ferriter, freshman, 6-3, 225
Sam
49 Mac Bignell, junior, 6-0, 190
42 Joey Michael, senior, 6-2, 205
18 Braydon Konkol, redshirt freshman, 6-2, 205
Mike
59 Fletcher Collins, senior, 6-2, 216
43 Walker Cozzie, redshirt freshman, 5-11, 210
OR
32 Jakob McCarthy, junior, 6-2, 235
Will
34 Blake Braun, senior, 6-2, 227
58 Josh Hill, redshirt freshman, 5-11, 200
OR
Lukas McCarthy, junior, 6-1, 220
44 Koni Dole, sophomore, 6-0, 205
Boundary cornerback
1 Tre’Von Strong, sophomore, 6-1, 190
7 Naijiel Hale, sophomore, 5-10, 170
9 Tavon Dodd, sophomore, 5-8, 176
Strong safety
10 Bryson McCabe, junior, 6-0, 190
25 Zach Stern, senior, 6-0, 195
Free safety
12 Khari Garcia, junior, 5-10, 178
29 West Wilson, junior, 5-11, 205
37 Sidney Holmes III, redshirt freshman, 5-11, 195
Field cornerback
5 Braelen Evans, sophomore, 6-0, 185
24 Bryce Alley, junior, 5-11, 165
OR
John Walker, graduate transfer, 5-9, 168
9 Tavon Dodd, 5-8, 176, sophomore
8 Chris Harris, redshirt freshman, 6-3, 185
SPECIALISTS
KO — 83 Devon Tandberg, redshirt freshman, 5-10, 176
P — 40 Jered Padmos, freshman, 6-2, 175
OR
31 Gabe Peppenger, freshman, 6-0, 220
KR
TBA
PR
TBA
LS
56 Rocky Hogue, junior, 6-3, 205
Holder
TBA
