BOZEMAN — John Stiegelmeier had to do a double take when first analyzing the film from Montana State’s season-opening win over Western Illinois.
Just like last season, MSU’s quarterback was still the central weapon, running down the field and providing most of the production for the Bobcat offense. But the player lining up behind the center for Montana State looked nothing like slippery, electric former starter Chris Murray, a dual-threat who piled up nearly 420 yards of total offense in MSU’s narrow 31-27 loss to Stiegelmeier’s South Dakota State Jackrabbits in Bozeman last September.
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“I’m pretty sure No. 15 was a running back and maybe even a linebacker,” Stiegelmeier questioned during an interview earlier this week. “He looks more like a linebacker or a defensive end. He’s a helluva football player.”
The much-chronicled story of Murray sitting out this season to focus on his academics has dominated the headlines around the Bobcat football program leading into the 2018 season. But a running back turned linebacker turned quarterback taking the reigns of the Bobcat offense has been even more of an eye-opener, especially after Troy Andersen entrenched himself as MSU’s starting signal caller during August’s fall camp.
In MSU’s season-opening 26-23 triumph over WIU, Andersen looked out of sorts, even a bit hyper during a first half in which he did not complete a pass and Montana State managed just one drive of consequence. Not coincidently, Andersen’s legs netted almost all the yardage on that field goal drive as MSU fell behind 13-3 early on.
“There was definitely some water in the ol’ gas tank to start,” MSU offensive coordinator Brian Armstrong joked. “With a quarterback getting his first start, he had some nerves, some jitters and it’s tough to get that first first down. Once we got a first down, we could get into tempo and things started to go pretty good. Getting that first first down proved difficult.”
After halftime, Montana State emerged from the locker room with a plan to get a first down on the first series of the second half, which the Bobcats accomplished as Andersen found redshirt freshman slot receiver Willie Patterson on a simple screen pass that netted 17 yards. That moving of the chains enabled the Bobcats to crank up the tempo.
All of a sudden, Andersen completed four straight passes and five overall on an 81-yard march that lasted less than two minutes capped by Andersen’s powerful 16-yard touchdown burst to tie the game at 13. From that point forward, the Dillon product operated efficiently when throwing and dominantly when running, amassing most of his 146 rushing yards and scoring both his rushing touchdowns to boost his team to a key win.
“We had to get some guys out of the box,” MSU third-year head coach Jeff Choate said following his first victory in a season-opener at MSU. “We had to make them at least honor the passing game somewhat, whether that was quick throws to force the edges to soften up a little bit or the intermediate stuff, move the pocket, let Troy get out. The shots we took, we didn’t hit any of them but at least it keeps those safeties honest.”
The unorthodox player playing out of position and operating an unorthodox offense will be the latest and first challenge for SDSU. The Jacks bring a No. 3 national ranking thanks to a veteran roster headlined by All-American quarterback Taryn Christion and All-American linebacker Christian Rozeboom into Saturday’s matchup with Montana State. South Dakota State had its opener at Iowa State cancelled on Saturday due to lightning after less than half a quarter of action.
“I think their running game was a little more finesse last year with their quarterback and he was a great player,” said Stiegelmeier, whose team let Murray rush for 107 yards and let the Bobcats amass 180 yards on the ground last season. “I think with the guy this year, he’s literally almost a fullback playing quarterback yet he throws the ball. People talk about Wildcat – well this is a hybrid of Wildcat where you have a great runner and the willingness to call the run and a guy who can throw the pass. It stresses the defense.”
The MSU offense ran just 57 plays and totaled 239 yards of offense against the Leathernecks. The Bobcats rushed for 158 yards, all but 13 coming from Andersen. True freshman running back Isaiah Ifanse had five carries for 11 yards with a long of four and Maleek Barkley gained four yards on his one carry.
Armstrong and Choate said many of the run plays MSU operated were zone-read option plays where Andersen had a read to either give the ball or keep it. He almost exclusively maintained possession, something that was a point of emphasis this week preparing for SDSU’s fast, sound defense.
“We need to let the running backs have the ball more,” Choate said on Monday. “If there is one critique, I would say hand it off a little bit more.
“By handing it to them,” Armstrong said when asked how to get the tailbacks more involved. “We need to establish somebody. They are young back there and it will be somewhat by committee but in order to get somebody going, we have to hand it to them and not just snap it to the quarterback and run him every time. That will be an order of emphasis this week.”
With Andersen at the helm of the offense, the game plan is likely to stay simple, Armstrong said. Identifying Rozeboom, a two-time All-American who has had more than 130 tackles each of his first two seasons at SDSU, will be key. MSU redshirt freshman Willie Patterson said his film study has revealed “a lot of Cover 4 and Cover 2 defenses that leave the middle of the field wide open”, something MSU’s passing game will try to exploit if Andersen gets in a rhythm.
A year ago, the Bobcats fell behind 17-0 before storming back. Murray had found footing in throwing the ball down the field as both Mitch Herbert and Jabarri Johnson finished with more than 100 yards receiving.
A similar scenario is unlikely to play out unless Andersen improves dramatically in that aspect of the game. But a battle of fortitude, toughness and physicality may very well be in store in Brookings, South Dakota. Stiegelmeier said his team looks forward to that sort of contest. The Bobcats are embracing that potential clash as well.
“If you are not into the ins and outs of football, you might not be interested because we are both simple teams,” MSU sophomore left guard Taylor Tuiasosopo said. “We do what we do and we do what we do best. They have a simple defense, we have a simple offense.
“They ruined our home opener last year. We are coming in not to lose. They are a hard-nosed football team just like us so it will be a battle for sure.”
Photos by Brooks Nuanez. All Rights Reserved.
