Over a nine-day period in late January 2016, more than two dozen Grizzly football recruits came to investigate what they had been told about the University of Montana during the recruiting process. With students back from a long winter break, the campus was buzzing as much as it does in early winter, but the crown jewel of the athletic department, Washington-Grizzly Stadium, sat completely empty.
Even with bleachers and sidelines vacant, its public address system silent and its JumboTron screen dark, Washington-Grizzly is one of the main stops on any official or unofficial visit for UM football recruits. That weekend it did its part in landing commitment from nine of the 11 recruits who had yet to pledge allegiance to a school.
A pretty good rate of success for any weekend to be sure. But if there was a way to give those recruits the full WSG experience? What if they could sit in the stands and watch the team run out of the tunnel? Or feel the electricity that runs through the stadium late in the fourth quarter of a close game in Missoula?
Turns out there is, and Montana has adjusted its recruiting strategy to take advantage of it.
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Photos by Brooks Nuanez and contributed. All Right Reserved.
