Big Sky Conference

SUNDAY NOTEBOOK: Stitt says no QB controversy

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Sometime in the second quarter, a person helping the ROOT Sports broadcast crew joked with the on-air personalities about which one was first going to mention what could have been a burgeoning quarterback controversy at Montana.

Though it’s unclear if either of the broadcasters took the bait, Montana head coach Bob Stitt didn’t waste any time after the Grizzlies’ 62-44 win over Idaho State to dispel such a notion.

Montana quarterback Brady Gustafson (3) /by Brooks Nuanez

Montana quarterback Brady Gustafson (3) /by Brooks Nuanez

“Brady would have been the guy had he not get banged up,” said Stitt after backup quarterback Chad Chalich threw for a school single-game record seven touchdowns and ran for another in the win. “ … We got to get Brady back healthy. When he is then he’ll be back in there.”

Early in the week, Montana’s coaching staff determined that Gustafson would sit out after he injured his chest and shoulder in a loss to Eastern Washington the week before. Chalich was with the No. 1 offense on both Tuesday and Wednesday before Gustafson returned in a limited role on Thursday.

“It was one of those things that Brady didn’t feel comfortable practicing,” Stitt said. “So as the week goes on if Chad is getting all the reps that’s the guy you’re going to go with.”

Gustafson was in uniform and took part in pregame warmups, but never saw the field. Chalich, in his fourth career start after making three last season was Gustafson was nursing an injured leg, led Montana on nine touchdown drives, allowing the Grizzlies to score at least 60 points for the third time this year, which also set a school record.

“When you’ve got a very, very capable backup — I’ve said it many times that he could start for many teams in the country and do a great job,” Stitt said. “This was our chance to put him in and give him an opportunity because it wouldn’t have been smart to put Brady out there.”

UM head coach Bob Stitt/by Brooks Nuanez

UM head coach Bob Stitt/by Brooks Nuanez

In his two years coaching the Grizzlies, Stitt has often praised Gustafson for his understanding of the offense and his ability to quickly decipher information on the field and to get the team into the proper play. Stitt applauded Chalich for similar reasons Saturday night.

“Having Chad been in our offense for two years now he knows it like the back of his hand,” Sitt said. “He can go in and he made an unbelievable amount of checks.”

Chalich’s first three drives ended in the end zone and much of that came against looks the Griz saw on film during their scouting of Idaho State’s defense. But the Bengals eventually changed their defense some and Stitt said Chalich was able to quickly figure it out and get the offense into the right play.

Though he was intercepted once, Chalich finished the day 21 for 27 and the seven touchdowns. He threw for 388 yards and routinely scrambled out of pressure to either extend plays or pick up valuable yardage, adding 69 yards with his legs. However, 17 of those yards were subtracted by the three sacks Chalich suffered to give him a net gain of 52.

“We’ve got like 34 checks that we can go to off of one play,” Stitt said. “But we’ll talk about the certain ones that we like. We went to some things that we didn’t even practice because of the way they were doing and Chad made some plays.”

Added Chalich, “Every day at practice we do that and we just took what the defense gave us and executed right. That’s just what the offense is. If the defense is going to play like that we’re going to attack them.”

Thanks to the offensive’s execution — nine of the 14 drives ended in touchdowns, one in interception and four with Eric Williams punt — Montana never had to call upon its kicker. It did, however, kick nine point afters and asked Brandon Purdy to handle those duties.

As redshirt freshman Tim Semenza has struggled with PATs recently, missing eight in the last five weeks, Stitt’s staff decided to make a change.

Purdy, a true freshman from Kalispell Glacier, made his first before a botched snap forced a miss on his second. He was good on the following seven.

Stitt said at the postgame press conference it was Montana’s plan to use Purdy after touchdowns, but if it needed to kick a field goal Semenza would have been on the field for the kick. Semenza is 11 for 13 with both of his misses coming from 48 yards.

“He was going to be our field goal guy and Purdy was our PAT guy,” Stitt said.

About Kyle Sample

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