A trio of Bobcats who helped reignite the program as players are now back roaming the sidelines as coaches.
The Montana State Bobcats experienced a breakthrough in 2010, Rob Ash’s fourth year at the helm. Four years earlier, Mike Kramer had led the Bobcats to their first playoff victory since the 1984 national championship season. But in the spring of 2007, Kramer was fired amid a swarm of controversy.
Ash’s first three seasons were solid, but 2010 was the launching point that sent Montana State into the stratosphere of the nation’s elite teams. That 2010 squad went 7-1 in Big Sky Conference play to earn the first of three straight Big Sky banners. Cody Kempt, Michael Rider and Jody Owens all played integral roles on the squad.
Michael Rider
“We have a special bond,” Rider said. “We were able to win a Big Sky title together as players. That sticks with you. It’s not something you talk about all the time, but you can’t break that bond. We went to battle together.”
Now all three young men are back as coaches on Ash’s staff. Kempt is in his second season as Montana State’s wide receivers coach. Rider is in his first year working with Montana State’s cornerbacks and his third season as a defensive assistant overall. Owens is helping Kane Ioane with the linebackers after spending the last two seasons as an assistant at L.D. Bell High School in the Dallas area.
“There’s instant respect on the part of our staff for all of those guys,” Ash said. “I’ve talked about them in meetings and about what they brought to the table in 2010, which was really our breakthrough year. We got over the top and those guys helped them do that. I think it makes a ton of difference with our players to know those guys are champions.”
On the surface, Kempt seems like the least integral cog in the title run. As a senior in 2010, the former Oregon quarterback served as freshman DeNarius McGhee’s backup as a fifth-year senior. But Kempt’s role was much more important than that of a backup who threw three touchdowns.
Cody Kempt
Kempt accepted the loss of his starting spot, a position he held for parts of 2008 and 2009. He became a mentor to McGhee, a sort of extra quarterback coach for offensive coordinator Brian Wright. In all reality, getting benched as a senior likely sparked Kempt’s desire to be a coach. Now he’s trying to pass on his selfless mentality and the experience of winning a Big Sky ring to his group of pass catchers.
“Myself, JO, Rider, we’ve all seen it, we’ve all been through it, we’ve all faced adversity,” Kempt said. “We’ve beaten the Griz in Washington-Grizzly Stadium. We’ve done it, we’ve been there. We can help these players and relate to them and maybe help push them in the right direction and give them coaching points and tips when they are faced with certain situations to help them overcome whatever it might be. We can pass that along to the players we have right now.”
Rider and Owens played key roles for Montana State’s defense in 2010. Rider, a former walk-on out of Billings West served as a team captain. From his safety position, he was third on the team with 66 tackles, including 2.5 for loss. He snared an interception and broke up four more passes to earn honorable mention All-Big Sky honors. After graduating, Rider was an intern for Ash during the 2011 championship season. He spent a year at UNLV as a graduate assistant before returning as a defensive assistant in 2013. He worked with Bo Beck and the defensive line his first year and with Kane Ioane and the linbackers last season. Now he’s got a position group all his own.
“It’s awesome to be able to meet with guys every single day and also to put your personal spin on things and put your patent on things and let guys know how you think they need to be coached,” Rider said. “I’ve been trying to instill that in my group and you see the growth. You feel more ownership for it and I’m grateful for that.”
Rider & Trace Timmer
Rider’s group serves as one of the biggest points of emphasis for an MSU defense trying to recreate its identity. Last season, MSU finished last in the league in passing defense, giving up nearly 300 yards per game. Opponents threw 28 touchdowns against the Bobcats. The corners return senior Bryson Keeton but lose first-team All-Big Sky performer Deonte Flowers, a four-year starter.
The group, which includes Keeton and classmate Trace Timmer, who is fending off sophomore Bryce Alley for a starting spot, has acclimated quickly to Rider’s coaching style.
“He’s a players’ coach and when he played here, he made some big-time plays so you can really tell he knows how it is,” Keeton said. “He’s not far removed from being a player so it meshes easier with our whole group.”
“He lets us play,” Alley added. “He kind of gives us a little freedom to do what we think is best for us. We are not so much robots. We feel comfortable. He coaches us off the film and he’s doing a great job. I can’t ask for a better coach.”
Rider and Kempt were seniors in 2010. Owens was an upstart sophomore showing flashes of greatness. That season, Owens finished second on the Bobcats with 80 tackles, including eight for loss as he earned honorable mention All-Big Sky honors. The next two seasons would see Owens ascend to the top of the league as he earned unanimous first-team All-Big Sky honors and All-America accolades two years in a row. As a senior in 2012, he was named the Big Sky Defensive MVP.
Marcus Tappan & Owens
“Having his pedigree and knowing he’s been there and I’m trying to be where he’s been, that motivates me a lot,” MSU sophomore linebacker Marcus Tappan said. “He’s a great coach. He spends extra time with me anytime I need it. If we get out of meetings at 9 p.m. and I want to watch film, he has no problem doing it. Like he told me, ‘This is my life, what I want to do’ and that makes you want to play harder for a coach like that. He’s willing to help you so you are willing to run through a brick wall for him.”
“He has a competitive fire that rubs off on all of us,” added sophomore Blake Braun, who’s battling Tappan for a starting position on the outside. “Everyone is more energetic than they have been in the past. He’s been a big part of that.”
Owens’ fiery attitude that trademarked his playing days is still prevalent as he roams the sidelines. He often is the first to run onto the field to congratulate a player and his praises echo throughout Bobcat Stadium. His enthusiasm is contagious and it almost seems like the 24-year-old still wishes he could put on the pads.
Owens
“Most definitely wish I could put the pads back on,” Owens said. “We all do, right? I’d put them on right now if Coach Ash let me. You should talk to him about that actually.
“It’s lovely being out here. I love this place so it’s amazing to be here. I’m glad I can contribute any way I can.”
Owens had the most decorated career of the trio of young coaches. By the time he was finished suiting up for the Bobcats, he’d accumulated three Big Sky title rings and MSU’s fourth Big Sky MVP in the last 10 years. It’s that standard of excellence Owens and his former championship teammates hope to pass along as coaches.
“That’s the plan, the intent, we want to bring them along and show them the way,” Owens said. “With the different experiences we’ve had, we share with the group. The guys know. They are aware of our expectations from Day 1. We let them know what to expect every single day. It’s their time to go get a ring.”
Photos by Brooks Nuanez. All Rights Reserved.
