During his time in Las Vegas, Patrick Carroll heard plenty of tales of Montana.
The offensive lineman was recruited Nevada-Las Vegas by Bobby Hauck, one of the most successful coaches in Big Sky Conference history during his time at the University of Montana. After Hauck resigned prior to last season, Carroll stayed in touch with Hauck and former UNLV and Montana assistant Dominic Daste.
[restrict paid=”true”]“I remember Coach Hauck and Dom talking about the Montana days all the time,” Carroll said earlier this week. “They have been helping me out to talk to Big Sky schools and said it was a great conference with great football.”
Carroll earned his undergraduate degree in history last year. He is one year into earning his master’s degree in higher education psychology but wants to pursue a master’s more catered toward Civil War ear history at MSU, he said. As he entered his fifth and final year of eligibility, Carroll wanted to be more than a role player in a rebuilding program after Hauck’s resignation. He wanted a chance to play while still pursuing his education.
About a month ago, Daste put Carroll in touch with Ty Gregorak, an assistant on Hauck’s staff in Missoula from 2003 to 2009. After 12 years at UM, Gregorak jumped to the other side of the rivalry, joining Jeff Choate’s first staff at Montana State as the defensive coordinator for the Bobcats in December.
“I wanted to leave Vegas and finish my football career in the right way,” Carroll said. “I was a role player in Vegas and I wanted an opportunity to see if I could be a starter full time. I think Montana State is the right place for me to do that. I have to earn the spot. Nothing is going to be given to me but I’m ready to come up there and give it a shot.”
The 6-foot-5, 320-pounder originally from Valencia, California earned two letters, playing primarily on special teams. He will compete for the starting right tackle spot at Montana State for a Bobcat team that loses four starters from its offensive line. Carroll’s primary competition will come from junior Caleb Gillis, a 6-foot-6, 290-pounder Dillon product, and redshirt freshman Mitch Brott, a 6-foot-6, 270-pounder out of Billings West.
“What sold me was the culture of the program and how much the community of Bozeman backs Montana State football,” Carroll said. “It’s something we didn’t have in Vegas. I loved the sense of family, the sense of community that is up there for the program. It’s an experience I am looking forward, having the only show in town on Saturdays.”
After winning 80 of 97 games and seven straight Big Sky titles during his seven seasons at Montana, Hauck led UNLV to just six wins in his first three years combined in Las Vegas. In 2013, the Rebels had a breakthrough, posting a 7-6 record and earning a bid in the Heart of Dallas Bowl. Carroll was on the squad but did not earn a letter.
In 2014, Carroll earned his first letter as a special teams contributor but UNLV posted a 2-11 record, including winning just one game in eight Mountain West Conference outings. Last season, Carroll was a backup for the Rebels during a 3-9 campaign in Tony Sanchez’s first season at the helm.
UNLV has long had trouble finding a niche in Sin City. The basketball team has built a strong tradition and has been nationally competitive at times during the last generation. The football team has had a much harder time. The bowl bid in 2014 was UNLV’s first since 2000 and just the third in school history.
“It’s different,” Carroll said of playing in Vegas. “There’s definitely a vacation vibe here. Our practice field was right across the street from the strip. You walk out of the practice field and you see people partying. You have football practice while they are gambling, having fun. It’s definitely different.”
“Vegas is waiting for UNLV to erupt. The community is looking to back something. Most of the time, it’s the basketball team. They aren’t very good right now and they are waiting for UNLV to erupt and they are going to erupt soon.”
The college experience was unique but Carroll was ready for something new.
“I knew Montana State has been a big time program in the FCS, I remember watching them in a lot of playoff games,” Carroll said. “I was ready for a chance. Then I came up there and fell in love with it.”
Montana State senior guard J.P. Flynn hosted Carroll on his official visit. Carroll was one of six potential transfers in town for the Sonny Holland spring game in mid-April. Colorado graduate transfer cornerback John Walker, junior college defensive tackle transfers Brandon Hayashi and Fou Polataivao and Carroll will all be Bobcats when fall camp opens in August.
Flynn told Carroll that last season’s 5-6 finish, the first losing season in 14 years at MSU, was an exception, not the norm.
“He said they were ready to have a big year, last year they had a down year and they are coming back hungry and ready to win,” Carroll said. “Everyone has bought into the new staff and they are all ready to go for this season.”
Flynn is the lone returning starter up front for the Bobcats. He is recovering from off-season surgery to repair a torn patella tendon in his knee. Flynn will likely start on the left side with junior Dylan Mahoney replacing four-year starter John Weidenaar at left tackle. Alex Neale, a sophomore who also transferred from UNLV, is the likely starter at center. The battle for the starting jobs on the right side of the offensive line will be one of the most crucial in fall camp. Carroll can’t wait to immerse himself in the competition.
“It’s kind of a rebirth in some ways,” Carroll said. “Going through this whole process, it was like I was 18 years old again. The recruiting process, calling coaches, not really selling myself but saying I’m ready to play was fun. I’m looking forward to this new opportunity I have. I’m ready to be around a new group of guys, coaches and a team. I can’t wait.”
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