Coaches: Carroll to win Frontier ... again

By Carl Hennell of The Montana Standard - 09/02/2004

The Frontier Conference is the cream of the National Athletic Intercollegiate Association football program.

And all the teams reside in Montana.

Not only is Carroll College the two-time defending national champs and picked to win it

See FRONTIER, Page B6

again, the Saints' stiffest competition comes from their Frontier foes.

"If there is a better conference out there, I want to see it," University of Montana-Western coach Tommy Lee said.

Montana Tech coach Bob Green agrees.

"We think we are (the best conference in the country)," he said. "But other conferences don't — if you look at their websites."

As a testament, the Frontier is the only league where conference opponents play each other twice — like the NFL's schedule incorporates.

After Carroll's overtime victory over NCAA Division II Central Washington Saturday, the Saints have the longest active collegiate winning streak (20) in the nation — at any level.

And the Saints nearly lost twice in the heart of Montana last season.

Carroll beat Montana Tech last season souly because the Orediggers missed an extra point with 16 seconds left in regulation. Then against UM-W, the Saints scored 21 unanswered points in the final 20 minutes to win by 14 points. Two of the touchdowns were big plays by its NAIA National Player of the Year quarterback, junior Tyler Emmert.

"Having the two-time national champs is a testiment to how good this conference is," Western coach Tommy Lee said. "The have a hard time winning this league and then waltz through the playoffs."

Lee will have Western gunning for another winning season, four to six games above .500. Tech coach Bob Green was a few huge injuries away from knocking off Carroll. And the two other teams, MSU-Northern and Rocky Mountain College, hired new coaches with awesome track records.

"I thought Green had the team to contend for the conference championship last season," said Lee, who is an NAIA Football Hall of Fame quarterback. "But Tech was hit hard by injuries. Tech will be back this year.

"We all know about Carroll. Then the two other programs have new coaches will great success in other programs."

One thing is for sure: The heart of Montana is the place to be for the best NAIA football .

breakout: (Frontier Conference team capsules)

Carroll College

Coach: Mike Van Diest, 6th year (52-14).

Last season: 8-0, 15-0, two-time defending national champions.

Key players: QB Tyler Emmert (jr., 6-2, 206); WR Kevin McCutcheon (sr., 5-11, 175); RB Jed Thomas (soph., 6-1, 205); C Kyle Baker (jr., 6-0, 265); OT Paul Barnett (sr., 6-5, 285); OT Jason Ostler (jr., 6-4, 290); OG Dan Mazurek (jr., 6-0, 260); OG Nick Hammond (jr., 6-0, 265); DE Jeff Shirley (jr., 6-4, 232); MLB Gary Cooper (jr., 6-1, 225); OLB Mike Maddox (sr., 5-11, 195); TE Kendall Selle (UM tr. soph., 6-2, 225); DE Chris Ramstead (fr., 6-2, 230); OLB Seamus Molloy (UM tr., 6-2, 215); DB Matt Thomas (soph, 6-0, 200); DT Kyle Cicero (jr., 6-0, 265).

Outlook: The bull's eye is — and has been — on the Saints as two-time national champs after winning 20 of their last 21 conference games. Emmert is the returning NAIA national player of the year. He passed for 4,159 yards, 38 touchdowns with only five interceptions last season as sophomore. But receiver Mark Gallik (143 catches, 2,341 yards and 25 touchdowns last year) graduated along with running back D.J. Dearcorn (1,700 combined yards). Van Diest believes he's got the skill-position players to plug in, as McCutcheon's nine-catch, 239-yard performance in Saturday's overtime victory proved. But he worries about his defense, where he says he lost 10 of the top 12 players to graduation.

MSU-Northern

Coach: Mark Samson, 1st year.

Last season: 1-7, 1-9.

Key players: QB Kyle Samson (UM tr. soph., 5-9, 175); RB Don Saisbury (UM tr. jr., 6-1, 221); WR Todd Nelson (5-10, 161); DT Andrew Leightman (6-2, 260); LB Matt Pulver (Humbolt tr., 6-1, 218); DB Marc Sampson (fr., 5-8, 170); DB Jake Eldridge (MSU tr., 5-10, 179); DB Nate Walters (6-1, 178); OL Garrett Kirpach (6-4, 265); OL Levi Wesche (6-2, 266).

Outlook: The Northern Lights could be called the Lil' Griz because of all the UM Grizzlies new coach Samson got to transfer. Samson comes from a decorated coaching past. He helped coach under NAIA legend Bob Petrino at Carroll then at the helm of Helena Capital, where he put together a 67-12 record with three state championships in five years. Most of the transfers are players Samson coached at the high school level. He will not employ a Petrino-like option offense. He told the Great Falls Tribune he will "be doing a lot of shotgun, and quite a bit of option. We'll also be spreading the field out and trying to make use of the pretty good skill kids... We're a two-back offense, but we'll be very diversified on offense." Leading those "pretty good skill" players is his son Kyle, a quarterback and Griz transfer who led the Bruins to high school dominance in 2002. On the flip side, the defense will be strengthened by the secondary's speed with younger son Marc and MSU transfer Eldridge, who played for Samson at Capital.

Rocky Mountain

Coach: David Reeves, 1st year.

Last season: 2-6, 2-8.

Key players: DB Eric Ries (sr., 6-0, 205); CB Chris Colvin (UM tr. jr., 5-10, 180); LB Justin Helvik (sr., 5-11, 240); LB Tyler Holly (sr., 6-1, 200); DT Ramon Ochoa (sr., 6-3, 260); QB/TE Shawn Wanderaas (soph., 6-3, 220); RB Justin Venn (sr., 5-10, 200); WR Jon Owen (sr., 5-8 180); QB Drew Pearce (UI tr. fr., 6-5, 220).

Outlook: As if new coach Reeves needed a harder job, he lost his starting quarterback Adam Sanchez during spring drills with a season-ending torn knee legiment. Sanchez passed for 2,583 yards and rushed for 350 more last season. The Battlin' Bears offensive line lists three starters 290 pounds and heavier. They other two are 285 and 275 pounds. They'll be protecting Pearce, a freshman quarterback from Walla Walla, Wash., who has been in great football programs growing up. Reeves was an assistant coach at UM and Utah State. He has recruited 40 new players already.

another breakout:

Frontier Conference schedules

Montana Tech

Sept. 4 Jamestown

Sept. 11 at North Dakota State

Sept. 18 MSU-Northern

Sept. 25 at Eastern Oregon

Oct. 2 at UM-Western

Oct. 9 Carroll

Oct. 16 at Rocky Mountain

Oct. 23 UM-Western

Oct. 30 at MSU-Northern

Nov. 6 Rocky Mountain

Nov. 13 at Carroll

UM-Western

Sept. 3 at Central Washington

Sept. 11 at Rocky Mountain

Sept. 18 Carroll

Sept. 25 at MSU-Northern

Oct. 2 Montana Tech

Oct. 9 Rocky Mountain

Oct. 16 at Carroll

Oct. 23 at Montana Tech

Oct. 30 at Southern Utah

Nov. 6 MSU-Northern

Nov. 13 Eastern Oregon

Carroll College

Aug. 28 Central Washington

Sept. 4 Open

Sept. 11 at MSU-Northern

Sept. 18 at UM-Western

Sept. 25 Rocky Mountain

Oct. 2 at Azusa Pacific

Oct. 9 at Montana Tech

Oct. 16 UM-Western

Oct. 23 MSU-Northern

Oct. 30 at Rocky Mountain

Nov. 6 Open

Nov. 13 Montana Tech

MSU-Northern

Sept. 4 at Dickinson State

Sept. 11 Carroll

Sept. 18 at Montana Tech

Sept. 25 UM-Western

Oct. 2 at Rocky Mountain

Oct. 9 Southern Oregon

Oct. 16 at Eastern Oregon

Oct. 23 at Carroll

Oct. 30 Montana Tech

Nov. 6 at UM-Western

Nov. 13 Rocky Mountain

Rocky Mountain

Sept. 4 Mary, N.D.

Sept. 11 UM-Western

Sept. 18 Southern Oregon

Sept. 25 at Carroll

Oct. 2 MSU-Northern

Oct. 9 at UM-Western

Oct. 16 Montana Tech

Oct. 23 Eastern Oregon

Oct. 30 Carroll

Nov. 6 at Montana Tech

Nov. 13 at MSU-Northern