Jeff Choate is New Head Coach at Montana State

[Catbooster]

Looks like they made their choice - Jeff Choate from UWashington

http://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/college/pac-12/university-of-washington/huskies-insider-blog/article48085520.html

Bio:

http://www.gohuskies.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=209353996

[X-Factor]

Good luck to MSU with the hire. It seems odd that they would hire a positional coach without head coaching or even coordinator experience, so a bit risky, but that may be exactly what MSU needs to do (take some risks with a hire).

[Grizzlies82]

Congratulations to you and all the Bobcat faithful. Hope this guy works out. Although a Grizzly fan, as a Montanan I like to see MSU winning (except that annual final regular season game).

Now the question of the hour is, will Cramsey be kept on as the O coordinator, and will Dakota jump if he leaves? The drama continues.

[Catbooster]

Hopefully he'll be a great hire. To me it's kinda like getting a high school recruit - you won't know for a couple years how it's going to work out.

He played linebacker at Western in Dillon (we'll overlook the fact that is part of UM xeyebrowx) and has been under Pete Kwiatkowski - our old DC when we had a strong D - so he should know something about the position.

[centennial]

I just read the article, he seems to have worked with a lot of good coaches. However, this is a puzzling hire. I would look at least a OC, DC. No HC experience. Good luck Montana State.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

I'm gonna go along with everyone else. Good luck but this seems high risk. He must have interviewed very well and had what they thought it would take.

[centennial]

I'm gonna go along with everyone else. Good luck but this seems high risk. He must have interviewed very well and had what they thought it would take.
Not that a position coach cannot become a good head coach. The problem is learning on the job, it takes time to learn when to call timeouts, when to go for it on 4th down, how to manage a group of young adults, handle the media, also takes time to learn to call plays at game speed(though I know most head coaches don't do so). Montana State will have to be patient with him, we are probably talking about at least 2-3 years before he can be judged.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Not that a position coach cannot become a good head coach. The problem is learning on the job, it takes time to learn when to call timeouts, when to go for it on 4th down, how to manage a group of young adults, handle the media, also takes time to learn to call plays at game speed(though I know most head coaches don't do so). Montana State will have to be patient with him, we are probably talking about at least 2-3 years before he can be judged.

For sure. We did this with Bobby Hauck so it can be high reward as well cetainly but as you pointed out there are some growing pains. Hell look at the game you guys brought to us in his first game at the helm. It takes a bit and if they can lick their wounds and get it going all works out well.