The CSN Way: Championship Preview: Montana vs. Richmond

[CSN-info]

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By Chuck Burton, The CSN Way Columnist

Some had chalked up the three-time defending champions, Appalachian State, to be playing tomorrow at Chattanooga. Others had thought that James Madison was simply too tough to be denied a chance at the national championship game. Still others thought Northern Iowa, with home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, would be a good shot at making it here.

But all these teams fell to the two teams that will be slugging it out this Friday - two teams that made it here with punishing defense and precision offense.

While admirers of the spread offense may have to wait for next year’s final to see a high-octane offense put points on the board like a pinball machine, this matchup could be a football purists’ dream - solid, fundamental football, precision offense, and contact. Lots and lots of contact from two aggressive, physical defenses.

Read more:
http://www.championshipsubdivisionnews.com/index.php?blog=5&title=championship-preview-montana-vs-richmond&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

xthumbsupx

[grizbeer]

Nice article, but 1 clarification:


At the corners, freshman defensive back Trumaine Johnson (21 tackles, 4 interceptions) has been getting better every week - and made a big play on fourth down to help Montana upend James Madison last weekend.
TJ was injured in the Idaho State game a month ago, and hasn't played since. Maybe by "getting better every week" Chuck has inside information about the injury status and TJ will be back for this game, but more likely he was looking at TJ's stats before he got injured, then mixing up Swink (#3) or Keith Thompson (#21).

Also Quin normally plays center, not guard, although he is listed on the roster as guard.

[URMite]

Nice article, but 1 clarification:


TJ was injured in the Idaho State game a month ago, and hasn't played since. Maybe by "getting better every week" Chuck has inside information about the injury status and TJ will be back for this game, but more likely he was looking at TJ's stats before he got injured, then mixing up Swink (#3) or Keith Thompson (#21).

Also Quin normally plays center, not guard, although he is listed on the roster as guard.

Maybe TJ can join our AA Olineman who last played 10/11 xrolleyesx

[GrizFanStuckInUtah]

I love his score prediction and most of his reasoning on the rest. The one part I would bicker a bit with is on the OL for Montana. Most of our sacks were given up early in the year and we haven't been giving them up like that lately. Cole still gets sacked, but it's been a lot better as of late. So to take the whole season and average it out, kind of skewed that sack stat I think. xpeacex

[Silenoz]

where the Griz fell to the second of head coach Paul Johnson’s national championship teams at Georgia Southern 35-27.

It was actually a 25-27 loss

[Grizalltheway]

I love his score prediction and most of his reasoning on the rest. The one part I would bicker a bit with is on the OL for Montana. Most of our sacks were given up early in the year and we haven't been giving them up like that lately. Cole still gets sacked, but it's been a lot better as of late. So to take the whole season and average it out, kind of skewed that sack stat I think. xpeacex

Spot on. Not saying that Richmond's O-Line isn't good, but there's no way it's better than ours. They flat out pushed JMU around last weak.

[Ronbo]

I love his score prediction and most of his reasoning on the rest. The one part I would bicker a bit with is on the OL for Montana. Most of our sacks were given up early in the year and we haven't been giving them up like that lately. Cole still gets sacked, but it's been a lot better as of late. So to take the whole season and average it out, kind of skewed that sack stat I think. xpeacex


Early in the season Cole was holding the ball to long and not throwing up balls into coverage. He had very low interceptions, led the Big Sky in that catagory. He also hasn't had one intentional grounding all year.

The O-Line wasn't normally at fault on the sacks.

Sacks were less damaging than interceptions and intentional groundings in my opinion.

[uofmman1122]

Even though he said we surged ahead in our first three playoff games, I don't remember being down 10-0 to Texas State as being much of a "surging." xlolx

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Even though he said we surged ahead in our first three playoff games, I don't remember being down 10-0 to Texas State as being much of a "surging." xlolx

With your defense, yes it was xlolx