Apr. 11—The final workout of Montana's spring football drills is Friday evening, and takes the form of a scrimmage set inside Washington-Grizzly Stadium at 6 p.m.
A bushel of area athletes will get added looks in game situations — on Thursday a release at gogriz.com said it would last 80-90 plays, with four quarters and a running clock.
The game will be Maroon against Silver, with the seniors drafting for each team. Look for USC transfer quarterback Jake Jensen on the Maroon, with running backs Eli Gillman and Stevie Rocker, Jr., behind him and Arizona State transfer Korbin Hendrick and Glacier High product Drew Deck split wide.
Jensen will be taking snaps from erstwhile tackle Dillon Botner, the Whitefish senior who was granted an extra year of eligibility; UM noted the position change to center on Thursday. Both centers on last year's two-deep had to be replaced.
Keali'i Ah Yat, who made six starts at QB as a freshman last fall, will take snaps for the Silver. Malae Fonoti is in the backfield, and fans will get a look at receivers Brooks Davis, Cameron Gurnsey and former Eastern Washington burner Michael Wortham, among others.
Another Whitefish athlete mentioned Thursday is Fynn Ridgeway, who figures in at safety for the Maroon.
"Fynn's a guy that we had our eye on in high school," Hauck said of the sophomore, who spent two seasons and played some running back at Minnesota State-Moorhead. "We're glad he's back home. He's got to continue to learn, but he's not out of place."
There are nine safeties listed on the spring roster, including Glacier product Kash Goicoechea, and some serious incoming talent. Idaho transfer Diezel Wilkinson, former BYU standout Micah Harper and holdover TJ Rausch will all play there for the Maroon alone.
Butte's Tanner Huff and Flint Creek product (and MSU transfer) Kade Cutler are among the Silver safeties.
The quarterback room lost Kaden Huot to Carroll College but Gage Sliter out of Glacier is still spinning spirals as one of four QBs on the roster alongside Jensen, Ah Yat and Idaho redshirt freshman Luke Flowers out of Rigby, Idaho.
On Monday Hauck had good things to say about Browning product Tommy Running Rabbit, a 200-pound redshirt freshman.
"I think Tommy really enjoys college football," he said. "Not having a very good window into what he was coming into last fall, he's done a nice job. He's playing running back and he's had a good spring. He's played quite a bit and gotten better because of that."
The roster also includes Glacier product Isaac Keim, still listed at tight end despite an apparent move to defensive end; Libby's Cy Stevenson at linebacker; Braunson Henriksen of Polson on the O-line; and Cody Schweikert of Columbia Falls.
Injuries have kept Schweikert off the field this spring; he still could figure in at quarterback.
"He got hurt in practice in December," Hauck said. "We're high on him, but right now he's on the shelf."
A handful of familiar names left the roster despite having eligibility, including guard Journey Grimsrud, defensive end Henry Nuce, linebacker Marcus Evans and safety Jace Klucewich. Meanwhile the Grizzlies brought in 10 FBS transfers, including three from Southern Cal: Jensen and defensive ends Solomon Tuliaupupu and DJ Peevey.
Friday will be about getting the new guys continued reps.
"I think we've had improvement, which is always the goal," Hauck said. "We've had no depth chart, and we've probably had 50 or 60 guys run with the first group at different times this spring. I think that's been really productive. I like what's gone on."
