Wednesday Practice

[GOKATS]

I'm up to my ass in alligators with work, but if I can swing it I'll try to make at least a short stop by the practice field tomorrow. Anyone else going to try it? If I do make it I'll report what little I can observe.

It's BOBCAT FOOTBALL TIME!!!!!!!!!!!

[GOKATS]

crazycatt posted on the ticket sales, but here is the rest of the press release.

With the preseason routine of physical testing and equipment
checkout in the past, Bobcat coaches turned their attention toward the
business at hand late Tuesday. They turned their attention to football.
"Ready to go," said Mike Kramer, who helped supervise equipment
team's equipment distribution. "I'm excited to get out and practice."
MSU's coordinators face different tasks as camp begins on Wednesday.
Offensive coordinator Don Bailey's staff returns nearly intact (only tight
ends coach E.J. Arnold is a newcomer), but they face the task of rebuilding
an offense without four-year starting quarterback Travis Lulay. Only five
offensive starters return in 2006.
All four of first-year defensive coordinator Rob Christoff's coaches
are new to their positions this year, and two are new to the Bobcat staff,
but seven starters return from the league's top-ranked 2005 stop unit.
Christoff said his goal is simple. "We'll try to get as much of our package
installed as we can this week without losing sight of basics and
fundamentals," he said. "We want to get the new guys and the young guys up
to speed."
Bailey cherishes the challenge of building the Bobcat offense around
quarterbacks Cory Carpenter and Jack Rolovich. "That will be the challenge,
and the most fun, building the foundation with them. I'm excited about the
challenge. I'm looking for continuity, guys knowing the offense and being
able to be on the same page."
Montana State's first practice of the fall is Wednesday at 3:30 pm.

-msu-

[catatac]

I'm up to my ass in alligators with work, but if I can swing it I'll try to make at least a short stop by the practice field tomorrow. Anyone else going to try it? If I do make it I'll report what little I can observe.

It's BOBCAT FOOTBALL TIME!!!!!!!!!!!

PLEASE DO!!! I need a fix. Especially interested in:

Is Hoffenbacker practicing and how does he look? Same questions apply for Jefferson and Matakis.

Does it look like Desin will be playing, and what pos.? (Replacing Grant Elliot on special teams?)

What else?

[longhorn_22]

Desin will most likely be a WR.

[BobcatLionFan]

Does it look like Desin will be playing, and what pos.? (Replacing Grant Elliot on special teams?)

What else?

Kramer has started very few if any true freshman for the last couple of years so don't expect him running around on the field much. As for replacing Elliot, would rather see a 2nd or 3rd string LB or safety do that (not a WR). Someone that is already using their years of service.

If all things are equal (and he looks like he will be good in the future), would rather see him Red Shirt and have four years left (as Groves and others did). I would look at him being a Safety in MSU's system (more like Kane). But that might be where Grazz is also.

[catatac]

Could be... but I think I remember Kramer saying Desin would be one of the few players that could get significant playing time as a Freshman.

[94VegasCat]

I am not so sure that we have a lack of depth that would force Desin to play. IMHO Desin will be a GREAT Bobcat at whatever position he plays. I do not think that he is so good right now that he would move up the depth charts past any of the upperclassmen though. There is no question about his talent, I will question however his ability to show that he can and will GO on every play. I only watched him once (at the Shrine game) and honestly felt that he didn't play at 100% every play, ESPECIALLY when he was not the designated receiver on a particular play.

[Billings Cat]

I am not so sure that we have a lack of depth that would force Desin to play. IMHO Desin will be a GREAT Bobcat at whatever position he plays. I do not think that he is so good right now that he would move up the depth charts past any of the upperclassmen though. There is no question about his talent, I will question however his ability to show that he can and will GO on every play. I only watched him once (at the Shrine game) and honestly felt that he didn't play at 100% every play, ESPECIALLY when he was not the designated receiver on a particular play.

I've heard that because of injuries he ended up playing most of the game both ways (CB and WR) in the Shrine game and was instructed by the offensive coordinator from Billings West to save his legs as much as possible when the play was not going his way. Certainly Coach Guelff or Head Coach Klaboe could confirm this for you as they didn't seem to have a problem with his effort since they had him on the field most of the game which you should have seen. Both are in the phone book. Having watched him play a lot in the last four years, I can say he's a high effort kid and seriously doubt you'll find anyone who's watched him much who could criticize him for that. Like any player, there's always room for improvement, but his supposed lack of effort is not one of those areas. Sorry, but you're dead wrong on this account.

[GOKATS]

Well, I did make it to practice for a little better than an hour- nothing spectacular being the first practice and just running drills, but damn it was good to see the Blue & Gold on the field again.

From what I can tell they've definitely been putting in their time in the weight room. Hoffenbacker is listed at 314, but has to be all of 325- I heard at practice that he did fine both semesters and went back to Kalispell for the summer where he worked all summer and took some classes at Flathead Valley CC (insurance? I don't know).

Jefferson is practicing and looks great- he just has such great size for a WR and great hands. Wheaton looks to be fully recovered and I really liked the looks of Toliver in spring ball, so I really think that with the other receivers we should be in good shape.

Desin was throwing with Carpenter and Rolovich, as was Rasmussen. First time I've seen Rasmussen and he has good QB size and appears to have an arm, but as I said today was the first practice.

Someone was wondering about Matakis- he appears to be fine.

All in all, I was trying to catch what I could, but they were spread all over the practice field.

Go 'Cats!!

[BobcatLionFan]

Could be... but I think I remember Kramer saying Desin would be one of the few players that could get significant playing time as a Freshman.

That is normally what he tells a Montana audiance about a Montana recruit?

He thinks a freshman is just a mistake waiting to happen.

[GOKATS]

Could be... but I think I remember Kramer saying Desin would be one of the few players that could get significant playing time as a Freshman.

That is normally what he tells a Montana audiance about a Montana recruit?

He thinks a freshman is just a mistake waiting to happen.

And there is a significant difference in being a 'true freshman' and a 'RS' freshman.

[crazycat]

Could be... but I think I remember Kramer saying Desin would be one of the few players that could get significant playing time as a Freshman.

That is normally what he tells a Montana audiance about a Montana recruit?

He thinks a freshman is just a mistake waiting to happen.

Yes, Kramer does that, but don't be surprised if Desin sees significant time at WR. From what I've been told by dads of kids that he played with in the MonDak and Shrine, guys who've been around the block, he's as good as they've seen as just a pure athlete and football smart player. He may not start, but if Jefferson doesn't make it, I wouldn't be surprised at all. It'd be nice to have him get a red-shirt year for sure. I don't see him anywhere esle simply because of the depth everywhere else.

[GOKATS]

Just in from MSU

BOZEMAN, Mont. -- Mike Kramer hasn't seen much, but what he's seen,
he likes.
"Very good," was Kramer's synopsis of his first day with the 2006
Montana State football team, which culminated with the team's first practice
of the fall Wednesday afternoon. Ninety players participated in the session,
which lasted just over two hours. "There's nothing better than football in
August," the seventh-year head coach said with a laugh.
Kramer said his eyes naturally drift toward the quarterback battle
between juniors Cory Carpenter, a fourth-year Bobcat, and Jack Rolovich, a
transfer. More particularly, though, Kramer is worried about the
inexperience at the offensive skill positions.
"This is the first time since 2001 that we haven't had a starter
back at quarterback," Kramer said, "so it will be fun to watch Cory
Carpenter and Jack (Rolovich) throw themselves into it. This is also the
first team I've been part of without one returning catch by a receiver, so
we have a long way to go in our playmaking. The development of our
receivers, in addition to the quarterback situation, is probably the most
interesting part of camp."
When he needs relief, Kramer knows where to go. "The best part of
this football organization in the past four our five years has been the
defense. The line is experienced, the linebacker corps may be the best in
the Big Sky Conference, if not the nation, and I really like the way the
secondary is playing."
Practice continues throughout the weekend at 3:30 pm at the MSU
practice fields.

-msu-

[4everacatfan]

Desin will most likely be a WR.

Good for him knowing how competitive he is it would be hard for him to sit and wait for the QB slot. It is a lot easier for a freshman to play at WR. then QB with the exception of Lulay.

[Bcat]

I usally don't go to the griz site, but I did tonight to check on some players I know that got scollies with them. Apparently they are keeping practice reports top secret, and only PMing them, not posting them.

If one thinks they have a NC calaber team, they want everyone to know. If your camp is clicking on all cylinders, you rev your engine to let everyone hear the power. Seems if you have something to hide, you go to the cone of silence. Not trying to start rumors, this just smells fishy, jinda like a GRIZGATE.

The point of this post is not to start a rumor mill, but to thank Cat fans for posting practice reports, thanks GOKATS! Keep em rolling in!

[GOKATS]

I know someone mentioned it awhile back, but watching practice today, it came back to me. After watching the qb's and receivers, does anyone know if # 86, Joe Roberts, WR, Spokane is Joes' kid (who could forget '84)? Last I heard Joe and his wife (Susan or Suzie?) were in the Spokane area, so it just seems too coincidental for him not to be since as far as I know he's a walkon.

[crazycat]

I usally don't go to the griz site, but I did tonight to check on some players I know that got scollies with them. Apparently they are keeping practice reports top secret, and only PMing them, not posting them.

If one thinks they have a NC calaber team, they want everyone to know. If your camp is clicking on all cylinders, you rev your engine to let everyone hear the power. Seems if you have something to hide, you go to the cone of silence. Not trying to start rumors, this just smells fishy, jinda like a GRIZGATE.

The point of this post is not to start a rumor mill, but to thank Cat fans for posting practice reports, thanks GOKATS! Keep em rolling in!

Are you kidding? Of all the bizarre things I've heard of (said) on message boards this tops them all. Only PMing what happened at the practice?! Ha. How far are they going to take this?

[MSU01]

They must be busy installing several new variations of the terror-inducing SHOVEL PASS.

[Bcat]

They must be busy installing several new variations of the terror-inducing SHOVEL PASS.

They are SHOVELING more than just passess.

Sorry to side track ths thread, glad to hear our practice started on an up note we are proud to disclose.

[CelticCat]

I was at practice today for about an hour. Naturally, I had to keep my eyes on the QBs and WRs, because that is where we have the most unknowns. I think Jefferson (if eligible) and Wheaton are going to be threats in the Sky. Jefferson is just a specimen - big, fast, athletic and good hands. Wheaton reminds me more of a Gatewood type, perhaps a bit more agile. Toliver made some nice grabs too; I think those three will be starting come fall.

The quarterbacks were off today, but that is to be expected. Need to have a feel for each other more. Rasmussen is a big, athletic QB at 6'5, with a strong arm, but tended to underthrow his receivers quite a bit. I think he will be a three-year starter when all is said and done. Beeson also made some nice throws; he seemed to overthrow more than anyone else. Desin was also in practicing throws. I kept wondering who #11, and sure enough it was Desin. Carpenter and Rolo still look even in my eyes; no one impressed.

Mike Brown, Josh Lewis (JC transfer) and Joe Roberts were all pretty impressive today.

It was also very nice to see no one walking around in street clothes, can't remember the last time I saw that, although Kolone was walking around for awhile while drills were going on.

EDIT: Reyshawn Bobo also looked good, although I only saw him briefly.