2020 HERO Sports top 25 Preseason

[Cat Grad]

The Cat-Griz game is on Root Sports right now, 10:16 a.m. MDST, and there are those discussing possibilities for this year. I'd suggest rewatching that game and throwing out Hero Sports.

[ibleedblue]

I think a healthy Ifanse is the best back in the Big Sky. But I guess I respect Knights abilities more than many here, too. You don’t become a 1000 yard rusher and score 23 TDs by accident. Next closest TD total by a RB was 16. I don’t think he deserves an All American slot ahead of Ifanse but the guy can play.

I have a much bigger issue with Hauck being placed on the 1st team simply based on tackles.

[AFCAT]

I think the amazing thing about Ifanse is that he gained 813 yards rushing last year and he barely played in the regular season.

[AFCAT]

Isaiah Ifanse is an amazing, powerful running back. I don't expect a national publication to pick on up that since Ifanse didn't play very many snaps last year compared to other backs and the FCS isn't set up to have its players get recognized if they don't dominate a statistical category. The most recognized players are the ones that put up the numbers. MSU has benefited from this in the past.

Gilliam, Davis and Knight are all good running backs, but none of them (few RBs anywhere) possess some of the skills Ifanse has. Ifanse has great vision, great patience and incredible power. He doesn't have blazing speed, but was able to outrace two safeties for a TD with a sizeable knee brace on.

His last five games of the season were the best string of five games by any back in the country. He faced UCD on the road and in a must-win game, No. 3 UM, then Albany, Austin Peay and NDSU in the playoffs. Aside from his skill set, he put up these numbers:
Carries - 84
Yards - 573
TDs - 6
Avg. 6.8

Receptions - 4
Yards - 41
TDs - 0
Avg. - 10.3

Attempts - 1
Completions - 1
Yards - 2
TDs - 1
Passer rating - 446.8

Blocked punts - 1 (for a safety)

This is awesome stuff. One minor point. I don’t know if Isaiah got credit for that blocked punt but he didn’t actually block it. Their punter hit his own blocker in the back with the punt after that blocker was pushed back by the Cat defender. You can clearly see it happen on the video.

[iaafan]

I think a healthy Ifanse is the best back in the Big Sky. But I guess I respect Knights abilities more than many here, too. You don’t become a 1000 yard rusher and score 23 TDs by accident. Next closest TD total by a RB was 16. I don’t think he deserves an All American slot ahead of Ifanse but the guy can play.

I have a much bigger issue with Hauck being placed on the 1st team simply based on tackles.

Knight's good. 23 TDs is remarkable.

[CelticCat]

Conference stats - Knight was 5th in rushing yards, 9th in yards per game, 4th in receiving yards (for RBs), 5th in total yards from scrimmage but 9th in yards from scrimmage per game. He was also 17th in YPC but that list includes QBs.

He is very good at finding the endzone but beyond that he is not All-American. He also had double the carries of the next two Grizs RBs combined, and had the 3rd most carries in the league and was only top 4 in TDs and receiving yards. He only had a long of 45 yard this year too, so clearly not a home-run threat.

He is a good back I'm not going to argue, but if Marcus Knight was on the Cats team last year he gets Lane Sumner's carries.

Teams had to focus on the Griz air attack, and I just don't see it being a versatile or as potent as it was with Sneed, so teams will be able to key on Knight more than last year. Knight may get 1,000 yards next year but it's gonna take 14 games to do it.

[91catAlum]

Conference stats - Knight was 5th in rushing yards, 9th in yards per game, 4th in receiving yards (for RBs), 5th in total yards from scrimmage but 9th in yards from scrimmage per game. He was also 17th in YPC but that list includes QBs.

He is very good at finding the endzone but beyond that he is not All-American. He also had double the carries of the next two Grizs RBs combined, and had the 3rd most carries in the league and was only top 4 in TDs and receiving yards. He only had a long of 45 yard this year too, so clearly not a home-run threat.

He is a good back I'm not going to argue, but if Marcus Knight was on the Cats team last year he gets Lane Sumner's carries.

Teams had to focus on the Griz air attack, and I just don't see it being a versatile or as potent as it was with Sneed, so teams will be able to key on Knight more than last year. Knight may get 1,000 yards next year but it's gonna take 14 games to do it.

Great points! I agree 100%.

[WalkOn79]

Offensive coaches when they get asked if they have to account for Robby Hauck's impact on a game...

[autocat]

Snead is a huge loss for city college, he was perfect for some “shootout” victories with a subpar defense. The gunslinging is entertaining, but he turned the ball over too much. In his last game he had at least 4 picks maybe 5

griz won’t win 10 games this year, which will be a step backwards according to hauck logic, because he did say they were “ a year ahead of where they wanted to be.”
!

[Cataholic]

Conference stats - Knight was 5th in rushing yards, 9th in yards per game, 4th in receiving yards (for RBs), 5th in total yards from scrimmage but 9th in yards from scrimmage per game. He was also 17th in YPC but that list includes QBs.

He is very good at finding the endzone but beyond that he is not All-American. He also had double the carries of the next two Grizs RBs combined, and had the 3rd most carries in the league and was only top 4 in TDs and receiving yards. He only had a long of 45 yard this year too, so clearly not a home-run threat.

He is a good back I'm not going to argue, but if Marcus Knight was on the Cats team last year he gets Lane Sumner's carries.

Teams had to focus on the Griz air attack, and I just don't see it being a versatile or as potent as it was with Sneed, so teams will be able to key on Knight more than last year. Knight may get 1,000 yards next year but it's gonna take 14 games to do it.

Knight averaged 73 yards rushing per game for the season. That is not All American status.

https://stats.gogriz.com/custompages/sp ... lyr_21.htm

His season high was for 148 against that “stellar” defense of Monmouth when the Griz scored 47 points. He only hit 100 yards rushing 3 times in a 14 games season.

[Darth Yoda]

Sam and the Hero team aren't dumb and are well aware of the 4 straight. Sam himself witnessed last year's bludgeoning. It's a very simple game of clicks and analytics, and putting the granola bears ahead of the Cats accomplishes the goal. Later in the same evening Sam tweeted that "everybody is talking about the FCS!". It helps Hero if the FCS fans in MT are all up in a tizzy, and they usually don't have to try very hard to make it happen.

[RickRund]

Is Kevin Thompson even a senior any more?! Is he like 25?

The article should have read, Kevin Thompson, 14 year senior..... Thought he was 27.?

[Cataholic]

Sam and the Hero team aren't dumb and are well aware of the 4 straight. Sam himself witnessed last year's bludgeoning. It's a very simple game of clicks and analytics, and putting the granola bears ahead of the Cats accomplishes the goal. Later in the same evening Sam tweeted that "everybody is talking about the FCS!". It helps Hero if the FCS fans in MT are all up in a tizzy, and they usually don't have to try very hard to make it happen.

Good point. Even a couple regular posters at egriz acknowledged that the Cats should be listed ahead of the Griz

[BelgradeBobcat]

A little dated, yet still relevant:

[Cledus]

A little dated, yet still relevant:

“... BC’s got better Christians.” My sides.