But you get a win headed into conference play.

Yeah, I think with this team, with the expectations, you're wondering, how are we going to respond? When our backs are against the wall and not knowing when that's going to happen, you don't want to create that scenario.

But our backs were certainly against the wall on Saturday.

And you say, okay, how do we put ourselves in position? What can we do to correct that? I think the first half was full of a lot of things.

A little bit more on discipline on defense with our eyes and our technique, allowing them to do some things in the run game.

they really did a good job of staying ahead of the chains in the first half you know ultimately offensively sometimes it does take some time to get going unfortunately and it did in that game and you know I think the complexion looks a little different if we can put together a two-minute drive, and we don't do that.

So you leave points on the board.

What do you think put him in a position to be a guy that is a defensive play caller in this league, and what's sort of the strengths that you see so far in his defense at NAU?

So what goes into that just holistically?

Yeah.

I think for this one, it was taking it all in.

I think recognizing that they did some really good things the week before.

I think that maybe helped us.

I think it opened our eyes a little bit more to maybe what they were now versus what they had been.

I really felt like as we went through the week and the more and more you watched, I felt like we're going to match up just fine.

For more information, visit

So

much so that the field is named after him and all that.

But growing up around, sports he'd also coached basketball and baseball was a big part of growing up for me and I think just growing up in a small town with the same group of kids going back to when we were kindergarten you know first grade and we didn't have tons of kids move in and out it was the same group that uh that grew up and you know so getting a chance to play for my dad was huge but then this group of friends that uh you know anything and everything we did seemed to revolve around sports a lot different than these days you grow up in a small town you have this freedom of uh being able to um organize a whatever a basketball game a baseball game a football game and it was you know uh We played football in one kid's yard and we played baseball in another friend's yard and we played basketball in the park or whatever.

So, you know, I really am grateful for that.

All that being said, we were only 20 miles from Grand Forks, so it wasn't like we were in the middle of nowhere like a lot of small towns seem to be.

So, yeah.

Growing up around the games, I guess, and football in particular, I could definitely see the appreciation my dad had for what he did.

You

How does it look after the first four?

Well, I think, you know, beyond quarterback, cornerback, I mean, that's the other position I really think that's still probably sorting out.

I know inside-wise, you know, You know, the development of Josiah Aswaga is going to be critical to our success.

He's a guy that's just played a little.

I think we have super high expectations.

But, you know, what is that going to look like for him? I think Talon and Zach Black and, you know, Hunter Charbonneau, I think we're all guys that have gained valuable experience.

Can they take their games up a level? I know Hudson Wiens, A.J.

So how much do you think that, that sort of acumen though impacts him as a football player and just the way he operates?

were your first impressions, pre-film?

Well, I thought the offense moved the ball pretty efficiently.

throughout the day.

But then I thought the defense maybe settled in a little bit and situationally made some stops more in the second half of the scrimmage.

He definitely saw some playmakers on the offense, which I think we're thinking we have.

I thought Justin ran things pretty efficiently.

And defensively, Those depth battles, the depth battles in the core, whether that's D-line, linebackers, safety and how that shakes out will be really important.

Any thoughts on tackling and maybe the run game?

[laughs]

... of people put their heads together and had a great idea.

And then as it w- you know, as, as it's, um, been executed to, to see those, those different high schools, um, you know, be able to promote it.

A- and I was in a few high schools that just, they, they were tickled pink to get those banners, and it was just a great thing because not only it certainly does represent Montana State, but it's, it's more about those, those young men that represent that high school, um, for Montana State and, and then ultimately for the state of Montana.

So, you know, our team is, is made up of a lot of, uh, guys from a lot of different places, but the primary place they come from is Montana.

And, you know, like next year's team, w- right now we have 49 guys that are on our roster, um, out of 108 slots, and last year's team had, you know, just a few, just a le- a few less than that.

So, you know, and, and those guys are really, if you look on, you know, whether it's the All-American list, the All-Conference list, you know, that's a, that's a heavy dose of Montana guys.

[laughs]