#9 Montana State FCS Football 2020 Preview
August 21, 2020 · Scott Whittum
Montana State Bobcats
Overall Rank: #9
#3 Big Sky
Montana State has been on a steady rise under the direction of head coach Jeff Choate. The Bobcats have been to the FCS Playoffs in two consecutive seasons, including a trip to the semifinals of the 2019 FCS Playoffs as part of an eleven-win season. The trip to the semifinals was the deepest run for Montana State in the playoffs since the 1984 season. When football resumes in the spring of 2021 for the Bobcats they will be a significant threat to win the Big Sky Conference championship.
2019 Record: 11-4, 6-2
2019 Postseason: FCS Playoffs
Coach: Jeff Choate (28-22 at Montana State, 28-22 overall)
Offensive Coordinator: Justin Udy
Defensive Coordinator: Kane Ioane
Returning Leaders:
Rushing: Isaiah Ifanse, RB, 813 yards
Passing: Tucker Rovig, QB, 1,969 yards
Receiving: Coy Steel, WR, 334 yards
Tackles: Callahan O’Reilly, LB, 91
Sacks: Troy Andersen, LB, 6.5
Interceptions: Tyrel Thomas, DB, 2
Other Key Returnees: OL Lewis Kidd, OL Zach Redd, WR Lance McCutcheon, TE Ryan Davis, OL Taylor Tuiasospo, OL Connor Wood, NT Chase Benson, LB Michael Jobman, DB Greg Filer III, DL Amandre Williams
Key Losses: RB Logan Jones, WR Kevin Kassis, S Brayden Konkol, DE Bryce Sterk, DB Damien Washington
Projected Postseason: FCS Playoffs
2019 Team Stats:
Rushing Offense: 258.1(8th in nation, 1st in conference)
Passing Offense: 168.5 (104, 12)
Total Offense: 426.5 (25, 7)
Scoring Offense: 32.7 (27, 6)
Rushing Defense: 121.2 (18, 3)
Pass Defense: 237.1 (83, 4)
Total Defense: 358.3 (38, 3)
Scoring Defense: 22.1 (23, 2)
Turnover Margin: 0.87 (13, 3)
Sacks: 2.73 (20, 3)
Sacks Allowed: 0.93 (7, 1)
Madness 2020 Recruit Rankings:
| Rank | Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | High School | Sport |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 116 | Elijah Elliott | RB | NA | NA | Portland, OR | FCS Football |
| 168 | Max Lenzy | DB | NA | NA | Portland, OR | FCS Football |
| 174 | Brody Grebe | LB | NA | NA | Wallingford, CT | FCS Football |
| 221 | J.T. Reed | DL | NA | NA | San Jose, CA | FCS Football |
| 239 | Danny Uluilakepa | LB | NA | NA | South Hill, WA | FCS Football |
| 268 | Miles Jackson | DB | NA | NA | Portland, OR | FCS Football |
| 297 | Jaalen Rening | RB | NA | NA | Visalia, CA | FCS Football |
