Griz have a new face from Arizona

A new defensive end started practicing with the University of Montana football team Monday, but UM Sports Information Director Dave Guffey said the name of the player would not be released until today.

However, Guffey did say the player’s last name was Shelton and that he is from Arizona. 

According to Tom Duddleston, the Arizona Wildcats’ sports information director, former University of Arizona defensive end Michael Shelton left the team prior to fall camp.

He said Shelton was suspended from spring drills for disciplinary reasons. And in late August Shelton worked out a deal with the Wildcats’ football program to find a place to relocate, Duddleston said.

Guffey said the new player is eligible to play in Saturday’s home game against Eastern Washington.

Players that transfer down from Football Bowl Subdivision schools to Football Championship Subdivision schools are not forced to lose a year of eligibility. Players transferring between FBS schools do.

Duddleston said Shelton has two full years of eligibility remaining, plus a redshirt year.

According to the Registrar’s Office Tuesday, a Michael Shelton from Hawthorne, Calif. – 10 miles from where Shelton attended high school in Compton, Calif. – was registered as a full-time UM student.

Shelton played in seven games in 2005 as a true freshman for the Wildcats, totaling five tackles and two sacks. Last season he had two tackles in seven games. Duddleston called him a “pretty decent player.”

Following his senior year at Dominguez High School, Shelton earned myriad accolades. He was a SuperPrep All-America, and a member of the PrepStar All-West and Los Angeles Times All-Region teams. Scout.com ranked Shelton the No. 16 defensive end in his class.

The Grizzlies received solid play from their defensive ends this season, with senior Kroy Biermann and junior Mike Stadnyk seeing the bulk of the time. Backups Karl Pitcher and Jace Palmer have also made impacts.