Western State ready for rematch

What started as a defensive battle turned into a blowout the  last time Western State College of Colorado ventured to Washington-Grizzly Stadium.

The Division II school returns Saturday in a rematch of last year's football home opener, still remembering the rumble of 25,000 Montana Griz fans and a stiff 38-0 defeat.

"We had heard all the horror stories," said Western State offensive coordinator C.J. Teply. "It's not fun. You understand why it's so hard to play there because it's so loud."

Teply said this year, just like last season, his Mountaineers will have to deal with the roar of the crowd and adjust their game plan because it's a factor all visiting teams have to accept.

"I don't think we got caught off guard by the noise; it just sucks," Teply said. "I don't care if you're App (Applachian) State or Western State."

The atmosphere in Missoula is great for football, Teply added, and it's easy for his visiting players to get excited for the action. The Gunnison, Colo., based squad rarely performs in front of so many screaming fans, he said, and they generally see around 5,000 in attendance.

But almost any advantage the Mountaineers could have gained after their run-in with the Griz last year may be erased, said fourth-year head coach Pat Stewart, who led the team to a 3-8 record in 2009. All background knowledge that Western State possessed concerning Montana's play-calling likely departed with former Griz head coach Bobby Hauck during the offseason.

"We really don't know what we're going to get," Stewart said. "There's not that familiarity there would be if coach Hauck would have been there. I think there's going to be some changes. They'll be subtle in some areas and not so-subtle in others."

Western's own offensive plays will be piloted by Miles Gorham.  The junior quarterback saw playing time in nine games last season, but many coming as a receiver. Gorham takes over the starting job from Tyler Daniels who as a sophomore started every game for the Mountaineers last season.

Teply, who also serves as quarterback's coach, said the team decided to go with one starter this season and won't deviate from that plan. Gorham got the nod over Daniels, despite his game experience, because of the former's poise under center.

"We have a lot of confidence in him," Teply said of his 6-foot-4 starting QB. "He can run and do a lot of different things. He's not crazy-fast but he can go out and do everything—play golf, play baseball; he can even go pick up a tennis racket and play."

In his first start last week, a 45-20 loss at Fort Hays State, the junior kept his talents focused on football, tossing two touchdowns while compiling 218 yards and completing passes at a 65 percent clip.

Gorham had no interceptions for a team heavily focused on protecting the football. The Mountaineers threw only three picks all last season and coughed up the ball an astoundingly low eight times. But a dismal running game made Gorham's efforts meaningless against Fort Hays. The Mountaineers managed a meager 33 yards on the ground on 28 carries. 

More worrisome for the Mountaineer staff might be their rushing defense, which was bowled over for nearly 300 yards. Fort Hays rumbled to the tune of 295 yards and four touchdowns on the ground, a performance that worries coach Stewart for this week's game. 

This week, Stewart's porous front line will be dealing with Chase Reynolds, a WalterPayton Award candidate. The award is given to the top offensive player at the Football Championship Series level. The Drummond native has compiled more than 3,000 yards in two seasons, including a 100-yard effort last year against Western State.

"We're going to have to do a better job stopping the run, bottom line," Stewart said. "If you don't, that's going to put you in a tough spot to win the game."

Stewart's defense will look to bottle up Reynolds using a three down linemen, three roaming linebacker formation with five defensive backs.

Back on offense, the Mountaineers play tight ends like most people pick their shoes — there's got to be at least two in the equation.

"Tight ends are very important," Teply said.

But for the last two-plus seasons, Western was without it's main tight end weapon, Curtis Prock, a junior. Prock, who missed all of the 2009 campaign with a torn pectoral muscle, was joined by two other tight ends on the injury list last season, severally hampering the team's normal play style.

"For the last years, it's been a battle when we lost them and we're excited to have those guys back," Teply said. "But specifically, he [Prock] is the difference and why we think we can have some good games this year."

In the Fort Hays loss last week, Prock proved he's back in top form, snagging 10 passes for 97 yards, easily leading the team in both categories.

"I didn't get to make the trip (to Montana) last year so I was pretty bummed," the 5-foot-11 pass tight end said. "Now I'm really excited to see what it's like to play in front of more than 20,000 people."

anthony.mazzolini@umontana.edu