Sophomore dazzles for Griz: Havre?s Mariani second on team in all-purpose yardage

Coming into the season for the University of Montana football team, a sophomore from Havre was buried on the depth chart at receiver.

After Saturday?s dazzling touchdown catch, Marc Mariani should become a household name for years to come.

Mariani ? a 6-foot, 180-pounder who caught attention during his high school days as his basketball team?s relentless, play-making point guard ? wowed a cold and drenched Washington-Grizzly Stadium crowd in the second quarter against Northern Colorado by making a leaping, one-handed scoring catch in the back of the end zone.

The pass was thrown hard and high enough that Mariani, who was behind the Northern Colorado defender, had to quickly jump to even have a shot at getting it. He snared it with his right hand and tried to bring it into his body before sailing out of the back of the end zone. But because he was flying so fast, the best he could do was pin the ball to his helmet. His left hand never touched the ball.

?Yeah, I practice it in the backyard every day,? Mariani joked after the game when asked by a reporter if he practices that kind of catch. ?I really got lucky on that one. I couldn?t get it with both hands, so I just put my hand up and it was bobbling around a little bit. I knew I had to control it. The only other thing I could use ? and the closest thing to it ? was my head, I guess. It happened pretty fast.?

Even the referee was impressed.

?The back judge at halftime goes, ?That was as great a catch as I?ve seen all year,?? UM coach Bobby Hauck said. ?That was as good of a catch as we?ve had in numerous years.?

Don?t think it was a fluke, Griz Nation.

Although it was his first career touchdown catch, Mariani ranks a surprising second on the Grizzlies in all-purpose yardage. Only Lex Hilliard ranks ahead of him ? and by only 3.3 yards per game.

In six games, Mariani has eight catches for 131 yards. He has added another 207 yards on punt returns and 200 yards on kickoff returns. He ranks 20th in the nation in punt return average. Perhaps he?s the answer for the graduation of Tuff Harris.

Getting the season-opening start because of receiver Eric Allen?s injury, Mariani responded by taking the second half?s opening kickoff against Southern Utah 53 yards. Coming off the bench in game two against Fort Lewis, he tied for a team-high three catches.

Now he?s a mainstay in the Grizzlies? arsenal of weapons. He?s got the longest punt return of the year (31 against Weber State) and the longest kickoff return of the year (62 against Weber State).

Funny thing is, Hauck didn?t realize it was Mariani who caught that touchdown until after the game.

?I congratulated Ty Palmer,? Hauck said. ?You sure (it was Mariani)? I?ll be dang. I told Ty Palmer nice catch after the touchdown. They?re all X?s and O?s to me.?

Mariani and the Griz are in for a battle on Saturday against Northern Arizona in Flagstaff. The Lumberjacks are on the Grizzlies? heels in the Big Sky Conference standings at 4-1.