Griz go 'physical' with 19 recruits
First-year head football coach Robin Pflugrad unveiled the newest recruiting class for the Montana Grizzlies in Missoula on Wednesday, with two local athletes joining a “physical” class of 19 incoming players.
The newest additions to the Griz legacy include Glacier’s Shay Smithwick-Hann and Whitefish’s Derek Crittendon.
“Physical. That word describes this class, which is of course a big part of what Grizzly football is all about,” Pflugrad, who took over for outgoing seven-year coach Bobby Hauck at the start of the year, said in a press release.
“The amount of players we signed compared to the number of players who we actually had visit here over the past three weeks is truly amazing. Of course we really won’t know just how good of a recruiting class we have for a year or so, except maybe those offensive linemen who are already here on campus.”
All told, the Griz added four offensive linemen, four defensive linemen, three wide receivers, two quarterbacks, two safeties, two linebackers, a running back and a tight end. Three players are coming from junior colleges.
Pflugrad said speed was one of the main traits that the new recruiting class was judged on.
“We need to get faster, and I think we did with this class,” he said.
“When you watched number 80 (graduated senior Marc Mariani) run with the football you can see the speed I am talking about. That is one area — recruiting more team speed, that will always be a goal for myself and our staff, and in any coach and staff for that matter.”
Smithwick-Hann leaves Glacier as the first starting quarterback and continues a local and family legacy by heading to Missoula. His father Jim played tight end at UM (1971-72) while his head coach during high school was Flathead High graduate and former Griz starting quarterback (1988-90) Grady Bennett, the current Glacier head football coach.
“He’s the type of kid that you want in your program. He’s going to represent the school well,” Bennett said of Smithwick-Hann. “Montana is getting a winner and just a great young man.”
Montana football signings
The list of players who have signed with the University of Montana:
CJ Atkins, wr, 6-2, 210, College of the Canyons
Alex Bienemann, dt, 6-2, 275, Regis Jesuit HS, Denver
Derek Crittendon, dl, 6-3, 230, Whitefish HS
Sean Haynes, wr, 6-3, 183, Bishop Alemany HS, Los Angeles
Jake Hendrickson, og, 6-3 1/2, 285, Scottsdale CC
Jordan Johnson, qb, 6-1, 185, Sheldon HS, Eugene, Ore.
John Kanongata’a, lb, 5-11, 218, Bellevue (Wash.) HS
Brett Kirschner, rb, 5-10, 207, Bellevue (Wash.) HS
Danny Kistler Jr., ot, 6-3, 335, O’Dea HS, Seattle
William Poehls, ot, 6-8, 286, Chandler (Ariz.) HS
Trevor Poole, dl, 6-5, 275, Ferris HS, Spokane, Wash.
Austin Reifeis, te, 6-3, 230, Eastlake HS, Sammamish, Wash.
Stephen Sabin, og, 6-4, 305, Scottsdale CC
Mitch Saylor, wr, 6-5, 210, Union HS, Camas, Wash.
Shay Smithwick-Hann, qb, 6-4, 215, Glacier HS, Kalispell
Taylor Tuliaupupu, lb, 6-0, 225, Claremont HS, LaVerne, Calif.
Bo Tully, s, 6-2, 185, Mead HS, Spokane, Wash.
Zach Wagenmann, de, 6-3 1/2, 210, Sentinel HS, Missoula
Justin Whitted, s, 6-1, 175, St. Bernard HS, Los Angeles