Griz’s Graves still doing it all

Garrett Graves has already done a little bit of everything for the Montana Grizzlies — quarterback, running back and receiver included — and 2022 should be no different.

Now an established safety, the 207-pound junior out of Eureka will also continue to see special teams snaps.

“I love playing special teams under Coach (Bobby) Hauck,” Graves said Friday, after a short practice at the South Campus fields. “It is — to reuse the word — special, on the Grizzlies. We take a lot of pride in those.”

Under Hauck’s tutelage the kicking game has changed games. Junior Bergen’s returns were pivotal to short fields that kept Montana in command of the 120th Cat-Griz game, which UM won 29-10 last November.

In 2019 Graves blocked a Weber State punt to set up the first TD in a 35-16 Grizzly win.

“He’s doing a lot,” Hauck said of Graves, who in 2018 had seven carries at running back, and in 2019 four receptions. “He’s playing the nickel spot, the strong safety spot and a lot of the kicking game.”

It was at safety that he scored his first and only collegiate TD: A 25-yard interception return against Northern Arizona last fall. He made 46 tackles, a lot of them as part of a dynamic defense — one that despite the loss of Jace Lewis looks deeper still.

“I think it’s going to be a big one,” he said of the 2022 season, which starts Sept. 3 with a non-conference home game against Northwestern (La.) State. “I think we have a great offense and practicing against them shows that we have a good defense. We’ve been really competing hard and I think that points toward a successful season.”

Rohrbach getting reps

Patrick Rohrbach, the true freshman out of Glacier, is showing off a strong leg in the punt game for the Griz. Hauck was noncommittal about the specialists jobs — Montana has to replace punter Brian Buschini and place-kicker Kevin Macias — after two weeks of drills.

“We chart them every day,” he said, then offered that Rohrbach probably does not figure into the place-kicking, where California transfer Nico Ramos got the live reps Friday. “We’re trying not to have (Rohrbach) do field goal kicking, but have him on punt and kickoff. He can do all three, but that’s a lot for a freshman, to do all three.”

On Rohrbach’s bio at gogriz.com Hauck is glowing: “Pat came to our specialists camp and was just terrific,” he said. “Kicking off, kicking, and punting it, he's the best guy I've seen in Montana in a long, long time.”

Quick kicks

Hauck had positive words about defensive end Henry Nuce and fellow Glacier product Drew Deck, who wears No. 9 and plays receiver. “Drew’s had a nice camp,” Hauck said. “Weight room, practice time is paying off for him.” … Nuce made 12 tackles last fall, including one for a loss, and forced one fumble in 10 games. … Graves’ 46 tackles ranked fifth on the Grizzlies. … Senior transfer Lucas Johnson (San Diego State) and sophomore Kris Brown continue to lead the No. 1 offense in drills. … Polson Pirates in camp are true freshman Braunson Henriksen, who is playing defensive line, and Matt Rensvold, back after sitting two seasons with injuries. Rensvold caught two TD passes in 2018 and one in 2019.