Vigen: 'Not going to let it happen'

It was a year ago, in this very round of the FCS playoffs, that Montana State’s season came to a stunning close with a 35-34 home playoff loss to North Dakota State.

You don’t need to remind MSU coach Brent Vigen, though someone did on Monday ahead of his team’s second-round game against Tennessee-Martin. 

“The experience of last year and how abrupt that was. ...” Vigen began. “The thoughts of this group, this senior group after that game (is) we’re not going to let that happen to us again.” 

The Bobcats are off to their first 12-0 start in program history and landed the No. 1 seed into the postseason. A year ago they were seeded fifth. 

“We’ve lived in this world all year and I don’t think there’s any reason we can’t continue to do it,” Vigen said. 

The Skyhawks are 1-0 on the road this postseason, having won 41-10 at New Hampshire, and like most successful programs have a dangerous quarterback. Kinkead Dent stands 6-foot-4 and before becoming a two-year starter for UTM, was at Ole Miss. Lane Kiffin saw fit to let him throw eight passes and hold for a lot of kicks in three seasons. 

He’s thrown for 4,633 yards and 44 touchdowns for the Skyhawks, in 24 starts.  

Vigen said the plan doesn’t change with Dent. 

“Making him uncomfortable, that’s been — beyond stopping the run — that’s our primary objective each week,” Vigen said. “How do you stop Tennessee-Martin? You’d better make it hard for him. I think that’s clear, the more film you watch.” 

Running Back U 

Isaiah Davis, the load of a running back who helped South Dakota State win the last two national titles, is off to the NFL. He has five carries for 22 yards this season with the New York Jets; he’s also caught four passes for 38 yards and a touchdown. 

He’s the third Jackrabbit running back to make the jump to the pros: Zach Zenner (2015-19) was the first, and Pierre Strong was drafted by the Patriots in 2022. 

So what do the Jackrabbits do? Reload. 

Amar Johnson, who had nine carries for 50 yards in SDSU’s 23-3 win over Montana in the Jan. 7 title game, is back and has run for 910 yards and 13 touchdowns, averaging 6.3 yards a carry. Angel Johnson (no relation) has 78 carries for 555 yards (7.1 average); Kirby Vorhees has 56 totes for 499 (8.9) and seven TDs. 

It’s pretty impressive, and SDSU coach Jimmy Rogers doesn’t see the pipeline drying up. 

“Well, there’s more coming,” Rogers, whose club hosts the Montana Grizzlies again Saturday at noon, said this week. “It’s a product of evaluating players and not getting caught up in what other people have done as far as, ‘So-and-so has offered.’ It doesn’t pique our interest as far as who’s been offered. Those players that are given shots at this level and at this type of program, they should feel in debt to the program that gave them an opportunity when a lot of places weren’t.  

“They take pride in that and they play with a chip on their shoulder and work tirelessly to be the next player. We have a stable of them and here’s a connection in that group.” 

Large Yards 

Montana sophomore Eli Gillman, meanwhile, has rushed for 1,092 yards and 15 touchdowns this season. He’s the 9-4 Grizzlies’ first 1,000-yard rusher since Marcus Knight gained 1,030 in 14 games in 2019. 

Before that, Jordan Canada had 1,195 yards in 14 games in 2014. 

QUICK KICKS: The top three finalists for the Buck Buchanan Award, for the top defensive player in the FCS, are defensive ends Jeremiah Grant of Richmond and David Walker of Central Arkansas, and Mercer cornerback TJ Moore. ... Illinois State allowed 567 passing yards to SEMO’s Paxton DeLaurent and still won last week, 35-27; now the Cardinals face the QB with the most passing yards in the playoff field, Miles Hastings of UC Davis (3.745 yards). ... A sellout is expected at MSU’s Bobcat Stadum Saturday.