Shutouts Have Montana’s Foes On Defensive Suddenly-Stingy Grizzlies Face Stephen F. Austin In Division I-Aa Football Semifinal In Missoula

The last time Montana’s defense was spotted in these parts, the Grizzlies were giving up 49 first-half points to Idaho on an October afternoon in the Kibbie Dome.

So UM football coach Don Read, how does one go from that humbling day to shutting out two straight Division I-AA playoff opponents the last two Saturdays?

“I don’t know how to explain that,” said Read, whose giddiness is somewhat tempered by a nasty cold-flu bug. “I don’t know what the answer is, other than it’s just kids.”

The suddenly impenetrable Grizzlies entertain Stephen F. Austin in the semifinals at sold-out Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula on Saturday morning at 9 PST. Prime Sports Northwest will televise the matchup, along with the McNeese State-Marshall game at 12:30.

Though he’s feeling pretty lousy, Read’s never felt better about his offense, his defense and his chances of winning a national championship. UM’s been fortunate to stay at home for three playoff games because higher-seeded teams in its bracket have lost the last two weeks.

“Everything has happened so good for us,” said a grateful Read, between coughing fits. “It wears you out, so many well-wishers calling. The phone doesn’t stop ringing, the letters, radio stations…”

Most want to know about the defense, which yielded 55 points to Idaho and 33 to Montana State’s suspect offense on the weekend before the playoff opener. Montana’s consecutive shutouts is a first in playoff history.

“It has surprised the heck out of us,” Idaho running backs coach Todd Hoiness said. “I think up to the point we played them, nobody had really gone after them, throwing it deep and making them make plays.”

Montana’s first two playoff victims, Eastern Kentucky and Georgia Southern, are run-oriented. Stephen F. Austin, of Nacogdoches, Texas, averages more than 200 yards rushing and passing.

“There have been games when they’ve turned it loose,” said Read, who previously guided the Griz to semifinal appearances in 1989 and 1994.

In fact, the Grizzlies put last year’s 28-9 semifinal loss to eventual champ Youngstown State to good use. Several defensive players recently watched videotape of that game, studying Youngstown’s stingy defense.

Montana’s defense has another thing going for it - UM’s offense. More specifically, Dave Dickenson, favorite for the Walter Payton Award, I-AA’s equivalent to the Heisman Trophy, and the Walter Camp Football Foundation’s Division I-AA All-America quarterback.

In five career playoff games, Dickenson has completed 80 percent of his passes for 1,755 yards, 13 touchdowns and one interception.

“He never seems to have a bad game or a bad quarter,” Read said.

“With No. 15 (Dickenson) pulling the trigger, they can beat anybody,” Hoiness said. “I hope they go all the way. They’re well-coached and they play hard. I like their kids.”

So do UM’s title-thirsty fans. They chanted something unfamiliar in Washington-Grizzly Stadium after last Saturday’s 45-0 drubbing of Georgia Southern: “Defense, defense, defense.”

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