I knew you had higher hopes. I take tour point that the quarter back should just play a solid game and we’ll be good
It will be interesting. We have guys who’ve put up big numbers and seem to be really competitive, and they’ve had time to learn the system.

I expect the QB chosen to be more than serviceable, based on our history. Not only do we have a school history of good quarterbacks, but in Hawkin’s first year he took over late in recruiting season and aggressively sought out and added Maier. They could have talked a transfer into coming here with all the returning offensive talent. The fact that we haven’t brought in anyone implies they’re comfortable with the guys they have.

Correct me if I’m wrong. We return the entire starting offense except for tight end and Quarterback. And we get three guys who stared for us at wide receiver back from injury. One weakness we had was depth at running back and we’ve added depth there.

If they really are waiting until game day to decide who to start, that implies that they have equally prepared two or more quarterbacks to play with the first team. If so, might as well play them both.

I’m not sure how to find the game on Pluto, I watched the Idaho Eastern game on Pluto via a Big Sky link but never found it in the Pluto menu, teams no longer have their own Pluto channel in the listing. Therefor had to watch game on IPad instead of TV

i have an impression partly based on the low publicity approach to this season that they are viewing this as a developmental time, hence all the freshmen on the depth chart. I think they’ll pick whoever has the most potential.with an eye to the fall. Having played a couple of quarters won’t be a significant factor.

Employee head count, salaries, benefits, student amenities, all are higher than they were years ago, funded by loaning money to people who may not be able to repay it.
Private sector working middle class parents aren’t usually going to pay their kids graduate school debt, because they have to save to make up for the pensions they don’t get.

I did the free/free education at the JC. The local college had scholarships funded by a community bank for everyone who had a B average in high school. That paid what little fees they had
A few hundred dollars went a long way in those days as the $1.25 cost for a pitcher of beer illustrates. I certainly don’t remember the dollar and cents but the $600 fee stuck in my head as a round number. I think that could be legitimately not called tuition. Fees supported non educational costs.
Fast forward a generation and my daughter did four years at UCLA 2001 thru 2004 The tuition which we paid for without aid even though we were not dramatically above the median income for UCLA families still cost less than her Catholic high school. But by then they were calling it tuition.
The situation is worse now I’m sure. The current cost often far outweighs the financial benefits for a significant percentage of students. Back in the 70s, that wasn’t likely to be the case. Broken system.

I wonder to what extent players are tied to the listed positions. I hope that means nothing too.

That was my opinion at the time, but in retrospect we paid practically nothing and the fees weren’t really paying for our education.

Those tuition free days at UC really existed. In the early 70s, there was no tuition and fees were about $600. Books were expensive as was room and board. I remember sweating about signing a lease with tree other guys to rent an apartment for 255 a month. Beer was only $1.25 a pitcher so the $600 in fees seemed like tuition to some.

Both are still on the rosters I assume they didn’t quit or take a leave due to COVID. Just not on the depth chart.
Maybe means nothing.

Can’t tell if they’re out or beat out, Though one would think a guy nearing the top ten in career tackles would be listed on the depth chart, but who knows?

Considering that Cody Hawkins is QB coach as well as offensive coordinator, and we’re picking a new QB, I think his plate is full. He will put his own spin on play calling, but most importantly, coaching the QBs. I think he’s well qualified for that.

There is no reason Cody Hawkins has to change anything from what they were doing in the fall, and since he was receivers coach he’s intimately familiar with Plough’s offense.
He can evolve things over time.

Bigger changes are in the defense where this is the first game under Coombs and he has moved quite a few people to different positions and we’ve had more turnover of personnel. Freshman Safeties, except for Isaiah Thomas, on the depth chart when we have a number of veterans DBs on the roster. Our two starting returning corners are now listed at the same position. I don’t know if the depth chart is definitive but it’s a little worrisome to have that much inexperience on the D Line and Safety, and to have many returning players in altered positions. Less continuity than on offense.

Surprising that Josiah Suani isn’t listed, after starting six games for us at Nose last year. Also, Bryce Rogers now a nose tackle.
And Safety is so dominated by freshmen, Where is Erron Duncan?

The most notable thing about our defense is the number of freshmen in the DL spots. We had a few defensive linemen who didn’t come back despite having remaining eligibility.

Hawkins even more secretive than usual:
https://www.davisenterprise.com/sports/aggies/ready-or-not-here-comes-aggie-football/
Bunch of new guys traveling because they’ve been with the program for half a year, is about the only info that he provides. But he won’t name anyone. Jeez

I notice on the roster that our 2019 most improved defensive player, Da’Von Frazier has moved back to defensive back from linebacker. He started the last game we played at outside linebacker. This may be an indication the team feels good about their linebackers.

You’re right about the biggest of the four 300lb plus D linemen but one is a senior. I thought two were transfers but just the one.
I can’t see how not playing helps Montana and Montana State. Are they doing spring practices? They likely are. So they’re running COVID risk anyway, what little risk there is.
Teams that play get to see how all their new guys fit in. They’ll be better in the fall because they played in the spring, as long as they don’t get a lot of injuries. I’ve seen on this board that this year spring doesn’t count against eligibility. If so it’s like a no cost redshirt year for young guys. It works out great for us with the coaching and QB transitions as far as preparation for fall is concerned.

On defense I think we are much deeper and more experienced this year assuming the injured guys are healed. Linebacker had a lot of new faces last year and defense got off to a bad start but improved. I think we did a good job replacing the graduated defensive linemen but that remains to be seen. In the defensive backfield, I cannot believe how many proven and experienced guys we have there. It will be interesting how all those pieces fit together.
I notice that Princeton Toki is now listed on defense. He and another big freshman might not play much but the other two probably will. Including Princeton, our four biggest DL additions weigh over 1300lbs.