Grizzlies Win Second National Title
12/21/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
"Good things happen to great people."
- Joe Glenn, UM Grizzly Head Football Coach
The University of Montana Grizzlies won their second Division I-AA National Football title Friday night, ending the hopes of the #3 seeded Furman University Paladins by a score of 13-6 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The win improved Montana to a school record 15-1 for the season. An excellent Montana defense and turnovers . the Paladins gave up the ball three times and the Grizzlies held on to the ball like Ebenezer Scrooge held on to his money bags ... were the keys to the Montana victory.
Montana quarterback John Edwards had the adrenaline pumping early. Edwards, who rushed for a career-high 111 yards last week, was once again taking tacklers head-on and along with Yohance Humphery (who notched a blistering 142 yards and 2 TDs last week) had early success running the ball. Furman was able to shut down UM's first drive and missed an early scoring opportunity when an Edwards pass was almost picked-off.
The Grizzly defense played like the veterans they were and no one found this out any better than Furman quarterback Billy Napier. The first Griz to introduce himself was Dave DeCoite, who forced a Napier fumble that was later recovered by senior leader Vince Huntsberger. Deep in Paladin territory, the Grizzlies were also unable to capitalize as a Chris Snyder field goal sailed wide left.
This season, the Griz averaged 34.7 points per game and the Paladins 33.6. With the score still 0-0 in the second quarter the game was shaping up to be unlike anything these two teams were used to this year.
The Griz threatened again in but another Chris Snyder field goal drifted wide left. However, Furman was offsides on the attempt (the first penalty of the night) and the resulting yardage was enough for a Grizzly first down. On the next play, a face-mask penalty moved the Grizzlies even closer. Then it was all Yo. Yohance Humphery, UM's all-time leading scorer (288 points) and rusher (4,074 yards) got Montana on the scoreboard first with a short-yard touchdown run. Chris Snyder found the uprights on the point after to cap off a 16 play, 99 yard scoring drive. UM lead at this point 7-0.
Penalties hurt the Grizzlies also as two false starts and a holding call mired a Montana scoring drive which had to settle for a 35 yard field goal from Chris Snyder which propelled the Grizzlies to a 10-0 first half lead.
As the first half expired, Yohance Humphery had 95 rushing yards and 1 rushing touchdown. John Edwards had 121 total yards. Vince Huntsberger showed why he was the Big Sky Conference Defensive MVP by almost intercepting a Billy Napier pass, getting 5 tackles, and recovering 1 fumble.
Furman came out in the third quarter, and by getting yardage gains on first down, had some success moving the ball. However, a Furman scoring drive was deflated on 3-and-18 when Dave DeCoite blocked Napier's pass at the line of scrimmage. From 40 yards out, Furman missed their field goal attempt and the score remained 10-0 in favor of the Griz.
The Grizzlies were playing without freshman kick returner Levander Segars, who injured a hamstring during a spectacular return in last week's Northern Iowa game. Thus, it was freshman Jefferson Heidelberger's turn to break a 47-yard punt return and set the Grizzlies up with excellent field position. The Paladin defense was able to hold Montana to a missed Snyder field goal, his third of the night to go wide left. Snyder later redeemed himself after a crucial Yohance Humphery fourth down conversion. This got the Montana lead up to 13-0.
As the fourth quarter rolled around, the Grizzly defense was in the midst of their 7th consecutive quarter of shut-out football. The last time Furman was held scoreless in a game was in 1996 against Marshall. Grizzly fans remember Marshall, the team UM beat in 1995 to win their first National Championship. Grizzly fans also remember 1996 as the year Marshall got their revenge by beating the Griz in the Championship rematch.
Vince Huntsberger concluded his phenomenal day, and any hopes Furman had for the National title, by intercepting a Billy Napier 3rd-and-5 pass with 2:28 left in the fourth quarter.
Furman fought to the end and scored on a Hail Mary as time expired. The final score was the University of Montana Grizzlies 13, the Furman University Paladins 6. This is the second I-AA National Championship for the Grizzly football team and the third National title for Coach Glenn (who had two Division II titles in 1996 and 1997 with the University of Northern Colorado.)
The UM Grizzlies return home to a Saturday afternoon "Welcome Back Party", to be held on 12/22/2001 at 5:00pmin the Adams Event Center on the UM Campus. Everyone is invited to join in the celebration.
- Joe Glenn, UM Grizzly Head Football Coach
The University of Montana Grizzlies won their second Division I-AA National Football title Friday night, ending the hopes of the #3 seeded Furman University Paladins by a score of 13-6 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The win improved Montana to a school record 15-1 for the season. An excellent Montana defense and turnovers . the Paladins gave up the ball three times and the Grizzlies held on to the ball like Ebenezer Scrooge held on to his money bags ... were the keys to the Montana victory.
Montana quarterback John Edwards had the adrenaline pumping early. Edwards, who rushed for a career-high 111 yards last week, was once again taking tacklers head-on and along with Yohance Humphery (who notched a blistering 142 yards and 2 TDs last week) had early success running the ball. Furman was able to shut down UM's first drive and missed an early scoring opportunity when an Edwards pass was almost picked-off.
The Grizzly defense played like the veterans they were and no one found this out any better than Furman quarterback Billy Napier. The first Griz to introduce himself was Dave DeCoite, who forced a Napier fumble that was later recovered by senior leader Vince Huntsberger. Deep in Paladin territory, the Grizzlies were also unable to capitalize as a Chris Snyder field goal sailed wide left.
This season, the Griz averaged 34.7 points per game and the Paladins 33.6. With the score still 0-0 in the second quarter the game was shaping up to be unlike anything these two teams were used to this year.
The Griz threatened again in but another Chris Snyder field goal drifted wide left. However, Furman was offsides on the attempt (the first penalty of the night) and the resulting yardage was enough for a Grizzly first down. On the next play, a face-mask penalty moved the Grizzlies even closer. Then it was all Yo. Yohance Humphery, UM's all-time leading scorer (288 points) and rusher (4,074 yards) got Montana on the scoreboard first with a short-yard touchdown run. Chris Snyder found the uprights on the point after to cap off a 16 play, 99 yard scoring drive. UM lead at this point 7-0.
Penalties hurt the Grizzlies also as two false starts and a holding call mired a Montana scoring drive which had to settle for a 35 yard field goal from Chris Snyder which propelled the Grizzlies to a 10-0 first half lead.
As the first half expired, Yohance Humphery had 95 rushing yards and 1 rushing touchdown. John Edwards had 121 total yards. Vince Huntsberger showed why he was the Big Sky Conference Defensive MVP by almost intercepting a Billy Napier pass, getting 5 tackles, and recovering 1 fumble.
Furman came out in the third quarter, and by getting yardage gains on first down, had some success moving the ball. However, a Furman scoring drive was deflated on 3-and-18 when Dave DeCoite blocked Napier's pass at the line of scrimmage. From 40 yards out, Furman missed their field goal attempt and the score remained 10-0 in favor of the Griz.
The Grizzlies were playing without freshman kick returner Levander Segars, who injured a hamstring during a spectacular return in last week's Northern Iowa game. Thus, it was freshman Jefferson Heidelberger's turn to break a 47-yard punt return and set the Grizzlies up with excellent field position. The Paladin defense was able to hold Montana to a missed Snyder field goal, his third of the night to go wide left. Snyder later redeemed himself after a crucial Yohance Humphery fourth down conversion. This got the Montana lead up to 13-0.
As the fourth quarter rolled around, the Grizzly defense was in the midst of their 7th consecutive quarter of shut-out football. The last time Furman was held scoreless in a game was in 1996 against Marshall. Grizzly fans remember Marshall, the team UM beat in 1995 to win their first National Championship. Grizzly fans also remember 1996 as the year Marshall got their revenge by beating the Griz in the Championship rematch.
Vince Huntsberger concluded his phenomenal day, and any hopes Furman had for the National title, by intercepting a Billy Napier 3rd-and-5 pass with 2:28 left in the fourth quarter.
Furman fought to the end and scored on a Hail Mary as time expired. The final score was the University of Montana Grizzlies 13, the Furman University Paladins 6. This is the second I-AA National Championship for the Grizzly football team and the third National title for Coach Glenn (who had two Division II titles in 1996 and 1997 with the University of Northern Colorado.)
The UM Grizzlies return home to a Saturday afternoon "Welcome Back Party", to be held on 12/22/2001 at 5:00pmin the Adams Event Center on the UM Campus. Everyone is invited to join in the celebration.
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