Grizzlies renew border rivalry with Vandals
10/4/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Griz will have to ground Idaho's quarterback
University of Montana head football coach Joe Glenn may just be entering his third year as the main guy here in Missoula, but he's familiar with what Saturday's game at the University of Idaho Vandals means.
"This is the border war," Glenn said. "It is a rivalry I know quite well."
Glenn was a Grizzly assistant coach from 1980 to 1985, serving as the offensive coordinator in his last three years at Missoula. The Vandals were in the Big Sky Conference at the time, and before they moved up to Division 1-A, the Vandals were the Grizzlies' biggest rivals apart from Montana State.
The rivalry started 99 years ago at Idaho, with the Vandals beating the Grizzlies 28-0 in 1903. Since that first game, the teams have played each other 81 times, with Idaho owning a 55-24-2 advantage in the series.
But good fortune has been with Montana recently, as the Grizzlies have beaten the Vandals the last two times the teams have met - a 45-38 shootout two years ago in Pullman, Wash., and last year's 33-27 double overtime thriller in Missoula.
If the Grizzlies are to extend their current winning steak to three games, a feat accomplished only two other times by UM in this heated rivalry, Montana's defense must stop Idaho's offense, Glenn said.
Particularly quarterback Brian Lindgren.
The Sun Belt Conference's top-rated passer, Lindgren has thrown for more than 1,400 yards and 13 touchdowns. In the Vandals' lone win of the season, an impressive 48-38 home win over San Diego State, Lindgren threw for 382 yards and six scores. In last week's loss to No. 12 Washington in Seattle, the junior signal caller had another strong performance despite his team losing to the Huskies 41-27, throwing for 309 yards and two touchdowns.
"Lindgren's been able to put points on the board against nationally ranked teams," Glenn said. "With their win over San Diego, and after playing Washington tough, Idaho is starting to hit on more cylinders offensively."
Getting pressure on Lindgren and not letting him get into a rhythm offensively will be harder for the Grizzly defensive line after losing end Ciche Pitcher for the season with a shoulder injury. UM was already thin on the defensive front after Jonny Varona had season-ending shoulder surgery before Montana had played a game. Curt Colter is still out with a knee problem as well. If the front four on defense can't get a constant push through the offensive line and create problems for Lindgren, UM will probably be forced to blitz linebackers and its secondary often.
"So far our backups on the defensive line have played great, but this is the biggest offensive line they will see all year," Glenn said. "I'm not going put our game plan in the paper, we'll just wait to see what happens."
If the Grizzly's defensive line can't disrupt Lindgren's timing with his wideouts, then it will be up to Montana's secondary to slow down Idaho's receivers, something few teams have been able to do this year. Lindgren's favorite target this season has been Josh Jelmberg. He has caught 37 balls for 412 yards and seven touchdowns. Three of those scores came in the Vandals' win over the Aztecs. Lining up opposite of Jelmberg is Orlando Winston, who has caught 29 passes and a touchdown of his own.
UM's secondary should be up to the challenge, though. The talented secondary, led by safeties Dave DeCoite and Trey Young, has not given up a touchdown pass all season.
"Idaho's receivers are big and talented. They have a good quarterback and a solid offensive line," Glenn said. "This will be a good test for our defense."
Though Idaho's offense has been potent, its defense has been porous. In their five games this season, the Vandals' defense has allowed opponents to score at least 38 points. The Oregon Ducks peppered Idaho for 58 and Washington State rang up 49. Idaho is giving up more than 500 yards of total offense per game, including close to 200 yards rushing.
So the Grizzlies' three-headed monster at running back - David Gober, J.R. Waller and Jelani Harrison - should have a field day against the Vandals come Saturday, right? Glenn doesn't necessarily think so.
He was quick to point out that while Idaho has given up quite a few rushing yards, it did hold Washington to just 2.9 yards per carry last weekend.
Also, if Montana continues to make costly penalties on offense and special teams, the Grizzlies will have a difficult time scoring points, Glenn said. Montana was penalized 10 times against Idaho State two weeks ago in the Grizzlies' 13-9 win.
"Our offense keeps painting our offense coordinator into a corner with penalties," Glenn said. "We will blow our chances of winning the game if we keep making those types of mistakes on offense."
University of Montana head football coach Joe Glenn may just be entering his third year as the main guy here in Missoula, but he's familiar with what Saturday's game at the University of Idaho Vandals means.
"This is the border war," Glenn said. "It is a rivalry I know quite well."
Glenn was a Grizzly assistant coach from 1980 to 1985, serving as the offensive coordinator in his last three years at Missoula. The Vandals were in the Big Sky Conference at the time, and before they moved up to Division 1-A, the Vandals were the Grizzlies' biggest rivals apart from Montana State.
The rivalry started 99 years ago at Idaho, with the Vandals beating the Grizzlies 28-0 in 1903. Since that first game, the teams have played each other 81 times, with Idaho owning a 55-24-2 advantage in the series.
But good fortune has been with Montana recently, as the Grizzlies have beaten the Vandals the last two times the teams have met - a 45-38 shootout two years ago in Pullman, Wash., and last year's 33-27 double overtime thriller in Missoula.
If the Grizzlies are to extend their current winning steak to three games, a feat accomplished only two other times by UM in this heated rivalry, Montana's defense must stop Idaho's offense, Glenn said.
Particularly quarterback Brian Lindgren.
The Sun Belt Conference's top-rated passer, Lindgren has thrown for more than 1,400 yards and 13 touchdowns. In the Vandals' lone win of the season, an impressive 48-38 home win over San Diego State, Lindgren threw for 382 yards and six scores. In last week's loss to No. 12 Washington in Seattle, the junior signal caller had another strong performance despite his team losing to the Huskies 41-27, throwing for 309 yards and two touchdowns.
"Lindgren's been able to put points on the board against nationally ranked teams," Glenn said. "With their win over San Diego, and after playing Washington tough, Idaho is starting to hit on more cylinders offensively."
Getting pressure on Lindgren and not letting him get into a rhythm offensively will be harder for the Grizzly defensive line after losing end Ciche Pitcher for the season with a shoulder injury. UM was already thin on the defensive front after Jonny Varona had season-ending shoulder surgery before Montana had played a game. Curt Colter is still out with a knee problem as well. If the front four on defense can't get a constant push through the offensive line and create problems for Lindgren, UM will probably be forced to blitz linebackers and its secondary often.
"So far our backups on the defensive line have played great, but this is the biggest offensive line they will see all year," Glenn said. "I'm not going put our game plan in the paper, we'll just wait to see what happens."
If the Grizzly's defensive line can't disrupt Lindgren's timing with his wideouts, then it will be up to Montana's secondary to slow down Idaho's receivers, something few teams have been able to do this year. Lindgren's favorite target this season has been Josh Jelmberg. He has caught 37 balls for 412 yards and seven touchdowns. Three of those scores came in the Vandals' win over the Aztecs. Lining up opposite of Jelmberg is Orlando Winston, who has caught 29 passes and a touchdown of his own.
UM's secondary should be up to the challenge, though. The talented secondary, led by safeties Dave DeCoite and Trey Young, has not given up a touchdown pass all season.
"Idaho's receivers are big and talented. They have a good quarterback and a solid offensive line," Glenn said. "This will be a good test for our defense."
Though Idaho's offense has been potent, its defense has been porous. In their five games this season, the Vandals' defense has allowed opponents to score at least 38 points. The Oregon Ducks peppered Idaho for 58 and Washington State rang up 49. Idaho is giving up more than 500 yards of total offense per game, including close to 200 yards rushing.
So the Grizzlies' three-headed monster at running back - David Gober, J.R. Waller and Jelani Harrison - should have a field day against the Vandals come Saturday, right? Glenn doesn't necessarily think so.
He was quick to point out that while Idaho has given up quite a few rushing yards, it did hold Washington to just 2.9 yards per carry last weekend.
Also, if Montana continues to make costly penalties on offense and special teams, the Grizzlies will have a difficult time scoring points, Glenn said. Montana was penalized 10 times against Idaho State two weeks ago in the Grizzlies' 13-9 win.
"Our offense keeps painting our offense coordinator into a corner with penalties," Glenn said. "We will blow our chances of winning the game if we keep making those types of mistakes on offense."
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