Big Sky Profile: Montana's Kroy Biermann
11/7/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Big Sky Profile: Montana??s Kroy Biermann
Sport: Football
School: Montana
Position: Defensive End
Year: Senior
Size: 6-3, 245 pounds
Major: Criminology
Hometown: Hardin, Montana
Montana All-American defensive end Kroy Biermann has emerged as one of the leading candidates for the Buck Buchanan Award, given annually to the top defensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision. Biermann leads the Big Sky in sacks (14), tackles for loss (16) and forced fumbles (5). He ranks second in the nation in sacks, and plays on a defense that ranks third in the nation in points allowed.
Biermann and the third-ranked Montana Grizzlies look to secure the Big Sky Conference??s outright championship this Saturday against Idaho State in Pocatello. The Grizzlies are 6-0 in conference and 9-0 overall. Biermann ranks among the Grizzlies?? all-time leaders in sacks and tackles for loss. Biermann spent a few minutes on the phone with Jon Kasper of the Big Sky Conference. Let??s get to know Kroy Biermann.
Q: Montana always seems to have an All-American candidate playing at defensive end. You??re following in the footsteps of players like Andy Petek, the 2000 Big Sky Defensive MVP, Ciche Pitcher, Lance Spencer, Tim Bush and Mike Murphy. Is there something in the defensive scheme Montana plays that allows for such productivity out of its defensive ends?
A: No, It??s just how they coach us. Our technique is very sound. If you look back, a lot of those guys had great motors, and we really ready to come out and work every day. I didn??t know some of the earlier guys, but they were great guys from what I heard. I knew. We take pride in the tradition of our defensive ends.
Q: Some thought you might not have as productive of a year this season since Mike Murphy and Dustin Dlouhy weren??t back on the defensive line, and teams would focus more on you. You??ve already surpassed your sack and tackles for loss totals from last season. Have you seen a lot more double teams this year, and what??s been the key to your success?
A: I have seen a lot of double teams, some triple teams, and some chips from the back. I guess the way I look at it is I put in the work in the summer again. I didn??t let up. I lifted. I came in every day and got stronger and just did everything possible to have another productive year.????
Q: The University of Montana is starting to hype you for the Buck Buchanan Award, creating a web page through with video highlights. What would it mean to you to become the first player in Grizzly history to win the Buchanan Award, and what do you think of your chances.
A: It would be great to win that for the first time, but I know the guys you??ve been here before me and deserved it just as much. It??s been a blessing that I??ve been noticed. I??m not quite sure what my chances are. I haven??t followed the race too much. It??s not something I??m focused on. I just want to have a great season, go injury free and help the team to a championship.
Q: You went to the national championship game as a true freshman in 2004, losing to James Madison. Last year, you made it to the semifinals, losing to Massachusetts. How badly do you want to win a national championship this season, and what do you think of the Grizzlies?? chances.
A: I want to go back really bad, and the team wants to go back. We had some five-year seniors who went, and guys who have been here four years who went. It??s something we tasted and didn??t get the full thing, and that??s what we want, that??s what we??re striving for. We take it week-by-week. We don??t look ahead. We??re just hoping to get homefield advantage. That??s always helpful.
Q: Some critics have pointed to your non-conference schedule, and your lack of blowout victories in the Big Sky as signs that the Grizzlies aren??t national championship contenders. What do you have to say about that?
A: I think people look past the fact that we??ve played some pretty dang good teams. It??s not like the teams in the Big Sky are weak by any means. There are good teams in the Big Sky. We played our first three games and we wanted to come into the Big Sky without any injuries, and playing big schools there is more probability of that. All I have to say is we haven??t played any weak teams.
Q: You played as a true freshman in 2004. With the way you are playing this year, do you wish you could??ve sat out the first season, so you could play again next season?
A: I think everything worked out the way it was supposed to work out. I wanted to come in and play as a true freshman. The coaches asked me if I wanted to, and I told them I definitely did. I??m happy with the way things have turned out
Q: Tell us what it feels like to get a sack at Washington-Grizzly Stadium and have 23,500 fans go crazy?
A: I don??t know if I have words to describe it. It??s pretty amazing. We??ve got a great fan base here. It??s one of the loudest stadiums I??ve been in. It??s a lot of fun. When ever something great happens, everyone is celebrating there with you.
Q: Can you tell us how you determine what kind of move you??re going to make to try to get to the quarterback?
A: Before every series we do a ??muddle huddle?? because we don??t huddle on the field. We look to the sideline and get our defensive call. Once we get that, we have to look at backfield formations, and where the QB is at. Then we get down in our stance and we have a ball command key. Where the ball goes, you go, and you have to read the man in front. It??s either a tight end or tackle, 99 percent of the time you have to read the tackle as a defensive end. You go through a lot of things in your head as you??re going up. Depending on where he??s at and the position of his body, it determines what move you??ll make. I have one that I??ve perfected a little bit. There isn??t really a name for it. It??s a speed move. I just kind of swat the guy??s hand down. If his hands aren??t there, he can??t get you.
Q: Do you get tired of seeing your named misspelled Kory instead of Kroy?
A: No, it??s a pretty common mistake. I got used to it growing up.
Fun Facts
Favorite movie: ??A Beautiful Mind??
Favorite TV show: ??Seinfeld??
Favorite class: Classical social theory
Favorite music: Country
Favorite Missoula Restaurant: Montana Club
Favorite thing about Missoula: Being in Montana
Other than Washington-Grizzly Stadium, your favorite stadium in the Big Sky: Probably Portland.
Favorite Athlete: Troy Polamalu of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Sport: Football
School: Montana
Position: Defensive End
Year: Senior
Size: 6-3, 245 pounds
Major: Criminology
Hometown: Hardin, Montana
Montana All-American defensive end Kroy Biermann has emerged as one of the leading candidates for the Buck Buchanan Award, given annually to the top defensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision. Biermann leads the Big Sky in sacks (14), tackles for loss (16) and forced fumbles (5). He ranks second in the nation in sacks, and plays on a defense that ranks third in the nation in points allowed.
Biermann and the third-ranked Montana Grizzlies look to secure the Big Sky Conference??s outright championship this Saturday against Idaho State in Pocatello. The Grizzlies are 6-0 in conference and 9-0 overall. Biermann ranks among the Grizzlies?? all-time leaders in sacks and tackles for loss. Biermann spent a few minutes on the phone with Jon Kasper of the Big Sky Conference. Let??s get to know Kroy Biermann.
Q: Montana always seems to have an All-American candidate playing at defensive end. You??re following in the footsteps of players like Andy Petek, the 2000 Big Sky Defensive MVP, Ciche Pitcher, Lance Spencer, Tim Bush and Mike Murphy. Is there something in the defensive scheme Montana plays that allows for such productivity out of its defensive ends?
A: No, It??s just how they coach us. Our technique is very sound. If you look back, a lot of those guys had great motors, and we really ready to come out and work every day. I didn??t know some of the earlier guys, but they were great guys from what I heard. I knew. We take pride in the tradition of our defensive ends.
Q: Some thought you might not have as productive of a year this season since Mike Murphy and Dustin Dlouhy weren??t back on the defensive line, and teams would focus more on you. You??ve already surpassed your sack and tackles for loss totals from last season. Have you seen a lot more double teams this year, and what??s been the key to your success?
A: I have seen a lot of double teams, some triple teams, and some chips from the back. I guess the way I look at it is I put in the work in the summer again. I didn??t let up. I lifted. I came in every day and got stronger and just did everything possible to have another productive year.????
Q: The University of Montana is starting to hype you for the Buck Buchanan Award, creating a web page through with video highlights. What would it mean to you to become the first player in Grizzly history to win the Buchanan Award, and what do you think of your chances.
A: It would be great to win that for the first time, but I know the guys you??ve been here before me and deserved it just as much. It??s been a blessing that I??ve been noticed. I??m not quite sure what my chances are. I haven??t followed the race too much. It??s not something I??m focused on. I just want to have a great season, go injury free and help the team to a championship.
Q: You went to the national championship game as a true freshman in 2004, losing to James Madison. Last year, you made it to the semifinals, losing to Massachusetts. How badly do you want to win a national championship this season, and what do you think of the Grizzlies?? chances.
A: I want to go back really bad, and the team wants to go back. We had some five-year seniors who went, and guys who have been here four years who went. It??s something we tasted and didn??t get the full thing, and that??s what we want, that??s what we??re striving for. We take it week-by-week. We don??t look ahead. We??re just hoping to get homefield advantage. That??s always helpful.
Q: Some critics have pointed to your non-conference schedule, and your lack of blowout victories in the Big Sky as signs that the Grizzlies aren??t national championship contenders. What do you have to say about that?
A: I think people look past the fact that we??ve played some pretty dang good teams. It??s not like the teams in the Big Sky are weak by any means. There are good teams in the Big Sky. We played our first three games and we wanted to come into the Big Sky without any injuries, and playing big schools there is more probability of that. All I have to say is we haven??t played any weak teams.
Q: You played as a true freshman in 2004. With the way you are playing this year, do you wish you could??ve sat out the first season, so you could play again next season?
A: I think everything worked out the way it was supposed to work out. I wanted to come in and play as a true freshman. The coaches asked me if I wanted to, and I told them I definitely did. I??m happy with the way things have turned out
Q: Tell us what it feels like to get a sack at Washington-Grizzly Stadium and have 23,500 fans go crazy?
A: I don??t know if I have words to describe it. It??s pretty amazing. We??ve got a great fan base here. It??s one of the loudest stadiums I??ve been in. It??s a lot of fun. When ever something great happens, everyone is celebrating there with you.
Q: Can you tell us how you determine what kind of move you??re going to make to try to get to the quarterback?
A: Before every series we do a ??muddle huddle?? because we don??t huddle on the field. We look to the sideline and get our defensive call. Once we get that, we have to look at backfield formations, and where the QB is at. Then we get down in our stance and we have a ball command key. Where the ball goes, you go, and you have to read the man in front. It??s either a tight end or tackle, 99 percent of the time you have to read the tackle as a defensive end. You go through a lot of things in your head as you??re going up. Depending on where he??s at and the position of his body, it determines what move you??ll make. I have one that I??ve perfected a little bit. There isn??t really a name for it. It??s a speed move. I just kind of swat the guy??s hand down. If his hands aren??t there, he can??t get you.
Q: Do you get tired of seeing your named misspelled Kory instead of Kroy?
A: No, it??s a pretty common mistake. I got used to it growing up.
Fun Facts
Favorite movie: ??A Beautiful Mind??
Favorite TV show: ??Seinfeld??
Favorite class: Classical social theory
Favorite music: Country
Favorite Missoula Restaurant: Montana Club
Favorite thing about Missoula: Being in Montana
Other than Washington-Grizzly Stadium, your favorite stadium in the Big Sky: Probably Portland.
Favorite Athlete: Troy Polamalu of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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