Grizzly football profile: Meet redshirt freshman quarterback Brady Gustafson

2/26/2013 12:00:00 AM | Football

Feb. 26, 2013

EDITOR'S NOTE: Throughout the rest of the school year UM's official web site, gogriz.com, will be featuring Montana football players who redshirted in the 2012 season, or transfers who are now enrolled at UM.

The tallest quarterback in Griz history at 6-foot-7, Brady Gustafson, is expected to be in the thick of things and possibly compete for a starting berth this spring when Montana begins its spring drills on March 18.

Gustafson will be one of three quarterbacks competing for a starting berth next fall. Also returning this spring are sophomore Trent McKinney and junior Shay Smithwick-Hann. The 6-1, 204-pound McKinney started eight games a year ago, going 134-of-208- passing for 1,350 yards and 8 TDs, and he also rushed for 7 TDs. Smithwick-Hann, 6-4, 214, started the last three games of the 2012 season, going 85-of-139-3 for 993 yards and 8 scores.

One of the most prolific prep athletes in Montana high school history, Gustafson passed for 2,913 yards and 20 TDs with 8 picks to lead the Billings West Golden Bears to an 11-2 record as a senior in 2011. That season he was named Montana's Class "AA" offensive MVP. He is West's all-time leading passer with 6,202 yards. He is one of just eight players in Montana prep history to surpass 6,000 passing yards. He was also a key member of his high school's 22-1, state champion basketball squad his senior year.

Brady, who now tips the scales at 230, was 22-5 as a starting quarterback his junior and senior seasons. He was tabbed the Offensive MVP in Montana's annual East-West Shrine Game. He also participated in Montana-Dakota All-Star Football Game. His prep football coach was long-time mentor Paul Klaboe.

Gustafson was one of six prep athletes from Montana to also play in two football all-star contests, as well as in the Montana-Wyoming Basketball All-Star Game. He lettered three times in both football and basketball. He was named to the Great Falls Tribune "Super Team." He was selected as the Billings' Midland Roundtable Athlete of the Year.

We caught up with Brady recently in between classes for a Q&A session. He is already excelling in the classroom, as he achieved a 4.0 GPA his first semester at UM.

WHAT WAS A REDSHIRT SEASON LIKE FOR YOU?: "I would have to say that it was actually a little different not being out there. But, having said that, it was definitely a good thing and I am really glad I did it. It gave us another year, and me and the other redshirts really like it. It gives you a chance to get used to college life. It really helped to make the transition to a college environment."

WHAT ARE THE EXPECTATIONS FOR YOURSELF IN SPRING FOOTBALL?: "I am just going at it that I need to control the things that I can control - and just worry about those things, and just try to get better and better as spring ball goes on. Hopefully I can help the football team in the fall."

THE GRIZ NOW HAVE TWO CO-OFFENSIVE COORDINATORS (Scott Gragg will oversee the run game and Kefense Hynson will handle the passing game and coach the QBs). WILL THE OFFENSE CHANGE MUCH, RE FROM THE "PISTOL" TO MORE OF A DROP-BACK STYLE?: "We actually will have the capability to do both now. We will run some pistol, and some under center. We can suit to the quarterback's needs. So we are really excited with the change there, and the two offensive coordinators."

WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST ADJUSTMENT COMING FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO THE COLLEGE LEVEL?: "I have to say you need to have an overall awareness of everything that is going on. You have to know everything. Your mind has to be constantly moving and it has to be moving quickly. It was like that a bit in high school, but the speed is a lot different. Everything is more complicated. Defenses are more complicated - always trying to get you (the quarterback) to make mistakes."

I NOTICED READING SOME OF YOUR "FAVORITES" (listed below), THAT YOU HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR AND LIKE FUNNY MOVIES AND ACTORS. YOU MUST HAVE A PRETTY GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR, RIGHT?: "Actually, my roommate, Ron and I always joke around. We have a lot of quotes from movies that we throw at each other. I do like my comedy, and comedy movies."

YOU ARE GOING THROUGH WINTER CONDITIONING DRILLS TWICE A WEEK, VERY EARLY IN THE MORNINGS IN WASHINGTON-GRIZZLY STADIUM AND I HAVE HEARD THAT IS A VERY TEDIOUS PROCESS. WHAT IS THAT LIKE?: "We've got a lot of work to do. It seems like we're at the bottom, but we visualize where we (his teammates) want to be and we think about that while we're going through it, so that doesn't make it as bad."

YOU WERE KNOWN BEING AN OUTSTANDING PASSER. BUT, IN THE PISTOL OFFENSE THE QUARTERBACK OFTEN TIMES HAS A PROMINENT ROLE RUNNING THE FOOTBALL. WHAT IS THAT LIKE FOR YOU?: "Personally, I did not run the ball much at West. Actually, Andrew Selle (former Griz quarterback and a Billings West product) was one our coaches at West, so he kind of transitioned the shotgun game. But, now that we're switching (the offensive schemes), and if I am the guy (the starter), I won't have to be running the ball as much, and that will be good; because running the ball obviously isn't my strength."

THE GRIZ HAVE HAD SOME OUTSTANDING QUARTERBACKS FROM WEST, LIKE ANDREW SELLE AND JOHN EDWARDS. LONG-TIME BILLINGS WEST HEAD COACH PAUL KLABOE DOES A GREAT JOB THERE DOESN'T HE?: "What coach Klaboe does there, and what coach (Steve) Guelff does there with the quarterbacks is just a phenomenal job, and I definitely owe a lot to where I am today to those two guys."

YOU WERE AN OUTSTANDING STUDENT-ATHLETE AT BILLINGS WEST AND HAD A 4.0 GPA YOUR FIRST SEMESTER AT UM. WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE GOALS?: "My parents (Loren and Kandy) always pushed me hard as a kid (academically). I really appreciate that. That kind of rubbed off on me. I just want to continue to do well academically, and hopefully the GPA will stay pretty high."

QUOTING HEAD COACH Mick Delaney: "He's a young man who has all of the things that you want in a quarterback. He's a great student of the game. He's a 6-foot-6-plus guy who is very athletic. I wouldn't say that he's a guy you're going to line up and run zone read with 15 times a game, but he can escape from the pocket enough to protect himself and get out and extend plays. Most importantly, he just has such great command of himself and the people who he is working with.

"I am looking for some great things out of him. I know he's a heck of a competitor, and he will compete hard this spring. I know Shay and he and Trent right now - those three will compete hard, and Brady will give them both a good run for their money. He's going to be an excellent quarterback, I think. He has all that you need - a good, high release; he's really, really smart; he's one of those guys that can throw from the hash line to the other side of the field and be accurate.

"Coach Klaboe, as well all of the coaches in Billings, really do an outstanding job. Stan ????? at Billings Central, (Ron) Lebsock at Billings Skyview; and now they've got a new coach at Senior. They do such a good job over there. They all have good football players who we'd love to have at The University of Montana.

"Sadly enough there are no more Lebsocks - this is it with Connor (a sophomore linebacker at UM). We'll have to find a different name in Billings to cultivate things. (Ron played for the Griz in the last 1970's, while his sons, Matt, Shawn, and Nick also played at UM). Coach Klaboe has another son coming up (his son Kevin was a first team All-Big Sky fullback at UM in 2009) who is a 6-5 sophomore who's going to be a junior, and is an excellent quarterback too. Billings West, and Skyview and Senior have always been producers of good football in Montana for a long, long time."

A Personal Look at Brady

Favorite Food: Chicken.

Favorite class: Calc.

Favorite book: Blind Your Ponies.

Favorite TV show: South Park.

Favorite musical group: The Killers.

Favorite movie: Happy Gilmore.

If a movie were made of my life, I would like the following actor to play me: Will Ferrell.

The person in history I would most like to meet is: Brett Favre.

Favorite sport other than football: Basketball.

Favorite sports figure: Brett Favre.

Favorite NFL team: Packers.