Griz set for first scrimmage of spring Friday

After a two-week emersion course in football 101, the Montana Grizzlies will take their first exam on Friday in the team's opening scrimmage of the spring season.

Now seven practices deep on the spring schedule, the Griz will use about three-quarters of practice eight to work through live drive scenarios and situational reps before taking a week off for spring break.

Friday's scrimmage is set to begin at roughly 3 p.m. inside Washington-Grizzly Stadium and is open to the public. Due to icy conditions, fans are asked to enter the facility through the tunnel in the northwest corner of the stadium and sit in the west side bleachers.

For the players, the test represents the chance to show the coaching staff strides the team has made so far this season, and the opportunity to give the fans their first glimpse of the 2019 edition Grizzlies.

Undoubtedly one of Montana's strongest groups heading into the scrimmage is the wide receivers, who return two All-Big Sky picks, three starters, and are set to break Montana records in the fall.

With incumbent starting quarterback Dalton Sneed returning to deliver the ball, they are looking to pick up where it left off in the fall at Friday's scrimmage and look sharp against a defense that has given them all they can handle.

"The number one thing is I hope we all stay healthy, that's the most important thing going into every day, you want to come out with all the guys you went in with. Other than that, I just want to execute as an offense," said junior receiver Samori Toure, who caught 37 passes for 440 yards as a sophomore.

"Going against that defense can get really competitive, like it has all spring ball. So, I want to go out and just compete, run the ball, throw the ball, anything we can on our defense. Because if we can do that on our defense, we can do it to any defense in the Big Sky."

The Grizzlies' only loss to graduation at wide receiver was Keenan Curran, who recently showed out for NFL scouts at UM's Pro Day.

This spring, the corps of receivers has been working to fill the vacant leadership role Curran left behind to hopefully take the group to the next level.

"I think we've had a great spring ball, especially after losing Keenan. He was one of the leaders who kept all the other receivers on point," added Toure.

"Now we're becoming leaders, and I think we've had a really strong spring ball. We've really sharpened our details up, and we're making a lot of explosive plays. I just hope we can keep that up."

Defensively, an area of intrigue this spring has been the defensive line, which will be led by No. 37 Jesse Sims who returns for his senior season having played in every game for the Griz since 2016.

"It's been a good year so far with some up-tempo practices, which is just what we need," said Sims.

Gone from the group are behemoth tackle David Shaw and end Reggie Tilleman, with the physically strong, but untested Braydon Deming (sophomore) and Alex Gubner (freshman) joining Sims on the first team D-line at practice.

Sims says he is looking forward to finally unleashing youngsters in Friday's scrimmage and seeing them play at their full potential.

"I think we just need to play hard. We've been installing a lot of stuff, and I think we get caught thinking about our assignments sometimes," said Sims. "We just need to get out and play fast, and if we make a mistake, make it at a hundred miles an hour."

SPRING GAME COMING UP

Tickets to the annual GSA Griz Spring Game in Kalispell are now on sale. The Spring Game is set for 1 p.m. on April 13 at Legends Stadium in Kalispell, with a pregame tailgate party set to begin at 11 a.m.

Tickets to the game cost $10, with kids 10-and-under receiving free entry with an adult. Proceeds from the Spring Game go directly to the GSA in its mission to provide scholarships to student-athletes.

Tickets are available for purchase at the following locations:

All First Interstate Bank branches in the Flathead Valley
First Interstate Bank in Polson
Freedom Bank in Columbia Falls
Grizzly Scholarship Association office in Missoula

The GSA Spring Game will be broadcast statewide on SWX Montana.

Remaining Spring Schedule
Fri. 3/22 – Practice 8 – Scrimmage 1 – 3 p.m.
3/25 – 3/29 – Spring Break
Mon. 4/1 – Practice 9
Wed. 4/3 – Practice 10
Fri. 4/5 – Practice 11 – Scrimmage 2
Mon. 4/8 – Practice 12
Wed. 4/10 – Practice 13
Thurs. 4/11 – Practice 14
Sat. 4/13 – Spring Game – Kalispell, Mont. – 1 PM
** Schedule subject to change

Montana 2019 Schedule
Date    Opponent
8.31     at South Dakota
9.7       NORTH ALABAMA
9.14     at Oregon
9.21     MONMOUTH
9.28     at UC Davis
10.5     IDAHO STATE
10.12   Bye Week
10.19   at Sacramento State
10.26   EASTERN WASHINGTON
11.2     at Portland State
11.9     IDAHO
11.16   WEBER STATE
11.23   at Montana State

University of Montana Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Keenan Curran

Braydon Deming

Alex Gubner

David Shaw

Jesse Sims

Dalton Sneed

Reggie Tilleman

Samori Toure

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