A look back at the Big Sky Football Kickoff
7/16/2019 5:55:00 PM | Football
Montana linebacker Dante Olson and quarterback Dalton Sneed represented the team at the annual media day event, with each preparing to enter their senior season with sky-high expectations.
The three-day event featured a bowling night for players, media production and interviews with Big Sky broadcast partner ROOT Sports, and one-on-one media interview for other media outlets that cover the Big Sky.
Olson was named the conference's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year on Monday. Junior linebacker Jace Lewis was also named to the Preseason all-conference team for his special teams play, and junior receiver Samuel Akem was also given a preseason all-conference nod.
Dante Olson with another BIG preseason accolade... #BigSkyFB Preseason MVP!
— Montana Griz FB (@MontanaGrizFB) July 15, 2019
Sammy Akem and Jace Lewis also with preseason honors. 👏👏👏
📰➡️ https://t.co/2HB1zOyqnw#GoGriz #RTD #MontanaTough pic.twitter.com/ZlyfzwI8z1
In the preseason polls, the Grizzlies were picked by the league's coaches to finish fourth in the overall standings, while the media picked UM to finish fifth.
Here is a recap of the weekend in Spokane through the team's official Twitter (@MontanaGrizFB) and Instagram feeds (@montanagrizfootball).
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The Big Sky Football Kickoff started off with a round of bowling at Lilac Lanes in Spokane. The contingency of student-athletes was broken up into groups of five. Sneed showed his prowess on the lanes, winning the championship in his group.
🐻🎳❌💪@danteolson25 & @daltonsneed hitting the lanes on Day 1 of the #BigSkyKickoff!#GoGriz #RTD #GrizFB pic.twitter.com/Y4gUpGwKis
— Montana Griz FB (@MontanaGrizFB) July 14, 2019
The 🎳 CHAMPS are here 💪 #BigSkyFB #BigSkyKickoff pic.twitter.com/AL9DqSXdEJ
— Big Sky Football (@BigSkyFB) July 14, 2019
The next day, Olson and Sneed suited up and worked the camera for ROOT Sports as they prepared promotional content for the upcoming season. With six of Montana's 12-game schedule set to be broadcast on ROOT this season, Olson and Sneed were kept busy all day.
After a long day of posing the two Grizzlies cut loose for a bit of fun by the river in Spokane, challenging each other to a round of 20 questions.
Time for a round of 2️⃣0️⃣ Questions with @daltonsneed & @danteolson25 at the #BigSkyKickoff!#GoGriz #UpWithMontana pic.twitter.com/1B3Net6zo7
— Montana Griz FB (@MontanaGrizFB) July 15, 2019
🛎🛎 Round 2!!
— Montana Griz FB (@MontanaGrizFB) July 15, 2019
2️⃣0️⃣ Questions with Dalton & Dante comin' at you from the #BigSkyKickoff!#GoGriz #UpWithMontana pic.twitter.com/JdvNznFbE2
Monday was media day at the Big Sky Kickoff, with student-athletes and coaches from each institution getting run through a gauntlet of media interviews.
Olson and Sneed managed to sneak away from the chaos for a couple minutes to do a pair of interviews that give fans a chance to learn a little bit more about them off the field.
Get to know what the Big Sky Preseason Defensive Player of the Year (@danteolson25) is like off the field in this get to know you interview from the #BigSkyKickoff!#GoGriz pic.twitter.com/nfjw3hvf29
— Montana Griz FB (@MontanaGrizFB) July 16, 2019
Get to know the man under center (@daltonsneed) from the #BigSkyKickoff!#GoGriz pic.twitter.com/nBeCXFKWHk
— Montana Griz FB (@MontanaGrizFB) July 16, 2019
Then it was time to talk a little football. "Voice of the Griz" Riley Corcoran was on hand in Spokane to talk to each of the guys and get a preview of the season on their respective side of the ball.
The @VoiceoftheGriz gets down to the nitty-gritty of #GrizFB with QB @daltonsneed at the #BigSkyKickoff!#GoGriz #RTD #UpWithMontana pic.twitter.com/mafbxOh7LM
— Montana Griz FB (@MontanaGrizFB) July 16, 2019
No one better to preview the #GrizD than the #BigSkyFB Preseason MVP @danteolson25 & the @VoiceoftheGriz! #GoGriz #RTD #UpWithMontana pic.twitter.com/hlsl2DBA5S
— Montana Griz FB (@MontanaGrizFB) July 16, 2019
With player interviews down, it was time to check in with head coach Bobby Hauck who is preparing to enter year two of his second stint at Montana. With an 86-22 overall record as the Grizzlies' head coach, Hauck became the winningest head man in UM history in 2018, surpassing the great Don Read's 85-win mark.
ICYMI: @Coach_Hauck previews the upcoming #GrizFB season with the @VoiceoftheGriz at the #BigSkyKickoff!#GoGriz #RTD #UpWithMontana pic.twitter.com/Yo7vzTBGP1
— Montana Griz FB (@MontanaGrizFB) July 16, 2019
Finally, Corcoran caught up with UM's director of athletics Kent Haslam to get a view of Grizzly Athletics from the 10,000 ft. view.
Get a complete download on Grizzly Athletics with the @VoiceoftheGriz and @KentHaslam from the #BigSkyKickoff!#GoGriz #UpWithMontana pic.twitter.com/sLj9qD3hj7
— Montana Griz FB (@MontanaGrizFB) July 15, 2019
And that's it! Griz football is officially back in action on Aug. 31 when UM heads to Vermillion to take on South Dakota in the season opener.
That's a wrap from the #BigSkyKickoff! #GoGriz #RTD #UpWithMontana pic.twitter.com/NyHk5XYNIE
— Montana Griz FB (@MontanaGrizFB) July 16, 2019
