Tight Ends the “football savants” of the Grizzly offense
8/21/2025 8:57:00 AM | Football
Editor's Note: As fall camp ramps up, GoGriz.com will bring you position-by-position breakdowns of the 2025 team, introducing you to new faces and returners to keep an eye on this season. Next up: The tight ends.
To be a tight end for the Montana Grizzlies, you have to be a Swiss Army Knife. A do everything utility player strong enough to stop 300-pound D-end with a thirst for quarterback blood, yet deft enough to run the route tree and soft enough hands to haul in a fade.
The 2025 tight ends check all those boxes and more as the group has taken shape over fall camp, emerging as one of the most veteran and versatile rooms on the team (if not the Big Sky Conference) with four upperclassmen in the six-man room.
Rob Phenicie – himself a tight end at Memphis in the late 80's and now in his third season leading the room at UM – will be the first to tell you, it's not an easy gig.
"I could not play in this style of offense. You have to know the entire offense. I mean, you have to know the run game, all the calls, the scheme and how you fit into it. Then you also have to know all the routing because we'll put you anywhere on the field, from outside receiver to one of the slots to on the ball. On top of that you have pass protections. So, you have to be somewhat of a football savant," Phenicie said.
"It's tough. Back in my day it was lineup, block the defensive end and run a drag or a naked. But now, what we ask these guys to do and how they respond and learn is unbelievable. They've got to know everything."
So, it's a good sign for the offense as a whole that this year's tight end corps brings years of collective experience – experience with the Griz, experience around the FCS, and even experience in the SEC.
And with four of the six guys in the room either already married or engaged, they also bring a unique maturity that is set to pay dividends.
Let's take a look.
KEY RETURNERS
Evan Shafer wasn't supposed to be a returner. All signs pointed to him hanging up his cleats after the 2024 season, but after receiving a waiver from the NCAA for an extra year of eligibility in the first week of spring practice, the wrecking ball of a tight end is back for more.
Most Griz fans will remember him for running over some poor defensive back from Delaware en route to the end zone on a snowy night back in 2023. But he returns this season a tried and true veteran with 29 appearances under his belt as a Grizzly and 16 catches for 150 yards and three touchdowns.
One of the strongest guys on the team with a 430-pound max bench and a 570-pound max squat, his toughness is just one aspect of his game. His experience is set to make him a leader in the room.
"We're fortunate to have him back," said Phenicie.
"This is his third year, so he knows stuff like the back of his hand and we all know the physicality he brings to the game and the Grizzly offense. That's good to have. If we get him a pass on the other side of the D-line, he's the biggest guy on the field back there and pretty hard to bring down. He's a Griz all the way. He takes things personally and he lives and dies for this team."
Jake Olson of Butte emerged out of the depths of the depth chart in 2024 to play in all 14 games as a junior and slowly but surely worked his way into more reps as the season went on. He introduced himself to Griz Nation against Eastern Washington, hauling in his first career touchdown to seal a win over the Eagles on the red turf.
At 6-foot-7 and 260-pounds, he's a first-off-the-bus kind of guy. But he's also a team-first guy, willing to do whatever it takes for the program to succeed.
"This is his fourth year in the system and he brings a tremendous amount of leadership within the group. He knows what to tell the guys when things are going wrong and he's right there when things are going good. He's just like another coach out there because he knows his stuff. He also works extremely hard, he's a big, physical young man, and I can't say enough about him," Phenicie added.
"He went from being the third guy last year to really being a leader in this group. There's no animosity or jealousy with these guys. Everyone coaches each other – shoot, the guys cheer for the freshmen harder than anyone – but Jake leads all that. He's a Montana Griz through and through."
Sirmon is a name synonymous with Grizzly toughness, and Danny Sirmon is living up to that family legacy. His dad David Sirmon helped Montana win the '95 national championship and his cousin Cy Sirmon was a three-year letterman on both the offensive and defensive lines.
Now Danny is ready to see the first action of his career this season after utilizing his redshirt year in 2024, and the three-star prospect from Missoula Sentinel High has been making waves at fall camp.
"I've been impressed with Danny's development. He's right about where you want to be as a redshirt freshman, probably a little bit ahead," said Phenicie.
"He's showing signs of being a physical guy. He's done a great job learning the offense since the spring, and I'm very excited about his future."
FRESH FACES
While new to the team this year, Josh Gale is no stranger to the Big Sky Conference, or Washington-Grizzly Stadium for that matter.
Gale, a 6-4, 243-pound redshirt senior came to Montana in the spring as a grad transfer from UC Davis – the same Davis team that came to Missoula and beat the Griz 30-14 in November of 2024.
One of the more decorated players on that Aggie squad, Gale is set to make his debut in maroon and silver with 49 career appearances on his resume and 49 career catches to match for 826 yards and nine touchdowns. He was named a third-team All-American as a junior and led the league in average yards per catch in 2022 at 40.4.
Now in the Grizzy system since January, he's emerging as another of UM's primary threats at the position.
"He's very reliable, picked up the system very fast, and he's very athletic. He's got good speed and can stretch the field when we need to. Plus, he's very mature," Phenicie said.
"I think he's glad he got a second chance here with the Grizzlies and he's grown to love Montana in the short amount of time here. He's been one that's really stepped-up in terms of being that utility knife."
Titus Rohrer is another newcomer to the room who came to Missoula in January from SEC country in Tennessee. Standing at 6-7 and 240-pounds, he strikes an SEC pose as well.
He played in three games for the Vols in his first three seasons, helping them advance to the first round of the College Football Playoff in 2024, and is expected to be a regular in the Grizzly rotation.
"He says our practices are way more physical than Tennessee's ever were. That's the Griz way and that's what we do, and Titus is fitting right in," Phenicie added.
"He was dinged up a little in the spring, but he's going to provide us some height when we need to make some throws. He'll be one of those guys you can just close your eyes and throw it in there. He's coming along very well."
Malaki Davis is a highly touted prospect out of Tacoma, Wash., that is the only true freshman in the room. The 6-5 product of Roosevelt High was a three-star recruit after earning All-3A Metro League honors at both tight end and defensive end as a senior.
Montana opens a historic 2025 season on Sept. 6 against Central Washington for the first of an FCS record eight regular season home games. Season ticket packages and single game tickets are on sale now.
To be a tight end for the Montana Grizzlies, you have to be a Swiss Army Knife. A do everything utility player strong enough to stop 300-pound D-end with a thirst for quarterback blood, yet deft enough to run the route tree and soft enough hands to haul in a fade.
The 2025 tight ends check all those boxes and more as the group has taken shape over fall camp, emerging as one of the most veteran and versatile rooms on the team (if not the Big Sky Conference) with four upperclassmen in the six-man room.
Rob Phenicie – himself a tight end at Memphis in the late 80's and now in his third season leading the room at UM – will be the first to tell you, it's not an easy gig.
"I could not play in this style of offense. You have to know the entire offense. I mean, you have to know the run game, all the calls, the scheme and how you fit into it. Then you also have to know all the routing because we'll put you anywhere on the field, from outside receiver to one of the slots to on the ball. On top of that you have pass protections. So, you have to be somewhat of a football savant," Phenicie said.
"It's tough. Back in my day it was lineup, block the defensive end and run a drag or a naked. But now, what we ask these guys to do and how they respond and learn is unbelievable. They've got to know everything."
So, it's a good sign for the offense as a whole that this year's tight end corps brings years of collective experience – experience with the Griz, experience around the FCS, and even experience in the SEC.
And with four of the six guys in the room either already married or engaged, they also bring a unique maturity that is set to pay dividends.
Let's take a look.
KEY RETURNERS
Evan Shafer wasn't supposed to be a returner. All signs pointed to him hanging up his cleats after the 2024 season, but after receiving a waiver from the NCAA for an extra year of eligibility in the first week of spring practice, the wrecking ball of a tight end is back for more.
Most Griz fans will remember him for running over some poor defensive back from Delaware en route to the end zone on a snowy night back in 2023. But he returns this season a tried and true veteran with 29 appearances under his belt as a Grizzly and 16 catches for 150 yards and three touchdowns.
One of the strongest guys on the team with a 430-pound max bench and a 570-pound max squat, his toughness is just one aspect of his game. His experience is set to make him a leader in the room.
"We're fortunate to have him back," said Phenicie.
"This is his third year, so he knows stuff like the back of his hand and we all know the physicality he brings to the game and the Grizzly offense. That's good to have. If we get him a pass on the other side of the D-line, he's the biggest guy on the field back there and pretty hard to bring down. He's a Griz all the way. He takes things personally and he lives and dies for this team."
Jake Olson of Butte emerged out of the depths of the depth chart in 2024 to play in all 14 games as a junior and slowly but surely worked his way into more reps as the season went on. He introduced himself to Griz Nation against Eastern Washington, hauling in his first career touchdown to seal a win over the Eagles on the red turf.
At 6-foot-7 and 260-pounds, he's a first-off-the-bus kind of guy. But he's also a team-first guy, willing to do whatever it takes for the program to succeed.
"This is his fourth year in the system and he brings a tremendous amount of leadership within the group. He knows what to tell the guys when things are going wrong and he's right there when things are going good. He's just like another coach out there because he knows his stuff. He also works extremely hard, he's a big, physical young man, and I can't say enough about him," Phenicie added.
"He went from being the third guy last year to really being a leader in this group. There's no animosity or jealousy with these guys. Everyone coaches each other – shoot, the guys cheer for the freshmen harder than anyone – but Jake leads all that. He's a Montana Griz through and through."
Sirmon is a name synonymous with Grizzly toughness, and Danny Sirmon is living up to that family legacy. His dad David Sirmon helped Montana win the '95 national championship and his cousin Cy Sirmon was a three-year letterman on both the offensive and defensive lines.
Now Danny is ready to see the first action of his career this season after utilizing his redshirt year in 2024, and the three-star prospect from Missoula Sentinel High has been making waves at fall camp.
"I've been impressed with Danny's development. He's right about where you want to be as a redshirt freshman, probably a little bit ahead," said Phenicie.
"He's showing signs of being a physical guy. He's done a great job learning the offense since the spring, and I'm very excited about his future."
FRESH FACES
While new to the team this year, Josh Gale is no stranger to the Big Sky Conference, or Washington-Grizzly Stadium for that matter.
Gale, a 6-4, 243-pound redshirt senior came to Montana in the spring as a grad transfer from UC Davis – the same Davis team that came to Missoula and beat the Griz 30-14 in November of 2024.
One of the more decorated players on that Aggie squad, Gale is set to make his debut in maroon and silver with 49 career appearances on his resume and 49 career catches to match for 826 yards and nine touchdowns. He was named a third-team All-American as a junior and led the league in average yards per catch in 2022 at 40.4.
Now in the Grizzy system since January, he's emerging as another of UM's primary threats at the position.
"He's very reliable, picked up the system very fast, and he's very athletic. He's got good speed and can stretch the field when we need to. Plus, he's very mature," Phenicie said.
"I think he's glad he got a second chance here with the Grizzlies and he's grown to love Montana in the short amount of time here. He's been one that's really stepped-up in terms of being that utility knife."
Titus Rohrer is another newcomer to the room who came to Missoula in January from SEC country in Tennessee. Standing at 6-7 and 240-pounds, he strikes an SEC pose as well.
He played in three games for the Vols in his first three seasons, helping them advance to the first round of the College Football Playoff in 2024, and is expected to be a regular in the Grizzly rotation.
"He says our practices are way more physical than Tennessee's ever were. That's the Griz way and that's what we do, and Titus is fitting right in," Phenicie added.
"He was dinged up a little in the spring, but he's going to provide us some height when we need to make some throws. He'll be one of those guys you can just close your eyes and throw it in there. He's coming along very well."
Malaki Davis is a highly touted prospect out of Tacoma, Wash., that is the only true freshman in the room. The 6-5 product of Roosevelt High was a three-star recruit after earning All-3A Metro League honors at both tight end and defensive end as a senior.
Montana opens a historic 2025 season on Sept. 6 against Central Washington for the first of an FCS record eight regular season home games. Season ticket packages and single game tickets are on sale now.
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