A mix of vets and newcomers, D-line gelling at the right time

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 D-Line.

Of all the position groups in Montana's defense, the room returning the most combined experience is the D-line. You just might not know many names.

With four players holding a combined 71 appearances in maroon and silver, this year's defensive line is built on the backs of guys who have left their blood, sweat, and tears on the practice field and waited their time.

Well, 2025 is that time.

This year's D-line is a healthy mix of vets and newcomers – both experienced and young – that, now three-quarters of the way through fall camp, are primed to help set the physical tone for the defense.

With five returners, seven newcomers, and four true freshmen, perhaps most importantly it's a group that is gelling at the right time. A group that's come together, been shown the Montana way, and is once again emerging as a strength of the program.

"We've got a lot of new faces in there and from top to bottom I feel like they've worked really hard and gotten better within our scheme, technique and fundamentals. They're a fun group to be around because they're not afraid of the work, not afraid to do a little bit extra, and ask some of those difficult questions to become better," said third year D-line coach Mike Linehan.

"Fall camp has been a learning experience, but it's been fun in the sense that there's a bunch of new personalities and new guys that will contribute, hopefully early."

When we say they've been shown the Montana way… who better to help guide them than one of the best to ever do it as a Grizzly in Alex Gubner.

"Gub" was a Big Sky Defensive MVP interior tackle who helped lead UM to the 2023 national title game. After pro stints with the Kansas City Chiefs and Saskatchewan Roughriders ended with injury, he's returned to his roots and picked up a whistle as an assistant under Linehan on the D-line.

"It's great to have him back, both from a personality perspective and a football perspective. He obviously knows how I coach and the standard I hold these guys to. He also brings different mentality because he's been to the next level and seen how guys work and operate," said Linehan.

"He hasn't changed though. He works hard at coaching. He caught the bug a little when he was training for the CFL and decided this is what he wants to do. He's all in, and I'm glad to have him because he's a great asset for us."

KEY RETURNERS

Kellen Detrick is one of those guys who has poured that blood, sweat and tears into the program since arriving in Missoula from Havre as a true freshman in 2021. A typical guy from the Hi-Line who's not afraid to put in the work.

After earning reps as a freshman and showcasing his speed on a trick play on special teams as a sophomore, he missed a year with an injury as a junior. Now he's adopted a leadership role in the room, and with 12 games under his belt, 11 tackles and a sack, he's primed to play a big role in this year's front.

"He's been great. Obviously, he's dealt with some adversity not being able to play a year ago, and he used it to his advantage and worked harder. He's really one of the few guys in that room that's been around and knows how we do it, day in and day out, and what it means to be a Montana Grizzly, especially in the D-line room. He's not afraid to be that vocal leader. He's not afraid to call guys out and hold guys accountable because he knows that that's what the guys before him did," said Linehan.

"He's got so much pride for this university. He grew up a Griz fan. All he ever wanted to do was play for the Grizzlies, and even through all his trials and tribulations, he's finally happy to be in that spot where he feels like he's going to be a main contributor. So, I'm really happy where he's at. In the meeting room he asks good questions, he's a yes-sir, no-sir, type of guy and it's not disingenuous. I'm happy to have him this year."

Fans first got eyes on Jareb Ramos in the 2023 spring game when, as a redshirt-freshmen, the Colorado native led the silver team with seven tackles. The standout performance put onlookers on notice that UM had a physically imposing youngster on the roster working behind Gubner, and from then on, he's continued to earn his way on the field.

Ramos enters his junior season with 18 appearances, 21 total tackles and a pair of pass deflections. He played in all 14 games as a sophomore and put in a career-high five tackles at North Dakota. A year bigger and stronger, he'll be one chewing up blocks in the middle of the line at tackle this season.

"He looks the part. Everyone can see this guy is an interior D-lineman in a college football program. The one thing I think he's built on more than anything is his maturity – being that guy on the interior, doing the dirty work you have to do, doing the extra work, and knowing how important technique is. You're going to be facing double teams, you're going to be a cleanup guy and chasing the ball down, and he's really done a good job of that," Linehan added.

"I'm extremely proud of him and how far he's come. He's got a great attitude that he brings every day, he's got the same smile on his face no matter how hard the drill is. He learned a lot from Gub, and Jareb has been a sponge taking things from the guys that have come before him. I think it's finally going to come full circle for him."

Despite only being in Missoula for two seasons, Matai Mata'afa returns for his senior year as the most veteran guy in the room with 28 appearances as a Grizzly. It hasn't been easy for him either, battling through injury and the loss of his family home in the 2023 Lahaina fires.

A fast and fierce presence on special teams and off the edge, the flyin' Hawaiian has totaled 12 tackles, a pair of sacks, five TFLs and forced a fumble in his career to date.

"He's fought through some family and injury stuff, but he's a very smart football player. He knows what's going on. If I ask him a question, he knows exactly how I want it answered and that helps out the young guys," Linehan said.

"He's done a great job with his footwork and making sure the little things matter. He's another guy I feel like will play a big role for us."

Jake Mason came to Montana from the University of Washington ahead of the 2024 season and steadily worked his way on the field, earning reps in 13 games as a backup at nose guard, putting in six tackles and a QB hurry against UC Davis. That was as a redshirt-freshman.

A do-it-all kind of guy, he made the switch to D-end in the spring where he can use his strength and speed combo to attack QBs from the edge. He's another guy set for a breakout season, despite being just a sophomore.

"He's a really good football player and he proved his value to us last year when he played a bigger role at the end of the season. I knew what type of player he is and how smart he is and that moving outside wouldn't be a big jump for him. He already had the athleticism," Linehan said.

"He went through some growing pains in spring but now in the middle of camp he's really started to come along, play faster and harder, and become more of a pass rusher as well. He's more than capable in being in the rotation and playing a lot of snaps for us."

Isaac Keim is another of the younger returners that has turned heads at fall camp. The redshirt freshman from Kalispell originally came to UM as a tight end but has quickly shown he's got the physical ability and the demeanor to play on the D-line.

NEW FACES

Hunter Peck arrived in Missoula this summer after making taking an unusual college football detour through Helena where he was an All-American and the Frontier Conference Defensive Player of the Year for the Carroll College Fightin' Saints.

As one of the most decorated players at the NAIA level, he now makes the leap to D-I as a senior with stats and awards to spare after dominating with 132 career tackles, 26.5 TFLs, and 17 sacks in for season at Carroll.

Toeing the line between being a newcomer and a veteran at the same time, Peck has thrived since arriving at UM and will play a big role in this year's D.

"He's a high energy, high motor guy. It's contagious how he attacks each day. He loves football and has overcome a lot of people overlooking him to find his niche in his career. The thing I love about him is he's not too big for the coaching. He'll accept any coaching you give him. You can coach him hard, and if you're not, he'll call you out on it, which I love to see. He just wants to be better each and every day," said Linehan.

"It's a hard thing sometimes coming in as a new guy and trying to be a vocal leader but I think he's commanding respect from the other guys. I think he and Kellen are the two vocal seniors in that room, and he's a credit to have in there. I'm glad we have him because he'll be a great player for us."

Hayde Schwartz is another newcomer that is finding his balance of learning the Grizzly way and playing a leadership role.

The native of Jacksonville, Florida, arrived at UM in time for summer drills from another UM in the Big Ten at Minnesota. In his three years with the gophers he saw action in nine games, seven of which were as a redshirt freshman. After battling injury in Minneapolis, he's another one to keep an eye on.

Braydon Baily and Zekiel Seumalo are both junior transfers that are expected to see plenty of reps. Baily arrived at Montana after a season at Utah State, but an All-SCFA player in two seasons at Golden West junior college. Similarly, Seumalo was an all-league selection at Allan Hancock JC in California. Baily a tackle and Seumalo a pass rusher, both suit up as a Grizzly this season looking to wreak havoc on Big Sky O-lines. Cole Muilenberg is another transfer out of Valparaiso that is entering his redshirt-freshman season at UM and could see field time.

Derek Moreland and Giovanni Pifferini are two more JC transfers that have been hit by the injury bug since arriving in Missoula. True freshmen Spencer Tripp of Missoula, Cooper Buffington, Cole Harpole, and Logan Knaevelsrud round out the group as true freshmen.

University of Montana Athletics

A mix of vets and newcomers, D-line gelling at the right time

Players Mentioned

Cooper Buffington

Kellen Detrick

Cole Harpole

Isaac Keim

Logan Knaevelsrud

Jake Mason

Matai Mata'afa

Derek Moreland

Hunter Peck

Giovanni Pifferini

Jareb Ramos

Zekiel Seumalo

Spencer Tripp

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