“Iron sharpens iron” – Deep offensive line returns in 2025

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. First up: The offensive line.

When Cameron Norcross walked into his first practice as Montana's new offensive line coach in April, it didn't take him long to realize what kind of horses he had in his stable.

"The first thing I noticed was our size. We have some big dudes, some long dudes, tall dudes, and athletic dudes. We've got a group that looks like a football team," said Norcross.

"I think we have some really good players. I think we have some guys returning and some new guys added to the mix that are going to help us play an exciting brand of football."

In other words, the cupboard is full up front as the Griz take the field in 2025 with an offensive line that is the most experienced unit on the team with four returning starters. It's also a front that has been bolstered by some recent additions that have made it perhaps the deepest unit on the team as well.

In his 20-plus years leading the fronts at the highest levels college football, Norcross has earned a knack for knowing what it takes to build a winning O-line.

His plan for building that line at Montana has been a work in progress since walking in the door partway through spring ball. Now that the Grizzlies' summer workout program is behind them, Norcross is ready to put the plan into action during fall camp.

"We want guys that are going to play harder for longer. We want athletic guys because we're looking for explosion. If guys get too big, they lose some of that explosiveness. So, we've got to find the sweet spot and I think we're getting there," he added.

"Iron sharpens iron, and I think we'll have more guys able to play harder for longer and they'll really be able to create competition within the group."

KEY RETURNERS

Set to lead that competition and sharpen that iron are veteran returners Liam Brown, Dillon Botner, Cannon Panfiloff, and Cade Klimczak, who bring a combined 61 career starts for the Griz to the table in 2025.

They were each key members of an offensive unit that paved the way for an average of 196 yards rushing per game and 35 rushing TDs (the second-most in the Big Sky Conference) last season. With them opening holes, UM totaled 2,741 rushing yards and moved the chains 305 times, helping create the fourth-best first down offense in the FCS.

Brown is the most veteran player in the group, set to make his 30^th career start against Central Washington on Sept. 6. After tipping the scales at upwards of 330 pounds last year, the Oregon native has trimmed down to the neighborhood of 315 pounds, fitting that mold of guys Norcross wants to play harder and longer.

"Liam is big, he's strong, he's powerful, and he's just played a lot of football. He knows a lot of football. He bends well, he moves well, and he has the ability to be as good as he wants to be," said Norcross.

"I think your' going to see a much more violent, dominant football player out of him this season."

Perhaps Brown's biggest asset is his versatility. The first two of his 14 starts in 2024 came at center, calling the the blocking schemes for the whole front. He later swapped back to his original position at left guard for the remainder of the season and has continued to fill in wherever needed.

"I'm really impressed with him and his versatility. You look at film and he played both guard positions, center, and tackle at times. He's just a versatile guy. But more importantly – and the whole group has been this way since I got here – is they want the University of Montana to be successful. He just says, 'where do you want me to play coach?' and it might be three different positions on three plays, and he doesn't bat an eye. I'm really fired up to coach him," he said.

Also back with proven versatility is Klimczak, who swapped with Brown early on at center and guard to make 14 consecutive starts in 2024, 12 at center, after arriving from Central Michigan last summer.

Klimczak received an extra year of eligibility from the NCAA in the offseason and re-joined the program in time for summer workouts for one last ride.

"Cade has knowledge of the offense, and he's got experience playing in the Big Sky Conference. Any time you have a guy with that much knowledge and experience, he's going to help your football team. Just him being there this summer and in some of the meetings he's already helped us and helped the new guys coming in grasp the offense. He's a team-first guy," Norcross said.

Panfiloff is another veteran that enters the year having made 15 starts since arriving at UM ahead of the 2023 season, including 11 last season all at left tackle, protecting the quarterback's six.

Then you have "Dr. Bot" Dillon Botner, who is back in 2025 for his seventh season of college football with three starts and 37 career appearances under his belt. That's a lot of opportunity to learn the game of football, but when a guy will be returning to the fold while studying cellular and molecular neuroscience with two bachelor's degrees in biochemistry and biology and minor in physics already in hand… that knowledge runs a little deeper.

"Bot has helped me learn the offense a little bit just because I was thrust in in the middle of spring ball. He's a super intelligent football player and just an intelligent young man. He's a fantastic guy and I think he's going to find a way to play wherever it is on the football field we need him. All he wants is for the University of Montana Grizzlies to be successful, and he'll do whatever it takes to make that happen," added Norcross.

"He's a guy everyone on the team should look up to, not just as a player, but as a person. It's been fun being around him."

NEW FACES

Expected to be new to the lineup this season but not new to the program is Everett Johnson, a transfer from Cal in 2024 that appeared in 13 of UM's 14 games last year, primarily in a backup role at right guard and on special teams.

As a late addition to last year's team, he's now had the time to acclimatize to the mountains and Montana's offensive scheme, and Norcross says he's ready to flourish in his final year of eligibility.

"Just watching him progress from the day I got here, through the spring game and summer workouts, he's come as far as anyone I've seen. Watching some of his tape from last year, I think he's got a good grasp of the offense, he wants to play hard, he wants to be physical, he's really starting to understand where he needs to be and when he needs to be there," he said.

"It's been fun watching him progress this spring and I think he's going to be a really good football player for us."

Another potential breakout star this season is Lucas Freitas, just a sophomore but already with 21 career appearances under his belt at UM. The 6-6, 312-pounder played in seven games as a true freshman but retained his redshirt status with three regular season appearances, but four in the playoffs in 2023. He followed that up with backup and special teams reps in all 14 of UM's games last season and could break into the starting rotation with three years still left to play.

Other new faces that will be competing to make an impact for the Griz in fall camp include Carter Bowen, a hulking 6-7, 320-pound junior college transfer that looks the part physically and will have two seasons to break into the lineup. Helena's Austin Buehler will also look for increased reps as a sophomore this year after spending last season at No. 2 on the depth chart at right tackle behind NFL prospect Brandon Casey.

These are just the names currently on the roster. Head Coach Bobby Hauck and his staff have been busy in the summer offseason adding even more experience to the group in senior transfers Dylan Jemtegaard from Cal and Patrick Matan of NC State.

It all adds up to Montana's offensive line looking to be as dangerous, and deep, as ever. Now is when the competition begins and the cream rises to the top.

"We've got five spots. I don't like to rotate linemen much, but I always tell my guys 'You eat what you kill.' If you've earned playing time, you're going to get playing time. We're going to have guys that are going to push each other, and I think we've got eight to 10 guys who are going to have a chance to help us accomplish what we want to accomplish," Norcross added.

Players report for fall camp on Thursday, with the first official practice set for Saturday.

University of Montana Athletics

“Iron sharpens iron” – Deep offensive line returns in 2025

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. First up: The offensive line.

Players Mentioned

Dillon Botner

Carter Bowen

Liam Brown

Austin Buehler

Brandon Casey

Lucas Freitas

Everett Johnson

Cade Klimczak

Cannon Panfiloff

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