Griz set for annual Spring Game Friday

Friday, April 10

Missoula, Mont.

6 PM

Montana

Griz Spring Game

Buy Tickets

4/8/2026 5:58:00 PM | Football

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana Grizzlies take the field for the final time during the spring season on Friday for the Grizzly Scholarship Association Spring Game, an annual showcase of the coming season's Griz football team.

This year's game marks the first for new head coach Bobby Kennedy and his staff, culminating the 14 practice slate leading up to the contest where fans get to see the future stars of the maroon and silver in action, and the new spin the coaching staff is putting on the squad.

As with any spring session, building depth has been the name of the game for the Griz after losing 26 players to graduation in the offseason. Now just over two months onto the job, Kennedy has liked what he's seen from the Grizzlies and is hoping the improvements the team has made shine through when the lights come on Friday evening.

"I think spring has gone really well. I've enjoyed seeing the progress on both sides of the ball, and I don't think the guys have taken a step back from last season. On Friday, we'll be looking for the guys to play well, finish fast, and have good energy. I'm looking forward to seeing how the guys have improved and developed," said Kennedy.

"Most importantly we need to stay healthy, but I'm looking for the offense to run the ball well, make contested catches in live situations in front of fans, and score a lot of points. Defensively I want to see them shut the offense down, play fast, hit hard, and be sound in their tackling and assignments."

TICKETS: Tickets to the Spring Game are on sale now at the Adams Center Ticket Office and at GrizTix.com. The ticket office will be open through kickoff of the game on Friday, and a ticket kiosk will be open at the south entrance to Washington-Grizzly Stadium as well. Walk up tickets are available for $10.

THE GAME: Here's what to expect from Friday night's scrimmage. Doors to the stadium open at 4 p.m. for the official GSA Tailgate, with the team taking the field for warmup at 5:40, and kickoff set for 6 p.m. Coach Kennedy will also take the mic before the game to welcome the fans.

The game will consist of four quarters of 15 minutes, with a rolling clock. Kennedy and the Grizzly staff will split the Grizzly roster into roughly two complete teams, with a handful of players on both sidelines splitting time on both the maroon and silver teams.

• Fans are asked to enter and exit the stadium through the stadium gate at the south endzone (underneath the scoreboard).

• The Grizzly Scholarship Association is once again hosting the official pregame tailgate party in "The Den" on the 200 level of the east concourse. Beer and Wine options available for purchase, with all proceeds going to support scholarships for student-athletes.

• The UM Spirit Squad will be selling roster cards as a team fundraiser inside the south gate and around the stadium for $1.

No broadcast of the game will be available this year.

ONES TO WACH: OFFENSE - With a focus on development this spring, fans attending Friday's game won't see much of UM's offensive superstars in action. Players like quarterback Keali'i Ah Yat, who became one of just three Grizzly QBs in program history to throw for more than 4,000 yards last year, are a known quantity. As is running back Eli Gillman, who enters his senior year on the cusp of breaking the school's rushing records.

Instead, the maroon and silver offenses will be spearheaded by a trio of younger signal callers in junior Gage Sliter of Kalispell, sophomore Cody Schweikert of Columbia Falls, and freshman Drew Price out of Florida as the Griz look to build depth for the future at the position.

"We know what Ah Yat is capable of and Luke Flowers got dinged up a little this spring. He was making really good progress. We're excited that these other young guys are getting a bunch of reps they might not have otherwise. That's great for our depth," said Kennedy.

• With Gillman's abilities well documented, running back is another position Montana's depth will be on display Friday. Standing all of 6-0 and 208 pounds, freshman Hashim Jones has continued to be a revelation for the coaching staff this spring. Washington State transfer Dylan Paine has also emerged as another solid option at back and has impressed the staff during his first spring at UM, and former safety Fynn Ridgeway of Whitefish has returned to the position he played before transferring to Montana at running back.

"With Eli leading the group we needed to develop depth at running back and I think they've done a great job. Everybody knows Eli, but I really like Hashim and Dylan. They've done a nice job. We added Fynn to the room as well, so I really like that group," Kennedy added.

• Following the loss of all five starters to graduation, many eyes will be locked on UM's offensive line at Friday's game as they open holes for the rushing attack and pass protect the young QBs. Despite the youth of the group, it's been an area of pleasant surprise for the Grizzly coaching staff this spring under new O-line mentor Brent Myers.

The group received a boost of experience in the offseason when Dylan Jemtegaard received a waiver for one more year of eligibility. Jemtegaard came to Missoula last fall after spending four years at Cal and has been noted for his leadership this spring.

Kaikoa Kanakaole, a beast of a redshirt freshman at 6-5, 335-pounds, has also emerged this spring as a physical, yet athletic option at center. Austin Buehler of Helena and Torin Jeske of Bozeman have also emerged as young contributors to the front this season.

"I think the offensive line has taken a really big step forward. We're not a finished product, they need to continue to develop over the rest of the spring and the summer is going to be really important for that group, but they've been good for us this spring," said Kennedy.

• Rob Phenicie's group of tight ends is also another position looking to replace a set of veterans with Evan Shafer and Jake Olson among those lost to graduation. Titus Rohrer is a fast and lengthy end that came to UM out of SEC country at Tennessee last season and has impressed the staff this spring. He's been a leader in another young group with up and comers like Danny Sirmon and Reese Brooks building reps this spring.

"I think they've got better at pass protection, which I've really liked. We've got some big guys that can run, they can block, but we've added some depth at that position, and I think they're a strength of the passing game right now," added Kennedy.

• Kennedy's own receiver room has also seen some breakouts this spring and some familiar faces who continue to develop. Brooks Davis became UM's top freshman receiver in program history last season and has picked up where he left off, as has Korbin Hendrix, who hauled in an #SCTop10 highlight reel TD last year. Missoula Hellgate alum Ian Finch grew into a special teams ace for UM last season and has emerged as a physical presence in the group as well, and has been a leader among other future stars this spring.

"I'm excited to watch some other guys that maybe are getting ready to emerge like Jordan Dever, Lekeldrick Bridges and Legend Lyons. I'm looking to see their continued progression and the steps they take forward," said Kennedy.

ONES TO WATCH: DEFENSE – Montana takes the field Friday for the first time in front of the Grizzly faithful under new defensive coordinator Eric Sanders with support from new safeties coach Wes Nurse, D-line coach Jaylen Johnson, and returning corners coach Kim McCloud.

It's a side of the ball that features a pair of all-conference standouts in linebackers Peyton Wing and Solomon Tuliaupupu, who was granted a hardship waiver in the offseason to earn his ninth year of college football to add a (very) veteran presence to the group. Another returner adding a veteran presence is Butte's Tanner Huff, who also received a waiver and will be a force on special teams and in the secondary.

With new staff comes new ideas, plays, formations, calls, etc., and for Kennedy, the transition has been seamless as the veterans the help show the newcomers the Montana way of playing defense.

"We've installed some new things and that's been really good in terms of the guys' attention to detail and their willingness to learn new schemes," said Kennedy.

"Eric Sanders has brought a great energy to the defense. I've seen the teaching that's going on over there. I'm really pleased with the way those guys have integrated with the staff, the progress they've made from week one to week five, and how they've improved."

• Montana has gained a reputation for being "Linebacker U" of the FCS, and this spring Wing and Tuliaupupu have again helped cement that repudiation. The addition of Justin Eklund from Bowling Green has been a revelation in the spring with an FBS football IQ, and Billings native Clay Oven has again emerged as an explosive backer.

• Another Billings native in Kade Boyd had a breakout year as a sophomore and had emerged as a potential leader in the safeties room. He'll be a potential anchor a group that includes NAIA All-American Braeden Orlandi who has acclimatized well to the D-I pace of play. Gabe Stroud, an FBS transfer cornerback from North Texas who the coaches have also pointed to as being a standout in the defensive backfield.

"Our secondary has some guys that, even though they're transfers have fit in well and have really played well. I feel really good about our safeties and corners, and I think our linebackers are really good too," Kennedy said.

UP NEXT: In a tradition like any other (h/t to The Masters), next week Kennedy and his staff will keep up a longtime Griz football spring ritual of hitting the road and visiting every. single. high school football program in the state of Montana to find the next great Grizzly student-athletes.