BILLINGS — After seven games, the Montana football team is on decent footing — not great footing by program standards, but decent — with a 5-2 overall record and a 2-1 mark in the Big Sky Conference.
Offensively the Grizzlies are firing on just about every cylinder while averaging 41.3 points a game, tied with rival Montana State for fourth-most per contest in the FCS.
Logan Fife has taken command at quarterback and the Griz have enjoyed four 500-plus-yard outings, including a 701-yard outburst in a frenzied 52-49 win over Eastern Washington, the second-highest total in program history.
Defensively? Different story.
Montana at times has been leaky as a sieve, having cumulatively allowed big plays, big yards and big point totals as the unit tries to fill the shoes of a host of prolific star players that departed from last year's Big Sky championship squad.
So what do we make of it? There was probably some worry around Grizville after the EWU game on Sept. 28 and likely some outright panic the following week when Weber State came into Missoula and won 55-48 in overtime.
Nevertheless, Montana looked better defensively last week in a 31-20 win over Northern Arizona, albeit against the Lumberjacks' third-string QB. UM allowed just one offensive touchdown — albeit on an 88-yard catch and run.
But it was distinctly better than the previous three weeks.
"We stepped up," linebacker Riley Wilson said afterward. "We executed in our assignment. We executed in everyone doing their job. And it just really is a taste of what this defense can do, and the sky's the limit for us."
If there's one thing we know about the Bobby Hauck era(s) at Montana, it's that the Griz build for November and the FCS playoffs. Last season was the perfect example.
This is a bye week for Montana, and its next two games are against Northern Colorado and Cal Poly, teams with a combined three victories so far. The next big test, it seems, will come Nov. 9 at home under the lights and in front of an ESPN2 audience against UC Davis, which currently sits tied atop the Big Sky standings with MSU.
Said Hauck last week: "I think our best football is probably ahead of us, if I'm guessing right."
It needs to be, because one thing the Grizzlies haven't done too much of yet is execute in a complementary manner.
Offensively, things are fine. Fife has been a vision since (seemingly) answering the question of who will be UM's top QB option. The Fresno State transfer is a top-three rated passer in the league and has yet to throw an interception while averaging 302.3 yards with eight TD throws in the past three games.
The running game has thrived on heavy doses of Eli Gillman (710 yards, 10 TDs) and Nick Ostmo (534 yards, three TDs). Receiver Keelan White, with 35 catches, is having a big year. In all, the Griz rank fifth in the FCS in total offense.
On defense, Montana's depth has been tested. Saying goodbye to guys like tackle Alex Gubner, end Kale Edwards, linebackers Braxton Hill, Tyler Flink and Levi Janacaro, and defensive backs Nash Fouch, TraJon Cotton and Corbin Walker was never going to be easy.
Still, the Grizzlies are intent on playing an aggressive style that often leaves their back-end guys on an island without much help. This year, some of the points and yardage totals surrendered — 35 and 477 to Western Carolina, 49 and 551 to EWU, 55 and 541 to Weber State — are atypical of a Griz defense.
One thing Hauck-coached Griz teams have historically done is create big, favorable gaps in turnover margin. They were plus-91 cumulatively in his first seven-year stint at UM. This trend hasn't happened yet this season. After seven games Montana has broken even on the turnover ledger, with six takeaways and six giveaways. UM has recovered only two fumbles.
Special teams have been a bit of an anomaly, too. The Grizzlies seemed to have found a gem in kicker/punter, Ty Morrison but they're allowing nearly 25 yards per kick return and are the only Big Sky team to allow a kickoff return for a touchdown so far.
All-American Junior Bergen is also yet to break a big one on UM's side of the return game, but you have to believe that's coming sooner rather than later. Don't forget, Bergen's flair for the dramatic on special teams last year was a huge key to the Grizzlies' playoff success.
For a program that made a run to the FCS championship game last season, the Grizzlies have yet to put it all together but are still on decent footing. Hauck, who prefers his teams peak at the end of the year, believes their best football is ahead of them. For him, the season is a step-by-step process.
One thing you know for sure is that the Grizzlies will keep working. And one thing you can never do is count them out.
