BOZEMAN — This past off season, Montana State lost two of its key contributing starters on the defensive line in tackle Sebastian Valdez, who transferred to the University of Washington, and end Ben Seymour, who finished his eligibility.
Valdez had 27 total tackles, five sacks and two quarterback hurries in 2023. Seymour was second on the team in sacks with 5.5 and logged 32 tackles last season.
But the line has brought back the Big Sky preseason defensive MVP in end Brody Grebe, returned veterans from injuries and added impactful newcomers.
And the group has wholly bought in to recently promoted co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Shawn Howe's philosophy.
"Anything under your best isn’t good enough for him, which is exactly what you want in a coach," Grebe said regarding Howe's coaching style.
"And, it’s intimidating sometimes. It’s not comfortable a lot of times, but if you have someone who’s willing to do that and tell you the hard things, and be honest with you, maybe even if you’re at the top of the defensive line or the conference or the top five in the country, he’s not going to stop coaching you."
"He has the mentality of finish everything," Montana State defensive lineman Paul Brott said. "He wants you to go as hard as you can 24/7. And then he wants us to be the best that we can, as people and as players. And that’s what I like most about him being my coach."
Howe works alongside defensive tackles coach Nicolas Jean-Baptiste. They, along co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Bobby Daly, have stressed a key element this fall camp to try and bring their defense to the next level.
"One thing we really felt like we could do better is tackling and having leverage on our play," Howe said. "You can’t play good defense and not tackle."
Despite losing two heavy contributors on the defensive line in Valdez and Seymour, there’s been development to restore the gap lost this past offseason.
"It’s never easy to lose the kind of talent we lost, but I think we’re doing a pretty good job on answering it with some of these young guys stepping it up into bigger roles," Howe explained.
"Those guys were really good, and they’re really good guys too, so they brought a lot to the culture, as well as production stuff," Montana State defensive tackle Blake Schmidt said. "Kenny’s (Kenneth Eiden IV) been stepping up big time, he looks like he’s going to be a big time contributor. Alec Eckert, he’s a transfer from Washington State. He looks like he’s going to be pretty good."
Howe is also excited about the addition of Eckert, who is 6'2 and 280 lbs.
"He’s strong," Howe said. "He can do everything you want him to do. We’re just getting him going in the right direction right now, and he’s going to be another extremely valuable piece to the process."
Eckert has followed Montana State’s recent success and is thrilled to now be representing the Blue and Gold.
"I’m happy with all the people I’ve met at Washington State, because I’ve got a lot of good friends there and stuff," Eckert explained. "But being here now makes me wish I would’ve been here (sooner). Because seeing where everybody builds, whether it was 2021, that run they had, just the years after that, makes me wish I would’ve came here sooner for sure."
As far as players who have been able to take him under their wing, mentoring has come within his position group, and even from quarterback Tommy Mellott.
"Brody Grebe within my unit and Blake Schmidt, both great guys," Eckert said. "And I had the opportunity to live with Tommy (Mellott) when I first moved here. That was worth it’s weight in gold in itself. I mean, we all know he’s a great guy, so, he definitely helped a lot."
Montana State kicks off the 2024 season at FBS New Mexico on Aug. 24.
