BOZEMAN — Montana State head football coach Brent Vigen met with the media for the first time since the national championship game on Jan. 6 to address signing day and the coaching staff changes to the program.
The program signed six players — four high schoolers and two transfers — on Wednesday.
Press conference: Montana State coaches Brent Vigen, Pete Sterbick meet with media on signing day
"The four high school guys were all guys we were recruiting through a better part of the summer and the fall," Vigen said. "Timing with the signing day being pushed up made a couple of those scenarios, the two Texas young men in particular, their visits came post-signing day. And then I know, we were working through Jaxson Lieberg and Michael Rubich, those situations just carried on past the initial signing day."
With the transfer portal so vast, Vigen mentioned finding players who fit the team’s culture is key for the program.
"I think that’s been critical, and we’ve been pretty intentional on figuring that out on the front side," Vigen said. "And that’s where that tight turnaround that was created in this particular sequence of events in January was challenging. But, I think in Ife (Ohalete) and Bryant (Meredith), we felt like, OK, beyond what they’ve shown on film, here’s two guys that are hungry, that will fit, and then they’re really excited to be here."
Vigen was referring to the season going as long as possible, which is ideal as the Bobcats played for a championship, but in turn does not allow the full attention of the staff to be on recruiting during the first couple weeks of the portal window opening.
Since last month, the coaching staff saw changes on the offensive side. Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tyler Walker and offensive line coach Al Johnson both departed for the same positions at Temple. Wide receivers and special teams coach Justin Udy moved to Boise State.
"(I’m) excited for all three of those guys, and I really appreciate, I truly do, their efforts when they were here," Vigen said. "They were all-in. They allowed us to do the things that we did on Saturdays, but more so just how they led their position groups, really thankful for that."
Vigen hired Colorado School of Mines head coach Pete Sterbick as the new OC. He then added Matt Smith, who was the offensive line coach at Fresno State last season, to take over the same position at MSU. Sam Mix moved from running backs coach to wide receivers, which led Vigen to tab Justin Mesa from Washington State to lead the running back room.
Marcus Monaco was promoted to special teams coach.
"I was hoping I could get an experienced play caller," Vigen explained of his choice of Sterbick as OC. "A guy who had adapted to a system before and had experience coaching quarterbacks. In Pete Sterbick, I think he checked all those boxes. I didn’t know Pete, I knew of Pete. I certainly recognized the amount of success that Colorado School of Mines had."
