SPOKANE, Wash. — It's time to welcome back football season in Bozeman with Montana State kicking off fall camp on Thursday.
Over the weekend at the Big Sky Kickoff, Bobcats coach Brent Vigen, senior offensive lineman Marcus Wehr and senior defensive lineman Brody Grebe were in attendance to represent Montana State to talk about the season ahead.
Flashing back to the 2023 season, it ended abruptly for the Bobcats with a second-round playoff loss against North Dakota State in overtime.
"After I got in that locker room, I’m like, there’s no way I’m letting my career end that way," Wehr said.
After a winter filled with reflection, all eyes turned to the preparation for this season in the beginning of the summer.
"We were back the day after Memorial Day, and that’s eight weeks of mostly hard work," Vigen explained.
The team has over 20 seniors on the roster, and they're together for one last run to cap off storied careers.
"Well, we’ve been through a lot together, and I think that’s the thing that brings people the closest," Grebe said. "I’ll die on this field for him. I’m going to work as hard as I can for him. And I think that’s the mindset we’re kind of taking into this season."
There’s magnitude to this season, but the team’s focus remains on the day-to-day.
"Go 1-0 every day," Grebe said. "That something we kind of started this spring."
"In everything we do, nutrition, out on the field, sleep," Wehr also explained of the meaning behind their team motto this season.
Montana State came in ranked No. 2 in the preseason poll, just behind No. 1 Montana. The Bobcats play all four teams ranked among the top five of the conference this season. That includes No. 3 Idaho, No. 4 UC Davis and No. 5 Sacramento State.
"I think our conference is as deep as it’s been," Vigen said. "You know, our schedule stacks up where we see a lot of those top teams at least on the surface. But each and every week, someone’s coming, gunning for you."
Nine players from MSU were represented on the preseason all-conference teams, with Grebe being named preseason defensive MVP.
"Being able to represent Melstone, being able to represent something you can look up to and be a good role model," Grebe explained of why it means so much to him to represent small-town Montana with the preseason accolade.
"Have them believe in themselves and believe just because they are from Melstone or a small school, they have the ability to take it wherever they want to go."
Fall camp has commenced July 25 as the work continues to earn the ability to keep playing until January.
"In 20 years, nobody is going to care who’s an All-American, but everybody’s going to remember a national championship," Wehr stated. "Last year’s last year. That’s in the past, and I got to do everything I can to help this team win."
The Bobcats start their season at New Mexico on Aug. 24.
