MISSOULA — The wait is over for Montana fans and players as the Griz took the field on Tuesday to begin their fall football camp.
It's head coach Bobby Hauck's second year in his second stint as the leader of the Montana football team.
The Griz ended 2018 on a sour note, missing the playoffs on a last-second fumble on the goal line to the rival Montana State Bobcats, but Hauck and the team are past that and focusing on what's ahead.
Coming into the season, Hauck has moved guys around and picked up a lot of transfers in the process to help shape his roster. He says there's a lot to be done leading up to their first game, but he's just focused on guys having solid, sound practices in the first week.
"There's two things that lend to negative and positive, and that's probably effort and execution. The attitude and effort ought to be a constant -- every individual out here starts in control of that, the execution comes and goes. So, if you come out here and play hard and we execute well that means we've had a good practice," said Hauck.
After spring practices, the secondary has emerged as one of the strongest-looking groups on the defense, loaded with more than enough potential.
Sophomore Robby Hauck returns after finishing seventh in the Jerry Rice award voting last season.
Another guy poised to have a great season? Bigfork native Josh Sandry.
"We had a great offseason, great summer," Sandy said. "We've got a great group of guys, a tight-knit group of guys. We come out here every day and just try to improve, and we're just looking forward to the season. Great coach in coach Shann Schillinger. He gets us ready each and every day. But this offseason we're focused on getting bigger, faster and stronger, and we've got a very talented group who's ready to show what we've got."
