Montana, Montana State opt out of FCS spring championship

[Colter_Nuanez]

Montana and Montana State have officially opted out of the FCS spring championship season. Bobcats, Griz say in press release they will attempt "modified spring schedule."

More here:
https://skylinesportsmt.com/bobcats-griz-opt-out-of-spring-fcs-season/

https://twitter.com/SkylineSportsMT/status/1350125948272738306

 

[EWU98]

A little surprised that the Montana Schools pulled out.
Not so much Portland State.
This will make it extremely hard for us to continue as I have a hard time believing that the Cal schools will not do the same with the virus impact in California.

I was wondering if anyone has a clear explanation as to eligibility for the 21-22 school year.

 

[Obzerver]

Writing seems to be on the wall. Three of our six game schedule is gone. if I understood what Montana teams may do sounds ok. Treat spring per usual and scheulde a couple of "pracitice games" aginst maybe ....them. Will miss out on BSC Championship and National Playoff(if that really happens). In September, the NCAA extended student-athletes’ eligibility by a year, making players who participate in the modified spring season eligible to compete in the fall 2021 season as well.

 

[LDopaPDX]

This was the great fear, right? Teams would get to their schedule and just say “fuck it, we don’t want to play.” Sac State did it, and now the Montana’s are doing it too. At this point, it probably made more sense to just play out the schedule in the Fall like FBS did.

This puts Eastern in a bad spot. I’m sure the conference will try to juggle games around, but the league office has to be terribly miffed that they’ve been left hung out to dry. Maybe Eastern becomes the Ohio State of FCS, marching through the playoffs after only the the briefest of schedules.

 

[EWU98]

This was the great fear, right? Teams would get to their schedule and just say “fuck it, we don’t want to play.” Sac State did it, and now the Montana’s are doing it too. At this point, it probably made more sense to just play out the schedule in the Fall like FBS did.

This puts Eastern in a bad spot. I’m sure the conference will try to juggle games around, but the league office has to be terribly miffed that they’ve been left hung out to dry. Maybe Eastern becomes the Ohio State of FCS, marching through the playoffs after only the the briefest of schedules.

You really think the Cal games will happen?
I think those games will get canceled by end of the month. Especially with the #'s in California. That leaves us with Idaho.
Just do spring practice at this point then full steam ahead. No reason to get anyone hurt for a game or two.

 

[LDopaPDX]

This was the great fear, right? Teams would get to their schedule and just say “fuck it, we don’t want to play.” Sac State did it, and now the Montana’s are doing it too. At this point, it probably made more sense to just play out the schedule in the Fall like FBS did.

This puts Eastern in a bad spot. I’m sure the conference will try to juggle games around, but the league office has to be terribly miffed that they’ve been left hung out to dry. Maybe Eastern becomes the Ohio State of FCS, marching through the playoffs after only the the briefest of schedules.

You really think the Cal games will happen?
I think those games will get canceled by end of the month. Especially with the #'s in California. That leaves us with Idaho.
Just do spring practice at this point then full steam ahead. No reason to get anyone hurt for a game or two.

I totally disagree. This is an opportunity to show a difference between Eastern and the Montana’s. Play the schedule. Leverage the Big Sky to add games. If the conference won’t accommodate, find games to play like BYU did. Someone will win a national title this year, you can’t win it if you refuse to compete. We have the unusual opportunity to demonstrate that football is more important and relevant to our university than it is for some of our competitors.

One thing you see in FBS ball is that there is a growing separation between the conferences where football is culturally relevant and the ones where it isn’t. The SEC is kicking ass recruiting because they play, while the Pac-12 just keeps tripping on their dicks.

 

[LDopaPDX]

Sounds like Eastern is def going to play this season. As expected, the conference is working to make a schedule that works. I didn't like the way Sac State announced they weren't playing football anymore, but at least making a decision and operating with clarity is a respectful way to handle the situation. Portland State and the Montana's telling the Big Sky they'd play, making a schedule, and then just reneging is absurd. If you didn't want to play, you sure as hell didn't come to that conclusion a week ago. This should have been discussed with the league months in advance.

 

[EWU98]

Sounds like Eastern is def going to play this season. As expected, the conference is working to make a schedule that works. I didn't like the way Sac State announced they weren't playing football anymore, but at least making a decision and operating with clarity is a respectful way to handle the situation. Portland State and the Montana's telling the Big Sky they'd play, making a schedule, and then just reneging is absurd. If you didn't want to play, you sure as hell didn't come to that conclusion a week ago. This should have been discussed with the league months in advance.

Listened to Larry's podcast. Sounds like conference was supposed to vote on Friday for new schedule. Hopefully we will hear sonething in first couple days of next week.

 

[LDopaPDX]

MSU’s Jeff Choate just quit and is headed to Texas. I wonder if the decision to cancel football this season played into that? Probably not, it’s a big pay raise, but he just defended not playing football this year at MSU and then left for a school that adamantly defended playing this season. It makes you wonder if his comments about not playing were just a company line that was the decided-upon narrative by Montana leadership and he never truly wanted that.

 

[LDopaPDX]

New schedule released:

at Idaho Feb 27 (that dome will be nice and warm)
NAU Mar 6
at Idaho State Mar 13 (another dome, toasty warm)
Cal Poly Mar 27
at UC Davis Apr 3 (Northern Cali, not too shabby)
Idaho Apr 10

Honestly, that's a pretty comforting road schedule with two domes at the worst times of year.

 

[EWU98]

New schedule released:

at Idaho Feb 27 (that dome will be nice and warm)
NAU Mar 6
at Idaho State Mar 13 (another dome, toasty warm)
Cal Poly Mar 27
at UC Davis Apr 3 (Northern Cali, not too shabby)
Idaho Apr 10

Honestly, that's a pretty comforting road schedule with two domes at the worst times of year.

Not a fan of playing Idaho twice, but weird year.
No reason not to go undefeated this year with that schedule. No one on there really worries me. Go Eags!

 

[LDopaPDX]

New schedule released:

at Idaho Feb 27 (that dome will be nice and warm)
NAU Mar 6
at Idaho State Mar 13 (another dome, toasty warm)
Cal Poly Mar 27
at UC Davis Apr 3 (Northern Cali, not too shabby)
Idaho Apr 10

Honestly, that's a pretty comforting road schedule with two domes at the worst times of year.

Not a fan of playing Idaho twice, but weird year.
No reason not to go undefeated this year with that schedule. No one on there really worries me. Go Eags!

Yeah, I agree. That said, we seem to shit the bed every now and then. We lost to Idaho last year, for fucks sake. Need to get some payback this year... twice.

 

[Obzerver]

Wonder if AD Lynn Hickey held the line on deciding not to fold this spring. Was the deision on BOA and Interim President David May with input from Hickey? Whoever or however it worked I'm happy to see the players and staff back out there in a month and maybe make a run at a Championship. It's about to get real!

 

[EagerEagle]

Do you guys think it will be state by state for having fans in attendance? Or do you think Big sky will come out with a blanket statement saying no one will have fans in attendance for these spring games? Would love to try to make the Idaho trips if they happen to allow fans in the stands...

 

[EWU98]

Do you guys think it will be state by state for having fans in attendance? Or do you think Big sky will come out with a blanket statement saying no one will have fans in attendance for these spring games? Would love to try to make the Idaho trips if they happen to allow fans in the stands...

GREAT question...from a competitive standpoint I think it should be everyone without fans, but from a financial and fan aspect....I could totally see it being state to state.

 

[LDopaPDX]

Do you guys think it will be state by state for having fans in attendance? Or do you think Big sky will come out with a blanket statement saying no one will have fans in attendance for these spring games? Would love to try to make the Idaho trips if they happen to allow fans in the stands...

GREAT question...from a competitive standpoint I think it should be everyone without fans, but from a financial and fan aspect....I could totally see it being state to state.

It's every state with it's own rules. Same as basketball. Covid numbers are dropping and people are getting vaccinated, it's not unthinkable that we'll get to attend some games.

 

[EWU98]

Man not too excited about rumors of Jeff Fisher taking Montana State head job. ...hopefully it turns out same way as Glanville at portland State.

 

[EagerEagle]

After reading the Spokesman article I'm starting to wonder about the state of the program. Two coaches resigning, Coach Fetter and another, along with a laundry list of players missing including Anfernee Gurly, Jennings (3 star recruit QB) and Harris (TE) and Keith Moore who has moved to the transfer portal. Always makes me nervous when these things happen, especially with a looming Pictor Group review later in February about our athletics program. Losing coaches and players happens every year, just concerned that it may be chalked up to something else then normal wear and tear.

 

[EWU98]

After reading the Spokesman article I'm starting to wonder about the state of the program. Two coaches resigning, Coach Fetter and another, along with a laundry list of players missing including Anfernee Gurly, Jennings (3 star recruit QB) and Harris (TE) and Keith Moore who has moved to the transfer portal. Always makes me nervous when these things happen, especially with a looming Pictor Group review later in February about our athletics program. Losing coaches and players happens every year, just concerned that it may be chalked up to something else then normal wear and tear.

Moore left a long time ago...not new. Jennings probably wants to play instead of wait...with possibility of EB3 getting this year and next...not sure I would stick around either. Players leave all the time during off season for no reason. Fetters is interesting one though. Caught me by surprise as well.