Cal Poly football: Five questions for Montana beat writer AJ Mazzolini
Tribune sports reporter Lucas Clark caught up with Montana beat writer AJ Mazzolini, who covers Griz athletics for The Missoulian, to discuss five topics leading into Saturday’s game at Alex G. Spanos Stadium.
Lucas Clark: Montana’s roster obviously looks vastly different in Bob Stitt’s second season. Do you get the sense that it has been a smooth transition for the coaching staff and players alike?
AJ Mazzolini: Smoother than expected I’d say, at least on the defensive side. With only three starters back on that side of the ball — only one of which (DE Caleb Kidder) has even played a down because of injury (S Yamen Sanders) or suspension (CB JR Nelson) — and a new coordinator, it looked like there might be some growing pains. Instead the defense has led the charge while the offense gets its feet under it. It’s hard to tell what’s hampered the offense at times this year, be it a few new players at receiver or just plain old mis-execution.
LC: Northern Iowa was one of the best FCS teams I watched last fall, and QB Aaron Bailey might have been the most talented athlete. What did the Griz do so well defensively during their road upset of the Panthers?
AM: They never let Bailey get an inch to breathe. The Griz defense is based out of a 4-3 approach but there’s tons of movement on and around the line. It looked like the misdirection and constant changing of personnel created issues in their blocking schemes of the offensive line. Bailey couldn’t get through and some tight man-to-man coverage in the secondary kept him from being able to go deep with the pass very often.
LC: A lot is expected of senior Caleb Kidder now that national defensive player of the year Tyrone Holmes has graduated and moved onto the NFL. Can you explain to Cal Poly fans what it means for a Montana player to wear the No. 37 jersey?
AM: Ah yes, the famed No. 37 jersey. There’s only two Division I football programs and no pro sports whatsoever in Montana, so the Grizzlies are the biggest show around. Kids up here grow up watching Montana. For the past 30 years now there’s been a tradition of passing the No. 37 jersey down to another Montana-born defensive player. The past two each went on to the NFL (Jordan Tripp with the Miami Dolphins and Zack Wagenmann with the Arizona Cardinals).
LC: You confirmed Monday that senior center Ben Weyer suffered another season-ending injury. How much will his absence be felt on the offensive line Saturday and beyond?
AM: It’s a huge blow, but something this team has already dealt with at length. Weyer missed all of last season after tearing his ACL in fall camp. The O-line struggled in 2015, but much of that wasn’t entirely on the replacement center. That group was undersized and inexperienced. Neither is the case this fall. That being said, they didn’t look very good against UNI with Weyer out of the game so it’s still touch and go.
LC: I imagine the Griz will carry a little extra motivation into Alex G. Spanos Stadium after losing to Cal Poly two years in a row. What’s your prediction for the Big Sky opener for both teams?
AM: Montana has not been a particularly good road team in the past half decade or so, but that trend may be over with after the Grizzlies’ win at Northern Iowa two weeks ago. I have to wonder if the Griz will catch the Mustangs on a letdown the way Cal Poly did to Montana last year. The Mustangs came into Washington-Grizzly Stadium on the heels of 2015’s crazy season-opening win over North Dakota State and stole one in the rain. I’d guess the Griz return the favor in a defensive battle this time around: 27-20.
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Follow AJ Mazzolini on Twitter at @ajmazzolini.
This story was originally published September 23, 2016 at 5:46 PM with the headline "Cal Poly football: Five questions for Montana beat writer AJ Mazzolini."