Fort Lewis College Football at #11 Montana State University
Thursday, Sept. 3 | 7:05 p.m.FLC Game Day Notes
Audio:
http://msubobcats.com/sports/2009/11/10/GEN_Radio_Links.aspx?id=27Live Stats:
http://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statbroadcast.php?gid=mnst&t=1TV: Cowles/Altitude
Fort Lewis College will kick off their 2015 season on the road against Division I Montana State University on Thursday, Sept. 3.
Thursday's game will be season openers for both teams. The 7 p.m. kickoff time is the only night game the Skyhawks will play this season.
Montana State is ranked No. 11 in the preseason FCS Coaches' poll.
Thursday's game will mark the fourth meeting between the two teams. Montana State is 3-0 against the Skyhawks. The last time the two teams met was Sept. 4, 2010 (MSU won, 59-10). The most points the Skyhawks have scored against the Bobcats is 20 (Sept. 18, 1993).
Montana State is located in Bozeman, Mont. and are under the direction of ninth year head coach Rob Ash (65-32).
The Bobcats return nine starters on offense, three starters on defense and three on special teams.
MSU finished the 2014 campaign 8-5 overall and 6-2 in the Big Sky Conference.
The 2015 season marks the sixth straight season the Skyhawks have faced a Division I opponent, and the ninth time in the last 11 years.
Fort Lewis returns nine starters on offense and nine on defense.
Three of the four Skyhawks defensive linemen are starters from last year (
Juan Hull,
Dalten Lane and
Sione Folaumoeloa).
FLC's 4-2-5 defensive unit features
Shane Nelson and
Andrew Ike at linebacker. Ike moved over to the defensive side of the ball after playing wide receiver in 2014.
The Skyhawks secondary of
Theo Chambers,
Daniel Walker and
Amery Duncan boasts speed and experience.
The offensive front line is the most experienced group for the Skyhawks.
Tyler Jones,
Taylor Suta and
Kenny Shinley have combined to start 49 games. Accompanying them on the front line is
Preston Geib and
Matt Mahe, both of whom redshirted in 2014.
Sophomore tight end
Austin Shaw played in 10 games as a true freshman. His versatility to block and catch complement the Skyhawks passing game.
Senior quarterback
Jordan Doyle is in his third year under center. Doyle saw action in eight games last year before missing the final three games to an injury. He completed 151 passes on 272 attempts for 10 touchdowns and 1,509 yards, averaging 188.6 passing yards per game.
Catching Doyle's passes are
Jordan Gillen,
Mason Hatton, and
Juquelle Thompson.
In the backfield for the Skyhawks is sophomore
PJ Hall who rushed for over 700 yards as a freshman.
The 2015 season marks
John L. Smith's third season on the Skyhawks sideline and 21st overall as a head coach.
Fort Lewis College senior defensive lineman
Sione Folaumoeloa was selected to the 2015 Preseason All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference team.
As a team, the Skyhawks received 27 points, placing them eighth in the RMAC Football preseason poll.
A six-foot, 230-pound lineman from Salt Lake City, Folaumoeloa started all 11 games last season for the Skyhawks. He accounted for 51 tackles, including 26 solo stops. Folaumoeloa led the team with 12 tackles for a loss of 45 yards.
The Skyhawks finished the 2014 campaign with a 3-8 overall record and a 2-7 league record, tying for ninth place in the league standings. Fort Lewis' season was highlighted by a 23-22 home win over Colorado State University-Pueblo, then ranked No. 2 in the nation. The ThunderWolves would go on to win the NCAA Division II National Championship.
