2011 Montana Grizzlies football team
American college football season
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The 2011 Montana Grizzlies football team represented the University of Montana in the 2011 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by second-year head coach Robin Pflugrad and played their home games at Washington–Grizzly Stadium.[1] They are a member of the Big Sky Conference.
| 2011 Montana Grizzlies football | |
|---|---|
| |
| Conference | Big Sky Conference |
| Ranking | |
| Sports Network | No. |
| FCS Coaches | No. |
| Record | 6–2, 5 wins and 1 loss vacated (5–1 Big Sky, 2 wins vacated) |
| Head coach |
|
| Offensive coordinator | Jonathan Smith (2nd season) |
| Offensive scheme | Multiple |
| Defensive coordinator | Mike Breske (2nd season) |
| Base defense | Multiple 3–4 |
| Home stadium | Washington–Grizzly Stadium |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 7 Montana State $^ | 7 | – | 1 | 10 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. | 5 | – | 1 | 6 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Portland State | 5 | – | 3 | 7 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Washington | 5 | – | 3 | 6 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weber State | 5 | – | 3 | 5 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northern Arizona | 3 | – | 5 | 4 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sacramento State | 3 | – | 5 | 4 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Idaho State* | 1 | – | 7 | 2 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northern Colorado | 0 | – | 8 | 0 | – | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The team finished the regular season with an overall 9–2 record, 7–1 in Big Sky play. They then won two FCS playoff games, before being eliminated in the semifinals by Sam Houston State, thus ending their season with an overall 11–3 record.[2] On July 26, 2013, Montana was sanctioned by the NCAA, which found that "boosters provided extra benefits to players."[3] Montana vacated its last two conference games of the 2011 season (two wins), its last non-conference game of the regular season (one win), and its participation in the NCAA playoffs (two wins, semifinals loss), resulting in an official record of 6–2 overall, 5–1 in conference play.[3]
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 3 | 4:00 p.m. | at Tennessee* | No. 12 | ESPN3 | L 16–42 | 94,661 | |
| September 10 | 1:05 p.m. | Cal Poly* | No. 15 | KWBM | W 37–23 | 25,855 | |
| September 17 | 12:05 p.m. | No. 10 Eastern Washington | No. 12 |
| KPAX | W 17–14 | 26,066 |
| September 24 | 7:05 p.m. | at Sacramento State | No. 10 | KPAX | L 28–42 | 12,751 | |
| October 1 | 1:05 p.m. | Northern Colorado | No. 19 |
| KPAX | W 55–28 | 25,919 |
| October 8 | 4:05 p.m. | at Idaho State | No. 16 | KPAX | W 33–0 | 9,124 | |
| October 15 | 1:05 p.m. | Portland State | No. 14 |
| KPAX | W 30–24 | 25,744 |
| October 22 | 3:05 p.m. | at Northern Arizona | No. 12 | KPAX | W 28–24 | 8,421 | |
| October 29 | 1:00 p.m. | Weber State | No. 11 |
| KPAX | W 45–10 (vacated) | 25,401 |
| November 5 | 12:05 p.m. | Western Oregon* | No. 10 |
| KWBM | W 32–7 (vacated) | 24,984 |
| November 19 | 12:05 p.m. | at No. 1 Montana State | No. 7 | KPAX | W 36–10 (vacated) | 20,247 | |
| December 3 | 1:00 pm | No. 15 Central Arkansas* | No. 5 |
| ESPN3 | W 41–14 (vacated) | 22,005 |
| December 10 | 7:05 pm | No. 2 Northern Iowa* | No. 5 |
| ESPN | W 48–10 (vacated) | 23,049 |
| December 16 | 7:00 pm | at No. 1 Sam Houston State* | No. 5 |
| ESPN | L 28–31 | 12,367 |
| |||||||
Regular season
Final score source[5]
Tennessee
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #12 Montana | 0 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 16 |
| Tennessee | 14 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 42 |
Cal Poly
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cal Poly | 10 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 23 |
| #15 Montana | 7 | 7 | 15 | 8 | 37 |
Eastern Washington
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #10 Eastern Washington | 0 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 14 |
| #12 Montana | 10 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
Sacramento State
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #10 Montana | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
| Sacramento State | 7 | 14 | 14 | 7 | 42 |
Northern Colorado
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Colorado | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 28 |
| #19 Montana | 10 | 17 | 28 | 0 | 55 |
Idaho State
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #16 Montana | 10 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 33 |
| Idaho State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Portland State
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland State | 6 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 24 |
| #14 Montana | 0 | 10 | 14 | 6 | 30 |
Northern Arizona
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #12 Montana | 0 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
| Northern Arizona | 14 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 24 |
Weber State*
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weber State | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| #11 Montana | 14 | 24 | 7 | 0 | 45 |
Western Oregon*
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Oregon | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| #10 Montana | 6 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 32 |
Montana State*
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #7 Montana | 0 | 12 | 17 | 7 | 36 |
| #1 Montana State | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 10 |
- On July 26, 2013, the NCAA sanctioned Montana and forced it to vacate its last five wins of the 2011 season, Big Sky Conference co-championship and NCAA FCS playoff participation.
FCS Playoffs
Second Round–Central Arkansas*
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #15 Central Arkansas | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| #5 Montana | 17 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 41 |
Quarterfinals–Northern Iowa*
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #2 Northern Iowa | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| #5 Montana | 7 | 21 | 7 | 13 | 48 |
Semifinals–Sam Houston State
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #5 Montana | 0 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
| #1 Sam Houston State | 21 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 31 |
- On July 26, 2013, the NCAA sanctioned Montana and forced it to vacate its last five wins of the 2011 season, Big Sky Conference co-championship and NCAA FCS playoff participation.
Rankings
| Week | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Final |
| The Sports Network | 12 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 19 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 5 | |
| FCS Coaches | 12 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 5 | |
NCAA investigation and sanctions
In 2013, the NCAA investigated the University of Montana for violations of regulations concerning gifts to student athletes. On July 26, 2013, the NCAA announced its finding that the university had insufficiently monitored its football program, enabling boosters to provide gifts and services to players against NCAA regulations.[6]
Much of the investigation centered on events surrounding the arrests of two Montana football players, cornerback Trumaine Johnson and backup quarterback Gerald Kemp, in October 2011. The NCAA found that boosters provided the players with bail and free legal counsel, in violation of NCAA rules. Several university personnel, including then-coach Robin Pflugrad, then-athletics director Jim O’Day, and the university compliance officer, evidently knew details of the situation but did not report them. The investigation also found that six boosters had provided smaller benefits to players over 100 times between 2004 and 2012.[6]
Montana faced several penalties as a result of the investigation, most of which it self-imposed. Montana vacated five wins from the 2011 season in which Johnson and Kemp had played, including a win in the rivalry game against Montana State and two FCS playoff victories, vacating the school's participation in the FCS playoffs. Montana was also subjected to a probationary period and lost four scholarships in each of those years.[6]