Griz Clips
@grizclips.bsky.social
Montana Grizzlies football stats and film breakdowns from a fan perspective. Learning the game and the Griz one play at a time.
On the end zone copy, you can see Cutler hitch while he's reading the play action. This is one of the really tricky aspects to finding the right type of hybrid body type to fit this system. He had the 2nd most tackles and run stops in the game, so he rolled down into the box really well.
January 29, 2026 at 10:49 PM
On the end zone copy, you can see Cutler hitch while he's reading the play action. This is one of the really tricky aspects to finding the right type of hybrid body type to fit this system. He had the 2nd most tackles and run stops in the game, so he rolled down into the box really well.
Early on, this was an obvious priority for Kaminski as he attacked Diezel over the top, threw a quick slant to the slot against Micah, and then threaded almost an identical ball over the top of Cutler. Both deep shots came on 2nd down with Diezel and Cutler reading the backfield for a run.
January 29, 2026 at 9:48 PM
Early on, this was an obvious priority for Kaminski as he attacked Diezel over the top, threw a quick slant to the slot against Micah, and then threaded almost an identical ball over the top of Cutler. Both deep shots came on 2nd down with Diezel and Cutler reading the backfield for a run.
Against Middle Field Closed coverage, whether it's Cover 1 man or Cover 3 zone, the CBs generally play with outside leverage to force their matchup inside to where their help is in the deep middle safety. Naturally, this exposes them to in-breaking routes like slants, posts, digs, etc.
January 29, 2026 at 9:42 PM
Against Middle Field Closed coverage, whether it's Cover 1 man or Cover 3 zone, the CBs generally play with outside leverage to force their matchup inside to where their help is in the deep middle safety. Naturally, this exposes them to in-breaking routes like slants, posts, digs, etc.
Back to pass coverage, what worked and didn't for Kaminski? Attacking the middle of the field was where he did most of his damage going 14/27 for 247 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT. The reason for this is pretty simple: the 3-3-5, especially with the Rover in the box, lends itself to middle field closed coverage.
January 29, 2026 at 9:32 PM
Back to pass coverage, what worked and didn't for Kaminski? Attacking the middle of the field was where he did most of his damage going 14/27 for 247 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT. The reason for this is pretty simple: the 3-3-5, especially with the Rover in the box, lends itself to middle field closed coverage.
In this game, UND both outgained (almost 100 yds) the Griz, and won the turnover battle 2-1. But the Griz held UND to just 3.4 points per RZ attempt and stopped both UND 4th down attempts. 3.4 RZ points would have ranked 2nd in the FCS and was 0.8 points better than the Griz average.
January 29, 2026 at 9:10 PM
In this game, UND both outgained (almost 100 yds) the Griz, and won the turnover battle 2-1. But the Griz held UND to just 3.4 points per RZ attempt and stopped both UND 4th down attempts. 3.4 RZ points would have ranked 2nd in the FCS and was 0.8 points better than the Griz average.
The overall philosophy is that turnovers win games, not yards. The Griz ranked 77th in Yards Allowed Per Play. They ranked 79th in Fumbles Forced Per Tackle, but 7th in both QB Hit Rate and Interception Rate.
They were also better in RZ Pts Allowed/Att & and RZ Atts/G at 47th and 39th.
They were also better in RZ Pts Allowed/Att & and RZ Atts/G at 47th and 39th.
January 29, 2026 at 9:02 PM
The overall philosophy is that turnovers win games, not yards. The Griz ranked 77th in Yards Allowed Per Play. They ranked 79th in Fumbles Forced Per Tackle, but 7th in both QB Hit Rate and Interception Rate.
They were also better in RZ Pts Allowed/Att & and RZ Atts/G at 47th and 39th.
They were also better in RZ Pts Allowed/Att & and RZ Atts/G at 47th and 39th.
You can make a case to justify the inherent gamble in this strategy: Turnover Worthy Throws more than triple when they travel more than 10 yards compared to throws shorter than 10 yards.
And then another aspect is whether the big plays are scoring. The Griz ranked 34th in Pass TD Allowed/Attempt.
And then another aspect is whether the big plays are scoring. The Griz ranked 34th in Pass TD Allowed/Attempt.
January 29, 2026 at 6:20 PM
You can make a case to justify the inherent gamble in this strategy: Turnover Worthy Throws more than triple when they travel more than 10 yards compared to throws shorter than 10 yards.
And then another aspect is whether the big plays are scoring. The Griz ranked 34th in Pass TD Allowed/Attempt.
And then another aspect is whether the big plays are scoring. The Griz ranked 34th in Pass TD Allowed/Attempt.
Those numbers do a great job of conveying how this pass defense lived and died. Their high rate of blitzes produced a lot of rushed incompletions and interceptions, but when they gave up completions, they were for first downs and deep downfield.
January 29, 2026 at 6:04 PM
Those numbers do a great job of conveying how this pass defense lived and died. Their high rate of blitzes produced a lot of rushed incompletions and interceptions, but when they gave up completions, they were for first downs and deep downfield.
On the year, the Griz ranked the following:
Completion % allowed - 14
Pressure Rate - 70
Approximated Blitz Rate - 25
INT Rate - 7
Yards Allowed Per Completion - 95
First Downs Allowed Per Attempt - 89
Air Yards Allowed Per Completion - 114
Completion % allowed - 14
Pressure Rate - 70
Approximated Blitz Rate - 25
INT Rate - 7
Yards Allowed Per Completion - 95
First Downs Allowed Per Attempt - 89
Air Yards Allowed Per Completion - 114
January 29, 2026 at 5:58 PM
On the year, the Griz ranked the following:
Completion % allowed - 14
Pressure Rate - 70
Approximated Blitz Rate - 25
INT Rate - 7
Yards Allowed Per Completion - 95
First Downs Allowed Per Attempt - 89
Air Yards Allowed Per Completion - 114
Completion % allowed - 14
Pressure Rate - 70
Approximated Blitz Rate - 25
INT Rate - 7
Yards Allowed Per Completion - 95
First Downs Allowed Per Attempt - 89
Air Yards Allowed Per Completion - 114
The results were pretty much what you'd expect from this defense.
A big 82 yd TD
39% completion percentage allowed
20% pressure rate with 7 of the 9 pressures coming from blitzes
1 INT
17.3 yards allowed per completion
8% scramble rate allowed
1st downs allowed on 63% of completions
A big 82 yd TD
39% completion percentage allowed
20% pressure rate with 7 of the 9 pressures coming from blitzes
1 INT
17.3 yards allowed per completion
8% scramble rate allowed
1st downs allowed on 63% of completions
January 28, 2026 at 11:16 PM
The results were pretty much what you'd expect from this defense.
A big 82 yd TD
39% completion percentage allowed
20% pressure rate with 7 of the 9 pressures coming from blitzes
1 INT
17.3 yards allowed per completion
8% scramble rate allowed
1st downs allowed on 63% of completions
A big 82 yd TD
39% completion percentage allowed
20% pressure rate with 7 of the 9 pressures coming from blitzes
1 INT
17.3 yards allowed per completion
8% scramble rate allowed
1st downs allowed on 63% of completions
The Griz blitzed on 58% of dropbacks, where Kaminski got it out even quicker at 2.15 secs. He threw shorter than 10 yards on 44% of attempts, between 10-20 yards on 32% of attempts, and deeper than 20 on 17% of throws.
January 28, 2026 at 11:11 PM
The Griz blitzed on 58% of dropbacks, where Kaminski got it out even quicker at 2.15 secs. He threw shorter than 10 yards on 44% of attempts, between 10-20 yards on 32% of attempts, and deeper than 20 on 17% of throws.
COVERAGE/PASS RUSH
As was the case with many of the Griz's opponents, Kaminski liked to get the ball out quickly, which made achieving pressure challenging. On the year Kaminski got the ball out in 2.56 secs, which would have ranked top-30 among FCS teams. In this game he averaged 2.38 secs.
As was the case with many of the Griz's opponents, Kaminski liked to get the ball out quickly, which made achieving pressure challenging. On the year Kaminski got the ball out in 2.56 secs, which would have ranked top-30 among FCS teams. In this game he averaged 2.38 secs.
January 28, 2026 at 11:09 PM
COVERAGE/PASS RUSH
As was the case with many of the Griz's opponents, Kaminski liked to get the ball out quickly, which made achieving pressure challenging. On the year Kaminski got the ball out in 2.56 secs, which would have ranked top-30 among FCS teams. In this game he averaged 2.38 secs.
As was the case with many of the Griz's opponents, Kaminski liked to get the ball out quickly, which made achieving pressure challenging. On the year Kaminski got the ball out in 2.56 secs, which would have ranked top-30 among FCS teams. In this game he averaged 2.38 secs.
But then there were also moments where 5-man fronts or sim pressures allowed easy climbs to the 2nd level in zone blocks, or blitzes resulting in 2-3 players clogging the same gap, opening a wide open lane in the adjacent gap. UND had a big oline and they leveraged their size well.
January 28, 2026 at 10:38 PM
But then there were also moments where 5-man fronts or sim pressures allowed easy climbs to the 2nd level in zone blocks, or blitzes resulting in 2-3 players clogging the same gap, opening a wide open lane in the adjacent gap. UND had a big oline and they leveraged their size well.
The rest of the boundary side runs were about 50/50 for the Griz. The system of slanting or stunting with the Sam or Jack with the Field Safety, Rover, Mike and Will filling cutbacks had its moments.
January 28, 2026 at 10:29 PM
The rest of the boundary side runs were about 50/50 for the Griz. The system of slanting or stunting with the Sam or Jack with the Field Safety, Rover, Mike and Will filling cutbacks had its moments.
After so many runs to the boundary, you can see how this was a great switch up call to pin the Griz to the boundary. Playside G kicks out the EMLOS, the line downblocks 4v3, and then you get 2 lead blockers in the backside H-back and RB. A faster QB may have scored.
January 28, 2026 at 10:20 PM
After so many runs to the boundary, you can see how this was a great switch up call to pin the Griz to the boundary. Playside G kicks out the EMLOS, the line downblocks 4v3, and then you get 2 lead blockers in the backside H-back and RB. A faster QB may have scored.
Kaminsky got most of his carries in the 2nd half. The main two plays were QB Zone Read and what I think is called QB G-Lead Follow, which he broke the big run on. After the big run, they ran is a couple more times but were mostly contained.
January 28, 2026 at 10:08 PM
Kaminsky got most of his carries in the 2nd half. The main two plays were QB Zone Read and what I think is called QB G-Lead Follow, which he broke the big run on. After the big run, they ran is a couple more times but were mostly contained.
In the 2nd half, UND started working in some more RB runs to the field side, which set up QB read options to the boundary. The Griz held up pretty well on these with the Rover Safety, Mike and Will filling running lanes opposite of the Sam or Jack.
January 28, 2026 at 9:35 PM
In the 2nd half, UND started working in some more RB runs to the field side, which set up QB read options to the boundary. The Griz held up pretty well on these with the Rover Safety, Mike and Will filling running lanes opposite of the Sam or Jack.
Adverse down & distance, but this one looks similar against a different alignment and slant. D-line pinches, Otlewski and Loud fill the same lane as Diezel forces the boundary side. 2-high shell, so no safety in the box. LTE climbs and lays a great block on Wing. RB cuts back to open space.
January 27, 2026 at 5:57 PM
Adverse down & distance, but this one looks similar against a different alignment and slant. D-line pinches, Otlewski and Loud fill the same lane as Diezel forces the boundary side. 2-high shell, so no safety in the box. LTE climbs and lays a great block on Wing. RB cuts back to open space.
The D-line slants left, leaving the 2nd level to fill opp-adj to the right. But the problem is the LT and LTE are uncovered in the zone scheme so they just climb to the second level with significant weight advantage in both matchups. The RB finds the lane left of the double-teamed slanting end.
January 27, 2026 at 5:48 PM
The D-line slants left, leaving the 2nd level to fill opp-adj to the right. But the problem is the LT and LTE are uncovered in the zone scheme so they just climb to the second level with significant weight advantage in both matchups. The RB finds the lane left of the double-teamed slanting end.
On the few bigger first half runs, you can see how cutbacks lanes to the wide side presented a challenge for the Griz. The Nose stunts to the boundary side with the Jack as the force player. The Field Safety walks up as a de facto LB in a 3-4 look.
January 27, 2026 at 5:42 PM
On the few bigger first half runs, you can see how cutbacks lanes to the wide side presented a challenge for the Griz. The Nose stunts to the boundary side with the Jack as the force player. The Field Safety walks up as a de facto LB in a 3-4 look.
UND had a big tendency to run into the narrow side of the field away from where their WRs were spread out. The Griz answered by slanting and stunting toward the narrow side to spill runs inside and kill them where their extra bodies were.
January 26, 2026 at 10:51 PM
UND had a big tendency to run into the narrow side of the field away from where their WRs were spread out. The Griz answered by slanting and stunting toward the narrow side to spill runs inside and kill them where their extra bodies were.
Runs to the right went for 5.4 YPA, 16% explosive rate, 33% first down rate.
Runs to the left went for 4.0 YPA, 0% explosive rate, 11% first down rate.
Inside runs went for 3.9 YPA.
Outside runs went for 5.3 YPA.
Runs to the left went for 4.0 YPA, 0% explosive rate, 11% first down rate.
Inside runs went for 3.9 YPA.
Outside runs went for 5.3 YPA.
January 23, 2026 at 10:57 PM
Runs to the right went for 5.4 YPA, 16% explosive rate, 33% first down rate.
Runs to the left went for 4.0 YPA, 0% explosive rate, 11% first down rate.
Inside runs went for 3.9 YPA.
Outside runs went for 5.3 YPA.
Runs to the left went for 4.0 YPA, 0% explosive rate, 11% first down rate.
Inside runs went for 3.9 YPA.
Outside runs went for 5.3 YPA.
Overall the Griz held UND RBs to 4.0 YPA on 29 carries, 7% explosive rate, 21% first down rate. The Griz missed 4 tackles (14%). QB Jerry Kaminski gashed them for a 40 yard designed run, but was otherwise held to 4.1 YPA.
January 23, 2026 at 10:47 PM
Overall the Griz held UND RBs to 4.0 YPA on 29 carries, 7% explosive rate, 21% first down rate. The Griz missed 4 tackles (14%). QB Jerry Kaminski gashed them for a 40 yard designed run, but was otherwise held to 4.1 YPA.
You can also see how this is one of those runs that could have broke for a big play if Tolbert doesn't make a great play. UND has two OL in the second level on LBs, the Griz are outnumbered to the play side, and Diezel and Micah are only guys left between the endzone and the RB.
January 23, 2026 at 10:29 PM
You can also see how this is one of those runs that could have broke for a big play if Tolbert doesn't make a great play. UND has two OL in the second level on LBs, the Griz are outnumbered to the play side, and Diezel and Micah are only guys left between the endzone and the RB.
Amazing play by Tolbert to recover after making contact and get to the shoulder of the Guard, ride the block to the RB from the back side and stop him with one arm free on the play side.
January 23, 2026 at 10:15 PM
Amazing play by Tolbert to recover after making contact and get to the shoulder of the Guard, ride the block to the RB from the back side and stop him with one arm free on the play side.