Big Sky Conference Media Day: Takeaways from Spokane

The Big Sky football season is almost here, and our crew is breaking down everything they learned from the 2026 Big Sky Conference Football Media Day in Spokane, Washington.

Host Luke Schmit is joined by Daily Inter Lake Sports Editor Fritz Neighbor, Coeur d'Alene Press Sports Editor Mark Nelke and Columbia Basin Herald Sports Reporter Mike Maynard after a full day of interviews with coaches and players from across the conference. The panel discusses Montana's new era under Bobby Hauck's successor, Montana State's continued dominance, Idaho's offseason improvements, Eastern Washington's optimism, Idaho State's potential as a dark horse, Portland State's new coaching staff, Northern Arizona's expectations and what the additions of Southern Utah and Utah Tech could mean for the conference.

The group also shares behind-the-scenes impressions from conversations with Brent Vigen, Bobby Hauck's successor, Aaron Best, Jason Eck's replacement, Cody Hawkins and other coaches while discussing quarterback battles, transfer portal additions, offensive line depth, preseason favorites, breakout players and early-season games that could shape the Big Sky title race.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:40

Let's not waste any time. Let's get right into it.

SPEAKER_03 0:43

Fritz. And Marcus says your first big sky kickoff. This is me and Mike's Fritz, what did you take away from this weekend? Maybe that's something that's different for once or something like that.

SPEAKER_01 0:52

You know, um, I talked with Coach Kennedy for a while, and uh, you know, he's pretty excited about his receiving core. You know, he's a was a receiver's coach for decades before he ascended to the head coaching spot. And, you know, he brought up Bridget Smith, who's a glacier kid who could figure into uh revamp receiving core. Um you know, they they got the Brooks kid back, but uh they got some holes holes to fill and and one of them is Michael Wortham. You know, where do you find another guy like that? Um the guy the Prem P is called a unicorn back in the spring. Um but he would love to find you know a big player player like that. Um Eli Gilman was part of the contingent along with Peyton Wing, the Portland State Transfer, and uh um talked with Gilman a little bit about his recruiting process, how how badly he wanted to be an India shoe bison at one point until uh till the grids came along. And um, you know, I think uh I think it's a pretty exciting time in in Missoula, you know. It's a new regime. Um Bobby Kennedy's a pretty uh open open guy, you know, pretty engaging. Yeah. Um there's a lot to be excited about there, you know, having their quarterback back, having Eli Gillman back, um retooling the defense a little bit, see how that goes. You know, and then we uh we talked uh you talked to the Dallas twins, I talked to uh Coach Vegan, um, we always seem to come back to the offensive line and Bozeman. It's always good. And um I I think I knew and then forgot that they lost yet another really good alignment to the transfer portal. Um but yeah, they just seem to always just reload, you know. They don't never have to rebuild these days uh up front there. They just reload and and uh between Zimmer, Braden Zimmer, and Titan Fleischmann you know, they've got the tackles covered at the very least. So you know every shoes just loaded. I mean, we all saw the preseason all-big sky team, and it's just left and right, Bobcat, blue and gold. So big things are still gonna be happening in in Bozeman.

SPEAKER_03 2:52

They're still gonna be the favorite until someone knocks them off. Mark, I know you talked to many coaches today, many players. What were your takeaways?

SPEAKER_00 2:58

Yeah, like talking to Idaho, I know they were a little disappointed how last year went. I know part of it was Joshua Wood missing two or three games with an injury, and they were pretty inexperienced after kind of got ravaged in the portal. Um, they got those receivers got another got a year of experience last year, and he he after the spring ball, he brought in three more receivers. So he needed more experience, brought in a second quarterback in case something happens to Joshua because they kind of have a big gap between Wood and maybe the experience level of the other kids. He brought in three deep defensive backs because they needed a little more depth on defense. So I think they're gonna be better than than they were last year. But you know, we'll see. There's a lot of good teams, obviously, with uh Montanas and UC Davis and now Eastern.

SPEAKER_03 3:49

How about anything from Idaho State? I saw you were there also for a while. What did you pick up from them?

SPEAKER_00 3:53

Yeah, I mean, they're you know, they got a lot of guys back, but you know, um Cody talked about they also lost a lot of guys. They lost almost all of their linemen, as and so that's something, you know, that people on the outside don't notice that you lose all your linemen, you know. But if you're watching football, you kind of need your linemen. You don't notice them until they're not blocking, you know, you're not blocking, they're not running and stuff like that. So they and they lost some pretty good receivers. So we'll see. They they still have Cook and they still have Brooks at running back and stuff like that. That might be the only two returning starters they have on offense, and so their defense will be a little bit better, but you know, and they they finished strong last year, and so they're gonna be, you know, people aren't gonna look past them this year.

SPEAKER_03 4:41

No, no, some are saying the dark horse of the big sky potentially. Mike, talk to me. You talked to the eastern Washington players and coaches. You know, what did you hear from them?

SPEAKER_04 4:49

Yeah, uh, starting with Coach Best, um, he's very optimistic but cautious about the upcoming season. Um, it feels like they addressed a lot of their needs, especially on the defensive side of the ball. They lost a lot of players, a lot of contributors. Um, feel like a lot of those things were addressed. Um, but it is a big sky, still challenging. They got to go out and prove it is sort of his sense sentiment. But spring ball seemed pretty good pretty strong. Everybody's um seems gelled pretty well. Um, Malik Dotson's here, um, running back who played one game last year um and then missed the rest of the season with a foot injury. Um he's he's amped up to get back on the field, is excited to play one more year as an Eagle. Um, and then we got Isaiah Perez, who's a big sky preseason All-American, um looking to, you know, create an identity on defense. Um, you know, call them the Joy Boys is what it was. He's like it's a successful year uh if we're out there having fun and just wreaking havoc on the in the trenches. So yeah, they all of them feel pretty excited about the upcoming season.

SPEAKER_03 5:48

We also have two additions to the big sky we saw today. Southern Utah, Utah Tech are here. Did you any of you guys have a chance? Did you guys have any conversations? I myself didn't. No, no, that but they're they're an addition.

SPEAKER_01 6:00

But I, you know, I it did come up when I talked to Coach Kennedy because that's who they opened with, and it's a conference game. And I think Southern Utah has been seven to five three straight years. They did lose a really good running back, so it's maybe a positive for uh the Grizz preparation, but they're gonna be good, and that's a tough test right at the gate for Bob K Bobby Kennedy in his first game.

SPEAKER_03 6:19

Yeah, yep, and the Bobcats go down to Utah Tech for their first game. So both Montana teams will have that first.

SPEAKER_04 6:26

I like a lot. They played a lot of big sky teams in non-conference play last year, and they got a lot, gave a lot of those teams a run for their money. So I wouldn't be surprised if they're, you know, competing pretty well the first season officially in the conference.

SPEAKER_03 6:36

That's for sure. And when we start doing our pick segment, I feel like one of those teams is gonna cause a thorn on who if you can pick up that upset and they start getting hot. I feel like that's the winner this year, but we'll see if it happens. Me personally, uh, as you said, yeah, I interviewed the Dowler brothers, was more than impressed with them and how kind and nice they are. And I mean, they just they're just ordinary guys, you know. They they didn't say they were anything special. They said it themselves, quote, they said they're not cool guys. So they were trying to, you know, explain it's all about the team, and I thought that was really cool. And then Coach Vegan, you know, he gave his his classic answers of just staying on top and working hard. I thought it was pretty typical from him. He looks like to do it again for another year. Uh, one thing I'm gonna ask you, Mike, is when we're talking going back to Eastern this year, did you ask about any health concerns at all?

SPEAKER_04 7:24

Um, well, certainly staying healthy is a point of emphasis. Um, that's kind of the the cautious side of everything because last year they did face those those issues, especially in that quarterback room. It seemed like it just nonstop. Yeah, so but um they feel really uh optimistic about Nate Bell. Um dual threat quarterback um has really really came on last year, and uh Coach Best had a lot of high praise for him, saying he's kind of mature beyond his years, uh, which makes him really fun to coach as well.

SPEAKER_03 7:52

Fritz, did you have uh anything else you picked up or anywhere anything else on your insight?

SPEAKER_01 7:56

Oh, I I uh stuck over and talked to Chris Fisk, the new coach of Portland State. There's a lot of new coaches in this league, uh, in addition to the two new teams. And uh but I had to ask him about Jackson Presley, who's a glacier grad who uh in a roundabout way uh wound up with Portland State. And uh, you know, the thing that meant Fisk mentioned, Coach Fisk, is that in December didn't he was a kid that they didn't think they had a chance at, but then they ended up with them. And he's one of he's gonna be one of four quarterbacks in camp. And who knows, he might uh you might have as good a shot as anybody because you know we all saw it in Cal Swell. He can play.

SPEAKER_03 8:29

He could play, he could definitely play. And on that team, there's opportunities to play. So that'd be something we're watching out this year. How about you, Mark? Anything else you took away before we get off to our lunch here?

SPEAKER_00 8:38

Well, too much. I talked to Aaron Best too a little bit, went asked him who his quarterback was. He said it was Nate Bell, which is I kind of wondered about that because he's a dual threat, but kind of more of a runner. And and the other guy, Jake, that took his place when he got hurt, is more of obviously a passer. So it's an interesting dynamic to have. He he kind of wants to make it where it's not as it's not as dramatic a shift if they have to use one or the other and stuff like that. So we might not see Bell run as much as we did last year because that's kind of what you know, we've talked about what happens with running quarterbacks. It's kind of like dogs who chase cars. So we'll we'll see how that goes. And you know, Bell's got to be able to throw it, otherwise, you know, it they don't want him to run as much. He's got to be a passing threat. Otherwise, they might as well they can go to Jake as their quarterback.

SPEAKER_03 9:33

Yeah, it's and speaking of passing, uh the last one I'll bring up, I got to catch up with Ty Pennington for Northern Arizona. Uh, he talked about, you know, last year's what not what they wanted. They had some games really not go their way. And really, especially their coach was talking, you know, there there wasn't just the click on offense and defense. So this year they're all about synergy and making sure the team's together in the offseason. I thought Ty was was really adamant about that. And he did not care about his play last year. He said, we still lost. A loss is a loss no matter what I do. So I thought it was cool to have him take that leadership this year into that role. Um, other than that, though, uh Mike, did you have anything else last to add?

SPEAKER_04 10:09

I guess an additional thing to add for Eastern Washington. There's the their first game of the year is against Northern Arizona on the road. So real uh best things, it's kind of a situation where it puts a lot of pressure and stakes pretty high early on in the season to get off to a fast start. I mean, to open open the season with the win in the in the conference. I mean, no better way to start than that. So um they're they're excited to go out and prove that they're gonna be one of the top teams in the in the conference.

SPEAKER_01 10:33

Yeah, week zero is suddenly a huge week.

SPEAKER_03 10:36

Yeah, week zero changes for all the teams. But yeah, overall, I think it was a great weekend. We're gonna get off to our lunch here, but I really appreciate all three of these guys sitting down with me today. We had a lot of fun and a lot of conversations. We will be back in the middle of August for our regular episodes. And uh stay tuned. We're gonna have some new stuff coming. So thank you for tuning in this episode of Big Sky Now.