Northwest Montana continues to be represented heavily on the Montana Grizzlies’ football team, even if most of them are youngsters.

The exceptions are a pair of Glacier High products, junior defensive end Henry Nuce and junior receiver Drew Deck. Both have had to work through injuries; both played in January’s Division I Football Championship loss to South Dakota State. 

Nuce seems a shoo-in to start at defensive end this season for the Grizzlies. Deck is getting lots of reps at fall camp, but the three-receiver look the Griz favor has three familiar numbers: 14 (Aaron Fontes), 6 (Keelan White) and 5 (Junior Bergen).  

Deck wears No. 2, and he’s going to play, Montana coach Bobby Hauck said Thursday. 

“Staying healthy is his first order of business,” Hauck said. “He’s missed so much time with shoulder injuries. But he’s worked hard and he’s good with the football in his hands.” 

Deck caught five passes last season, including two against South Dakota State. He spelled Bergen a couple times on punt return, gaining a total of 17 yards.  

Deck also missed four games before found himself traveling to Northern Arizona. That 28-14 loss became a turning point for the Grizzlies’ season. 

“Fast forward a little bit, and I’m playing a lot more late in the season,” Deck said. “Playing in the national championship was fun. Just need to build off that. Staying healthy is the big thing; being able to practice every day.” 

Deck, like Nuce, is a redshirt junior with two years of eligibility left. He’s going to get his business administration degree this fall semester, then wants to head straight into graduate school.  

The Grizzlies, coming off their first outright Big Sky Conference title since 2009, are the pick again this season. Deck wouldn’t have it any other way. 

“This coaching staff — all across the board we’re extremely blessed,” he said. “They know how to win and we came here to win. Winning is expected here and that’s what we’re going to do.” 

Five Glacier grads are on the roster, including redshirt freshman quarterback Gage Sliter and incoming freshman Kash Goicoechea (safety) and Isaac Keim (tight end). 

Hauck was impressed with how Keim came into camp looking physically ready; he noted another freshman, Tommy Running Rabbit out of Browing, “Has one speed: Full.” 

Asked about Libby’s Cy Stevenson, a redshirt freshman linebacker, Hauck was positive. 

“Cy has had a good training camp,” he said. “He’ll get on the field somewhere, in some fashion. I know eventually he’s going to be good.” 

He said much the same about another new Griz: Columbia Falls product Cody Schweikert. 

“He can play a lot of different things, and right now he’s playing quarterback,” Hauck said. “He’s going to decide what he wants to play. He’s talked about playing some linebacker but he’s done a pretty good job at quarterback. 

“We’ll stick with that until he wants to do something else. Whatever he ends up being, he’s got a chance to be pretty good.” 

It will be a waiting game, as it is most of the time for freshmen. 

“Obviously, we’re glad to have these guys here and they’re doing a good job,” Hauck said. “Hopefully they’re not playing much, right away. We have a lot of guys back and you normally don’t have freshmen coming in and beating guys out. But if they do, they do.”