The Montana Grizzlies report to fall camp Thursday with a lot of questions, even at the position that has the most experience and depth. 

Offensive line. 

Four starters return, including Whitefish product Dillon Botner, a senior who thought about hanging up his cleats after making three starts at left tackle on the 2024 squad. It was, after all, his sixth fall spent at UM.  

Liam Brown, Cannon Panfiloff and Cade Klimczak also return from a unit that helped the Grizzlies average 410 yards of offense a game. 

OK, the question: How will this unit gel under its third position coach in three seasons? Cameron Norcross took the job partway into spring drills, replacing Joe Pawlak, who had replaced Chad Germer (now at Eastern Washington) for the 2024 season. Pawlak left for a spot on the Central Michigan staff. 

Norcross is a veteran coach, beginning his college career in 2001 with the Nevada Wolfpack. He also had stops at Fresno State (2012-15), Vanderbilt (2016-19), UNLV (2020-21) and last season at Kennesaw State. 

“Love the new guy,” Botner said at the Big Sky Football Kickoff meetings last month. “Coach Norcross is awesome. Great guy, great coach. He’s going to be good for us, good for the young guys. I think he’s going to get us where we need to go.” 

The Grizzlies were 8-5 a year ago, including a 1-1 mark in the FCS playoffs. When it was over, Botner wasn’t satisfied with how he’d played. During spring drills, with Klimczak thinking retirement, Botner took many snaps at center. Then Klimczak decided to return. 

Now it is unsure where Botner will fit in on a unit that includes: Cal transfer Everett Johnson, a backup at right guard last season; Lucas Frietas, a sophomore who has appeared in 21 games; junior college transfer Carter Bowen; and sophomore right tackle Austin Buehler. 

There are two more DI transfers in Dylan Jemtegaard (Cal) and Patrick Matan (N.C. State).  

“We’ve got some new guys we don’t know yet, but we brought them in because we thought they could play,” Montana coach Bobby Hauck said at the Kickoff. “Some of them are young. Early in the year we’re going to play a lot of guys, like we always do.” 

“I’ll go wherever they want to put me,” Botner said. “I just want to find my way onto the field.” 

“He can play all five spots,” Hauck said of the Whitefish product. “The fact that he can execute the snap of the football - nobody pays attention to that until you don’t get the ball to the quarterback. He had a really good spring. He didn’t work at center exclusively but he did work quite a bit at it, and he was good in there.  

“I’m not sure how that’s going to shake out, but he will play some center.” 

Last year’s unit wasn’t measurably better than the 2023 unit that, it should be mentioned, helped the Grizzlies reach the FCS title game. That year Montana averaged 177 rushing yards and gave up 41 sacks despite a very mobile quarterback. Last season the Griz averaged 166 rushing yards and allowed 29 sacks. 

The first 10 practices of camp (Aug. 9 and 12-16 and 18-20) will be held near Dornblaser Stadium on the South Campus fields and are open to the public and media. Drills begin at approximately 2:30 p.m.  

Practices on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday the following week (Aug. 25-26 and 28) will be held at the Riverbowl and are also open to the public. 

Practices will be closed to media and public Aug. 21-22, Aug. 27, and Aug. 29. All practices are open to Quarterback Club members. 

The first of eight home games is Sept. 6 against Central Washington. Montana was picked to finish second the conference title race by media members around the league and third by the league’s coaches in the Big Sky preseason polls. 

Season tickets to UM’s historic home slate and single game tickets are on sale now at GrizTix.com.