Last spring was decision time for Drew Deck, a senior receiver who had put in his time in the weight room, football offices and classroom at the University of Montana.

At the end of the semester he was going to have his business management degree.  

“I already had my degree and I was ready to be done with school,” the Glacier High product said, smiling. “I was ready to be done.” 

But then he wasn’t: His fiancé, McKinlee Mihelish, still had course work in speech pathology this fall. Plus the Grizzlies lost seven of their top eight pass catchers in 2024.  

And — this is probably the most important — Deck really likes these guys. 

“It was a pretty easy decision,” he said after practice on Tuesday. “We had some unfinished business, the way we ended up last year. There was a lot to come back for. And you just want to come back and play for this staff and the guys in the locker room. It’s been awesome.” 

Going into Saturday’s FCS second round game against visiting South Dakota State, Deck has had easily his most productive season. His 26 catches rank third on the 11-1 Grizzlies; he’s averaged 13.9 yards a catch and taken two in for scores. 

Despite the addition of special teams wizard Michael Wortham from Eastern Washington, Deck carved out a spot as the Grizzlies punt returner: He has averaged 12.6 yards on 19 returns, with a long of 60 against Eastern Washington on Nov. 8. 

It was Eastern receiver Miles Williams that kept Deck from taking it to the paint. 

“Those guys that are on that unit have working real hard,” he said after the game. “It was good to get involved and get an opportunity. It’s a product of a lot of guys trusting their coaching. All 11 — or I guess 10. I’ve got to pick my danged knees up.” 

“I actually think the second punt return was better,” added Griz coach Bobby Hauck, referring to a 6-yarder early in the fourth quarter. “When they were trying to kick it to the boundary and we went there, I think we only had one (tackler) left.” 

Meanwhile Deck had hauled in three passes for 55 yards. His 39-yard reception came one play before Eli Gillman scored on a 25-yard run. 

“Drew did a good job,” Hauck said. “He stayed alive on some scrambles, he did good on the over routes. He just did a really nice job.” 

Drawing an Offer 

It was Hauck who talked to Deck at a Grizzly football camp the summer before his senior season at Glacier. A scholarship offer was made and despite interest from Montana State, Texas State — people may remember Bob Stitt spent one year in San Marcos as offensive coordinator, in 2019 — and others it didn’t take long for him to commit. 

“He was always a Griz,” his dad Arron said this week. “It was kind of Griz, or nothing. “ 

When it was decision time this spring, the younger Deck wasn’t about to de-commit. 

“ ‘I started this, and I want to finish,’ “ his dad said. “We had a brief conversation because he’d already graduated. But his fiancé was in grad school, and it made sense for him to stick around and play. 

“He has a really good relationship with Coach Hauck. Shoot, he loves all those guys.” 

Arron Deck values relationships, including the many built after he and his wife, Kalispell native Rachel, made the move to the Flathead Valley in 2005. 

“Gene Boyle over at St. Matt’s,” he remembered. “Mark Dennehy. I’ve been around Grady Bennett since Day 1. Dr. Erickson, just because Drew broke so many bones. We are friends with Dr. Erickson to this day.” 

The injury list starts with two broken arms (at the same time) and a broken collarbone and it doesn’t end there. 

“Oh no, I had way more than that,” Drew Deck, who has three siblings, said. “We were wild growing up. We put our parents through it. I honestly was in a cast or a boot my entire childhood. I can’t remember all of them. Elbows, ankles. I was prone to it, for sure.” 

Injuries kept him out of four games in 2024, but obviously he’d overcome them before.  

“Probably the biggest thing in his favor is he came from a tough mother.” 

his dad said. “He has a little bit of a tough edge, and that’s where he gets it.” 

End Draws Near 

Deck played in 11 games in 2023 and caught a pair of passes in the Grizzlies’ 23-3 loss to South Dakota State in the FCS title game. It was SDSU that ended Montana’s season last December as well. 

Unfinished business, indeed. An 11-0 start in 2025 has made for a fulfilling final season for the 5-foot-9, 165-pounder. It helps that the new-look Griz — the team lost all 11 defensive starters from last season to go with the turnover in the receiver room — have knitted together. 

Wortham is a great example. 

“He’s the man,” Deck said. “Honestly, it was best case scenario because we’ve learned so much from each other. There’s that competition but at the same time it’s been so much fun.” 

Deck will end up with at least 42 receptions, at least two touchdowns, a couple handfuls of post-graduate credits and another year of memories. It wasn’t just an easy decision; it was the correct one. 

“The brotherhood that you have, it’s just so much fun with these guys,” he said. “Last year we had a great group of guys and this we have a great group of guys. You’re definitely going to miss this one day so I’m very glad that I had people around me to keep my grinding, you know?” 

    Grizzlies punt returner Drew Deck (2) returns a punt 60 yards in the first quarter against Eastern Washington at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 8. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider