Briefs: Sac State coach fined; Rorie drafted into G League
Daily Inter Lake | Daily Inter-Lake | UPDATED 1 month, 4 weeks AGO
FARMINGTON, Utah — The Big Sky Conference reprimanded and fined Sacramento State football coach Brennan Marion $10,000 Wednesday for comments made about officiating of his team’s games.
Marion was interviewed on Tuesday and in comments that made social media he implied the Sacramento State president Luke Wood’s comments about the FCS being junior varsity-level football have caused his team to be officiated unfairly.
It’s been really disheartening,” Marion said. “Every team we play becomes the most disciplined team in the country and we end up being 10-1 penalties every single game we play. We’ve had eight touchdowns called back, which you know any other program I’ve been with you don’t have to deal with this. It’s usually fair, like five penalties to five penalties or six penalties to six penalties. Unfortunately... people have a human element where they want to make us pay for those comments.”
On Wednesday, the conference sent out a release on the fine and reprimand.
“I want to make it abundantly clear that publicly questioning the integrity of our officials and the Conference Office will not be tolerated,” commissioner Tom Wistrcill said. “Professionalism, integrity, and fairness are the foundation of who we are, and all institutional personnel must recognize the responsibility they carry as examples for our student-athletes, campus communities, and the Big Sky Conference.”
Griz Rorie picked in G League draft
NOBLESVILLE, Ind. — Ahmaad Rorie, a standout guard for the Montana Grizzlies from 2016-19, was selected by the Noblesville Boom in the 2025 NBA G League Draft on Saturday.
Rorie was the 53rd selection in the draft; the Boom are set to start their first season in the 31-team NBA G League on Nov. 7 with a game at Grand Rapids.
He was a two-time first-team all-Big Sky selection after transferring from Oregon, and scored 1,643 points in 98 games (16.5 per game) with UM. Rorie spent last season playing with S.L. Benfica in Portugal.
Ex-Griz McDowell guides Dresden into GFL Bowl
Former Montana Grizzlies’ quarterback Clifton McDowell, starting in place of the injured Justin Miller, threw for 291 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Dresden Monarchs over Ravensburg 31-24 on Sept. 27, pushing the Monarchs into the German Football Bowl.
McDowell, who also ran for a TD against Ravensburg, did not play in the GFL title game, which the Potsdam Royals won 33-23 on Oct. 11 for their third straight championship.
Miller, who played at Southern Utah, threw 224 yards and two touchdowns in the loss; Xeaiver Bullock out of Lake Erie State threw for 272 yards and three TDs for the Royals, who outscored Dresden 17-0 the second half.
On Oct. 25 McDowell, who led the 2023 Griz to the FCS title game, took to Twitter/X and said: “NCAA let me down big time, so I went overseas to ball instead. ... I had the time of my life and made a name for myself in a different country, not too many can say they’ve been to a national championship in 2 countries!”
McDowell played for six colleges, including Kilgore (Junior) College, in six seasons from 2019-2024. He entered the transfer portal soon after UM’s loss in the FCS title game and played for McNeese State in 2024.