Game 5
Montana Tech (1-3) vs. Montana State Northern (0-4)
Saturday, October 2, 2021
1:00 p.m.
Tilleman Field
Havre, Montana

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Last Time
· Montana Tech last played Montana State Northern on September 28, 2019
· The Orediggers defeated the Lights 42-0 in Havre
· The Orediggers had 475 yards of total offense
· Jet Campbell went 10 for 18 for 180 yards and 3 touchdowns
· Blake Counts rushed 25 times for 155 yards and a touchdown
· Linebacker Carter Myers returned an interception 48 yards for a touchdown
· The interception was the last pick-six by the Orediggers
· The game was the last shutout pitched by the Oredigger defense

For the Record
· Montana Tech Head Coach Kyle Samson is in his first year of competition after being named head coach in January of 2020
· This weekend's game is the first time Coach Samson returns to Havre to face his alma mater Montana State Northern
· Samson was a three-time all-conference selection for the Lights and was named the Frontier Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2006
· Samson finished his career for MSU Northern with 5,303 yards passing, 1,591 yards rushing, and 45 total touchdowns
· Coach Samson was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under his father and head coach Mark Samson from 2007-14
· Samson was inducted into the Lights Hall of Fame this past summer
· The Orediggers have not lost to the Lights in 8 games dating back to October 18, 2014 in a 37-34 loss in Havre

Checking the Numbers
· The Orediggers are averaging 23.3 points per game and 366.3 yards of offense
· The Orediggers are averaging 238 yards passing and 128.3 yards rushing
· The Oredigger defense is allowing 32.8 points and 436.8 yards a game
· The Orediggers defense is allowing 246 yards passing and 190.8 yards rushing
· The Lights are averaging 19.3 points and 323.3 yards of offense a game
· The Lights are averaging 139.8 yards passing and 183.5 yards rushing a game
· The Lights defense is allowing 39.3 points and 440.8 yards per game
· The Lights defense is allowing 234.8 yards passing and 206 yards rushing a game
 
Scouting the Lights — The Lights have lost their first four games this season but they have made their opponents work for the wins. Rocky Mountain needed a game winning drive last weekend to keep the Lights out of the win column. Northern wide receiver Dylan Vongphach pushed the Light's ahead 28-24 when he rattled off a 39 yard touchdown run with 3:59 to go in the game. Rocky's Nathan Dick topped off a game winning drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to seal the victory.  
 
Redshirt junior quarterback Kaymen Cureton leads the Lights offense averaging 139.8 yards by air and 60.5 yards on the ground. Sophomore running back Isayah Boss is averaging 90 yards rushing and has 4 total touchdowns on the season. The Lights defense is led by junior linebacker Dylan Wampler who is averaging 8.8 tackles per game.
 
Offensive Production Increase—The Oredigger offense is starting to roll. The Oredigger offense averaged 277.5 yards and 20.5 points in their first two outings. In the last two games, Tech is averaging 455 yards of offense and 25 points per game.
 
Big Game—Junior wide receiver Kiley Caprara tuned in a career day last week. The Butte native caught career highs  in both 12 receptions and 188 yards receiving averaging 15.7 yards per catch. Caprara nearly broke the school record for receptions set by Chris Kelly in 2017 when he caught 14 passes. Caprara's previous career mark was 7 receptions against Southern Oregon in 2019.
 
Finding the Endzone—Redshirt freshman wide receiver Kyle Torgerson has a nose for the endzone. The Great Falls native has caught a touchdown in each of the last three games including an 11-yard score last week against Montana Western. Torgerson has 11 receptions for 215 yards on the season and leads the team in touchdown catches with 3.
 
Young Linebacker—Redshirt freshman Cole Wyant continues to impress early in his career.  Wyant leads the team in tackles with 29 this season averaging 7.3 a game. The California native finished with 9 tackles against the Bulldogs last week including a tackle for a loss.
 
First Pickings—Redshirt freshman defensive back Kade Wilcox grabbed his first interception of his career last Saturday. The Billings, Montana native intercepted a pass in the first quarter against Western last week. Wilcox also broke up two passes and finished with a career high 3 tackles.
 
Double Tap—Sophomore running back Blake Counts found the endzone twice last week. The Flathead High School product scored on a 4-yard run in the first quarter and a 1-yard push in the fourth. The two-score effort was the first of the season for Counts who now has 3 rushing touchdowns on the season. Counts had 8 touchdowns during his freshman campaign in 2019.