Should the Bobcats bench QB Bruggman?
Montana State Quarterback Tyler Bruggman finished last week’s loss to North Dakota with 3 interceptions and a growing chorus of Cat fans calling for him to be replaced. Coach Jeff Choate said this week that Bruggman will get the nod again as the starter as the Cats head down for a game against Sacramento State (0-4). Is Choate making the right call?
Hot Take Nate (Cats fan): I will be in attendance this weekend in Sacramento, and thought for sure I was going to see a new quarterback leading the Bobcats. Cats are going up against a WEAK ASS Sac St team who lost to the team (Western Oregon) the Cats beat by 55. Why not start Murray this week, see what he can do against basically a DII school, and try to get this offense energized.
Jasper Moonshot (Griz fan): Think about how you would feel being Choate, who hasn’t been the head coach before, who feels some personal responsibility for the preparedness of Bruggman and the team. He’s probably thinking his team will leave Sacramento with a W, and that might give Bruggman some needed confidence. Sometimes, a little irrational confidence goes a long way.
Hot Take Nate (Cats fan): I can’t help but wonder if there’s a “loyal to a fault” stuff going on here. Bruggman was Choates big JC transfer and he knew that QB was the biggest thing we needed. Did he tell Bruggman to join the team and know that the starter’s job was his? Does he feel like he’s going back on his word if he hands the reigns to Murray or Folsom?
Jasper Moonshot (Griz fan): The loyalty to a fault thing is interesting. Bruggman is Choate’s first…quarterback. You know how most people hold on to the first girlfriend for too long? If this were a movie, I see the classic scene where he’s in his office alone and it’s late. A single lamp on his desk casts a dim light across the room and he reaches into the bottom drawer of his desk to pull out a tumbler and a medium price blended whisky. He walks over to a record player and carefully places the needle on an album. The First Cut Is the Deepest plays softly, but not the Cat Stevens version, the Sheryl Crow version. Choate drops into his chair, swivels, and picks up a pic of him and Bruggman from his recruiting visit. End scene.
Coach (Cats fan): We’ve seen enough through three games AND Choate saw much more through spring ball and two-a-days. He has to know Bruggie isn’t the answer. However, at this point I trust Choate’s judgement (not based on anything at all) and I feel like he’s being loyal because he has to. Maybe Murray/Folsom/McChesney aren’t capable either. Perhaps he’s just waiting for the Rovig kid from Idaho to get here next year….
Jasper Moonshot (Griz fan): I like calling him Bruggie. It feels good. In another life, I could see myself making a YouTube video called “Team Me How To Bruggie” and it’s just a bunch of kids under-and-over throwing their friends in a park.
Does he deserve a nickname though?
Hot Take Nate (Cats fan): Boogerman is what my dad said some at the tailgates were calling him. I personally like Shruggman, as in the offense so so boring Bobcats fans are becoming apathetic to scoring points
“Eh, we didn’t score any points. BUT CHECK OUT WHAT OUR DEFENSE DID!” “Thanks Shruggman!”
Regardless of where we settle on the nickname, it won’t change the fact that Bruggman is not the QB we need. Choate needs to get Murray in the game against a weak ass team and see if he can get some momentum. Murray can’t regress – he can only get better. I remember when Ash gave the reigns to McGhee and look what we found – an All-Time Bobcat QB. We can’t let Boogerman waste this amazing defensive turnaround.
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