by It’s a special feeling playing inside the confines of Washington-Grizzly Stadium, which the University of Montana Grizzlies did for the first time this season on Saturday. The excitement rises to another level when the lights go on. Montana, in the lone night game of the season at home, got better as the game went along against the North Alabama Lions, winning the second half 45-0 on its way to an emphatic 61-17 victory on a warm Saturday evening in Missoula.
The win extends Montana’s streak in home openers to 16, although it didn’t look like a sure thing for much of the first half. A resilient UNA team gave the Grizzlies fits in the first half and had a lead at the break, but the defense pitched a second-half shutout to go along with countless highlights from the offense and special teams for the dominant victory from head coach Bobby Hauck and the Grizzlies.
Montana threw for nearly 300 yards and ran for 234, picking up 34 first downs along the way. The Grizzlies wore down the Lions, running nearly 90 plays. It all came down to the second half, however, as Montana outgained the Lions 304-66 and scored 45 unanswered points.
There was a special feeling in the air the first time that Jerry Louie-McGee stepped back to field a punt. Chants of, “Jerry, Jerry, Jerry!” erupted from the student section. By the end of the night, the entire stadium was cheering his name. On his first return, he busted off a 36-yard return to set up Montana’s first touchdown of the game.
Then on return number two, Louie-McGee went 29 yards and set up another Montana touchdown. But on the third return, he brought the house down. Louie-McGee weaved his way through the North Alabama coverage, scoring on a 74-yard punt return, the third of his career.
Oh, and he also caught seven passes for 78 yards, bringing his all-purpose yards to 228. Not a bad night for “Mr. Electricity.”
“It’s unreal. When you’re out there, I stay focused and watch the ball, but it’s pretty humbling,” Louie-McGee said of the crowd’s support. “It’s a blessing that it’s possible. I appreciate the fans and all that comes with that.”
He scored one touchdown, but his coach thought he had a chance to find the end zone on the first two as well. Both Hauck and Louie-McGee credited the special teams unit in the post-game press conference.
“I thought he was going to get the first or second one. He had some space and had two really nice returns in the first half,” Hauck said. “The guys on that team really believe in him, so they work hard for him. Our mantra on that team is hard work equals real estate, and we had a lot of real estate tonight.”
The seven catches also pull Louie-McGee just three receptions away from breaking the all-time Montana record, currently held by Raul Pacheco at 192. But it wasn’t something he was thinking about Saturday night.
“I don’t care about records, especially during the game. The only thing on my mind is getting a win and playing hard,” Louie-McGee said. “If it happens, then it happens. I’ll appreciate it, but I’m just playing snap-by-snap.”
Way to go Jerry proud of you nephew