This is the final edition of the Montana State football 2024 positional preview from 406 MT Sports and the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. Previously published were breakdowns of the quarterbacks, running backs, tight ends/fullbacks, wide receivers, offensive linemen, defensive linemen, linebackers and defensive backs.
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BOZEMAN — Montana State’s special teams produced some soaring highs and crushing lows in 2023.
Brendan Hall blasted punts and kickoffs deep into the big Montana sky, but he and Casey Kautzman struggled as placekickers, and the season ended on a blocked point-after attempt. The Bobcats returned punts effectively while rarely approaching the kickoff return peak they summited a year earlier, and return coverage was a mixed bag.
MSU players and coaches have seen improvement this offseason, but only games can fully determine if the special teams have reached new heights or remain mired in last year’s depths.
“We were disappointed. Everybody was disappointed that (placekicking) didn’t go the way they wanted it to because it certainly could have,” Hall said July 25. “We certainly have the people who can do it. It just didn’t happen for us. But I’ve seen a lot of work between me, Casey and the other guys this summer.”
Montana State kicker/punter Brendan Hall talks to reporters about the Bobcats’ upcoming fall camp, his strong 2023 season and more on Thursday, July 25, 2024, at the Bobcat Athletic Complex in Bozeman.
For starters
Hall began last season as the first-string placekicker, punter, and kickoff specialist. The SMU transfer led the FCS in net punting (43.65 yards per punt) and kickoff touchbacks (72 on 86 attempts), and MSU didn’t allow any blocked punts or special teams touchdowns. Hall pinned 14 of his 34 punts inside the opposing 20-yard line, induced 10 fair catches and only booted two punts into the end zone.
The Cats were 43rd in punt return defense (6.14 yards per return) and 119th in kickoff return defense (24.62) among 122 FCS programs, but few teams allowed fewer punt returns than MSU (seven), and only Northern Colorado (two) allowed fewer kick returns than MSU (eight).
MSU head coach Brent Vigen called Hall “the best in the country” at kicking off and punting.
“I put a lot of work in this summer, especially with a lot of operations stuff on punt,” Hall said July 25. “I’m prepared to do even better than we did last year.”
Montana State’s Brendan Hall punts against Portland State at Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023.
At placekicker last fall, Hall made his first four field goal attempts and first 13 PATs. He missed both field goal tries and two of four PATs in week four at Weber State, missed both field goals in week eight at Sacramento State and missed both field goals a week later at Idaho, including a 43-yard attempt in the final minute that would’ve tied the game (Hall did make all 20 of his PATs after the Weber game).
Kautzman, who made both field goals he attempted in week three against Stetson, replaced Hall as the starting placekicker after the Idaho game and drilled his first 12 PATs and first two field goals. But the Butte native missed his one field goal try in a loss at Montana and missed both in a second-round playoff loss against North Dakota State. He made all four of his extra point tries going into overtime, but his PAT to extend the game came off low and was blocked.
Kautzman, now a sophomore, remained the first-string placekicker on the fall camp-opening depth chart, with the senior Hall backing him up and potentially coming in for long-range field goal attempts this season, Hall and Vigen have said. Kautzman has shown “significant” progress since the end of last season, according to Vigen.
“Casey’s been relatively consistent through camp,” Vigen said Monday, adding, “I don’t think perfection necessarily is realistic, but consistency (is), and I think we’re getting there.”
