Grizzlies defeat UC Davis

• Caleb Kidder contributes interception, fumble recovery for Grizzlies
• Chad Chalich overcomes poor start to lead Montana offense

DAVIS, Calif. — The fast-paced, pass-happy University of Montana offense has gotten a lot of publicity this fall.

The Grizzly defense is the unit deserving of notice now.

Defensive linemen Caleb Kidder and Ryan Johnson each had an interception plus a sack as the Grizzlies dispatched the UC Davis Aggies 27-13 Saturday afternoon in a Big Sky Conference game.

Junior quarterback Chad Chalich overcame a slow start to pass for 265 yards and three touchdowns, but it was the defense that truly set the tone as the Grizzlies of coach Bob Stitt improved to 2-0 in Big Sky play and 3-2 overall.

“I loved that the D-Line had two interceptions,” Stitt said in a postgame radio interview. “You bend, but you don’t break. And keep people out the end zone. Offensively, we struggled early but the defense really did a nice job of bailing us out.”

Chalich, the Idaho transfer starting in place of injured starting quarterback Brady Gustafson, completed 29 of 49 passes. Junior receiver Chase Naccarato caught 13 passes for 84 yards, both career highs.

Chalich, who also led the team in rushing with 64 yards on 17 attempts, had touchdown passes of 20 yards to Ben Roberts and 42 yards to Jamaal Jones in the first half to give the Grizzlies a 14-13 lead.

“He moved in the pocket very well and did a lot of nice scrambling,” Stitt said.

He hit Ellis Henderson with a 4-yard TD in the third quarter.

The Aggies (0-5, 0-2) had four turnovers.

The Grizzlies got out of the gate slowly, punting on their first four possessions. Montana went for it on 4th-and-1 on its opening drive but failed, and Davis used a short field en route to a field goal.

The Aggies threatened later in the first quarter, driving to the UM 1-yard line, but a Tyrone Holmes sack on third down forced Davis to settle for another field goal.

Then Chalich heated up. He completed five passes on a 75-yard drive, including a 5-yarder to Jamal Jones on 4th-and-4. Chalich tossed a rainbow to Roberts in the left corner of the end zone, where the former Missoula Sentinel star and Washington State baseball player made a fingertip catch.

Davis answered with a touchdown pass from Ben Scott, giving the Aggies a 13-7 edge. But Chalich connected with Jones on a 42-yard touchdown later in the second quarter as Montana went on top 14-13 at halftime.

The lead could have been extended late in the second stanza when a booming Chris Lider punt was muffed by Davis deep in Aggies’ territory. The Grizzlies took over in the red zone but gave it right back moments later when Chalich fumbled.

Kidder, the 275-pound former Helena Capital defensive tackle who wears Montana’s famous No. 37, picked off a Scott pass early in the third quarter. Holmes provided the heat that caused a wounded duck of a pass. Kidder also recovered a fumble in the game.

Chalich hit Henderson with a 4-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter, then iced the game with a 16-play, 85-yard drive in the fourth quarter capped by true freshman halfback Jeremy Calhoun’s 5-yard run.

Montana returns home to Missoula next week to take on the Weber State Wildcats at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.