MISSOULA — Offensive line has seen plenty of change with the Montana Grizzlies the past couple of years, and for the offense to be successful in 2025 it will all have to start with the guys up front.
With a deep running back room, a budding QB situation and new faces at tight end and wide receiver, should UM's offensive line find success it could be the tide that raises all boats.
It's a position group that contains a mix of experience levels, both at Montana and elsewhere.
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"I definitely think grit is one of them because even if we start out having a bad day of practice, we will start building up," senior Liam Brown said. "We will build each other up, build momentum and we won't stop until we get where we need to be that day."
Brown at left guard returns as the biggest and most decorated vet of the group with 28 career starts under his belt, and he's joined on the left side by tackle Cannon Panfiloff who has 15 career starts.
Dillon Botner has slid over to center after playing a lot last year in a return from injury as he was granted another year of eligibility. Botner appeared in 13 games last year and started in three at left tackle.
Then, Everett Johnson, who joined the Griz last year from Cal, has been at right tackle, with NC State transfer Patrick Matan taking over duties at right guard.
"It's really good because when you got that much experience and then guys that you know and you've been with for a long time, it's like, you don't got to think twice about trusting him," Panfiloff said.
"I know Liam's got my back there at left guard or Everett's got whoever's at right tackle. It's like we just been playing so much ball together. We know that we can trust everyone on that line."
The line has its third coach in three years with Cameron Norcross leading the way.
Rounding out the depth are some other experienced players like center Cade Klimczak, who also was granted another year of eligibility, while young talents like Lucas Freitas, Colin Amick and Austin Buehler all appear ready to fill into the rotation.
"It's good to see them filling in those roles because they've been here," Brown said. "They've basically been raised from their true freshman year, leading the Montana way. And so they know what it takes to be a Montana Griz."
Should the line find its cohesion with this mix of talent, the rest of the offense flourishes. So it's about honing that in ahead of Montana's opener against Division II Central Washington on Sept. 6.
"It does start with us up front and then we've got that great running back room and they make our jobs a lot easier," Panfiloff said. "And then we got a lot of young guys kind of in the skill positions, but we brought in some guys and those young guys are stepping up kind of into an almost like a veteran role. And I think they're doing really well with that."
Griz offensive linemen on the 2025 roster by number
No. 55, Austin Buehler, R-SO, 6-foot-5, 285 pounds, Helena, MT
No. 60, Dillon Botner, GR, 6-foot-6, 280 pounds, Whitefish, MT
No. 61, Lincoln Hoefer, FR, 6-foot-6, 279 pounds, Everson, WA
No. 62, Everett Johnson, R-SR, 6-foot-7, 290 pounds, Turlock, CA
No. 63, Kaikoa Kanakaole, FR, 6-foot-5, 335 pounds, Kapa'a, HI
No. 64, Matt Hilden, R-FR, 6-foot-6, 309 pounds, Santa Rosa, CA
No. 65, Dylan Jemtegaard, R-SR, 6-foot-4, 281 pounds, Yelm, WA
No. 66, Ezra Meyer, FR, 6-foot-5, 290 pounds, Missoula, MT
No. 68, Torin Jeske, R-FR, 6-foot-6, 271 pounds, Bozeman, MT
No. 69, Cannon Panfiloff, R-SR, 6-foot-6, 294 pounds, Roy, UT
No. 70, Colin Amick, R-FR, 6-foot-6, 292 pounds, Sammamish, WA
No. 71, Quinlan Hyatt, FR, 6-foot-7, 285 pounds, Spokane, WA
No. 72, Cade Klimczak, GR, 6-foot-1, 285 pounds, Rockford, MI
No. 73, Trevor Steinbach, R-FR, 6-foot-5, 300 pounds, Sammamish, WA
No. 74, Tate Templeton, R-SO, 6-foot-3, 290 pounds, Missoula, MT
No. 75, Jose Balver-Mendonza, R-FR, 6-foot-5, 287 pounds, Athens, GA
No. 76, Patrick Matan, GR, 6-foot-4, 295 pounds, Chevy Chase, MD
No. 77, Carter Bowen, JR, 6-foot-7, 318 pounds, Dawson, MN
No. 78, Lucas Freitas, R-SO, 6-foot-6, 318 pounds, Snoqualmie, WA
No. 79, Liam Brown, R-SR, 6-foot-5, 316 pounds, Beaverton, OR
