MISSOULA — Montana's offense has the potential to be one of, if not the, best in the FCS this season. But for that to happen it'll need high production from the players on the wall of defense along the offensive line.
After all, everyone in football will tell you it all starts up front.
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Last year Montana's offensive line paved the way for a record-setting season on that side of the ball. But the Griz return zero starters from that group in 2026 and have a new leader, so it's a puzzle veteran offensive line coach Brent Myers must now solve.
"So I've been through it a couple times and it has its frustrations because kids are learning," Myers said. "Things that were automatic with your older kids are not so automatic until they get the reps that they need. So I've been through it before. It's good."
Highlighted in this year's group are tackles and Montana natives Austin Buehler of Helena and Torin Jeske of Bozeman, who have starred in camp and are set to lead this new-look group.
Do-it-all lineman Lucas Freitas, a fourth-year player, brings the most playing experience back to this year's group, along with Dylan Jemtegaard, who received a waiver this offseason to return to Montana.
"Jemtegaard's got a lot of experience and then we got a few transfers who bring some new perspectives in and a lot of new young guys who are just ready, really wanting to play," Buehler said.
Key transfers in the mix include UNLV product Dyllan Drummond, San Diego transfer Jack D'Ambra, and Carroll College All-American Wyatt Sandford.
Beyond that, Myers delivered high praise for sophomore Kaikoa Kanakaole. And guys like Matt Hilden and Carter Bowan have all been vying for reps.
"I tell the kids, make it hard on me because then I know you're competing against each other and we're going to have hopefully a minimum of two deep everywhere, which I would love to be able to go into a game with 10 guys that can play," Myers said.
"Now, can we get there? Maybe. We'll see. But I guarantee the 'want' is there, you know, because they all want to make the bus. There's no question about it. So it's kind of cool."
And Myers' messages have been hitting home.
"Physicality for sure," Jeske said. "In spring it's hard to be super into it and be physical when you don't have a game coming up and so I think we've done a lot better being physical, opening gaps, being physical at the D-line."
There's a lot of unknowns in that position group, and with so many weapons on offense this new line's cohesion is paramount to what the Griz can achieve.
"Repetitions are the mother of all learning," Myers said. "I always try to teach them the who, the how and the why, which is really super important. And I think they've really developed an attitude of knowing exactly what they're seeing and why they're seeing it. And the more reps you get, the better off you are."
Griz 2026 offensive linemen
No. 55, Austin Buehler, SR, 6-foot-5, 295 pounds, Helena, MT
No. 60, Wyatt Sandford, 5th, 6-foot-4, 298 pounds, Coeur D'Alene, ID
No. 61, Lincoln Hoefer, SO, 6-foot-6, 306 pounds, Everson, WA
No. 62, Lincoln Senter, FR, 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, Great Falls, MT
No. 63, Kaikoa Kanakaole, SO, 6-foot-5, 295 pounds, Kapa'a, HI
No. 64, Matt Hilden, JR, 6-foot-6, 304 pounds, Santa Rosa, CA
No. 65, Dylan Jemtegaard, GR, 6-foot-4, 296 pounds, Yelm, WA
No. 66, Ezra Meyer, SO, 6-foot-5, 292 pounds, Missoula, MT
No. 68, Torin Jeske, JR, 6-foot-6, 295 pounds, Bozeman, MT
No. 69, Trevor Steinbach, JR, 6-foot-5, 300 pounds, Sammamish, WA
No. 70, Josiah West, FR, 6-foot-6, 317 pounds, Prosser, WA
No. 71, Quinlan Hyatt, SO, 6-foot-7, 295 pounds, Spokane, WA
No. 72, Jack D'Ambra, GR, 6-foot-3, 303 pounds, Wildomar, CA
No. 74, Owen Liechti, FR, 6-foot-7, 250 pounds, Ankeny, IA
No. 75, Dyllan Drummond, JR, 6-foot-4, 315 pounds, Tyler, TX
No. 76, Campbell Vandiver, SR, 6-foot-8, 285 pounds, Nashville, TN
No. 77, Carter Bowen, SR, 6-foot-7, 305 pounds, Dawson, MN
No. 78, Lucas Freitas, SR, 6-foot-6, 310 pounds, Snoqualmie, WA
