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Justin Roper is on his second college in four years, having landed in Missoula to play football for the Montana Grizzlies after Oregon changed coaches and philosophies and, it appears, quarterbacks.

Roper, a native of Buford, Ga., is taking the change of scenery well, trying his hand at the Grizzlies' summer 7-on-7 workouts, learning the offense at the elbow of holdover QB Andrew Selle.

If a certain amount of awkwardness seems a given - Selle appeared the heir apparent to three-year starter Cole Bergquist before the transfer - Roper denies it.


“I think there's a lot of room there for misconceptions,” he said. “Andrew Selle, he's been very nice about it, and has helped me out. That's what speaks so well for the program here.”

Roper rooms with Montana's Palmer twins - receiver Ty and defensive end Jace - and receiver Sam Gratton. He's learning as much as he can before the Grizzlies' fall camp opens Aug. 10. He's genial and seems to be having a good time. He's floated either the Blackfoot or the Clark Fork four times already.


http://missoulian.com/articles/2009/07/ ... orts01.txt

That QB battle, and outcome, will go a long ways to determining how good the Griz end up.

If handled wrong, could end up splitting the team.

I think Roper has a lot of potential. Hopefully, for the integrity of the staff, Hauck meant what he said. There's a lot of schools <COUGHsamCOUGH> that would chomp at the bit for a FBS transfer QB and would start him immediately.

I have spoken with one of the assistant coaches and he was saying that both Roper and Selle are both coming along nicely. Selle has a better sense of the playbook, but experience is lacking a bit from not playing much in highschool. Roper on the other hand is in crash course playbook learning ( but everybody on the staff, team included are helping him out. Which I think is good.) but can throw some simply amazing passes.

The fall scrimmages will show what both of these guys have. Selle will probably start the first game but I wouldn't say that Roper wouldn't get a couple series right out of halftime.

Regardless of who starts, I want the GRIZ to put games in hand early. I want to see Gerald Kemp get some snaps. I pray he gets his fair chance in 2011. Until then, just find him some time anywhere on the field.

mtgrizfan4life wrote:Regardless of who starts, I want the GRIZ to put games in hand early. I want to see Gerald Kemp get some snaps. I pray he gets his fair chance in 2011. Until then, just find him some time anywhere on the field.

It ain't gonna hurt my feelings too much if Kemp doesn't get a lot of time this year on the field though if he doesn't. We are fairly loaded it would appear at the skill positions. It would be nice but if not I ain't gonna question it at all.

I'm glad Roper is here, and from all I've heard, this guy is nothing but legit.

I was thinking about our loss to Richmond in the National Championship game, and wondered if there would really be a question on who our starting QB would be if Selle, after coming in for an injured Bergquist, had played the game of his life, and caused the Griz to win flag #3?

I was disappointed, and sad that we lost the NC, but even more disappointed, and sadder that we didn't play UNI in Chattanooga!