Myles Sansted
CATS IN CAMP DAY #12: O-Line Takes Shape as Sansted Lands on Mitchell Watch List
8/12/2026 8:30:00 PM | Football
Bobcats return to grass fields for Wednesday practice
After a year unlike any other in Montana State football history, the Bobcats prepare for the 2026 season beginning with the first preseason practice on July 30 and culminating with the season opener at Utah Tech on August 29.
THE STRAIGHT SKINNY: The Bobcats moved back to the grass intramural fields for Wednesday's practice, which featured live 11-on-11 work.
"More live work today, not a ton, but it was very competitive," MSU head coach Brent Vigen said. We put guys in situations to see who can make plays, and we did a fair amount of technical work today, too."
Wednesday marked a turning of the corner for the Cats, the middle day of the week leading to the team's only scrimmage and the midway point of preseason camp. "We're right at the midpoint, this is the 12th practice. Ultimately, we get 25 practices and the last one's really glorified walk through, and I think our consistency is what shows up."
Vigen said he's seen the same group at each of the first 12 practices. "We haven't had a bad day," he said. "Now, I don't think we've practiced as well as any of us think we can, but that's what you're chasing, so I feel good about where we're at a couple weeks in."
FRED MITCHELL WATCH LIST: Montana State fifth-year kicker Myles Sansted earned mention on the Fred Mitchell Award Preseason Watch List. The Fred Mitchell Award goes to the top kicker in college football below the FBS level.
THE BEST FIVE: Very few starting position battles remain as Montana State's preseason camp passes the midway point, but the interior offensive line is one of them.
With Aiden Kaplan remaining "pretty steady at center," according to head coach Brent Vigen, and Burke Mastel settling in at one guard spot, the other guard position remains a competition between Everett Carr and Dylan Rollins. "Everett Carr and Dylan Rollins are essentially fighting for that fifth spot. These next eight days, I suppose, will be really important to sorting that out. Whether we ultimately land on a starting five or we want to rotate a little bit, I think that's still out there for us (to decide)."
As it has through Vigen's previous five seasons at MSU, assembling an offensive line amounts to getting the five best performers on the field. "I want to play the most talented, ready-to-go guys," said second-year offensive line coach Matt Smith. "If you can make it into the top three, great. But let's say you're the fourth best, and if you can only play one position, you've got to wait 'til that guy goes down. Or what if the next-best guy is the left guard, but the center goes down? I want to be able to move our starting left guard, potentially, to center to be able to fit that (next-best) guy in."
The ripples of that philosophy spread through the entire line. In 2024, Titan Fleischmann earned All-America honors at right tackle. Due to injuries and other factors, he moved to guard last year. Again, he earned All-America honors. This season, he returns to right tackle. Starting center JT Reed, previously a guard, anchored MSU's line at center a season ago, in response to an injury to Mastel in the days before the season opener.
"It's extremely important for the guards to be able to play both left and right, at a minimum, and hopefully to snap (at center)," Smith said, adding that it doesn't just help the team. "You add more value to yourself when you can play more than one position."
A standout, multi-year starting center at Fresno State, Smith uses a holistic teaching approach. "You have to teach everybody as if they're a center, and then as if they know all five positions," he said. "If I'm the left guard, I should still know what the right tackle has to do on this play. You have to know the whole picture to understand why you have to do what we're asking you to do. Why do I have this leverage? Why am I doing this when they're double-teaming over there? Even when something's not in the playbook, it's important to understand because then you know how to adjust."
ONE QUICK QUOTE: "It was good to be on the grass again, because of the space and the surface. We're grateful for that opportunity."
-Montana State head coach Brent Vigen
COMING UP: Montana State is scheduled to practice on the grass practice field at 9:25 am on Thursday.
THE STRAIGHT SKINNY: The Bobcats moved back to the grass intramural fields for Wednesday's practice, which featured live 11-on-11 work.
"More live work today, not a ton, but it was very competitive," MSU head coach Brent Vigen said. We put guys in situations to see who can make plays, and we did a fair amount of technical work today, too."
Wednesday marked a turning of the corner for the Cats, the middle day of the week leading to the team's only scrimmage and the midway point of preseason camp. "We're right at the midpoint, this is the 12th practice. Ultimately, we get 25 practices and the last one's really glorified walk through, and I think our consistency is what shows up."
Vigen said he's seen the same group at each of the first 12 practices. "We haven't had a bad day," he said. "Now, I don't think we've practiced as well as any of us think we can, but that's what you're chasing, so I feel good about where we're at a couple weeks in."
FRED MITCHELL WATCH LIST: Montana State fifth-year kicker Myles Sansted earned mention on the Fred Mitchell Award Preseason Watch List. The Fred Mitchell Award goes to the top kicker in college football below the FBS level.
THE BEST FIVE: Very few starting position battles remain as Montana State's preseason camp passes the midway point, but the interior offensive line is one of them.
With Aiden Kaplan remaining "pretty steady at center," according to head coach Brent Vigen, and Burke Mastel settling in at one guard spot, the other guard position remains a competition between Everett Carr and Dylan Rollins. "Everett Carr and Dylan Rollins are essentially fighting for that fifth spot. These next eight days, I suppose, will be really important to sorting that out. Whether we ultimately land on a starting five or we want to rotate a little bit, I think that's still out there for us (to decide)."
As it has through Vigen's previous five seasons at MSU, assembling an offensive line amounts to getting the five best performers on the field. "I want to play the most talented, ready-to-go guys," said second-year offensive line coach Matt Smith. "If you can make it into the top three, great. But let's say you're the fourth best, and if you can only play one position, you've got to wait 'til that guy goes down. Or what if the next-best guy is the left guard, but the center goes down? I want to be able to move our starting left guard, potentially, to center to be able to fit that (next-best) guy in."
The ripples of that philosophy spread through the entire line. In 2024, Titan Fleischmann earned All-America honors at right tackle. Due to injuries and other factors, he moved to guard last year. Again, he earned All-America honors. This season, he returns to right tackle. Starting center JT Reed, previously a guard, anchored MSU's line at center a season ago, in response to an injury to Mastel in the days before the season opener.
"It's extremely important for the guards to be able to play both left and right, at a minimum, and hopefully to snap (at center)," Smith said, adding that it doesn't just help the team. "You add more value to yourself when you can play more than one position."
A standout, multi-year starting center at Fresno State, Smith uses a holistic teaching approach. "You have to teach everybody as if they're a center, and then as if they know all five positions," he said. "If I'm the left guard, I should still know what the right tackle has to do on this play. You have to know the whole picture to understand why you have to do what we're asking you to do. Why do I have this leverage? Why am I doing this when they're double-teaming over there? Even when something's not in the playbook, it's important to understand because then you know how to adjust."
ONE QUICK QUOTE: "It was good to be on the grass again, because of the space and the surface. We're grateful for that opportunity."
-Montana State head coach Brent Vigen
COMING UP: Montana State is scheduled to practice on the grass practice field at 9:25 am on Thursday.
Players Mentioned
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