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THIS WEEK IN CARROLL FOOTBALL
The No. 22 Saints open the 2016 season with a visit from rival and defending Frontier Conference champions Montana Tech. The seventh-ranked Diggers finished the season 10-2 and return NAIA Player of the Year candidate Nolan Saraceni. Carroll is coming off a disappointing 2015 campaign that saw the Saints post the first losing record in nearly two decades but return a talent-laden backfield and, in contrast to a season ago, a healthy receiving corps. The Saints look to avenge a pair of losses to the Diggers in 2015.

CARROLL OFFENSE
The Saints are led by senior signal caller, JT Linder, it his first start as a Saints but he saw time in four games a season ago. His last start was in the 2011 Class A State Championship Game Where he led Beaverhead County HS to a title. In the backfield are 2015s top rushers, Ryan Walsh and Dylan Green. Joining them is redshirt freshman Major Ali who has turned heads since spring ball. The receiving corps returns a pair of injured Saints in junior Kyle Griffith and sophomore Connor Fohn. Also returning is leading receiver Troy Arntson and tight end Eric Dawson. The offensive line is inexperienced but full of talent, including Chris Emter and Willie Clements at the tackle spots. Joel Kramer will line up over the ball and Tyson Budler and Vedder will play the guard spots.

CARROLL DEFENSE
The strength of the defense is up front where Carroll returns Kyle Smith and Beaugh Meyer at the two tackle positions. The two veteran leaders will look to disrupt opposing backfields with their speed and strength. In the linebacking corps, there is talent but not a lot of experience. Reece Quade will play mike linebacker and David Anderson and Ty Irving are listed as starters. One of the most talented athletes on the team. Ryan Gregory anchors the secondary at one corner spot while Vince DiGiallonardo will line up on the other side. Tucker Johnson has taken a leadership role at one safety spot and McBride Galt is listed at the other.

CARROLL SPECIAL TEAMS
A big key to the team this year will be the ability to flip the field with punter Dylan Torgerson. The junior was in the top five for punt yards a season ago and is primed for an even bigger season. Colter Hamel will again take kickoffs for the Saints and is looking for more consistency with field goals. Arntson and Isazah King are listed as starters for the return team.

ABOUT MONTANA TECH
The Diggers are led by veteran coach Chuck Morrell and return a strong contingent of starters, including Saraceni and starting quarterback Quinn McQuery who struggled with injuries a season ago. The Diggers graduated three of their top four receivers with Sean Sullivan as the lone returner. On defense, Tech lost three of its top five tacklers, including sack specialists David Meis and Tyler Gavlak but ballhawking corner Will Davey who finished 2015 with five interceptions returns to pace a secondary.

CARROLL QUICK NOTES
• The Saints look start the 2016 season on a high note against a top-10 team, just as they did a season ago when they topped No. 1 Southern Oregon 26-20 in Helena.

• Tech running back Nolan Saraceni ranked No. 1 in the NAIA for total rushing and rushing yards per game, he also was listed in the top 10 in eight different statistical categories.

• Starting Montana Tech quarterback Quinn McQueary started in five games and appeared in six but was limited due to injury for the Diggers. The Montana State quarterback threw for 774 yards, three TDs and four interceptions.

• Three six-year seniors are listed as starters on the Carroll twodeep. Kyle Smith (defensive tackle), Jake Konen (linebacker/defensive end) and Brandon Vedder (guard) bring experience and maturity in their positions.

• Carroll returns seven players on offense and five on defense that started at least one game. Additionally, Kyle Griffith returns from an injury redshirt year, he was a starter for the Saints during his sophomore season in 2014.

• The Saints ended the season with a losing record but of their six losses, four were by a touchdown or less, including a 28-27 loss to national runner up Southern Oregon on the road.

• The Saints notched wins over Southern Oregon and Montana Western, both teams ended the season in the NAIA Coaches' Top 25. • Ryan Gregory finished the year fourth in passes defended per game, 12th in punt return yards, 23 in punt returns and 37th in allpurpose yards per game.

• Beaugh Meyer finished the season with 25th in the NAIA for tackles for loss per game and 36th for total tackles for loss.

• Ryan Walsh ranked 50th in receptions per game.

• Southern Oregon's 20 points against Carroll in week one was the lowest point output since a 2011 loss to Mary Hardin Baylor.

• 16 receivers caught balls for the Saints in 2015 and nine different Saints earned a start at either receiver or tight end.

•There are 37 true freshmen listed on the Carroll roster.

• In one of the smallest classes in recent history, only 18 seniors are listed on the roster. Seven of those seniors are listed as starters on the two-deep.

• The Saints are back in the poll after finishing the season outside the top-25. Last season ended Carroll's NAIA record 187-consecutive appearances in the poll. The last time Carroll was unranked before last season was Oct. 31 2000.

• Head Coach Mike Van Diest has the second-best winning percentage (.844) of any active college football coach with more than ten years of experience. He trails only Ohio State's Urban M