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THIS WEEK IN CARROLL FOOTBALL
For the second consecutive season, the Saints begin the season against rival Montana Tech. Last year, the Saints opened at home and pulled out a 27-24 win over the Diggers on a field goal as time expired. Tech earned the season split however with a 34-15 win over the Saints in Butte on Oct. 15, outgaining the Saints 377-285, including a 203-65 advantage in the run game. The Carroll offense got into action in the second half behind Tanner Gustavesen and Connor Fohn after Gustavsen replaced injured starter JT Linder. 

A LOOK AT THE SAINTS
Eight starters and several other key players return to pace the Carroll offense in 2017.  Quarterback Tanner Gustavsen started key games and passed for 667 yards and ran for four touchdowns.  He played in seven games with starts in four games.

He will get help from a big help from an experienced back field with senior Ryan Walsh and sophomore Major Ali.  The duo combined for 720 rushing and 240 yards receiving with four touchdowns.

Walsh is healthier than he was a year ago and Ali will bring experience with a year under his belt.

The receiving corps is the deepest group on the team with First-Team All-Conference returner Connor Fohn and productive slot receiver Troy Arntson returning on the outside. Tight end Eric Dawson makes his return off of a medical redshirt year, and Connor McGree gained valuable experience in his absence to give the Saints a strong tight end duo.

The offensive line returns three starters with Willy Clements, Joel Kramer and Chris Emter. David Barnett made the switch from to the O-line from the D-line and showed signs of promise in his spring-ball debut. A strong recruiting class will add depth to the O-line.

Experience will be an important factor as the Saints look to get back to the top of the Frontier race and return to the playoffs after a two-year drought.

The strength of the 2017 Fighting Saint defense is in a pair of experienced defensive tackles. Beaugh Meyer and Alec Basterrechea anchor a defense that returns six starters from a season ago. Meyer Earned Frontier All-Conference Second-Team honors while Basterrechea was among the Frontier's leaders in Sacks and Tackles for loss.  Peyton Sexe was injured early in the season but will look to make an impact in his return, and Cole Greff became an important part of the D-line rotation.

In the linebacker position, David Anderson and Reece Quade return for the Saints giving Carroll some much-needed experience in that position. Gone is six-year senior Jake Konan and Ty Irving. The backups in the middle of the defense lack experience, but there is plenty of talent.

On the back end of the defense, the safety position is among the best on the team. Tucker Johnson and McBride Galt bring leadership and play making ability, but the Saints will need to replace a pair of starters at the cornerback position in Ryan Gregory and Vince Digiallonardo who were lost to graduation. Drew Melton, Chandler Arbizzani and Isazah King will anchor the corner position with junior college transfer Ryan Beaulieu coming in to shore up the position.

Returning Frontier First-Team All-Conference punter Dylan Torgerson will lead the special teams unit. Torgerson was in the top five for average yard per punt in the NAIA. He is currently tabbed as the kicker for the Saints as well.

The return game looks like it is in good shape with Troy Arntson, Connor Fohn, Isazah King and Shane Sipes all back on the field for the Saints. Tucker Johnson is listed as the first punt returner on the depth chart.

ABOUT MONTANA TECH 
The defending conference champions lost All-Everything runningback Nolan Saraceni to graduation and a lot of talent on defense but return transfer quarterback Quinn McQueary who has been a stalwart in the Tech offense for two seasons. The offensive line also returns four starters from a year ago.

Head coach Chuck Morell enters his seventh year at the helm.  He has taken the Diggers to the post-season three times.

QUICK NOTES 
• Carroll opens the season on the road against No. 6 Montana Tech. The two teams split the series last year with both teams winning on their home turf. 

• Carroll returns eight starters on offense, including three offensive linemen, two receivers, the tight ends and a pair of running backs. Starting quarterback Tanner Gustavsen also saw starting action in a pair of games and played in seven games total.

•The Saints' top three pass catchers return this season, including productive wideout Connor Fohn (61 Rec., 887 yards and nine touchdowns), slot receiver Troy Arntson (35 rec., 359 yards and two touchdowns) and running back Ryan Walsh (23 rec. and 236 yards).

• Fohn closed last season ranked No. 8 in the NAIA in receptions per game, No. 15 in receiving yards per game, No. 16 total receptions and No. 26 total receiving yards. 

• With 188 yards in the first match up against MSU-Northern, Fohn notched the individual single-game high in the Frontier Conference for receiving yards in 2016.

• The Saints lost senior Dylan Green to graduation at the running back position but return Walsh and sophomore Major Ali. The duo combined for 720 yards rushing and four touchdowns. Last year. 

• Ryan Walsh tallied 471 yards of total offense, split almost evenly between rushing and receiving. 

• Major Ali notched his first touchdown of his Carroll career against Southern Oregon. He had 13 carries for 60-yards. 

• Tanner Gustavsen earned his first start under center in the second game against Rocky Mountain. He threw for 102 yards and a touchdown and ran for 42 yards and another score. He was stellar against Northern throwing for 257 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. He ran for three touchdowns against Montana Western.

• Tucker Johnson closed 2016 eighth in the Frontier Conference for tackles per game at 7.8, and David Anderson was 12th at 7.5.

• Alec Basterrachea finished fifth in the Frontier Conference for sacks (5.5) and third in sacks per game (0.06).

• Carroll ranked sixth in the Frontier for total offense last season.  

• Carroll was fourth in the Frontier for sacks per game at 2.4 in 2016. 

• The Saints closed last season fifth in the Frontier Conference in total defense.

•There are 36 true freshmen listed on the Carroll roster. 

• In one of the smallest classes in recent history, only 14 seniors are listed on the roster, 13 of those seniors are listed as starters on the two-deep.

• Head Coach Mike Van Diest has the sixth-best winning percentage (.822) of any active college football coach with more than ten years of experience. He is ranked 23rd all-time from any division. 

• Van Diest has the highest winning percentage of any coach in NAIA history with 10 or more seasons. Second is Charlie Richard who coached at Baker (Kan.) from 1980-90, 92-94.

• Montana Tech lost All-Conference Nolan Saraceni to graduation. He had 194 rushes for 1341 yards and 19 touchdowns. The Diggers do return four of five offensive linemen so the rushing game should be formidable regardless of who is rushing the ball. 

• MTT QB Quinn McQueary returns for the Diggers. He threw for 3021 yards and 26 TDs last season. He is also the leading returning rusher with 361 yards and seven touchdowns. 

• Three of the top four pass catchers will not return for the Diggers but Dion Williams, who had an exceptional game against Carroll in Butte returns. He racked up 924 yards and eight touchdowns last season. 

• MTT was second in the conference in total offense in 2016 with 461.7 yards. 

• The Diggers topped the Frontier with 343.2 yards allowed last season.