Billings, Mont. – Rocky Mountain College will play their season opener on August 29 in Dickinson, N.D., against the No. 9 ranked Blue Hawks. This game will pit two conference champions against each other. The Blue Hawks won their fourth straight NSAA conference championship title in 2018. Rocky won the Frontier Conference championship in 2018 for the first time since 1999.

Scouting the Blue Hawks
Dickinson State holds a 22-14 advantage all-time record over Rocky Mountain College. The past decade has seen the matchup swing in Rocky's favor with the Battlin' Bears holding a 9-2 advantage since 2009.

The Blue Hawks return their starting quarterback and team leaders in receiving and rushing. Quarterback Hayden Gibson threw for 3003 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2018. Tyger Frye caught eight touchdowns with 873 total receiving yards. Running back Amad Andrews Jr. also returns after running for 966 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Last Season
Rocky Mountain College finished as the 2018 Frontier Conference champion for the first time since 1999. The Battlin' Bears went 8-4 overall and 7-3 in the Frontier. The season ended with a loss to the eventual NAIA champion, Morningside College, 20-49 in the opening round of the 2018 NAIA Football National Championship. It was the fourth trip to the NAIA's postseason tournament in school history. Quarterback Jacob Bakken earned the Frontier Conference's Player of the Year honor. Departing head coach Jason Petrino earned the Frontier Conference Coach of the Year award. Petrino left for a position as defensive coordinator for Southern Illinois University. The Battlin' Bears finished ranked No. 16 in the 2018 NAIA's Postseason Top 25 Coaches' Poll.

Preseason Rankings
Rocky Mountain College earned a No. 5 ranking in both the Frontier Conference Football Preseason Coaches' Poll and the Frontier Conference Media Poll. The Battlin' Bears received 29 points in the Coaches' Poll and 71 points and two first-place votes in the Media Poll. College of Idaho was picked to finish first in both polls.

The Battlin' Bears ranked No. 23 in the 2019 NAIA Football Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll with 66 points. Four Frontier Conference teams earned a ranking this year. Both College of Idaho, ranked No. 15, and Southern Oregon, ranked No. 20, finished ahead of the Battlin' Bears. Montana Western rounded out the poll with a No. 25 ranking.

New Coaching Staff/New Era
First year head football coach Chris Stutzriem took over the Battlin' Bears in December of 2018. Stutzriem returned to Rocky after serving as an assistant at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, a NCAA Division II program, for the past season. Prior to that, he served two years as the Rocky Mountain College offensive coordinator under Petrino. Stutzriem first came to Rocky after spending three seasons as the offensive coordinator at William Penn University. Stutzriem had a successful career as a college quarterback. He played at NCAA Division I programs Wyoming and Indiana State University, before finishing the final year of his career at NAIA powerhouse Morningside College. He started 20 games during his college career and threw for nearly 3,800 yards and 36 touchdowns.

New and Familiar Coaches: Offensive Coordinator Riley Donovan, Special Teams Coordinator Spencer Chamberlain, Director of Strength and Conditioning Will Peppard, and Cornerbacks Coach Paris Wilcox were all on the coaching staff at some point under previous head coach Jason Petrino. Defensive Coordinator Joe Dunning, Recruiting Coordinator and Defensive Line Coach Dustin Sobieraj, Director of Football Operations and Tight Ends Ricky Corcoran, and Offensive Line Coach Brandon Niccum are all newcomers to the Battlin' Bears. Running Backs Coach Max Gray and Assistant Strength Coach Kirk Durtsche both played for the Battlin' Bears last year.

Key Returners
Drew Korf and Nathan Dick: One of the biggest questions this preseason is who will start at quarterback for the Battlin' Bears. With the departure of senior quarterback Jacob Bakken, the two primary options are Nathan Dick and Drew Korf. Much like last season, no decision regarding the starting quarterback position has been announced heading into the season opener. Both quarterbacks were potential starters last preseason. Both could see playing time against the Blue Hawks this year.

Sam Sparks: Sam Sparks has rushed for 1242 yards and 11 touchdowns during his time as a Battlin' Bear. The senior led the team with five rushing touchdowns last year while also running for 481 yards.

Lucas Overton: Lucas Overton will be a key part of Rocky's air attack in the 2019 season. The junior caught 53 receptions for 806 yards and six touchdowns last season. During his freshman year, he had 41 receptions, 621 receiving yards, and six touchdowns.

Tanner Bloom: With the departure of Troy Bacon, Zane Guse, Cory Roemeling, and John Boogaard on the offensive line, fans can look to returning guard Tanner Bloom to be a key anchor in the trenches for the Battlin' Bears.

Denton Wetherell: Wetherell's leadership on the defensive line will play an important role heading into this season. The senior defensive tackle recorded 49 total tackles last season which is the most of any returning Battlin' Bear.

Defensive Backs: Rocky returns three key defensive backs for the 2019 season. Seniors Jimmy Henderson and Devonte Woods accounted for a combined 67 total tackles. Henderson recorded seven pass break-ups and two interceptions. Woods had four pass break-ups. Ty Reynolds returns for his sophomore year after recording 28 total tackles.

Games to Watch 
9/21 – Montana Western: Rocky Mountain College will take on Montana Western for the 2019 Homecoming and Hall of Fame Game. The 2019 Clara Klindt Hall of Fame Class will be celebrated at halftime. The two teams split their pair of games in 2018 and both teams enter the season closely ranked. The Bulldogs are ranked two spots behind the Battlin' Bears at No. 25.

9/28 – College of Idaho: Last September, Rocky narrowly defeated the Yotes 42-41 in one of the most exciting games of the 2018 season. The Yotes haven't lost a game since. Rocky, the reigning champs, gets a chance to host the No. 1 team in the Frontier Conference Media and Coaches' Poll. This game should have big implications for both teams' seasons. ­­