The Story Behind the "M"

The "M" is 620 feet above the Missoula Valley floor. It is 125' feet long and 100' feet wide. University of Montana forestry students cut the switchbacks into the side of the hill in the early 1900's. The first "M" was assembled out of whitewashed rocks in 1909, and given a fresh coat of paint by freshmen every year, until 1968, when all those rocks were cemented together with concrete.

Photo by Nelson Kenter, kenterphotography.com

Posts Tagged ‘Montana Football’

Big Sky Postpones All Fall Sports Until Spring 2021

Due to ongoing concerns related to COVID-19, the Big Sky Conference is postponing all competition for its fall sports to spring 2021.... more

Statement on Montana’s Home Football Game Against Morehead State

Morehead State has informed Montana director of athletics Kent Haslam of their intention to obtain a waiver from the Pioneer League to play the Montana/Morehead State game as scheduled.  ... more

Griz Picked Second in Big Sky Preseason Polls

The Montana Grizzlies have been picked to finish second in the 2020 Big Sky title race by the league's coaches and media.... more

Longtime Relationships Help Griz Land Transfers From Louisville and Arizona

A pair of recruiting journeys years in the making came full circle for Grizzly head coach Bobby Hauck and his staff this week.... more

Big Sky Kickoff Moved to July 23-24

The Big Sky Conference's annual Football Kickoff has been moved up to Thurs. July 23-24. All 13 league head coaches and one student-athlete from each football program will participate.... more

Griz Adjust 2020 Summer Camp Slate

The Grizzlies will now host two camps for high school-age players in the month of July as well as a pair of youth camps in June... more

Olson Signs with Philadelphia Eagles

The greatest tackler in Montana and Big Sky Conference history received the chance to make a literal dream of a lifetime come true Saturday, signing with the Eagles.... more

Griz Football Classics Set For Re-Air on ROOT Sports & SWX

Montana's 1995 National Championship win over Marshall is set to highlight a 31-game slate of Big Sky Conference classic football game re-broadcasts on ROOT Sports and SWX Montana.... more

Griz Football Season Ticket Renewal Extended

Grizzly Athletics has made the decision to temporarily delay mailing season ticket renewals to current holders.... more

Grizzly Athletics Announces Social Distancing Measures

The University of Montana Department of Athletics will suspend all practices and group team activities through March 29... more

Montana, Hauck Agree to New Four-Year Contract

The University of Montana and Bobby Hauck, the school's winningest football coach of all time, have agreed to a new four-year contract, extending him through January 2024.... more

Olson Wins Buck Buchanan Award

On its 25th anniversary, Olson became just the third Grizzly ever to be awarded the STATS FCS Buck Buchanan Award, presented annually to the FCS Defensive Player of the Year at the STATS FCS Awards Banquet.... more

Olson, Toure, and O’Donoghue Tabbed First Team All-Americans

By ERIC TABER - The postseason honors continue to pile up for the Montana Grizzlies this week, with a Big Sky-best three standouts being named to the STATS FCS All-America First-Team.... more

Big Sky-Best Five Griz Named All-American by HERO Sports

A Big Sky Conference-best five Montana Grizzlies have earned All-America honors from HERO Sports, the online sports news outlet announced Monday.... more

Griz Set For Marquee Rematch at Weber State

By ERIC TABER-This week No. 6-seed Montana returns to the road for a "Thrilla in Manilla", traveling to Ogden, Utah, for an epic quarterfinal title-bout rematch against No. 3-seed Weber State.... more

Records Fall as Griz Advance to FCS Quarterfinal

By ERIC TABER - The Grizzlies scored a season-high 73 points against Southeaster Louisiana while punching its ticket to a quarterfinal rematch against No. 3 Weber State.... more

Olson Again Honored for his Work Off the Field

Montana linebacker Dante Olson was twice recognized this week for his commitment to academics and service in the community.... more

Griz Host Southeastern Louisana in Second Round of FCS Playoffs

By ERIC TABER - The FCS Playoffs return to Missoula for the first time since 2015 this week as the sixth-seed Montana hosts Southeastern Louisiana in the second round of the tournament.... more

Olson Once Again Making a Strong Case for Defensive Player of the Year

By ERIC TABER Montana defensive coordinator Kent Baer's resume reads like a laundry list of some of the greatest programs in college football history. He's coached the Cal Golden Bears, the Stanford Card... more

Griz Up to #3 in National Polls Ahead of Brawl of the Wild

As expected, the Montana Grizzlies have risen to No. 3 in the major national polls this week after a 35-16 demolition of the previously third-ranked Weber State Wildcats over the weekend.... more

Griz Make Statement With Dominant Win Over #3 Weber State

By ERIC TABER - Fueled by big plays and a dominant defense, the No. 4/5 Griz rolled to a 35-16 win against No. 3 Weber State in a battle of the Big Sky's top two teams.... more

Toure, Lewis Named ROOT Sports Big Sky Players of the Week

By ERIC TABER - For the second time this season and only the third time since 2013, two Montana Grizzlies have been named ROOT Sports Big Sky Conference Players of the Week.... more

Griz Rise in Polls Setting Up Top-5 Showdown With Weber State

The Montana Grizzlies rose to No. 4 in the NCAA FCS Coaches' Poll and No. 5 in the STATS FCS Media Poll on Monday, setting up a top-5 showdown with No. 3 Weber State on Saturday at Washington-Grizzly Stadium in... more

Sneed Named to “Performer of the Year” Watch List

By ERIC TABER - On Tuesday, College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) recognized Dalton Sneed with a place on its midseason FCS National Performer of the Year watchlist.... more

Griz Move up to #5/6 in Weekly Polls

By ERIC TABER - The Montana Grizzlies returned to the top five in one of the two main national rankings this week following a decisive 38-23 road win over Portland State that improved the Griz to 7-2 on the sea... more

Strong 2nd Half Lifts Montana to Impressive Road Win at Portland State

By ERIC TABER - All season Montana has been a second-half team, and that hasn't been more apparent than it was on Saturday, when the Grizzlies rallied for a 38-23 victory at Portland State.... more

Ground Game Gets Going asGriz Run Over Eagles

By ERIC TABER - The win brings Montana to 6-2 on the season and 3-1 in the Big Sky, keeping them in the hunt for the Big Sky Championship.... more

Eagles to Return to Missoula for Rivalry Showdown

The Montana Grizzlies return home to a renewed rivalry this week as the Eastern Washington Eagles come to town for the first time since 2017 after sitting out a one-year hiatus in 2018, a lapse in the schedule ... more

Griz Rise to No. 5/6 in Weekly Polls

By ERIC TABER - The Montana Grizzlies continued their march up the national weekly polls on Monday, landing in the top-five for the first time this season.  ... more

Griz Rebound From Slow Start to Route Bengals

By ERIC TABER - Montana proved it is a championship-caliber team and kept its season rolling with a 59-20 win over the Bengals to improve its record to 5-1.... more

Griz Look to Keep Momentum Hosting Dangerous Idaho State

By ERIC TABER - The Grizzlies return home for Homecoming this week following a 45-20 demolition of the previously 4/5 ranked UC Davis Aggies.... more

Balanced Griz roll to win over Monmouth

By ERIC TABER - Montana put together another big second half at home Saturday against Monmouth, running away from its Big South opponent.... more

New-Look Grizzly O-Line Bigger and Better in 2019

By ERIC TABER - The Montana Grizzlies hit the weight room for the first time at fall camp on Monday morning, and also hit the scales to gather official weights and heights.... more

Griz QBs Feature Depth and Versatility in 2019

By ERIC TABER -0 The Montana Grizzlies officially return to the field in one week's time with the first practice of fall camp on Tuesday, Aug. 6 starting the leadup to the season opener at South Dakota.... more

Griz Picked Fourth, Fitfth, in Preseason Polls

By ERIC TABER - With a first-place vote in each, the Grizzlies have been selected to finish fourth by the Big Sky Conference's coaches and fifth by the media in the league's annual preseason polls.... more

Balanced Griz Take Field for Opening Scrimmage of Spring

By ERIC TABER - When the first scrimmage of spring football rolls around, fans usually come away thinking one side of the ball "won" the scrimmage.... more

Griz Adjust Spring Schedule

By ERIC TABER - Winter conditions and an icy playing surface in Washington-Grizzly Stadium continue to wreak havoc on the Montana Grizzlies' spring practice schedule.... more

Griz Rally Falls Short Against Cats

By ERIC TABER - In the biggest game of the year it was a fumble that cost the Griz a chance at victory over Montana State and a chance at the playoffs.... more

Griz Look to Defend Home Turf in 118th Brawl of the Wild

By ERIC TABER - The Montana Grizzlies enter the biggest rivalry of the year this week – No. 25 Montana State.... more

2018 Brawl of the Wild SOLD OUT

By ERIC TABER - The 118th Brawl of the Wild game between Montana and Montana State is officially SOLD OUT, Grizzly Athletics announced Thursday.  ... more

#14 Griz Look to Keep MomentUM Hosting Drake

By ERIC TABER - The Montana Grizzlies are buoyed by momentUM as they head into week two of their challenging 2018 schedule against Drake.... more

#24 Griz host #13 Panthers in Challenging Opener

By ERIC TABER - On Saturday, Hauck will run back onto that field with Griz to begin act-two of his head coaching career at UM as the Griz take on Northern Iowa at 7pm.... more

Dickenson Returns to Celebrate Hall of Fame Induction

For the first time in over a decade, Montana legend Dave Dickenson will return to Missoula for a Grizzly football game when he celebrate his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.... more

Griz Legend Brent Pease Returns to UM Coaching Staff

By ERIC TABER - Head Coach Bobby Hauck welcomes back Griz legend Brent Pease to his staff to serve as the assistant head coach and receivers coach.... more

Dickenson to be inducted into College Football Hall of Fame

By ERIC TABER - On Monday, the National Football Foundation announced that Dickenson will be immortalized as one of the greatest college football players of all time.... more

Hauck Returns as Grizzly Mentor

By ERIC TABER - Director of Athletics Kent Haslam has named former Grizzly head coach Bobby Hauck as the 37th head football coach at the University of Montana.... more

Griz Bury Bears

By ERIC TABER - The playoff push continued for Montana on Saturday against Northern Colorado as the Griz coasted to an easy 44-14 victory.... more

Wildland Firefighters, Vets Gifted with Griz Football Game

By ERIC TABER - UM Athletics and sponsors honor more than 800 wildland firefighters, emergency responders, veterans and their family members at this Saturday's game.... more

Offense Rolls in Season-Opening Victory

By ERIC TABER - Montana rolled to a 45-23 victory over Valparaiso to open the 2017 football season.... more

Great Griz Encounter Set For Aug. 24

By ERIC TABER - The 22nd "Great Griz Encounter"meet-and-greet with the 2017 UM football players and coaches will take place in Caras Park on Thursday, August 24.... more