GLENDIVE — When NCAA Division II Mary (N.D.) topped NAIA Rocky Mountain College 23-10 last Thursday, it was a celebration in more ways than one for a pair on the Maurauders staff.
Head coach Shann Schillinger and offensive line coach Mike Person had a homecoming, as they returned to Perham Field in Glendive for the first time in years.
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“The spring of 2005 for a track meet, so I'm showing my age right there. It's been some time," Schillinger said of his last visit to the venue. "Obviously had a lot of great memories here and ran a lot of track meets here. Glendive is a great sports town. They support things. A lot of good people have come through here, a lot of good athletes, and I have a lot of good memories here."
“It's been 21 years since I've seen a game in this stadium. To be on the same sideline that my dad used to roam, it's a pretty special moment, that's for sure," Person said.
Schillinger grew up in Baker before heading to the University of Montana to play football. That ultimately led him to the pros, where he’d see a familiar face in Person. But the transition to coaching began in 2014.
Person, who gained fame in Glendive before starring at Montana State, wound up reaching a Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers before venturing into coaching after retiring from the NFL following the 2019 season.
This season, though, is the first time the two have graced the same sideline.
“My wife and I talked about it extensively for a few months. Obviously I know coach Shann and played against him in middle school, high school, college and the NFL, and now we get to be on the same team for a change," Person said. "Having that relationship with him and knowing what he's about and what his family is about was a big pull for us."
“Mike's as good as it gets, as far as a person. He's a great coach. It's been fun ... we've gone at each other for quite some time, so to be on the same sideline is quite enjoyable," Schillinger said. "We've grown our relationship. I think a lot of him and his family. He's a great dad and he's a great husband. He's a great coach and I consider him a great friend. It's been great to have him by our side and to do this thing together."
Schillinger has stops at big-time programs, like Nebraska, Mississippi State and FCS power Montana, while Person spent time with the Dolphins and head coach Mike McDaniel in 2022.
“You try to take a little bit from each and how can you apply it to your program. Some things you can't. Some things aren't applicable. When I was a GA at Nebraska, we can't do things that they do there and there's things you can," Schillinger said. "You try to apply a little from each place and put it into your own and put your own fingerprints on it and see how it goes."
Mary does feature a handful of Montana players, but don’t be surprised if that number continues to grow in the years to come.
