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Defensive line boasts most experience for Montana State; confidence at 'all-time high'

MSU defensive line boasts most experience on team, confidence at 'all-time high'
fall camp dline
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BOZEMAN — As Montana State enters it's fourth and final week of fall camp, position previews continue with the most seasoned group on the team: the defensive line.

The group boasts the most experience returning to the team this season.

"On defense it starts up front, starts on that line of scrimmage, stopping the run, that way our back-end guys can go to work," Montana State defensive end Zac Crews said about how the position group sets the tone for the rest of the defense. "Just combining our knowledge, trying to help one another, push each other, and competing with one another."

A bulk of the experience comes from Paul Brott, a preseason All-American and first-team all-conference selection, and Kenneth Eiden IV who received preseason All-Big Sky honors as well.

But the team tries not focus on accolades that come out before the season.

"We call it ‘taco truck’ because you can have a special up there one day and then they can just wipe it off, so I try not to think about it and just focus on my game because if I get too caught up in that and play bad, I’m not going to get any of them," Brott said.

The Billings native will don MSU's legacy No. 41 jersey this year and has taken another step this offseason to continue to grow as a leader on and off the field.

"I coached a Chase Benson," defensive coordinator Shawn Howe began to explain what Brott's ceiling is. "To me, to say you were even around a Chase Benson is a really, really cool thing. I think Paul Brott can be that same type of player. I really do. I think Chase Benson could’ve been an NFL guy if he wouldn’t have been hurt. I think you can say the same about Paul.

"But he’s attacking it. I mean when you talk about a man possessed, he’s been a man possessed."

"Paul is my roommate, so I can see it first-hand every single day," Montana State defensive end Hunter Parsons said. "He works harder than anybody I know. I mean, sometimes it can be a little annoying how intense he is, but I love the guy. I mean, every single day he does everything with a purpose, and he’s very intentional with everything he does."

He’s joined by fellow senior Alec Eckert on the interior who also returns a plethora of experience. When it comes to the ends, Parsons and Crews are alongside Eiden as the main playmakers returning.

"Zac Crews is a big play maker," Howe said. "He can make big plays. Any time you got a guy like that, you have to try and find a way to get him on the field. He attacked this spring. He attacked this summer. He grew up as a person, and he’s getting better and better and more consistent.

"I’d say the same thing for Hunter, really. I think we’ve got several guys including (Dominic) Solano, you know, that can step up and be really good."

Parsons explained what the attitude is like within the defensive line room coming into this season.

"I would say our confidence is at an all-time high right now. We got guys who can really be trusted to play" he said. "I mean, we can flip a coin for whoever wants to go out there."